Rant-
I, as a writer, take it as a personal assault that a FinnXDarkAce does not exist because no one can conjecture on how it might come to be. Hello, we are writers, we have something called creative license.
Now, I am not about to do something to trivial and insipid as have the feelings for each other bloom out of nowhere.
The Dark Ace holds the Storm Hawks in contempt, and Finn is terrified of the Dark Ace. These issues need to be resolved in order for a believable fanfic to be written. I, of course, am not pairing shipping, because I want reviews on how this story can be improved. If you leave thinking 'No way that could happen' or any variations thereof, I have failed as a writer. Without further ado, I give you-
I do not own Storm Hawks!
On with the Story!
The Dark Ace was finally allowed out of the Cyclonian airspace after suffering injuries from the last encounter with the Storm Hawks.
Aerrow had learned a nasty throw technique that had actually dislocated the Dark Ace's shoulder. But Master Cyclonis had wanted the delivery to go without a hitch, so he had gotten up and faced Aerrow again.
The kid was sentimental enough not to hit him in his weak point. Any seasoned warrior would have attacked his arm and put him out of his misery. Instead, Aerrow drew the Dark Ace away from the crates.
Piper had crept around them and snuck into one of the crates, where she pulled something out and ran.
Snarling, the Dark Ace made a wild swing at Aerrow and chased her. She had tripped, and the package had gone flying over the edge of the Terra. The marksman dove off the Terra after the package. He engaged his parachute and disappeared into the lower fog. Aerrow then came by on his Skimmer, rescued Piper, and left the Dark Ace and the shipment alone.
He was not going paranoid that at any moment, the Storm Hawks would be back to finish the job. He was not losing sleep. He was not irritable, or cranky, or-
"Dark Ace." Master Cyclonis appeared in his vision. "I have personally checked the crates. Are you certain that Piper stole something?"
"Yes, Master Cyclonis." –he was paying attention to Master Cyclonis and not the thought of a young blond haired male throwing himself off the edge of a Terra.
"There is nothing missing."
"Master Cyclonis?"
"Everything that should have been in those boxes is in those boxes. I think you need a vacation."
"Master Cyclonis, the marksman threw himself off of a Terra after the package. Perhaps something was being transported that wasn't reported?"
Master Cyclonis gave him a long, hard look. "Leave us." She commanded the guards. She waited a pace for the outside hall to clear.
"I reviewed the tapes. The Storm Hawks removed a bomb." The Dark Ace lost his breath. A bomb? The marksman had dove after a bomb?
"It was faultily made, and the one who designed it to kill all of Cyclonia by removing the heart of the Terra and perhaps me is now under 'review' from the Sky Knight Council. The bomb would have exploded before reaching us, and damaged the Terra assigned for refueling. That Terra has civilians living on it."
Master Cyclonis stared that Dark Ace. "I want to know why the Storm Hawks risked their lives to save ours."
He nodded. "Bug their ship with intelligence devices since you know the layout of the Condor. Return immediately and you are not to be discovered, understood?"
The Dark Ace kneeled, placing a hand over his heart. "It shall be as you command."
He approached the docked Condor quietly, using his wings instead of his Skimmer. There was one shot at getting this done. The door to the hangar bay wasn't open, and no way to open it manually.
He would try for the railing by the bridge. There was a risk that the helmsman, a Merb called Stork, would see him and launch him back off the ship but it was a necessary risk.
He landed, a gust of wind actually knocking him over before he could close the wings. Stopping himself from growling aloud, he gripped the railing and waited for the wind to die down. Then he closed the wings and snuck onboard.
The bugs were small, with audio and limited video range. They would be able to hear off-screen, but could only see a short window. The Dark Ace stepped onto the table and placed two bugs into the ceiling.
He then crept down the hallway.
The kitchen was down to his left, but the Wallop was in there. The bathroom was down to the other side, but no way would bugging that be useful. The quarter's entrance was down the other hall. The Dark Ace crept over there. The faint strands of music reached his ears.
Someone was playing a guitar? "Finn, look, I know you hate horror flicks that are cheesy, but come on, it will be fun?"
"Piper, I've already sat through the other movies. Can't I just turn in early? I did nearly kill myself."
"Argh, fine. I'll tell the others that the shock caught up with you."
"Thanks."
Footsteps headed in his direction. The Dark Ace faded into the wall, and Piper went by within a foot of him. He followed her path mentally. So, the movies were in the hangar, eh? A dangerous place to bug for the time being.
The music started up again.
Now, Dark Ace has a weakness, just like every man does. He usually feeds the weakness, and Master Cyclonis knows about it.
Dark Ace loves music. Not the kind Ravess plays, always going faster. But this music…the Dark Ace crept closer.
It was Finn. He was strumming a guitar without amps and humming along to the song. And it's all over now, baby blue he sang quietly. The guitar was electric, not the bulky curve kind that twanged.
Finn ended the song and started a new one. In the space when he was musing, the Dark Ace slipped a bug into the actual room before bugging the hallway. He then tore himself away after three songs.
The Storm Hawks were finishing their horror movie. The Dark Ace stepped into the kitchen and bugged the counters and the eating area.
He froze when he heard Radarr squawk.
"No Radarr, there are no more snacks until the morning patrol. You've had enough for tonight." Aerrow walked by the open door, scooping down to pull Radarr along. "Come on, it's time for bed."
The Dark Ace breathed a sigh of relief. He snuck into the Hangar and placed three bugs there. One bug by the door and two were put by the walls in the hangar midway. He thought about bugging the Skimmers, but that would be too noticeable if they cleaned their rides. And from the looks of things, the rides were cleaned very often.
The Dark Ace glanced over the Skimmers. Piper's helicopter, Aerrow's with the co-pilot seat, something for the Merb, and the Wallop's ride. A plain, yellow shield Skimmer was placed at the end.
Why did the marksman fly out first? Wasn't the leader supposed to lead the charge?
Reflecting on why Finn of all people would be the first off the Condor's runway, he crept closer. The Skimmer was plain. Nothing fancy.
The Dark Ace sat back on his heels. That just made no sense. Finn was a cocky, run his mouth kid. Why isn't his Skimmer reflecting that? The Dark Ace felt the Skimmer. There were no hidden catches, just a plain Skimmer, aha! a button that didn't deploy the wings.
The cross-bow popped up. The Dark Ace rolled his eyes. Was the kid secretly straight forward or something?
Sighing, and realizing that he had spent enough time on the Condor, the Dark Ace put the Skimmer back into its original condition.
He then left the Condor.
To be continued…
Author's Note- Originally, I thought just a one-shot. Something easy to believe because it satisfies the parameters. No. Now the fanfic has grown monstrously and could take a lot of chapters to finish. Please tell me what you think, I'll reveal who wants Master Cyclonis dead later in the series! (This is turning into a fanfic, not a challenge.)