Hurray. Thanks to Doilan and Milkshake Anonymous I have been cured and written a half-decent chapter. Thanks to all of my reviewers for being so supportive about my worst chapter yet. Hope this makes up for it. Now then to my deprived reviewers:

Gatomon Fan 7: You may be on to something there. In fact I bet that was one of the reasons that the Dark Ace attacked Terra Neon when he got that freaky suit of armour. Because he likes the rides. How could I be so stupid? *facepalm*

Doilan: Maybe. Can't tell you it would spoil the surprise. Thanks for understanding about the milkshake predicament and help me get over my addiction.

Jenergy: Thanks. I hope you like this one too.

Diehardstormhawksfan: …wow! Thanks that's really nice of you. I don't deserve such good reviewers.

Ali: Thanks for agreeing with me. No-one else seems to agree with me. ;D. Seriously though thanks for being honest. Fighting scenes are really hard to do and I'm sorry if it seemed rushed.

Delphigirl689: Cool! I gave someone chills. That's a first for me.

Rose: You should get a padlock or something for your door. I'm still looking for PB1. And I think you and I both know that if the Rex Guardians are smart they won't bring it up.

Aerrow's POV

I can't see Cyclonia. All I can see is the lava beneath the Condor swirling. An adventure waiting to happen. That's what it looks like to me but to Stork it spells certain doom like most things. He's really shaky because he hates the Wastelands. It's his number one place to die before you see because of the scorpions and the lava snakes and the molten rivers…basically he hates everything in it. But even he appreciates that to get to Cyclonia without being seen we had to go undercover. Emphasis on under.

"Aerrow, can you get in here before you're eaten. We need to go over this plan," Dove said although a better word may be ordered. And I thought Finn was getting bad. I sighed and walked in.

"Okay," I looked around the room. Finn was sneaking another glance at Dove, Dove was pretending not to notice, Stork was shaking, Junko was fingering with something metal and Radarr was rolling his eyes at Finn from my shoulder. "Here's the plan. Stork, you and the Condor will have to stay here where it's safe and make sure you're not seen by Cyclonians."

"Stay down here in the Wastelands where IT'S SAFE" panicked Stork.

"Or you could go up to the Cyclonians ands see what kind of greeting they give you," said Dove and Stork crossed his arms.

"Good point," he admitted grudgingly. I turned to Finn and Junko.

"You two are going to have to get into the supply dock and cause as much mayhem as you can. I don't care how you do it just make sure they are preoccupied but try not to get caught. Stick to the plan. I mean it. Last time you deviated from the plan, you almost got yourselves killed by Cyclonis." Finn puffed out his chest.

"Not a problem, dude," he said but you could still hear a quaver of fear in his voice. His eyes never left Dove but she was looking at me.

"What about me?" asked Dove.

"Since you and Piper were good friends, I think you have just as good a chance of getting her to snap out of it or to tell you why she's a Cyclonian," I said but I didn't fully believe it. From the look on Dove's face she didn't either but she nodded and I carried on. "Radarr, you'll go with Dove." He looked at me like I'd kicked him. "Sorry buddy but I think Dove needs your protection more than me," I hoped he understood that I just didn't want him to get hurt and not that I was abandoning him. Radarr rolled his eyes at me and nodded. He didn't look offended. How could anyone mistake him for a pet? He was a lot better at catching on then Finn was.

"We'll meet back at the Condor. Stork, you can't leave here without everyone unless Dove or I tell you in which case we'll probably have bigger problems. Okay let's do this." "Don't worry Piper. We're coming." I added in my head.

Lark's POV

I hate Ravess. That may seem a bit extreme considering that I've only been learning Sky Fu from here for a week but she is a perfectionist and a jerk which is not a good combination. She makes me do the very basics over and over again for hours until I make a mistake and then she makes up some weird punishment for it

One time, she made me wash all of the Talons muddy boots with my toothbrush for a week because I was a millimeter of on my High Jump Kick. Another time she gave me the fattest Talon ever and made me flip him over my shoulder. Which I did but it was on the wrong shoulder so she made me do fifty pushups. And the Talon as well which I thought was a bit unfair but he needed the exercise. And I can't prove it but I think it was her who waxed the floor when I was practicing Running, Jumping and Kicking. I still have the bruises to show for it.

The worst thing of all is that she either listens to classical music at full blast while I'm practicing or she practices her own violin very loudly. Don't get me wrong she is very talented but it makes it hard to focus when she is playing and she has the worst taste in classical music. Amazingly enough she is still looking for minor slipups while she's playing or listening with the eyes of the hawk. Literally (she has yellow eyes).

Anyway today I am going to be tested by the Dark Ace to see if I'm worthy enough to be taught by him and good enough to stop being taught be Ravess. I was warming up when Ravess walked in.

"You probably think you're going to pass this because you're Master Cyclonis's little curiosity."

"Hi to you too, Ravess." Not letting her get to me.

"Insolent little-"

"Yeah, that's me. Now are you here to watch or are you going to leave?" Please say leave, please say leave.

"Oh I'm staying to watch you crash and burn," Damn it!

