AN: It's called midterms. aka "Minn has no life for a week". Anywho...
OMG PEEPS! WE'RE NEARING THE END! Alright, I'd like to warn everyone that from here on out, I'm pretty much making up the rest of this fic. Don't get me wrong, I know all the really major important details, but in terms of dialogue and finer details… not a clue. Before when writing I've normally day-dreamed the scenes ahead of time (I normally picture fics like an episode or manga depending on different circumstances) but after the last chapter… nothing. What I type is literally going to be the first thing that comes to mind. I'll try to keep the quality high, but if you peeps notice there's something… off… about the way I'm suddenly starting to write, well you know why.(Not to mention I find this later half somewhat boring. I mean, we've all read sappy reunion scenes before right? I hate them, personally... hence the 'different' approach I took to opening this. If you want that cliché "omg we can finally be together again!" scene though... well... read a different fic.
aerrowluver1127: Thanks for the absolute awesomeness. I can never tell if my stuff is IC enough but I'm glad to hear you think so highly of it. XD
Chapter 10: United
She sat on the bridge of the Condor, peering down in concentration and frustrated silence. It was annoying – she had tried to finish this puzzle, but it seemed impossible. Every time she thought she had it... another end seemed to be left incomplete. She almost knew for a fact it must have come with pieces missing – a manufacturer's defect.
Irritated, she decided to let her concentration waver for a moment as she took a break from the problem facing her and turned instead to the window. She saw what she knew she would – thick purple clouds. There was nothing else in the sky but the deep darks and amethysts that promised a terrible oncoming storm. Yet it somehow did not worry Piper – perhaps because she didn't really notice it.
Break taken, she decided to turn back to the table, but what she saw in front of her took her by surprise; the jigsaw had been undone. Any and all of the few pieces she had managed to successfully place together had been thrown apart. All that was left now were small fragments scattered everywhere – almost as if they had never been touched.
Piper let of a shout of anger and swept her hand across the table, sending the pieces flying. As they hit the floor, the jigsaw bits shattered like crystal and faded into dust. Defeated, Piper broke down into sobs and hid her face in her hands.
But she didn't have long to cry. A great thunderclap boomed around the ship, scaring Piper out of her sadness. As she took another look outside, she finally noticed the weather – and what it would mean if she stayed here.
"Stork!" She yelled. "Stork! You have to pilot the ship!"
But he wasn't aboard the Condor. It had been left on auto-pilot for some time now.
"Junko!" Piper called as she rose from her chair, toppling sideways since at that same moment, the ship gave a sickly lurch to the side. "Finn! Radarr!"
But no one would answer.
Piper stumbled across to the helm, hearing the thunder and the menacing tip-taps of the first raindrops to precede the storm. She grabbed the helm in both hands and pulled, but upon feeling her touch, the controls fell into crystal dust much the same way the puzzle pieces had.
"No," Piper whimpered. "No!"
She gave a shout in fear and backed away from the front of the bridge. Above her, the ejecting porthole opened, admitting the rain and wind. Piper looked up, feeling the sting as the drops whipped against her face.
Then out of nowhere, she rose.
No, she didn't rise, the Condor fell out from beneath her, and she had merely escaped through the hole above her. She was thrown about in the storm, and watched as the Condor sank into the deep abyss.
But the storm sank with the ship, and Piper remained suspended where she was, trapped in the limbo of nothing and darkness. Then slowly, she could feel the storm beneath her pulling her towards it. It was a smooth but persistent force, and she would not be able to escape.
Piper shouted out again, struggling to avoid falling, but having nothing to hold onto as she tried to rise through the dark.
"No!" Piper screamed. "NO! I don't want to be that way!"
She could feel the black solidify above her, pushing her down closer and closer towards the storm that had now become a gaping black hole of a mouth, waiting to swallow her.
"Help!" she cried, words muted from her mouth. "Help me! Please!"
A hand grabbed hers from the darkness, and frightened, Piper let out a scream of terror, but the grip did not fade as everything else had – it was strong and growing stronger. Piper stopped struggling, and the hand pulled her out of the chaos beneath.
