Chapter 2: Newcomers in the Condor

In the skies of Atmos, a large, beaten up ship flies across tan clouds. The driver, a tall, green skin man looks around, his black, greasy hair flopping over his black eyes, two earrings on his left ear. Behind him, three fifteen year old teens sit on a couch, one working on the table, all melting from boredom. One is a blonde man with blue eyes, wearing yellow and blue clothing, reading the same line over and over again in a book, not getting any farther.

The next one is a bulky brute with gray-green hair and grey eyes. His nose is a horn, and clothing of brown and green. The brute stares at a pile of bubbly fruit objects, not feeling hungry.

The last one is a muscular man with bright red hair, green eyes, and red and blue suit. His eyes droop as he watches his friend work on a white crystal on the table. The teenage girl has a slim body with dark skin, startling blue hair sticking up in spikes with a bandana around it, orange and blue outfit, and hazel eyes. Piper looks into a microscope, the white crystal greatly grown in size. The teen uselessly turns it around with tweezers, then breaks. "I can't take it anymore!"

Everyone reacts to her outburst, and a short, blue-furred animal jumps, wearing a brown and blue suit with a pack, and black eyes, overlarge ears flopping down his head. It falls on the redhead's shoulders, Aerrows. "Piper, calm down."

"Calm down? I can't calm down! I've been looking at this stupid hunk of rock for hours, with no lead on what it does!"

Aerrow gets up and walks to her. "Maybe all you need is some sleep."

"Yeah. I think I need some, too." She walks out of the room and heads to her room, rubbing her head.

"You know if you ask me, I think she's a victim of…Sniferian Napvirus." Stork said, his eye twitching.

"No, I think she's just tired. Boredom can do that to a person."

"Then how about we all get some sleep?" Finn said. "Because we're all pretty bored. Since Cyclonia's being quiet, there's not much to do around here."

Junko suggests, "How about we play a game of keep away?"

"For the millionth time today? No thanks." Aerrow said. "Wish Dark Ace would just pop up for a sneak attack."

"Why? So you can finally defeat him?" Finn guessed.

"No. So I can let out some frustration."

"I don't care if master Cyclonis comes and attacks us. Even if it means getting destroyed, at least there would be action happening." Finn said.

Suddenly, the alarm blares, sending red light everywhere. Everyone gets on high alert as Piper runs in. "Guys, what's going on?"

"I think some Cyclonians found us." The leader said.

"Finally!" yelled Finn. Stork grabs the telescope and looks around, but doesn't see anything. "Umm, sorry to be a party pooper, but there's nothing out there."

"What! Oh, come on!"

Aerrow says, "Sorry guys. False alarm."

"Ah man. I was really hoping for a battle." Piper said.

"Well, it's lunch time." Junko walks to the kitchen, and everyone groans.

Unnoticed by any of the Storm Hawks, a white and black skimmer with dark red wings rematerializes and parks on the runway of the Condor. A boy gets off and picks up a teen girl from the seat, and walks to the doors. The boy looks around, smiling. "So this is the Condor. Just as I suspected it to be."

After putting the unconscious Cyclonis down, he takes out a dark green crystal and places it on the control panel. The rock starts glowing, and soon the doors open. The boy picks up the empress and walks inside, the doors closing behind. He finds the Storm Hawks' skimmers in the hangar, and calls, "Hello? Anyone here?"

No answer. Where are the Storm Hawks? Oh yeah, they're in the bridge.

The teen continues to walk through the hallways, looking for the infirmary. He enters another hall just as Aerrow exits the bridge. He stops, feeling something different. The leader looks around the hall, and turns to bump into Piper. "Whoa. You might want to watch where you're going."

"Sorry." He continues looking around, and starts making Piper unnerved. "Aerrow, is there something wrong?"

"I'm starting to think that false alarm wasn't so false. I think there's someone here."

"A stowaway?"

"I don't know. You just get some sleep and I'll look around. Just in case."

"How about we both search? That way, we can finish it faster."

Smiling, Aerrow says, "Okay. You take the west side, I'll take the east."

She nods and walks to the other side of the Condor. The redhead heads down his hallway, checking each room for anything suspicious.

