Author's Note: Taa Daa! Chapter two friends! Sorry for having it up later than planned but it snowed where I live and life was pretty chaotic, and school was a mess… Plus I had a lot of homework and coursework to do and tests to revise for; but I managed to persevere and here I am... With more of Dark Ace's Really Bad Days!
So let's see what's happening today then, shall we…
"Master, you asked to see me?" The Dark Ace said to the cloaked figure before him who had its back turned. He had just bowed and with his hand over his chest after having walked into the throne room moments before and had broken the silence which had been present with his words.
The Master stiffened, and turned around, looking at her second in command. She smiled.
"Ah, Dark Ace. You came on time, I see." She paused for a minute, while no longer looking at him but at her crystal staff. He waited, but he always had to ask himself why she was so fixated on time. Really. Why.
She turned her back on him, and for a moment it seemed that she had forgotten that he was even in the room.
This was actually the norm for occasions such as these.
The Dark Ace started to tap his foot ever so quietly, while counting in his head. When he had reached ten she turned round to him.
"Dark Ace, I have a mission for you."
"Yes, Master?" he asked. He really wasn't all that interested, but if it got him out of Cyclonia for a while…
Life was becoming unbearable here- Ravess being a bitch, Snipe being…well, Snipe, the Talons being more idiotic than usual and then Master Cyclonis herself, being either in a foul mood or a weirdly happy mood.
The Dark Ace snorted. Teenagers. He was so glad that that little chapter of life was closed in his book.
He looked at the Master. Luckily she hadn't noticed him snorting, but he really must pay more attention in future though, even if it was to something boring.
"Yes. A mission. Fairly simple and straightforward. I have a shipment of crystals arriving from Terra Tundras and I want you there on the cruiser carrying them." The Master said, examining a crystal as she spoke.
She saw that Dark Ace looked confused. "There is a problem?"
"I've gone from aerial dog fighter to bodyguard of crystals so quickly I believe I'll get a nosebleed! Master, crystal protecting?" he snapped, starting to feel angry. She was giving all the shit missions to him now? Was this some kind of joke? "There's Snipe, he's been here in Cyclonia for a few days."
"You know I cannot send Snipe," the Master said with a curl of her lip at the name, "of on a mission like this. If anything was to happen to that shipload of crystals, with him in charge…" she broke off, shuddering. "No, I want it to be you. These crystals are important; they are special. They are also extremely rare so I believe that the sooner I get them here, the better. If someone like, say a Storm Hawk," here she paused, looking at the Dark Ace who glared at the name, "managed to get their hands on them… that's why I want you to be there. Understand?" she said, putting down the crystal that she had been examining and replacing it with another one.
The Dark Ace was inwardly seething but his face showed none of it. At least he was getting out of Cyclonia, but if Ravess got word of what he was doing, god she would make his life a living hell.
"Understood, Master." he said, bowing. He walked to the door but before he could open the door, her cool voice called to him.
"And Dark Ace?"
"Yes?"
"I don't want to hear of you losing to a child Sky Knight again…" she paused, allowing the words to sink in before speaking again, "If I do, I will be most displeased, especially if you lose my crystals…" She turned her back on him again, while he was silently cursing in his head.
"I get it Master. It won't happen." With that he walked out of the room, wishing to put as much distance as he could between him and Master Cyclonis. Who seemed to have been taking lessons from Ravess. He groaned. He didn't need another bitchy woman in his life at this point in time.
"Better get this over with…" he sighed, walking through the hallway to get to his skimmer.
The journey to Terra Tundras had been oddly relaxing. Maybe it was because he could shout and swear as much as he wanted and no one was there to hear him. But at least it got his anger out. That's a start, right?
Now, however he could feel it building up again with him being surrounded by Talons. He watched them rushing around, lugging crates of crystals -which, when he saw them, reminded him why he was there and made him all the more mad- and ordering the exhausted and sweating workers to dig more and more.
After half an hour of this, the Dark Ace was fit to burst, so he wasn't in the best of moods to talk with the Talon who approached him.
"Commander Ace, sir." The Talon said, before continuing, "I came to let you know that we are ready to depart. Everything needed is onboard; all we need is for you to give the order to depart, sir." he finished, waiting.
The Dark Ace was surprised. Here was a Talon that could make sense and did so without shouting. He looked at the Talon, who had a long scar on his face. This Talon was, so far, the only one who seemed suited to the task that he was currently undertaking. These crystals must be important to Master Cyclonis after all.