Above it was light. Oh, the light was so beautiful and warm. Piper looked around, finally able to see the identity of her rescuer. Aerrow stood before her in the clouds made of light, smiling behind his eyes of brilliant green.
Piper gasped and grinned hugely, laughing with the relief and happiness of her friend's return. She hugged him with the joy of a friend, and he hugged back.
"You came back," Piper said through her tears. "You came back for me."
"Of course I did," Aerrow whispered back into her ear. "How could I not?"
Piper laughed again through her tears of happiness as they sparkled in the light. Having him back, it was no longer painful to say his name. "...Aerrow..."
"...Aerrow..."
Piper's sudden groan startled Aerrow out of his own thoughts and made him jump. The quiet of Piper's bedroom around him had led to a meditative state. He had been told that Piper was practically in a coma... but... did she just say his name?
Aerrow squeezed Piper's hand which he had taken in his own the minute he had sat down by her bedside.
"Yes," Aerrow tried to reassure the still frame of the girl before him. "Yes, it's me. I'm back." The realization of his own words still sent relief soaring through his heart. When he had finally made it to the Condor with Arygyn's help several minutes before, he couldn't have been happier. But then he had been told what had happened to Piper...
"Piper?" Aerrow asked hopefully. "Piper?"
She didn't reply, but that wouldn't discourage Aerrow. He knew the Piper had just shown some form of consciousness, and he wasn't about to let it slip away.
"The Binding..." he muttered to himself, slipping from his chair to his knees and trying to concentrate, knowing that if he were to have any chance given to him, this was it. "Come on."
He thought back to that night – the night of the battle. What had happened between them?
"You can do it, Piper, come on."
He had said they were together. But they were always together, after all she was his friend...
"Come on."
Wait no... he said that they were going down together. Did that make a difference?
"Come on!"
He knew how he felt that night, and he was ashamed to say it but he had tried to deny it to himself. He would have liked to look back on it and think that he had been focused on the war completely - worried for the safety of Atmos... but that night, he was more worried about the safety of her.
"Come on, Piper! Please!"
Did she know that? How could she? He had been pushing her away. They had fought about it and he was so stubborn – convinced he knew best. Maybe he should have listened to her from the beginning. Maybe they would have had more time to understand...
"Piper..."
Aerrow looked down at her. It wasn't just her, he had let down all his friends. Finn, Junko, Radarr, Stork. His stubbornness had led him to believe he was giving a self-sacrifice to help save Atmos (which was alright by him) but the full realization of what it would do to his team never hit him. Sacrificing others even through selfless choices... that was still wrong. But he had to pause and think – did he do it to save Atmos, or did he do it to save them?
Aerrow pulled himself back onto his chair, Piper's hand still in his own. He looked down at her – she had reverted back into complete silence. Aerrow wondered... were the other members of his team now this distant as well? He looked away, blaming himself for everything that had happened. In the end it all came down to one choice: his duty as a sky knight, or his duty as a friend?
He was silent as he thought about everything that they had been through as a team – all of the hard times, all of the good times. He thought about exploring the Forbidden City together, growing beards on the beach, performing for the producers, target practice outside...
It was clear to him now.
"I may be a sky knight," Aerrow spoke to the still team-mate before him. "But you were never second to Atmos."
The truth of those words burned inside him – burning through him, and with a laugh of relief, Aerrow realized he had felt this kind of friendship before.
The blue light glowed – and Piper's eyes opened.
Piper turned her head slowly, disoriented by the long sleep. She looked up at Aerrow, who could not stop laughing.
"Aerrow...?"
"Yes," Aerrow said, "yes, it's me."
"Wha...?" Piper half-asked, tilting her head up to try and look around. "Are we on the Condor?"
"Yes," Aerrow said, his smile contagious. "Yes, it's fine we're safe. It's alright, I'm here."
"You're... here?" Suddenly, something seemed to click inside Piper, and all at once her eyes grew wide and she screamed with delight, throwing her arms around Aerrow's neck, taking him off-guard as he leaned backward at her sudden weight, trying not to fall over.
"Aerrow!" Piper sang. "I... well... I really didn't know..."