The masked teen walks into the medical wing and places Cyclonis on the bed. He searches the cabinets for the bandages just as Aerrow enters. He freezes on the spot, eyes wide at the sight of Cyclonis. How did she get here?

The leader searches the room and finds the masked boy, who is looking for something. He quietly grabs his blade and powers it, then slowly walks behind the boy. Aerrow raises it and was about to strike when the boy says, "I know your there, Aerrow."

He freezes again, astonished. "H-how did you-"

"Let's just say, it's a sixth sense." He turns around, showing his bright purple eyes under the mask. The boy walks past Aerrow, a roll of bandage in his hands. The leader watches him rip a sleeve off of Cyclonis's suit, and wraps a bloodied gash. "What are you doing?"

"Fixing a gash on Cyclonis's arm."

"Okay. Are you crazy! This is Cyclonis, empress of Cyclonia. Wanting to take over Atmos!"

"Yeah, so?"

Aerrow closes his mouth, unsure of what to say. "You're not a Cyclonian, are you?"

"Do I look like a Cyclonian?"

The leader looks him over, seeing his symbol. A black falcon, red lines running down the wings. "Uhh, nice symbol."

The boy finishes bandaging the arm, and reaches into a sack around his waist. He takes out a bright green crystal and hover it over the cut on Cyclonis's face. The rock glows, as well as the cut, and it soon vanishes, as well as the dried blood. Aerrow's mouth drops at the sight. "What kind of crystal is that?"

The boy chuckles. "You're a barrel of questions, aren't you?"

"Well, when a complete stranger just shows up with our enemy brings up millions of questions in a person's head." He said matter-of-factly.

"Let's start from the beginning." The boy puts the stone back in his sack and raises a hand. "I'm Rike."

The redhead shakes his hand and says, "I'm Aerrow, but you already know that, apparently. So, what…clan are you?"

Rike takes off his mask, showing more of the purple eyes. Aerrow raises an eyebrow, and the teen says, "I'm a human like you."

"Then, what's with your eyes? There are not many men with purple eyes."

"Ah, I didn't start out with violet eyes. They appeared when my…talent surfaced."

"What talent would that be?"

"That's a story for another time. Do you have a brace?"

"What?"

Rike touches the empress's leg, and she cringes. "She's got a broken leg."

"Uhh…" he tries to remember if he does, when Piper comes in. "Aerrow, I checked the west side of the Condor and didn't-" She stops midsentence at the sight of Cyclonis. The crystal specialist points at the teen, stuttering. "I-I-is that…Cyclonis?"

"Yes it is."

"But, what is she doing here?"

Rike says, "She's here because this is the closest place with an infirmary."

Piper spots the boy and asks, "Who are you?"

"Rike. A crystal specialist and one-team explorer. I'm gonna take a guess that your Piper, also a crystal specialist, and navigator for the Storm Hawks, and smart."

"Uh, how do you know that?"

"I have my ways." he said, a spark in his eyes. "Do you mind patching Cyclonis's back?"

"Uh, sure?"

Rike tosses the roll of bandage to her, who asks, "Are your eyes-"

"Yes. They are." Aerrow said.

"Okay. Then could you explain to me why Cyclonis is on our ship?" Piper asked sourly, covering the wound on the empress' back. "Jeez, what did she get into?" she whispered.

The leader says, "I would like to know that myself."

Rike grins and the two Storm Hawks spots a gold tooth. "That's something Cyclonis will tell you. Now, does anyone have a leg brace?"

Piper walks to a closet and takes out a metal mechanism, throwing it to the teen. He grabs it one handed and starts attaching it to the broken leg, also adding medicine and bandaging the leg. When he's done, Rike asks, "So, got any food on this rustbucket?"

"Uh, not much edible in the fridge."

"Then I guess I'll need to make it edible." He walks out of the room, and Aerrow says, "Don't you need to know where the bridge is?"

"Already know."

The two stay in the infirmary, loss for words.

"That kid's more mysterious than Cyclonis." the leader stated. They walk out of the room, Aerrow looking back when he heard a groan. Cyclonis turns on the bed, facing the doorway. She starts breathing softly, and, for a second, Aerrow saw someone else besides the evil empress. He shakes his head, clearing it, and walks after Piper.

