Firstly I want 2 say thankx 2 everyone who has reviewed recently. I logged on and nearly fell off my seat when I saw how many reviews u had all left! Nd secondly I'm sorry for such the long wait but I can't seem to get the ideas from my head onto paper! Grr! So the next chapter might be a long wait again. But here's the next chapter anyway, Enjoy!
Storm Hawks- Where Your Allegiances Lie
Chapter 9- Conflicting Emotions
Aerrow walked behind the Dark Ace through many twisting corridors of Cyclonia. There was only one guard with them now, but he was just accompanying them.
"Sure it seems bad now, Aerrow," the Dark Ace spoke over his shoulder without breaking his stride, "but you will start to see things the way Master Cyclonis does. And you have already learnt, haven't you, that she can be merciful. You walk by your own free will."
That doesn't mean I'm here by my own free will, Aerrow thought to himself, still not saying a word. The Dark Ace was right in one thing though, Aerrow sure didn't miss being dragged everywhere by the guards.
They entered a spacious room that looked like a dressing room. A Talon was already waiting for them. He opened a wardrobe to show a multitude of different clothes.
"Take your pick, Aerrow. Master Cyclonis says she doesn't want to see you in just an ordinary Talon uniform. After all," he said with a sneer, "you aren't ordinary." Aerrow scowled and averted his eyes. The Dark Ace turned on his heel and walked out of the door, leaving Aerrow in the room with the Talon, who immediately started taking his measurements and laying out the right size clothes on chairs. Once everything was laid out the Talon gave a low bow and left the same way the Dark Ace had, closing the door behind him.
Aerrow sighed. This would be the perfect time to escape. If only all he had to do was escape. But it wasn't. He needed a rescue mission. Face it Aerrow, you have no idea where Cyclonis is keeping Rosella. She could be anywhere.
Forcing back a frustrated yell, Aerrow gratefully pulled off the Talon shirt and examined the clothes on the chairs.
Ten minutes later, Aerrow came out of the room to find the corridor, apparently, empty.
"Not bad." Said the Dark Ace as he emerged from the shadows to walk round Aerrow, while Aerrow pulled the leather gloves on tighter. Although the Dark Ace didn't say it, he was shocked at the young man's appearance.
Aerrow's new uniform was almost a combination of the Dark Ace's and his own Storm Hawks uniform style. He was wearing black trousers with long red slashed in places and black boots that came halfway up his calves. His torso was covered in a long sleeved shirt with a diagonal line across his chest so half of it was in dark red and the other half was in black. All the material was skin tight and it showed off his muscles. The gloves Aerrow had were fingerless and black with red slashes like his trousers. He bunched a hand into a fist and the tight leather squeaked slightly.
The Talon came round a bend and walked straight up to Aerrow. He began fastening on plates of armor to his uniform. A large but fairly thin piece with the Cyclonian emblem on it went onto his chest first, which then attached to another piece in his back where his new glider was fastened. Two medium pieces went on his shoulders. Smaller pieces went on his arms, knees, up his calves and two on his stomach.
"Not bad at all. You look fierce." Dark Ace said. "You remind me of someone. Ah yes, I know: me, just as I joined the Talons."
Aerrow was disgusted by the thought that he might look like the Dark Ace, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he liked the word fierce.
"It's time to test out your skills. Master Cyclonis has ordered an attack on Terra Atmosia. We will lead the attack." The Dark Ace caught the glimpse of anger in Aerrow's eyes, even behind his emotionless face, and sneered. "That's right Aerrow, now's the time to show those fools what you can do."
Aerrow was startled that the Dark Ace could tell what he was thinking. He had just remembered how they had turned him and his squadron away, just because they were too young, and he had resented it.
"You're starting to like it, aren't you?" The Dark Ace said quietly. "You like the feel of it, don't you, the feel of power. You want to punish the cowards who were too stuck up to even give you a chance."
"You have no idea what I want." Aerrow retorted sharply, glaring at his nemesis.
"Oh yes, I do. I know you want to prove yourself. I know you want to get back in the air so you can fight. I know you're turning evil, and you like it."
"No!" Aerrow yelled, lunging at the Dark Ace, who didn't move quickly enough. They fell to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs, but the Dark Ace managed to pin Aerrow to the floor with his sword pointing at his chest, de-activated.
"You can try and fight it," The Dark Ace snarled, "But you can't win. You will fight because you must, and because you must fight, you will start to like it, whether you want to or not."
"I will never like hurting innocent people! I'm not like you!"
"But you will be, eventually. Our paths are chosen for us Aerrow, and yours has already been chosen by Master Cyclonis, just like mine was chosen by your traitorous father."
The Dark Ace returned his sword to its scabbard on his back and turned away from Aerrow with his hands behind his back to look out of a window to the red sky of Cyclonia. Aerrow grudgingly stood up and wiped the blood off his cut lip.
"How long will it take for you to realize that when you stop fighting everything becomes so much easier? Your friend is not locked up in a cold dungeon; she has a warm room and good food. She is being treated like a guest of honour, and you will be treated like a champion. It's only when you disobey our Master that she must punish you both.
"If you stop trying to be such a good little Sky Knight and follow-" The Dark Ace's next words were drowned out by a screeching alarm that sounded all through Cyclonia. Aerrow clapped his hands over his ears to block out the deafening noise. The Dark Ace didn't cover his ears but did wince at the alarm.
"Quick." He didn't say another word but walked briskly round yet another turn in the hallway and Aerrow had to run to catch up while his mind thought through everything the Dark Ace had said.
Because you must fight, you will start to like it, whether you want to or not. He would never want to hurt the people he had defended for so long, but now he was going to have to. But that didn't mean he had to enjoy it.
Our paths are chosen for us Aerrow, and yours already has been chosen. But one person couldn't decide the fate of another just by one action. Sooner or later, Rosella would be freed and Aerrow would be able to escape.
I know you're turning evil, and you like it. No, I'm not turning evil. And even if I was, I wouldn't like it. Aerrow felt a twinge of unease. True, he did rather like his new outfit, but only because it was nothing like he had ever worn. True, he had felt a tiny bit of pleasure when the Dark Ace had called him fierce, but that didn't mean he was turning evil, did it? No, it couldn't. The only evil people are those who love to cause pain and suffering, and I know I don't.
Aerrow had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't realize that they had stopped and a Talon had been whispering urgently in the Dark Ace's ear.
"I will handle it. I will handle it!" He growled at the Talon, who bowed and hurried off. Strangely, he cast an incredibly nervous glance at Aerrow as he left. That small part of him that liked the word fierce made Aerrow smile a sneer worthy of the Dark Ace. But as soon as he realized what he was doing, Aerrow stopped and shook his head.
"It seems our attack on Terra Atmosia will have to wait." The Dark Ace drawled. "First we must rid our palace of intruders." With a strange smile, the Dark Ace led the way to the nearest landing bay, Aerrow trailing behind, still unsure about his position and dreading who he must fight now.
Oh, I feel really sorry 4 Aerrow, even though I luv putting him through all of this!! Who are the intruders? Will Aerrow find a clear line between good and evil? Well you'll have to wait and see wont you! (reviews help :) )
