Storm Hawks is the product of Nerd Corps Entertainment. This is a nonprofit, derivative work from the well produced and written cartoon series. The nature of this work is to provide entertainment and broaden possibilities unexplored in the original series without profit. This work will be used in aid to promote series and all intent for this story for the same purpose. Thank you Nerd Corps Entertainment for providing a wonderful show.

Rated T

A/N: I'm seriously crazy about this show after all these years from the time when it first started premiering. Even through all the corny parts and ridiculousness of some of the scenes, I can't help but enjoy how creative the world of Atmos is. I can't help but love the quirky characters that were made. This story idea has been hashed out over and over in my mind since I finished the series and I finally have the first chapter done just how I want it. yay! It might be a bit cliche how it's set up...but I plan to keep cannon "relationships," just much more complicated and involved.

Series Backdrop: This story takes place near the end of the last episode, only Piper and Aerrow lost in the final battle, leaving Master Cyclonis the victor of Atmos.


RESTORATION CYCLONIA
Chapter 1

"Piper's Predicament"


Ruins. The total collapse of the Sky Knight system, the select group of terras barely left standing on plateaus, the disorder of everything once held in high esteem…all signs of the final, tragic battle.

It all happened so fast. It all came down to the resistance of the Storm Hawks. Their last stand had been less than a glorious, blazing flame of victory and more like a dying ember. They weren't even a match for the underling Cyclonians that swooped down after the battle and took them into custody. All of them lined up one by one. Their final breaths of freedom in chains as they had disappeared into the once moving fortress that was Terra Cyclonia. It was one of the last memories that Piper had of the team she had been a member to. Her Storm Hawk crew was now long gone. They couldn't have survived, still in functioning condition after a year of captivity; she barely had.

Copper eyes stared out the window. Once upon a time, there had been a childishness behind those bright orbs and a blossoming sparkle holding the wonders of girlhood. But, that sparkle had vanished altogether, leaving a steady, dim light of the persona that had survived and seen too much destruction for a mere sixteen years of life.

"You'll accomplish nothing by staring out the window all day," scolded a soft, raspy female voice.

The copper eyes didn't budge, didn't even flinch. Though, the recognition of the voice pulled the murkiness of the daydreams from them. Instantly, they sharpened in expectation. The fear of being hit or dragged around was no longer threatening. There were greater pains to endure than those; torment in forms other than physical.

A dull luster filmed over the copper eyes once more as Piper turned towards the voice's owner. It earned Piper a cruel smirk and another teasing admonishment.

"It can't be all that interesting."

There was that same feigned, nonchalance attitude that Piper had learned to hate. It had taken much time and many beatings to get the ability to hate inside of her. However, she had learned it nonetheless. Piper bit back her tongue as she weighed out her options. They were oh so limited. After all, what choices did she have as a prisoner to the ruler of all Atmos, to Master Cyclonis?

"Why don't you do something a little more exciting. I have a few new crystals for you to analyze."

Piper carefully allowed herself to block emotions, nodding before walking over to the table and inspecting the glimmering planes of light. Her thorough inspection of the new and unexplored was what kept her alive all these years. Piper lived for her passion long before she became the specialist and tactician for the Storm Hawks. Even with Master Cyclonis using Piper's desire for her own wicked purposes, Piper couldn't care less. It was a reason for waking up in the morning, breathing throughout the day. It was a reason for Piper to keep herself grounded, sane despite all the condemnation that had befallen her and her comrades. It wasn't as if Cyclonis could do more damage than she already had done. What more could she take away from Piper?

Piper brushed back her long bangs, hand sliding through the dark ultramarine strands as she took a seat near the new crystals. Her fingers drifted over them without asking permission. If Master Cyclonis had laid them on her station, she knew she already had it.

"Where are they from?" the dullness in Piper's eyes managed to reach her voice. The question wasn't sparked with interest as it might have been all too long ago. It was more of an clue as to where Cyclonis' attention was now. It was Piper's only indicator. After all, it wasn't as if she had the freedom to fly on her heliscooter. Those days had ended in chains and then enslavement to Cyclonis. Perhaps, drudging up past memories of her trips around the known Atmos would collapse the devastating ones she had been having.