She didn't have to finish her sentence. Aerrow knew what she was going to say. "It's okay," he said, returning the hug. "I'm back."
No one slept that night; there was too much to do – too much to say. In the back of his mind, Aerrow knew that Cyclonis would be planning her next move, but somehow, her presence seemed unable to touch them that night. The Storm Hawks told Aerrow everything – what Master Cyclonis was planning with the new door, what they had discovered about the Binding, and in turn, Aerrow told his team everything about himself. It wasn't easy, but all questions were answered – all secrets revealed. Aerrow hesitated; he didn't know how his friends might react – but they were accepting as ever. Aerrow was still their leader.
It was still fairly early as Aerrow awoke the next day. He had probably only snatched a couple hours of sleep – but for some reason he felt well-rested. Strange...
Moving quietly so as to not disturb anyone else on the ship, he changed and made his way outside onto the landing strip.
It was cold in the Far Side yet strangely peaceful. The calm before the storm. Now how did Aerrow know that? He smiled. Actually, it was quite obvious. He knew because he had the same sensation of the eve of the first battle.
"Aerrow?"
Surprised, Aerrow turned around to see that it was Piper coming up from behind him. "Piper," he said. "You're up early."
Piper shrugged with a small lop-sided smile. "Actually, I didn't sleep at all."
Aerrow looked away to the slowly rising sun, casting its green rays on the land. "I suppose that only makes sense," he said.
Piper turned to view the same sight Aerrow took in. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
Aerrow sighed peacefully, and he found that despite all that happened, nothing seemed able to rid him of his good mood. "It sure is."
"Aerrow?"
"Hm?"
"...How much do you think will change?"
Aerrow turned to Piper, a little sad at her worry. His expression was not missed by Piper, and she was quick to explain herself.
"I only mean..." Piper stuttered. "Knowing what we know now... so much has happened."
"Well, I can't say what's coming next," Aerrow reasoned. "But what I do know..." Aerrow turned to Piper with a smile. "...is that I'll never leave again."
Piper smiled back, but Aerrow's intuition told him something was still troubling her.
"Out of desire?" Piper asked. "Or out of duty?"
Aerrow raised an eyebrow, surprised that Piper would question him in such a way.
"I only meant..." Piper muttered. "Why did you leave? Or rather... what reason did you give yourself? I know it wasn't really a choice..."
Aerrow turned away and grew silent, but Piper waited for his response.
"Piper," Aerrow finally said. "In all the time we've been together, I never had to choose between Atmos or the team. We could always work together. We could always be together. But... when we were separated..." Aerrow hesitated. He wasn't sure how to put it into words. "I guess to reassure myself, I gave both reasons. I could save you guys and protect Atmos by letting you go free. I guess I underestimated the consequences of having me apart from the team as well. But..." Piper looked at Aerrow intensely. "I suppose deep down, I did it to save you guys. At that time, I felt there was no way we could win. And even if you guys had just decided to leave... I would have been happy knowing you were safe, even if it enabled Cyclonis to carry out her plans."
Piper stared, touched by what Aerrow had said.
"The thing is..." Aerrow continued. "That may not be the only time I'll have to make that decision, and how can I live with myself when I know I'll keep pricing my team over countless of innocent lives? It doesn't seem right... As a friend I can say that I value you guys more than anything, but as a sky knight how can I place the safety of Atmos as a second priority?"
There was a brief pause for a moment, but then to Aerrow's surprise, Piper began to laugh.
"What?" he asked curiously. "What's so funny?"
"Oh, Aerrow, don't you see? The answer is so obvious. You don't have to choose between the two. Atmos isn't yours to give. You need to realize that one person can't possibly save the whole world on their own."
Aerrow stared silently, and he realized Piper had spoken true.
"Aerrow..." Piper's voice took on a gentler tone. "The reason why it's been so easy in the past is because we've shared the responsibility of taking care of Atmos. Not just the Storm Hawks, but all squadrons. You don't have to do everything on your own. Spread yourself too thin, and you'll crack."
