Last chapter! Thanks everyone for reading!
I Do Not Own The Storm Hawks
Junko was screaming at him "AERROW, LOOK OUT!"
Both a Skimmer and a Talon were falling from the sky, freshly taken out by Junko. Unfortunately, they were falling straight towards his current position.
Aerrow couldn't watch as the Talon scrambled for his parachute. He was too low to pull it anyway. It was gonna be messy, but that was the only thought Aerrow could spare, as he attempted to avoid the falling Skimmer.
He turned around and began sprinting away from the skimmer and as it landed, the fuel tank erupted, creating a small explosion, yet an explosion none the less.
Aerrow was thrown off balance, only just managing to keep his feet. That is until he was suddenly tackled again from the side. He looked up into Dark Ace's furious face, his ears ringing form the explosion.
"This is mine!" Dark Ace yelled, snatching his long blade from Aerrow's loose fist.
Blood dripped from the back of his air and down his chin. It dropped onto Aerrow's shirt, but he wasn't even paying attention to that. Just as he gathered his wits, he attempted to struggle out of the mess he was in. He was unable to, however, when the two Talons he was approaching before the explosion caught up to him and held him down by both arms.
"Well well, it looks like we finally have little Aerrow all trapped. Finally." Dark Ace shifted his position so he was straddling Aerrow's legs. He was completely unable to move.
"You have no idea what a pain you have been Aerrow." Dark Ace said, a manic gleam in his eyes.
Aerrow didn't want to admit it, but he was panicking. He couldn't see what the rest of his squadron were doing. He couldn't see anything but the three faces above him. How could he help his squad when he couldn't see who needed help? When he was powerless to even get up off the stinking ground?
"Tell me Aerrow, how is your shoulder? The last I remember, it was dislocated?" Dark Ace asked as if having a pleasant conversation with a friend.
The two Talons holding his arms laughed. Then they laughed harder when Aerrow began bucking and flailing with all his might, attempting to knock them off of him.
Dark Ace looked at him condescendingly "Did you really think you could beat me Aerrow?"
However, another yell from above prevented Aerrow from answering. All four of them looked up at another Skimmer crashing down. The three holding Aerrow let go, quick as a flash and dived out of the way.
Aerrow only had time to roll to the left, stagger to his feet and take five wobbly steps before the skimmer exploded right where he had been lying.
This time, he was thrown forward and into the ground, only just bringing his arms up in time to protect his face. He vaguely thought about how lucky they had been that none of these falling Skimmers had hit the Condor.
His thoughts were drawn away as two feet stepped in front of his face. He looked up into Dark Aces face. Dark Ace's lips were moving, but all Aerrow could hear was ringing. Dark Ace bent down and grabbed Aerrow's lapels in his fists, lifting Aerrow up, face to face.
Dark Ace was almost a foot taller than Aerrow, and so his feet dangled off the ground. Aerrow brought up his hands to Dark Ace's, trying to pry them off.
Then sound returned.
"...glad that Skimmer didn't get you. Now I can finish you myself!"
With that, he threw Aerrow to the ground.
Aerrow thudded against the grass, hit his head, and actually blacked out for a second. When he opened his eyes, there were bright spots dancing around his vision.
Dark Ace put a foot on his chest and held his long blade to Aerrow's throat.
It was then that Aerrow became aware of the lack of noise coming from every one.
He strained his neck to see the rest of his squadron, careful not to accidentally hit the blade that was hovering dangerously close to his skin.
He could see Finn, Starling, Piper and Radarr all kneeling on the ground, surrounded by Talons. Junko and Stork had somehow been defeated and were being hassled along to the group already kneeling.
"Put their Skimmers on the ship" Dark Ace instructed some Talons who were standing around with nothing to do. "The rest are by the cave." He turned his attention to Aerrow, "there's no use wasting them. Master Cyclonis might appreciate them"
Aerrow didn't know what to do. He was trying to think of a plan, but it was hard to when a razor sharp long blade was inches from his face.
He heard Stork mutter "...this plan was doomed from the start." And then heard him yelp as he was thrown at the rest of the group.