"Terra Rex," commented Cyclonis with a flick of her wrist.

Piper mentally sighed. At least it was a terra that had long since been conquered.

Memories bubbled up, images of the chivalrous group of sky knights battling for their rights to the burning phoenix crystal. She had been so embarrassed at the time, watching how Finn and Raadar ate face first, how Junko sipped the water from the wash bowl. She had sunk lower and lower in her chair at every act of improper mannerism her teammates displayed. If she had known that the moment would be bold and strange enough to almost make her smile now…

"Take your time looking at these. I haven't had a chance yet, so you can be the first to test it."

The act wasn't a 'just-in-case' scenario. Neither teen had a fear of experimenting on the unknown, nor did they feel their own or the other teen's skills weren't up to par with observing and studying new discoveries. In fact, both Cyclonis and Piper thrived on their analyses. Piper was especially fond of sharpening her expertise and knowledge of crystals and never hid that fact from anyone. They both knew that Piper needed this to not fully collapse in hopelessness. Cyclonis was sensitive enough to the fact that Piper required a purpose and thus, an indirect bond was forged between the two. Neither one argued over the arrangement that had been made.

However, there was still a lack of agreement over politics that remained quite turbulent. While Piper held on to her silence, a wedge had been driven in her heart to disagree with anything that Cyclonis did or said in regards of the known, conquered Atmos. She had already walked into that stance with a strong bias being s slave of the Cyclonian Empire. After months of being put in her place, enduring prison cells, lack of food, and being beat into the submissive state she was in, Piper now protested silently, internally. They had dealt with those arrangements. Piper would bend and Cyclonis would remain the single head figure of authority. It was another understanding that the two girls came to, with Piper under the threat of being locked back into the crystal prison again. And this understanding pleased Master Cyclonis more than all else.

Cyclonis took a seat next to Piper as the blue haired teen began to move about. Her attention more driven with every second. The thoughts of trouble and reminiscence faded quickly. Soon the two found themselves working diligently, attempting to figure out the structure of the crystal lattice, seeing if there might be any known clues as to it's hidden powers.

It wasn't until a "Master Cyclonis," emitted from a messenger, did they realize that they had been far too concerned with their work to worry about time.

The raven haired teen rolled her eyes before answering with a rough, "What?"

The man seemed to jitter for a moment, under the harsh tones of his master, but pressed on, least he find himself in her bad graces. "The meeting…it will be beginning shortly with the representative-"

"I know. Tell them I'll be there momentarily."

The man couldn't have left faster if he tried. Piper almost smirked at this. A slight twinkle in the depths of her assumed-to-be soulless eyes proved that a spark of defiance was still buried deep within.

Master Cyclonis sighed. "Well, they'll be needing our presence. I expect you wish to change before coming down?"

Piper grimaced. She hated being on display at these meetings, being Cyclonis' right hand woman diligently waiting on her every order. It was a great tactical move, having a Storm Hawk from the old political arena, somewhere in eye sight. All she was required to do was sit there and listen like a good little recorder, so that when Master Cyclonis forgot something in a meeting, Piper was able to relay it later on. It was the most annoying and aggravating thing Piper ever did, this even included listening to Finn's music.

A hint of sorrowful happiness touched the blue haired girl's eyes…perhaps, it hadn't reached that level of annoyance.

Master Cyclonis left the room, telling Piper that she would see her down in a few minutes time. Piper only held back any sign of disappointment, mildly perturbed that she had to leave her project behind.

When the door shut, Piper turned, the small frown disappearing from her features as a sigh heaved from deep within her chest. Her eyes caste a glance to the door and then back to the crystal at hand. Setting down the crystal, Piper rubbed her temples.

She picked herself up finally and followed the same path that her master had taken. They would be waiting for a well dressed, castle "ambassador" to stand there, statuesque, as if she had been working with the Cyclonians the entire time. As if she had never been a Storm Hawk. As if she was nothing more than a trophy. But, Piper was used to it by now. Some even pitied her for having to pretend. But those who did never said this out loud. She could only decipher the puppet governors' unspoken words from the look in their eyes.