Back in the bridge, Finn looks up from his book, finding something missing. "Hey, where are Aerrow and Piper?"

His question is answered when they enter the bridge, along with someone new. He walks to the fridge and checks inside, Aerrow talking to him. "What is it going to take for you to tell us what happened?"

"Nothing." The boy said, taking out a plate of tentacles.

The sharpshooter asks, "Dude, you're not seriously gonna eat that, are you?"

"Of course not, Finn." He said, taking out a blue-purple stone. The sharpshooter was going to ask how he knew his name when Piper gasps. "Is that a Morph Crystal?"

"See for yourself." The teen touches a tentacle with the stone, and both glow a blue color. The shape move around, forming something different, and the light fades. In the tentacles' place is a plate of a hamburger. Everyone gapes at the transformation as the teen eats his lunch, and the leader once again asks, "Seriously, who are you?"

"I'm Rike, remember?"

"Rike? I've never heard that name before." Junko asked.

"Okay, Rike, what are you doing on our ship?" Finn asked.

"Because I needed an infirmary and yours was the nearest."

"But you look fine."

"Not me. Someone else needed it."

Before the blonde could ask who, Aerrow says, "Cyclonis needed it."

The three Storm Hawks drop their jaws, not believing him. "Is this some kind of a joke?" Stork asked.

"I wish it was."

The pilot says, "Ooh, this is bad."

"But, if he brought Cyclonis, then that would mean you're a Cyclonian!" Finn yelled, getting close to Rike's face. He jumps back at the sight of his eyes, and says, "Dude, your eyes are purple."

"Thanks for noticing."

"Rike, is there anything you can tell us?"

Before the teen could say another word, the sirens sound again. Stork looks inside the telescope, and sees five dots flying toward them. "Yep. We have company."

"Last one to their skimmer will get the lame Cyclonians!" Finn called before rushing to the hangar.

"Wait, you don't know who you're-!" the doors close before Rike could finish his statement. "-facing against."

The merb says, "Why don't you go help them, and I'll watch Cyclonis. No matter how much that pains me."

"Don't worry. This'll be short, Stork."

"Wait, how do you know my name?" he tried to ask, but Rike runs after the Storm Hawks.

In the hangar, Finn hops on his bike and runs down the runway, followed by Junko, Piper, and Aerrow with Radarr. As they get closer, the teens notice something different. Instead of the red paintjob on the skimmers, like regular Cyclonian bikes, these were shadow-black that seems to suck light, making itself look surreal.

"Uh, does anyone else see something weird about those Cyclonians?" Finn asked.

The riders, instead of the red clothing, is all black, almost blending into the ride, but a more solid figure.

"It must be some new armor Cyclonis made. You know, before…whatever happened to her." the specialist guessed.

"Well, whatever they're wearing, they are still chicken." Aerrow said, flying toward the first.

The dark beings separate, and each Storm Hawk goes after each one. Finn flies after two of the beings, loading his crossbow. "Chika-cha!" He fires, his aim true. The arrow cuts through the air, striking the back of one of the skimmers. The sharpshooter starts to celebrate, but it soon vanishes when he spots the skimmer he just hit still flying. "That can't be right."

The two beings turn around and fire their rays. Both beams hit Finn's skimmer, and he closes his eyes. When the blonde opens them, the front half of his ride falls off. "Ahh, not again!"

Finn falls through the air, screaming his head off. Before he breaks through the cloud, the blonde crashes onto a seat, and Rike says, "Need a ride?"

"Yeah, sure."

The boy specialist flies to the battle, where the others aren't doing so well with the new beings.

Junko floats behind his dark being, and fires two of his little birdie missiles. They zoom through the air, locked on the target. The shadow looks back at the missiles, then turns and fires two bolts. They each hit a missile, and explode. The sudden light temporarily blinds the engineer, and when he finally gets his sight, the shadow is on his ride. "Uh, hi."

The being growls, grabbing Junko's shoulder and lifts him up, fangs growing.