They all sat several meters in front of Aerrow, between him and the Condor.
Dark Ace suddenly knelt down and yanked Aerrow up into a sitting position so he was facing his team. Aerrow sagged slightly, his head pounding. The world tilted and he tilted with it, but Dark Ace righted him again with a shove to his side.
The small fires created by the crashed skimmers burned near bye, and Aerrow could feel the sweat building up on his forehead and around his eyes. His lashes were sticking together, creating small spikes and he blinked furiously, trying to focus. He needed to concentrate. The rest of his team were watching him worriedly. But he couldn't think. The edges of his vision swam slightly but he blinked harder.
"I guess, seeing as you didn't die the way we planned, were just gonna have to do it here and now. And everyone can watch Aerrow be the first to go" Dark Ace said loudly, gripping Aerrow's hair in one hand and holding the blade to his throat with another.
He drew his weapon hand back, firmly holding his hair, and swung downwards, aiming to cut Aerrow's neck.
This was it. It was over. Aerrow thought. He just gazed at his squadron in apology.
Dark Ace stopped short of Aerrow's skin by a few centimetres.
Aerrow's eyes widened and his chest heaved. Why was he still alive?
"Or..." Dark Ace said, crouched down behind Aerrow, breath hot near his ear. "We could make them watch you suffer"
"Don't-" Aerrow started. He didn't want his squad to see him get beat up and not be able to help. "Don't do this" He was so angry, and so freaking weak!
But even as he said it, Dark Ace gestured for two Talons to hold him upright and he stepped back, facing the Storm Hawks.
"You're in for a treat!" He told them gleefully.
Their eyes were wide as they realised what was about to happen and they all burst out in anger
"You can't do this!" Piper shrieked at them, while Junko yelled "Let him go!"
Dark Ace ignored them and turned back to Aerrow.
"Ready Aerrow?" he asked in mock concern. And without waiting for an answer, he punched him hard in the gut.
Aerrow leant forward at the impact, but not very far and was pulled upright again by the Talons holding him.
One of the Talons holding his arms used one hand to hit the side of his face, snapping it to the other Talon.
"Urgh" he groaned, blood spilling from his split lip
The Talons were laughing and jeering, ignoring the shouts from Aerrow's team
"Hold his arms straight" Dark Ace instructed with malice, crouching down and picking up a large rock.
"I believe you tried to knock me out with a rock Aerrow?" he questioned, hefting his own rock towards Aerrow's arm.
"It hurt my feelings. Maybe this will make you think twice next time." That said, he hurled the rock down onto Aerrow's arm at the elbow joint.
The crack could be heard by all and Aerrow screamed, his legs buckling. The Talons still held him, increasing the pain in his arm.
Through hazy thoughts, Aerrow heard Dark Ace say, "although, there won't even be a next time"
He breathed deeply, trying not to vomit from the pain. Dark Ace was lifting the rock again. Aerrow couldn't believe it. He was going to break his other arm.
Before Dark Ace could do anything else, there was a sound in the trees behind them. Rustling and muted footsteps. But it was loud. Loud enough to stop Dark Ace in his tracks. Everyone looked around at the bushes, confusion and dread building.
Everyone, except for the pain induced haze of Aerrow, could feel the ground rumbling underneath their feet. Then there was a distant high pitched shriek answered by other shrieks a lot closer to the group near the Condor.
Then, before anyone realised what was happening, a herd of creatures burst their way into the clearing. They were fierce looking, twice the size of a grown man. They looked a lot like raptor dinosaurs but with two tails that had razor sharp points on the ends.
They had been drawn to the clearing by the explosions and by the looks of things, were looking for a fight.
Chaos erupted once more as the Storm Hawks took the opportunity to jump up from their kneeling position and make their way onto the Condor.
Other Talons were attempting to get on the vehicle, the only safe area at that time, aside from the cave.
Aerrow could see everyone scrambling, could see Talons get shredded to pieces by the dino-creatures and knew he had to move now or die.