Piper pulled out a long dark blue dress, one that she had received nice complements about when the viceroys arrived. She pulled her hair out of her face and into a bun to keep it from flying in all directions. She was the pinnacle of intelligence and beauty.

Her lips curved up into a smile. If only one particular redheaded sky knight could see her now... The frown once again appeared before tears entered her eyes. There was no use looking at the past. Aerrow was gone, as was the rest of the team.

She blinked a few threatening tears back into her eyes before standing and leaving the room. Her presence was requested.

The door was ajar, signaling that she was invited to enter. On her face, a carefully placed blankness steadied itself as she tip-toed through the threshold. Her eyes filled with duty, pushing out all emotions that might have threatened escape.

"Yes, I understand. Piper, make a note of returning the crates of floater crystals to Terra Mesa."

Piper had barely gotten into place when Cyclonis had stated this. It was disconcerting every time Cyclonis could determine Piper's presence, even when not seeing her. However, Piper no longer dwelled on the strangeness of it all and instead shrugged it off. Whether or not Cyclonis had a sixth sense, it didn't quite make a difference to her. In the end, Master Cyclonis was in charge of all decisions surrounding Piper's life. A sixth sense didn't add or subtract from that.

A particularly heavy-set fellow arose from the back of the room. His complaints bellowed across the table about a silly preteen group arising in rebellion towards the empire. Preposterous, absurd, and all other forms of discouraging words slipped into the back of Piper's mind as she listened on and on about the reckless group. Didn't they understand what had happened to the sky knights and rebellion preceding them?

"…led by some girl. Lynn is what her rumored name is."

Copper eyes widened momentarily, body stiffening in unison. She knew that name.

"They actually believe that they are replicating old Sky Knight squadrons," continued the man, oblivious to Piper's discomfort. "Their presence is out of control and my terra has been plagued with this so called, back-up team of the Storm Hawks. Everyone knows the Storm Hawk squadron is long gone."

Piper nearly lost track of her breathing as she watched Master Cyclonis' hand tighten on her armrest. The knuckles became a shade of white that even her pale skin could not obtain. Ignoring a few glances tossed at Piper, who had once served under the Sky Knight council as a Storm Hawk, the blue haired girl was only interested in what Master Cyclonis would say about the new uprising. Warning bells were ringing in every direction that she would be blamed for this unfortunate information. Lynn didn't realize the precarious situation that Piper was in; the precarious situation she was putting herself in. She wouldn't know enough to understand that by calling her squadron the back-up team of the legendary Storm Hawks, that she was risking the wrath of Cyclonis more than ever. She was condemning them both.

The room was silent for a moment before Master Cyclonis tilted her head towards Piper, only enough so that the blue haired girl could make out the corners of the other teen's eyes.

"Are there more Storm Hawks than we have to worry about, Piper?" Master Cyclonis spat out her name with a certain hateful tone.

Piper shuffled where she stood. In a low voice, Piper replied, "There was talk of a back up team if ours failed, but it was never taken seriously by anyone."

A heavy silence hung in the air as Master Cyclonis refused to respond. Then the silence disappeared.

"I say that we wipe out anybody who up-rises against your rule, just as we did to the Sky Knight Council."

All eyes turned to the raven haired man at the front of the table. His red eyes filled with a heavy cloud of anger as he folded his arms over one another. His words lingered above the room, being absorbed by everyone within ear range of just how seriously this situation was being taken. A streak of anger struck Piper at the sight of this man, the Dark Ace, loyal to Master Cyclonis since the very beginning. It was sickening, his position in hierarchy nearly replicated her own, yet he was a willing slave to the new Cyclonia Empire.

All eyes turned back to Master Cyclonis in anticipation of what she might say. Piper knew she had to do something to distract, if not hinder, any attempt of going after the team of preteens. They were barely able to defend themselves the last time they had met. Her old hero instincts took over before she could correct herself into properly cowering as she had been taught to do.

"They're just children."

The rest of the terra representatives glanced at the girl who normally never spoke a word. Fear lit the eyes of those close enough to see Master Cyclonis' frown.

Piper covered her mouth quickly realizing her grave mistake. However, that did not stop Piper from holding her ground, praying that her suggestion would be taken into consideration.