"Uh, hey, let's not get all bitey. I'm sure we can work out some agreement."

"Sorry, wallop, but I'm hungry." The shadow hissed.

"That doesn't sound good."

Before the shadowman could move his fangs closer, it suddenly vanishes, making Junko fall back on his ride. He looks around and spots a bright white and black skimmer, Rike and Finn riding it. He flies past the wallop and heads toward the other shadows, and Junko finds the sharpshooter on his wing. He looks around, and says, "How'd I get here?"

Piper dodges another beam while searching for a right crystal. "C'mon, where is it? Ah ha!" She takes out a frost crystal and attaches it to her staff. The specialist aims her weapon at the shadow behind her and fires. The cold ray hits the shadow's skimmer, and the whole ride and rider freezes. As soon as it chills, the shadow quickly thaws and fires his rays. Piper gasps and dodges more beams, yelling, "Guys, I could use some help here!"

"Busy with my own!" called back Aerrow.

A black beam strikes a propeller, and the ride starts shaking. Piper slowly gets it in control, but another beam stops the propellers completely. She starts falling, but Rike floats above her and takes out a plant-green crystal. It glows, and the propellers straighten themselves out. He flies next to the specialist, smirking.

"You and I have a lot to talk about." Piper said.

"About my crystals? Okay." He flies off to the last three shadows, which are chasing the Storm Hawks' leader. He performs agile moves around the rays, and jumps on his skimmer's wings. "Radarr, get me in close."

Radarr chatters and hops on the rider's seat, driving a u-turn. Aerrow concentrates, and jumps into the air, glowing blue. Energy forms around him, forming the Lightning Claw, his signature move. The redhead unleashes the Claw, striking all three shadowmen. He falls back on his skimmer, a grin on his face. It vanishes when he finds the enemy unscathed. "What kind of Cyclonian are they?"

"They're not Cyclonian, Aerrow."

He turns and spots Rike floating next to him. "They're not?"

"Nope. Leave them to me." He charges the three enemies, astonishing Aerrow and Radarr. "Is he crazy?"

The shadows' seem to think so. They try to prepare for the fight, but Rike got to them first. He takes out his glowing white blade and jumps off his bike, landing in front of a shadow. The specialist swings at the enemy, and it falls off its bike, disappearing. Rike springs to another skimmer, where a dark being is ready to fight. The two clash each other, and Aerrow notices Rike seems to expect the being's move. One shadowman sneaks behind the swordsman, and Aerrow was about to warn him when Rike's skimmer flies in and shoots the being down.

"Whoa. Kid's got autopilot."

Rike kicks the shadow, and destroys the skimmer before jumping back on his ride. He floats to Aerrow, grinning. "That was fun."

"Rike, you seem to know those creatures' moves."

"Actually, that was my second time fighting those guys."

"And yet, you battle like you've fought them your whole life."

"No. You wanna race to the Condor?"

The leader grins. "You're on."

Rike speeds to the ship, Aerrow slowly catching up. They park in the hangar and head to the bridge where Stork stands and watches. The two find Piper, Junko, and Finn waiting for them. Finn walks to Rike and says, "How can you do that? From what I could tell, you're like all of us combined. You know crystals, having more than Piper, fight like ten Aerrow's, your bike is like me, and your strength is like Junko's. All you're missing is the superstitious of Stork. So I ask again, who are you?"

All Rike does is grin mysteriously. The sharpshooter sighs, "I give up." and walks back to the couch. Aerrow spots everyone's suspicions, and says, "Rike will tell us when he's ready. Right now, we have to figure out what those…things were."

"Hmm. I think I've read something about…dark beings. Give me a minute." Stork walks to his room, and Rike says, "I'd be surprised if he does have something about those guys. Then again, I'm not easily surprised."

Piper says, "So, Rike, I was wondering if I can see your collection of crystals."

"Sure." He tosses his satchel to Piper, who giggly checks the different rocks inside.

Aerrow asks, "Rike, you don't mind staying around for a bit, do you?"

"Well, I have to stay because of Cyclonis. She's in more danger than you realize, and I'm like her guardian."

"What danger?"

Rike gives him another mystifying smirk.