The Dark Ace nodded. "Well, this is me giving you the order: Depart at once. I'll follow on behind the cruiser.
The Talon nodded at his words but he asked "You are not coming on board, sir?"
"No. I prefer to be out there, so that if something does try to attack us, then I don't have to waste time getting ready and flying out. I can go straight for the attack." he finished with a smirk.
The Talon was looking at him.
"Oh, don't you have a ship to command?" Dark Ace asked him irritably. "The Master wants these crystals as soon as possible, and hanging around here won't do us any favours, so get going!"
Watching the Talon go, he walked over to his skimmer. As soon as he got back to Cyclonia, he was flying out again. This time by himself, and he could fly for as long as he wanted, maybe shooting down a Sky Knight or two. Heaven.
But first to get this out of the way…
He swore again, while getting on his Switchblade Elite and turning it on.
Life seriously sucked.
The cruiser was taking off and as soon as it was in the air then he would follow. He watched as the huge carrier ship soared effortlessly through the air.
Time to go.
They had been flying for almost an hour now and nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The Dark Ace was surprisingly not cursing but humming to himself when he heard his radio crackle.
Sighing, he picked it up. It was probably another check in, which had been going on every fifteen minutes.
"Dark Ace, sir?" A Talon's voice could be heard through the static.
"Yes, what is it? Another check in?" he said, before a thought suddenly struck him - it couldn't be fifteen minutes since the last one already…
"No, this time its different, sir. We're picking up a frequency from just behind us-"
"And you're only telling me this now?" The Dark Ace angrily interrupted.
"Sir, that's the problem- we've only just picked it up now. Who or whatever is behind us is moving extremely fast!" The Talon sounded frantic with worry.
"Okay, okay- I get it." Dark Ace said, looking behind him.
"I don't see anything yet but if I do I'll radio in. Same with you lot. Radio if you get more info." He said quickly, while he was still looking around him. There was nothing; well nothing yet.
"Yes sir, will do!" The Talon said. He may have said more but he was interrupted.
"I've got a visual." And indeed in he had. "These guys do move fast, so be careful." The Dark Ace said, turning his skimmer around. For he had caught sight of who was following them…
"Who is it? Can you see, sir?"
He grinned. Time to meet another old enemy…
"Yes. It's a gang of Murk Raiders. Leave me to it; but if their ship appears you fire at will. Only a few skimmers here at the minute, but be ready for anything." With these words he turned the radio off and flew towards the group ahead of him.
"Only five of you? I better go easy then." He said with a smirk. They were heading towards him now. Fast.
He took out his energy blade and watched as it glowed red. He looked ahead as five energy blades lit up with a purple glow. Five blasts were fired at him. The Dark Ace blocked them all with lighting speed, and could not help but laugh. This was what he was meant to do; what he enjoyed doing.
Five more came at him. Again he blocked them.
He was close enough now to see the ugly faces of the Sky Pirates, who were no longer grinning at the sight of him.
"Look who it is, boys! The Dark Ace!" One called out to the sound of laughter. "Not with your "Master", we see! She ain't wantin' her bitch around her no more?" he called out again. They laughed once more but soon stopped when they saw that Dark Ace was smiling rather evilly at them.
"Come on now… That's the best you lot can come up with?" He said. "Let's crank this up a notch…"
He raised his energy blade and fired a stream of shots at the closest pirate to him, watching in grim amusement as they all hit their mark, as usual. The pirate fell, screaming all the way. His skimmer which was in pieces fell with him.
One down. Four to go.
The rest of the pirates growled at the Dark Ace.
"He killed him!" one screamed.
"Get him!" another shouted.
"Kill him!" a third yelled.
"Don't just stay there, go!" a fourth, the apparent leader, growled.
The Dark Ace whirled his blade around in a circle with one hand before grinning.
"Come one, come all!" he shouted back at them in return. He could never resist being over-dramatic.
They fired four energy blasts at him, which were all blocked easily.
"Is that still all you can do?" he laughed. He fired his own series of shots back, before swooping around to avoid another blast at him.
The closest pirate to him raced towards him; energy blade sending out several blasts. Dark Ace flew at him, weaving his way the shots and fired back. The pirate managed to dodge all but the last one which smashed into his skimmer. Dark Ace flew towards the unfortunate pirate and stabbed the skimmer with his energy blade. The pirate fell.