At the looks of it, it wasn't about to be.

"So were we. I believe that we can talk about this later, Piper," snarled Master Cyclonis back at the shrinking figure of the blue haired girl. All courage drained instantly.

Wrapping her arms around her torso, Piper tried to will herself to turn invisible no matter how impossible that was. All she could do is nod, knowing that it was pointless to reason on impossibilities. Maybe, a fair opportunity, like working for the Cyclonians, could be negotiated? An opportunity for Lynn to back down from her rebellion. Master Cyclonis did keep all the old Storm Hawks alive, only as prisoners.

A deep chuckle came from a raven haired man, seated so close to the ruler that it was obvious the favoritism he held. Piper knew Dark Ace all too well to know that the laugh had been sarcastic and bitter. It always was with him. "Honestly, whose side are you on?"

Red eyes sharpened, honing in on the copper eyes. There was a glimmer of mischief that danced in the crimson orbs, a bit of knowledge that knew Piper had no option in the question. It mocked her predicament. It teased her very definition of existence.

Piper quickly cast her gaze down. At this point, there was no arguing, only hoping. Lynn surely knew the cost of forming such resistance. It was likely that whatever crew she had assembled had taken some precautions. Piper only prayed that reason would come crashing down on them before they fell into the wrong hands.

The conversation continued with a simple, "capture them" from Master Cyclonis. Piper didn't register much after that. The rest was just meaningless words that, at this point, she couldn't remember. Her eyes focused back on the table, running over the governors one by one. Then her vision saw a glimpse of red flash from in front of her. A smirk was on the raven haired man's face. That same crooked smirk she had seen him wear time and time again before he began to fight with Aerrow, her squadron captain and Sky Knight of the Storm Hawks.

Something inside of the girl snapped, but she let her outside appearance reflect the perfect lady, the one that Master Cyclonis had forcibly constructed in her. That didn't stop her eyes from revealing the fire lying within, rising up without control.

Oh, she wasn't quite as broken as everyone thought her to be, what with their glances of pity. That man, the Dark Ace, knew somewhere deep inside her quelled the vibrant rebellious spirit against the Cyclonian rule. His repeated presence provoked her to say something out of line every time he had started a conversation about the Storm Hawks in front of Piper. Aerrow was always somehow dragged into the forefront of the conversation; a very sore spot for Piper's heart.

"Piper," Master Cyclonis replied, getting up from her chair. She quickly handed off the paperwork off to a nearby talon officer. Then, she turned towards the girl. "Write a letter to the murk raiders that keep threatening passing fleets of these fine governors. We paid them in full to keep Atmos' governments safe and I expect they keep their word. Otherwise leave some sort of life threatening tone behind it. Something I would say..." A smile crept on the woman's face. "Can you do that, Piper?"

Piper refused to show any semblance of emotion. Her curt nod served her better than voicing her compliance.

"Good," stated Cyclonis with a wave of her hand. "And if that is all, you are all dismissed."

Piper watched as each representative began to shift in their seats, getting up and slowly exiting. All the underling rulers, but one. Piper had suspected nonetheless. She knew how Dark Ace loved to linger for his Master to show any sign of attention to him. She knew that he was only there to bring up the subject of the Storm Hawks now that it had been mentioned aloud.

"Ah, Master Cyclonis," Dark Ace drawled, his greeting dripping with his pure loyalty to the violent, young ruler. That was all Piper had to hear before she was on her way. She didn't need to stay and listen to what that detestable man had to say to his master. She could barely stomach the meetings where they had to be present in the same room. Having to face him directly would be too much for her. She wasn't tamed into slavery perfection, when he was around. She never reacted well with that man. But mostly, Piper dreaded being locked away again in the crystal lattice, the threat hanging like a noose, loosely draped around her neck.

Piper vanished without a trace. She need not waste another moment. Her intent was to get back to the small lab that had been set up for her crystals. She wanted more than all else to be somewhere she deemed safe.

Peeking behind her, to make sure she wasn't being followed, Piper caught a glimpse of the conversation between Cyclonis and her favorite puppet. Though, the puppet did not look pleased at all, like his strings had been tied in knots.