He had been dropped by the Talons holding him and so first made it to his hands and knees. As he stood up, he caught site of Dark Ace running to the Condor, but falling forward as a passing creature sliced his back. Aerrow could tell it was shallow, and stood for a moment's indecision, wondering if even Dark Ace deserved to get torn apart. He was just about to run over and help him up when Piper collided into him, dragging him towards the Condor.
"C'mon Aerrow!" she shouted over the shrieks of the creatures and Cyclonians who were running around in disarray.
The Condor was starting up, and the access ramp beginning to close.
Piper jumped up, and turned to help Aerrow, who was cradling his arm and looking back towards Dark Ace.
"Don't even think about it Aerrow!" she screamed to get his attention.
Aerrow didn't know what to do. As much as he hated Dark Ace, he didn't think he should die at the hands of these creatures. He could hear agonised screams coming from other Talons who were already injured and were being further torn apart by these blood thirsty animals.
Luckily, the decision was made for Aerrow when two unscathed Talons ran past and picked Dark Ace up, fleeing into the bushes. They could see they weren't going to make it onto the Condor. Best to ride away on their Skimmers when they had the chance.
Skimmers.
Aerrow, now being dragged up by his good arm onto the Condor, realised he didn't have his Skimmer. That he left it in the bush while Dark Ace had everyone else's loaded on the Condor.
But Piper was now hugging him, both safely on the Condor. Both home at last. And he figured he could always build a new Skimmer. Just like he would need new weapons.
They turned into the hanger, looking for other Talons who might have climbed aboard.
But there was no need. Junko, whose lip was bleeding quite badly, was already dragging some down to the brig.
Finn, who was sitting by himself, had taken off his shirt and was holding it to a gash in his thigh. He glanced up at Aerrow and Piper as they approached.
"How many Talons made it aboard?" Piper asked, Aerrow leaning against her, trying to stay focused.
"Junko found four. Took them out. We obviously received minor injuries, but mostly we're ok. Stork's doing a system sweep of the ship to see if we missed any. Looks like you got Aerrow ok?" He reported, looking from Piper to Aerrow worriedly.
"Yeah, we're ok. We cut it close though..." she looked meaningfully at Aerrow, then, " Let me help you to the infirmary Finn, that leg wound looks pretty bad..." she said
"Na, get Aerrow there first. Have you even looked at him?" Finn tried to smile, but couldn't quite pull it off.
"Guys. I'm standing right here" Aerrow said vaguely annoyed.
Starling walked in at that point, looking pleased.
"Everything was clear on the sweep. We have four Talon prisoners. Stork says that the Condor is as good as she ever was, and we're all together, alive." She bent down and with a bit of difficulty, pulled Finn to his feet.
Finn grunted in pain, Starling in exertion.
They were all still very weak. Aerrow wondered how they were going to cope for the first couple of days, when they were all so tired. They would probably need to take shifts constantly.
The four of them began making their way to the infirmary where they could get patched up.
Junko entered the garage where they were all still hobbling.
"Prisoners secured." He said, clapping Aerrow gently on the back.
His lip had stopped bleeding now but he looked very tired.
"I'll go check on Stork and Radarr" he said, moving on.
Aerrow made it to the infirmary, fading fast.
He lay on a sick bed, opposite Finn who was getting his leg stitched.
"I have to set your arm Aerrow" Piper said, injecting him with something. "But hopefully you won't feel it, this is a sedative"
Aerrow protested as he could feel sleep already pulling at him. "Wait. You guys need more... rest than I do..." the sedative already pulling him under.
"Just relax Aerrow. Everything's going to be okay" she said.
Aerrow looked into her eyes at that point, seeing the shadows under them and the pallid look of her skin. Her cheeks were sunken a little from malnutrition, but she was smiling. And he could see that it was true. They were going to be okay.
They were finally safe.
The END!
I hope the ending was okay...
also, I did begin this story a fair while ago, back when I didnt think the plot through very well. And I realise that it may be kinda hard to believe. Mainly the part where the squadron are locked away for, like, three weeks and were able to survive. But by the time I realised how unbelievable it was, I didnt know how to fix it. so sorry about that :)
And thanks for all the reviews and thanks again for reading!