Two down, three to go.
The leader of the lot fired at him. Dark Ace blocked it and fired back, but the other remaining two pirates, after a nod from their leader charged at him. He avoided the shot sent at him by those two and fired back, swerving to avoid more blasts from the leader. They flew even closer to him.
He leapt of his own skimmer and landed neatly onto one their own. He struck that one sending it and its unlucky owner to the Wastelands.
Three down. Two to go.
The leader charged at him now with a shout of anger and he leapt of the falling skimmer and landed on the leader's instead.
The leader raised his blade and Dark Ace raised his own and blocked the move. They began to duel fiercely, sending out bright sparks of energy. The leader was heavier than Dark Ace; stockier, but that put him at a disadvantage. Dark Ace was quicker. Unbelievably so.
He stabbed the leader in the chest, who then slumped over. Dark Ace leapt of the skimmer and back on his own.
Four down, one to go.
He leapt into the air, held his blade behind his head, closed his eyes and felt the energy build up. He brought his blade forward again and released the energy.
He chuckled to himself. His Sky Knight move sure came in handy. He watched as the massive blast of energy sent the remaining pirate to his demise.
The Dark Ace grinned. All done.
He steered his Switchblade Elite around and was just about to radio the Cruiser ahead of him when he heard the unmistakable sound of another skimmer to the left of him. He turned, blade at the ready but, for the first time, he was too late.
The leader of the pirates, covered in blood and a maniacal grin, raised his energy blade with a shaking hand and with a swift movement stabbed him.
The Dark Ace felt the metal pierce through his stomach and he yelled in pain. Already he could feel a dampness around the wound. And the pain…
He quickly picked up his own blade and hacked at the pirate who once again slumped over but this time would remain so. Dark Ace slashed through the skimmer and watched it fall down.
The pirate blade was still sticking through his stomach; but after he carefully felt his back it was clear that he was lucky - it hadn't gone the whole way through.
He flew towards the cruiser, trying his best to remain upright and to keep his eyes open.
"This had to be my day… being stabbed to protect crystals…" he muttered faintly. He was nearly there.
He landed on the cruiser and shakily made his way off the seat, which was damp with blood. His blood. He stumbled, and slowly walked over to the doors. He managed to get through them but everything was going blurry…
He grabbed onto the door frame to remain upright. Everything was spinning…
A Talon ran over to him.
"Commander, Master Cyclonis wishes to speak with you!" He evidently hadn't seen the blade sticking out of him yet.
"Tell her… I'm a… little pre-occupied right now…" he replied, breathing heavily. He could hear how weak he sounded.
The Talon, who Ace recognised as the one who knew what to do looked at him.
"Sir? Are you alright?" he asked the commander, who appeared to grin faintly. The commander who then turned around so that the blade could be seen. The Talon gasped.
"I'm grand…" he rasped, before collapsing on the floor. He could hear the Talon shouting for a medic before he drifted into unconsciousness.
When he came to, he was on a bed. Somewhere. A medic was hovering near him.
"Dark Ace? Can you hear me?" he was asked.
"All too well, unfortunately…" came the reply. "How long was I out?"
"Around five minutes."
The pain was building up again. Damn it hurt…
"I'm afraid that we can give you nothing for the pain sir, because of the wound." the medic told him. Helpful, as always.
"Well, that's great, but can you get this lovely little thing out of me?" Ace tersely asked, biting his lip so that he would not cry out at the agony the "thing" was causing him.
"Sir, because of where the blade is, pulling it out would result in massive internal as well as external bleeding…" the medic broke off.
"So basically, taking it out will kill me." Dark Ace said bluntly.
"Yes" was the response.
"So," Ace said, not speaking to the medic but to the blade, "it's a case of "'til death do us part", I take it. Okay," he said, this time to the medic, "I heard that the Master wanted to talk to me."
The medic gaped. "At a time like this-" he started, but on seeing the look the Dark Ace threw at him, he changed tact and instead said "Yes. She heard of the attack and wanted to talk to you afterwards, but now-"
"She knows?" was the interruption.
"Yes. I believe that she is still waiting for an update on the situation, so shall I give you a minute?"
Ace nodded.
The medic went over to the other side of the room and carried over the telephone-like device. He picked up the receiver and started to speak, but the Dark Ace didn't listen but instead concentrated on breathing without causing himself anymore pain to endure. Suddenly the receiver was handed over to him.