Those crimson eyes darted towards Piper once more, face forming disdain immediately as he flipped back to his master.

Piper moved a bit quicker. It was obvious that what they were saying wasn't something she necessarily wanted to be a part of. If the Dark Ace was upset, there was no telling the damage he could inflict on anyone he deemed in his way. Surely he would try to bait something from Piper that would have her begging Cyclonis for forgiveness, an act Piper rather not repeat in front of that man.

Skittering to safety, Piper closed the doors. Her face finally reflecting the turmoil she felt inside as she thought of the dangers Lynn and then other children were putting themselves into. It was true Piper, Aerrow, and Finn were all but fourteen when they had ventured out to resurrect the Storm Hawks team. But, Lynn was younger still. She was naive and had once fallen into the hands of the Talons. If she did once again, there wouldn't be mercy for her or her kid crew.

Piper paced the room. Her attention completely focused on her own naivety of allowing Lynn to call her team as their back-ups. It was at a time that the Sky Knights reigned and not Cyclonis. It was safe and fun and Piper hadn't thought of the consequences down the road. She hadn't thought that it was possible for evil to win as it had. It didn't fit the fairy tale endings she had grown up being told as a young girl. Two years ago, everything had been different. At the age of sixteen, she realized how much more fearful of the world she had become.

The door creaked open in the midst of Piper's tumultuous thoughts. Her mind stopped within a heartbeat and her body froze. She could not show her anger and fears. She wasn't going to give Cyclonis the pleasure of watching all the hope drain from her face again.

"Oh good, I thought you'd be here," commented Cyclonis. Her voice took too pleased of a note.

Resisting to look at the young ruler, Piper plopped herself down on the stool under her work station. "I thought it would be wise to get started-"

"We can worry about that later," Cyclonis replied hurriedly. There was a tinkling of excitement that could be traced in her voice. Piper only felt dread.

Piper's face rose to meet an aloof figure near the door, scoffing at the interior of the room Piper had found comfort in. The person standing there had Piper's stomach plummet instantly. Apparently, Dark Ace was omnipresent today in Piper's life because she just could not seem to escape him.

"We have more important things to attend to," chuckled Cyclonis as she drifted around Piper's seat and began to push it towards Dark Ace.

Piper's gaze spun towards Cyclonis, to the suddenly movement of her chair, and locked onto the Dark Ace, who just looked completely disgusted by whatever was happening. Piper slammed her feet down, slowing the movement with as much friction as she possibly could. Master Cyclonis knew that there was rocky waters between her and this man. She knew the sheer amount of times both struck the other with a sharp comment, though, that was admittedly more one sided since Piper was not enabled to fight back as brutally. Yet, the young ruler was more than eager to have them alone in the same room? Was she testing Piper's endurance once again? Would she say something akin to a punishment if Piper could not hold her tongue?

Dark Ace watched the pathetic struggle before stepping over and yanking Piper from her perch. It was violent, violent enough that even Cyclonis frowned at the movement.

"Can we just get on with it?" Dark Ace snapped, impatience interlaced with disdain. His grip was still firmly around Piper's arm, pinching the skin tight enough to form a pale ring right above his grip.

"Dark Ace," warned Cyclonis, eyes narrowing a bit. "I won't hand anything of mine to you that you might try to break."

There was an instant release of Piper's arm before Dark Ace's lips tightened in a thin line. He gave a small bow to his master, while Piper made a show of jerking away from him and rubbing her arm. Cyclonis didn't give much of a care to the girl. Piper had known the master had been appeased by Dark Ace's willingness to follow directions more so than she was at making sure her favorite slave hadn't been hurt.

Piper's mind sharpened as the conversation replayed itself. "Hand me over?" she practically screech out of nowhere.

There was suddenly a great need to pull away from the duo of villains.

"Don't be dramatic, Piper. You will be going in trusted hands," replied Cyclonis. She gave a pointed look to her favorite henchman. "Right, Dark Ace?"

The man grunted his agreement.

Then, Cyclonis turned back around. "Besides, this will be a perfect set up. Think of the publicity across all the known Atmos of a Cyclonian and Storm Hawk finally united as equals under the Cyclonian rule."