Aerrow looked at the ground, embarrassed at the realization of his own naive ignorance. "I'm sorry," he said. "I suppose you're right."
"Of course," Piper said. "After all, you know what happens to a Storm Hawk when they focus more on themselves than on their team, right?"
Aerrow merely looked at Piper quizzically. She gave a timid smile, and gazed at Aerrow carefully. "They become the Dark Ace."
Aerrow looked down at the double-pronged sword in his hand, thinking back to his last encounter with the Dark Ace. "I'm not so sure," Aerrow said. "Deep down... maybe he really did remember the Storm Hawks."
At this, Piper didn't have a knowledgeable response. It felt weird to hear Aerrow defend the Dark Ace, but at the same time, she reasoned that maybe he'd never be able to forgive him at the same time. "Why do you think he did it?" Piper asked.
"I suppose we'll never know," Aerrow replied, still keeping his eyes on the sword. "But... maybe it's better that way."
Piper sighed in thought and Aerrow looked over at her. Smiling, he held her hand as they watched the sun rise together.
"I'm sorry for leaving, Piper."
"Don't be. You didn't know it would happen. Besides, like I said, I know it wasn't a choice. You did it for us, and that's what makes it right."
"But... what's to say that the Binding... what's to say it won't happen again?"
Piper turned to Aerrow and smiled almost carelessly at his pointless worry. "You're never satisfied, are you?" It wasn't an accusation, Piper was merely teasing.
Aerrow blushed. "I'm justified in asking... After all, I'm in it now just as deep as you are."
"The spirit told us that the Binding is complicated, or so Finn and Junko said... Aerrow, I doubt we'll ever fully understand it..."
Aerrow sighed, not totally satisfied, yet accepting Piper's answer anyways.
"...but..." Piper suddenly continued.
Aerrow turned to her, concerned. "But what?"
Piper smiled crookedly. "It's nothing important, just... I would love to explore this place. Truly explore it, with no impending wars or worrisome trials... just...well... It sounds silly, but I feel at home here. Almost like returning to Atmos... isn't really a big priority for me."
Aerrow looked at her amazed, and she blushed, thinking that Aerrow disapproved of her thoughts. "I'm sorry," she said. "I must sound crazy."
"No, Piper," Aerrow quickly corrected her. "I'm just surprised, because...well... I feel the same."
Piper beamed, and she leaned gently against Aerrow, his warmth protecting her from the cool morning air.
"The battle's coming," Piper stated, staring into the sunrise.
"I know," Aerrow replied. "For now, let's just enjoy the morning."
And they stood side by side as friends and equals.
"Aerrow, look..."
"Ya, I know. The Far Side really is beautiful..."
"No," Piper corrected, her dreamy voice of contented thoughts vanishing. "I mean, look!" She moved away from Aerrow and pointed to something in the sky. Aerrow directed his gaze where Piper indicated, and saw a small black dot moving behind the clouds.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I don't know."
It was moving fast, very fast, and not a moment too soon, Aerrow realized it was headed straight their way.
"Look out!" he said, grabbing Piper and pulling her towards the hanger bay and off the landing strip. "It's coming in too fast!"
They bolted for the safety inside, but they didn't close the bay door. Instead, they merely watched in overwhelming curiosity. It was a skimmer, but it was diving too fast. It would surely crash... but then at the last moment, reverse engines roared to life, exerting an opposite acceleration on the craft. Aerrow was amazed at the rate of which it slowed – the thought that had gone into the design of the skimmer had surely been extensive.
To both Aerrow's and Piper's amazement, the sky ride landed without a scratch. (However, the energy coming in downdrafts from the reverse engines burn circles onto the landing strip). The two team members stared at the vessel before them, amazed at the similarity to that of a past mission.
"Aerrow, it's..."
"I know."
Aerrow approached the skimmer nervously; It had almost the same appearance of that which he had ridden in when he had flown in the exosphere. There was no telling who could be inside.
"Who's there?" Aerrow demanded. He was met with a hiss as the fogged protective cover opened, equalizing the air pressure around it. The pilot removed her helmet, and smiled up at Aerrow. He laughed in amazement and smiled back.
"...Starling."