"She wants to speak to you." The medic said to him.
The Dark Ace reached for the receiver, ignoring the sudden burst of pain in his stomach as he did so, and held it up.
"Master?" he whispered. Once again he heard how weak his voice sounded. He hated it.
"Dark Ace. I heard what happened. What can they do?" Came the cool, calm, collected voice of Master Cyclonis.
He chuckled. "Nothing. Pulling out the blade means I bleed to death, so nothing is the answer."
There was a pause.
"And if you don't pull it out?"
"I die anyway, but it will take longer."
"Dark Ace, is there no way that you can pull it out and they could stitch you up straight away?"
He looked at the medic, who shook his head.
"Master, if the Dark Ace pulled it out there would be a slim chance that we could, but we wouldn't really have enough time to do so. The blood flow itself-"
"But there is a chance?" the Master cut through the medic's words.
He sighed. "Maybe. A very slim one."
"Then do it. That's an order."
"Master-" the medic was interrupted.
"Dark Ace, I order you to pull it out."
The Dark Ace grinned, albeit weakly. "Master, you read my mind."
"Dark Ace, this will not work!" The medic burst out, looking horrified.
He shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. All I know is I don't want to die slowly. I'd rather go quickly." he spoke into the receiver. "Master, incase this doesn't work-"
"It will. Do it." came the reply.
He took a deep breath and placed both hands around the blade.
"Here we go…" he muttered.
The medic had needles, thread and several other medical items at his disposal ready and waiting, as well as two other medics near him but he didn't look happy.
With a single bloody movement, he tugged the metal object out of him. This time he couldn't help it, a cry tore through his lips as the pain coursed through him.
Suddenly the medics were on him; one holding him down by the shoulders, the other two cleaning and starting to stitch up the heavily bleeding wound.
He screamed as he felt the sharp needle cut its path through his skin and at the feeling of the thread following. He kept biting his lips, so hard that blood began to flow. The medic holding him down held on tighter. He could see the pool of blood around his stomach…
It stung like hell…
He could feel himself slipping away…
"By Atmos, we're losing him! Hurry!" He could faintly hear the medic at his shoulders shout at the other two, but no more after that.
All that Master Cyclonis could hear was frantic shouts and cries of pain.
Was it working, or not? Was he dying? Had she only succeeded in killing him painfully instead of saving him?
Master Cyclonis paced around the room. She wanted, no she needed answers to her questions, and she needed them now.
The cruiser had arrived at Cyclonia, was what she was told an hour later.
She went down to the platform while Talons raced about; either unloading crates of crystals or refueling the ship itself. She didn't care about them; she only wanted to know what had happened.
She cursed. Where were those medics?
Suddenly a medic appeared in front of her. His face looked grave.
"Well?" was all she said, but all she received in reply was a "Come with me."
She was led to a room and on entering she saw the head medic whom he had spoken to on the communicator.
"Well? Will someone tell me what has happened? Is he alive or not?" Master Cyclonis said, her normally cool voice heating up.
The head medic stood up. "You may want to see him." She felt her heart stop at his words. See him? Alive or dead?
He opened a door and she followed him through it. Her heart suddenly began to beat again because there was the Dark Ace, lying on a bed, looking extremely pale with his eyes closed. He was hooked up to a blood drip and a heart monitor, and although his heart was beating quietly it was still beating.
He was alive.
"He lost an awful lot of blood, Master, and on several occasions we believed we were losing him, but he came back. He should come round soon, and then make a full recovery." the head medic said.
Master Cyclonis smiled. "Thank you." he bowed and left the room.
He was alive. He would recover.
She walked over to the still sleeping figure and whispered to him.
"I told you it would work. It wasn't a case of "'til death do us part", and it never will be." Having said those words she walked slowly to the door and departed.
Silence, save for the beeps of the monitor.
The Dark Ace opened his eyes.
"Yes, you were right." he murmured, fighting a losing battle with his eyes. "You are always right in the end."
Within seconds, his eyes were closed and he was asleep.
Yay, another very long chapter, sorry! Hope you guys liked it anyway! It really is so much fun to beat up Dark Ace, really it is.
A big shout out to all the reviewers of this, and to anyone who added it as a favourite. Its means a lot, so a massive thank you from me! (And Dark Ace, so feel special.)
On to chapter three, then!