Dark Ace glared away for a moment. "Only under the terms we agreed to."

Cyclonis' voice sweetened. "But of course. That tiny request makes no difference to me."

"Agreed to what?" Piper questioned, gaining the attention of the two now smirking Cyclonians. She was so disturbed at being tossed to Dark Ace, that she didn't even mind the audience she gained, nor the tone she'd use to gain her audience.

"You're marriage, Piper. Surely, you can't be that dense about uniting two people." Cyclonis gave a flick of her raven hair.

Piper's eyes zeroed in on Dark Ace. Realization hit her at once as to who her groom would be. "You can't be serious!"

"I'm very serious, Piper. Don't you think the two of you make such a powerful couple?"

The edges of Piper's vision fogged over. Her mind broke at the thought of having been promised to one of her worst enemies.

Piper was suddenly speechless, not knowing whether to give into despair or anger at the moment. Had Master Cyclonis not such control over Piper, this would have been enough cause to lash out physically. She would have brought this matter to blows until one of them could no longer stand. Unfortunately, they were both pawns to be manipulated in Master Cyclonis' head whenever she felt. Neither had real power.

Dark Ace growled at the implication of the two of them together, proving that this had been Cyclonis' little scheme alone. Why didn't he just say how he felt? Surely Dark Ace wouldn't do this without some protest. There had to be something else, something Piper had missed. If her mind could only grasp reality for a second, then she might consider what that something was. As it stood, she could only watch the fragments of her life start to shatter.

Her eyes darted between the two before she pushed past the two running from the room.

She wasn't comprehending anything any longer. She didn't even note the trailing of Cyclonis' voice hunting her down.

Instead she went as far as her legs would carry her, as fast as she possibly could. They couldn't force her to marry Dark Ace if she wasn't present to begin with.

Piper bumped into quite a few people as she hurdled down the hallway, feet slowing as her mind tried to reason with what exactly she was doing.

Suddenly, a hand clasped her shoulder. Piper was tugged back instantly and spun around to face the man she had most grown to hate. "You should listen to your master when she calls you."

"Let me go!" snapped Piper, throwing the arm off her shoulder in such force that even Dark Ace rose a surprised eyebrow.

Then she pointed a finger in his face. She didn't have Cyclonis present at the moment. The fear she held for the teenage ruler did not extend to Dark Ace. "You don't actually want to be married to me, just like I don't want to be stuck alongside you. So go tell your master to call this off."

The two starred each other down. "I don't think you realize what's at stake here for me, girl."

Dark Ace grabbed Piper's wrists, twisting it painfully. "I'm getting all the revenge I could ever ask for."

"How could you possibly get revenge by marrying me? Taking me away from working on crystals in the palace? Is that your revenge?"

Dark Ace searched Piper's face before laughing loudly. "You mean that you really don't know. You haven't suspected, not even once."

Piper remained steadfast. She was tired of this game that Dark Ace seemed willing to pull her into. She went to walk away again, but the hand was back, literally jerking her into place once more. His face filled her vision as he pressed in closer than she had ever seen him.

"Aerrow can't have you, if I have you. He gets to watch his little childhood sweetheart be given off to his worst enemy. There's nothing he can do about it. No little kid promises that you two can make like you did when you were four. You think he'll ever forgive you for never coming back to him?"

Piper stopped. Her mind blanked momentarily at Dark Ace's words. Memories of the two of them rushed past her. The insinuation that there was something more than friendship never quite within reach, but on the periphery of her thoughts. How had the Dark Ace known all of this? Did she want to journey down those thoughts and dare question the Empress's favorite?

The hand on her shoulder disappeared, Piper's mind clearing briefly, zoning in to her surroundings.

"Go back to your master," she hissed before taking a decisive step back. "You will never own me."

Then she continued down the hallway. Not once did she break to glance behind her until she knew Dark Ace was out of sight.

Leaning against the wall, she allowed herself to fall to pieces.

"Let this be a nightmare, let this be a nightmare…" Piper whispered as her thoughts went into a frenzy. Aerrow reached the forefront of them. If he found out…they were best friends, she and Aerrow. They had grown up side by side with each other. They had known each other longer than any other member of the Storm Hawks. He'd never forgive her for marrying his enemy. Even if they forced her to, Aerrow still wouldn't understand.

