Summary: The royal family of Terra Tenshi tend to keep their secrets. Even more so hiding away their treasures behind the walls of the castle. Yet when the king's most valued treasure reaches her peak, it's time to marry her off; yet this isn't what she wants. So she runs away.
Pairing: AerrowXKagome
The rough grip on Kagome's legs started to bruise the delicate skin, the young woman letting out noises of protest as Dark Ace's shoulder dug into her stomach.
It wasn't long before some talons ventured into the deeper part of the prison below Master Cyclonis's palace to tell the Dark Ace that Master Cyclonis was finally ready to question the tenshi and he had no qualms about using brute force to drag her out and all the way to her throne room. She had tried to run off a few times and Dark Ace finally had enough, hauling her over his shoulder as she kicked and screamed. Soon enough, everyone within the throne room could hear them coming and the door burst open, the young woman being dumped on the floor. The powerful aura Cyclonis exuded made Kagome lose all thoughts about trying to leave at that present moment, fear welling up deep inside.
"Ah, so this is the tenshi I've been hearing about. Where did you find her?" The low voice of the young leader questioned, eyes darting to her most trusted talon.
"Snuggled up on an uncharted terra with Aerrow." Dark Ace smirked.
"Aw, did we interrupt you little date?" Cyclonis asked mockingly. The other young woman groaned.
"It wasn't a date!" Kagome's face flushed slightly.
"Of course it wasn't." Cyclonis didn't sound convinced. "Give us a name. And don't lie to me, I will know." Her voice turned sinister. Kagome shivered.
"... it's Kagome."
"I must know, out of all tenshi in existence, you're the first one to be seen off Terra Tenshi. Not do a good enough job of hiding? How long have you been leaving your terra now?"
"I don't know, maybe they used chroma crystals because I know that out of everyone on Terra Tenshi, I'm the only one who's been kept inside our barrier. I've never left my terra until now." Kagome answered honestly.
"How come?"
"My father is overprotective of me. Never wanted me to end up in this sort of situation." Kagome rolled her eyes, folding her arms. "There's no way you're gonna find my terra, though. Even if you have me, it won't change anything."
"Oh? We'll see about that. Take her away, Dark Ace, keep an eye on her. And clip her wings for now." Cyclonis waved her hand in dismissal. "That's all I wanted to know for now."
"Wah, hey!" Kagome exclaimed as she was shoved forward, her hands held behind her. The Dark Ace ignored her complaints before using a black rope to bind her wings down. Kagome hissed as her wings started to burn. "Get your hands off them! It hurts!" The man continued until her wings were held together tightly. He observed the black coloured patches that took the place of some of her pure white feathers with fascination. Of course he had heard that their wings could change colour when touched by a corrupted being, he just never knew what it would look like.
"Does it?"
"Huh?"
"Does it hurt when I do... this?" Dark Ace pressed a finger to a white patch, the young woman letting out a yell of pain as the area of white turned black.
"Yes, you jerk!" Kagome cried out, tears in her eyes. Dark Ace removed his finger, chuckling. He grabbed her arm roughly and stalked off, pulling the young woman along with him to throw her back into her cell. He wasn't very happy at the fact that he was the one watching her but it did make some sense considering that the Storm Hawks could infiltrate Cyclonia and try to take her back. Kagome yelped as she was thrown past the bars, falling onto her side, the door slamming shut. Dark Ace crossed his arm and stood by her cell. Kagome glared directly at him for a long time until it softened as she felt something nostalgic niggle at the back of her head, the Dark Ace's features becoming more and more familiar. She tilted her head, still staring the Dark Ace down and it wasn't long before he noticed. He narrowed his eyes at the petite female.
"What?" He questioned coldly, observing as Kagome shifted onto her knees and crawled closer to the bars caging her in. She looked into his eyes, narrowing her own which caused the talon commander to feel uncomfortable. He went to speak but was cut off when Kagome murmured quietly. He raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"
"You look familiar." Kagome repeated plainly, scanning his face still.
"So?"
"Where have I seen you before?" Kagome pressed again.
"Silly girl, how could you have seen me if all you've ever been is on your terra?" Dark Ace growled, watching Kagome's eyes widen as she processed what he said.
"Silly... girl..." She mumbled.
"Silly girl, you need to be more careful." A teenage boy reprimanded, crouching down to a lower level to talk with a younger Kagome. "You could get hurt if you slide down the banister like that, what would have happened if I wasn't here?"
"Sorry Acey, I won' do it again."
"You were there." Kagome's eyes widened as she sat back on her heels in shock. The man before her looked confused. "When I was little. God, I thought Aerrow looked familiar. All those years ago, the squadron that came to Terra Tenshi seeking help was the old Storm Hawks, wasn't it? That squadron was the Storm Hakws. He's the splitting image of Lightning." It took the man a second.
"You were that little girl. The princess." Recognition swarmed across Dark Ace's face. He silently noted to tell Master Cyclonis, knowing that she would use it to her advantage. "The Condor broke down and in that moment of need, we were somehow guided to Terra Tenshi."
"How old was he?" Kagome looked at him blankly.
"What?"
"How old was he?"
"How old was who?"
"Aerrow!" Kagome exclaimed, biting her lip in fear of the answer. "When he... when he lost his parents to you."
Dark Ace kept his mouth shut, watching the frustration and worry grow on her face. And yet he wasn't enjoying it. He was finally allowing his guilt to catch up with him after so many years, the pride he once felt at being the cause of the downfall of the original Storm Hawks now leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Tell me, Dark Ace! Just tell me!" Kagome demanded, gritting her teeth.
"... five." Dark Ace looked away. "He was five years old."
"You really did that to... to a five year old. God," Kagome covered her mouth, "that's sickening. You're sick."
"You asked. And I'm stuck with watching over you so deal with it."
Kagome shut her eyes, trying to stop her eyes from tearing up. Refusing to look up at this... this murderer, Kagome allowed herself to gaze at the floor in worry for the sky knight. The death of his parents is something he's been harbouring for fourteen years, fourteen whole years himself. She breathed heavily, getting more and more worked up the more she thought about it. She knew his parents were killed, but to know that he was so young made it much worse. If they ever found her and got her out of Cyclonia, the first thing she was going to do is hold him again and make sure he never had to deal with inner turmoil like that alone ever again.