"Whatever." Great, now I was being watched by Cyclonis's best Talon and the world's biggest pain in the butt. Could today get any worse? Just then Master Cyclonis walked in followed by the Dark Ace. I guess it could.

"I hope you don't mind Lark but I want to see how you're progressing," said Master Cyclonis.

"Not at all, Master Cyclonis," I said. Ravess and the Dark Ace rolled their eyes in unison. "So what do you want to test me on first, Dark Ace?" I asked. He stepped forward and I couldn't help thinking how on Atmos this absurdly skinny man could be the most feared and the only unbeaten Talon ever.

"So we can get this over quickly, I've decided that if you can impress me in one-to-one combat then you can be taught by me. If not then you stay with Ravess," he said. Suddenly I was really nervous. How was I going to impress the Dark Ace in hand-to-hand combat if I'd only just learned the basics?

I didn't get much time to think about it because just then the Dark Ace lunged at me. I dodged out of the way and tried to hit him on the left side of his face. He sidestepped and threw a quick punch at my stomach. I wasn't fast enough to block it but it didn't hurt that much. It just winded me a little but for the second that I was hunched over the Dark Ace grabbed my arm and flung me over his shoulder.

The whole of my back quaked with the impact on the floor but I got up as quickly as I could and moved to the left. I was just in time to stop him grabbing me. Who knows what he would have done next? He started to circle me like a Blood-Hyde beast that's found a wounded animal. That's when I realized. He was just playing with me. This was just some joke to him. See how long it took to pummel the life out of me.

I don't know whether it was the humiliation that I was having my butt kicked in front of Master Cyclonis, the frustration that the Dark Ace wasn't even sweating yet and I was bruised all over or the sheer horror that if I failed this test I would be stuck with Ravess again but something inside my mind lit up. I could remember my old moves. Suddenly I was the one with an advantage.

But something about these memories felt different like they were imperfect and didn't fit right in my head. Something about them didn't make sense but I didn't have time to think about it. I waited until the Dark Ace was behind me and then when I knew he was about to charge again, I jumped. I sailed over his head, landed behind him and landed a kick in his ribs for good measure.

He turned around, confused. I smiled. He hadn't been expecting that. This time he remained still waiting for me to attack with a calculating look on his face. Now I would have to be clever about this. I pretended to try to sweep his feet out from underneath him and he jumped like I knew he would. I grabbed his leg, swung him around and then let go.

He fell against the floor and smashed into the wall behind him. Amazingly he was able to get up. Now he was mad whether at himself for missing such an obvious trick or at me for throwing him against the wall I couldn't tell but I could guess. As I braced myself for his retaliation, Master Cyclonis raised her hands and clapped slowly and silently but the message was clear. This fight was over.

"Well, Lark that was very good for someone with only basic knowledge," said Master Cyclonis, smiling at me. For the first time, I felt uneasy when she smiled at me. It was like she was examining me as if I was a test subject. Then something strange happened. I stifled the urge to tell her that I had reclaimed my memories and said,

"Yes, well Ravess showed me the basics and I practiced some extra moves after class," I said wondering if she would buy it, "I didn't want to be helpless if the Storm Hawks found me again." Not strictly true. I had a paralyzer Crystal and a high grade firebolt crystal stored safely in a pouch around my neck. I had got rid of the lapis lazuli. I didn't like it very much and it left an empty feeling around my neck.

"You work to hard, Lark," smiled Master Cyclonis, "Maybe you should go for a walk. Ravess, the Dark Ace and I will discuss what we thought of your performance and decide whether you are ready for the Dark Ace's tuition." I nodded, trying not to smile. That sounded like a yes to me.

Dark Ace's POV

I watched Piper leave the training room. As soon as she was gone, Ravess started gabbling questions at Master Cyclonis like some chicken that had been kicked. She wouldn't have stopped but Master Cyclonis raised her hand.

"Dark Ace, should I be worried about you being beaten by children?" Master Cyclonis said, smiling. Ravess was grinning like a lunatic. I was never going to hear the end of this.

"She took me by surprise, Master. Next time she will not be so lucky."

"I hope not and as punishment for losing, you will take over her training. But for now there are more important things to worry about. The plan Piper told us about under hypnosis has come into effect. The blonde boy and the Wallop have been seen heading for the cargo bay. The Condor has been located at the blind spot" I had to laugh at this. We no longer had blind spots "and Aerrow and one of the Rebel Ducks are now searching the corridors for their little friend."

"You're plan is working then, Master," said Ravess with that stupid, strained voice she puts on when she is simultaneously trying to please Master Cyclonis and thinking how she could do it better. Master Cyclonis ignored her as usual.

"Dark Ace, follow her. Make sure her guests are greeted in the proper fashion" she ordered and I nodded. I followed the sound of her footsteps down the corridor. All that was left was for him to find her.

Piper's POV

I walked along the corridors, thinking that nothing could spoil this day. And then out of the darkness, a boy appeared. He was about my age and he looked harmless but I recognised him from the description from the other Talons. I was staring eye to eye with Aerrow, the leader of the Storm Hawks, the very person who had ordered my torture and taken away my memories. And all he could say was,

"Piper?"

Wait! What?