Her more rationale side pipped in that Aerrow would understand, would sympathize with her. However, that only made her feel more like a betrayer. How could you betray someone as kind, generous, and brave as Aerrow?

"You think he'll ever forgive you for never coming back to him?"

Hopelessness set into her fore-thoughts as her back slipped down the wall. She should go to the hanger bay. There were empty skimmers. She could jump easily onto one…

The thought of what Master Cyclonis might do to her, pinned her where she was at. Piper wouldn't make it far. She had tried that before. She had tried to escape right after she had been released, her body was so cold from the thick, motionless prison. There was no outside, the world had been dark until that point. Fears lingered, constantly filling the void between the solidified molecules as Piper's world remained frozen in terror. Of course, she had run from all of that at the time. She hadn't been thinking about anything, her skin still a sickly green from never being able to heal properly.

She had wanted nothing more than to be as far from this dark crystal prison as possible.

In that single attempt of freedom, she hadn't gotten far.

Piper closed her eyes. She didn't want to be locked away again. It was the worst punishment, beyond being hit or kicked. The crystal prison was the ultimate form of torture. Even to this day, she could still feel the tendrils of fear lacing over her at the remembrance of the void that lies inside.

"I don't want to go back," whispered Piper as her hands balled into fists. Those were the same words she had used, begging Cyclonis to have mercy on her when she had last angered the young ruler with her rebelliousness. She never wanted to return, forced herself into a grudging obedience from that moment forward.

Piper buried her face in her knees as she remained sitting there, listening as the scooters started up and flew in and out of the hanger. Freedom was just outside these walls, yet it was no longer tangible for the blue haired teen. She was stuck.

Thoughts of Aerrow and her playing sky knight back when they were children consumed her. The stick that was suppose to be his sword dared the invisible enemies away as the two giggled at the horrific defeat of the Cyclonian troops. The eight year old Aerrow had come out triumphant once more. A promise on his lips as he grabbed Piper's arm and announced. "As leader of the Storm Hawks, I declare this terra free from Cyclonia! Don't worry, Piper. We're going to drive the rest off in no time."

Sourly, the girl whispered to her haunting memories, "You should have come by now, …Someone should've stopped this by now...Now it's too late."

Somewhere in the back of Piper's mind she knew that Cyclonis would come. There would be threats, there would be screaming, something bad was going to happen. And eventually, Cyclonis did come. The furl on her face prominent. Her eyes imbedded with a fiery fury that made them glow red. But she didn't bother screaming or making a fuss. She only walked up to a sullen Piper and pulled her hand far back behind her.

A loud slap echoed throughout the room. Piper was too stunned to hold her now throbbing cheek.

Cyclonis huffed indignantly before stepping back and glancing at the blue haired girl. The silence was louder than any screaming could have been. It hurt more and was recognized by all the subordinates that were now standing frozen, watching the display.

But the words never came. Piper finally reached up and touched her swollen cheek, trying hard to get a glimpse of Cyclonis, without looking the teen in the eyes.

It was obvious that the young ruler was perturbed at Piper's lack of recognition to her commands. Cyclonis was not the one to be ignored, no matter how audacious her ideas were.

The words did come, after such a long intermission. "You come when I call."

Then Master Cyclonis turned on her heels and exited the room. Piper was at a loss for words.

Piper remained seated, servants scrambling past her as if she were diseased. They purposely dove out of sight, never making eye contact and most definitely, never asking if she was alright. They already knew the answer. They knew what went on deep inside the empire of Cyclonia.

It didn't much matter. Piper was trapped in her own vicious cycle. If she didn't leave, she was doomed. If she didn't find the bravery to stand up to Cyclonis once again, she would never leave. If she could even remember what she use to fight so hard for, perhaps she could stand against the Cyclonian ruler. If she hadn't let Aerrow down when he needed her most, maybe she could remember what she use to fight so hard for.

It was the trailing of the last thought that lead her to the first… Piper was doomed to disappoint Aerrow once more. Maybe that was always how it was suppose to have been.