At last, Piper wandered her way to the throne room of Cyclonia; a landmark, at least, though she couldn't see Aerrow. She fingered the crystal in her hand, it seemed to be getting hotter and hotter and for a second, she almost thought that she saw swirling smoke rising from it's sharpened, deep green point. But she didn't linger over this, and just placed it into her other hand, ignoring it's searing surface.
Not knowing where to go, Piper simply paced the throne room, hoping and praying that Master Cyclonis and Dark Ace where arguing somewhere else and that (she sighed thinking of this) Aerrow was on his way towards her through the dark dungeons and cold corridors, like a beacon of light making it's way towards her gloomy thoughts. She sighed again, in longing.
As she waited, Piper thought of all the horrible things that could end up going wrong. What if she couldn't find Aerrow? What if he completely ignored her? What if the crystal wasn't powerful enough to make Aerrow himself again? What if she could never fix him? And worst of all…that would destroy all hope of him feeling the same way about her as she did him. Then, she felt even worse and even more gloomy thinking she had never told him how much she loved him. Maybe he would never know now? At the time, she had always felt worried in case Aerrow would never speak to her again, or something dreadful like that, but thinking like this, she knew he wouldn't. Even if he didn't feel the same way, he would never hate her. They were best friends, (though Piper hoped he thought of them as more than that) and he would understand. He always did. Piper smiled at this, and shut her eyes, thinking of all the things they did together. Laughing, joking, talking, whispering, messing about, just being best friends, as well as all the serious stuff like saving lives.
"Ah!" Piper yelped as the boiling crystal grew hotter in her hand, and she looked across at it, at the green steam rising and spiralling from it. She followed it's trail in the air with her gaze, until she didn't just see the smoke flickering, but shadows across the wall, leaking into the entrance to the throne room. Piper gasped quickly and sharply, as Radarr chirruped in slight fear. Piper dashed behind a pillar, sacrificing some silence for speed, deciding it was more important as she thought the shadow belonged to Dark Ace. She shut her eyes, flattening herself against the pillar, wishing desperately she wouldn't be spotted.
he footsteps got louder. The shadow crept further towards her, it's monstrous claws grasping at her, dropping hints to it's owner she was there. Louder, louder, louder became the footsteps, echoing around the throne room, the tension was unbearable, but even worse was the silence that followed. All noise ceased. The air was still. Piper tried not to breathe. Any noise could giver her away. Then, to her horror, she heard footsteps once more, closer and closer, louder and louder they became. She opened her eyes, and forced herself not to gasp, as she saw the long, stretched shadow wrapping it's talons around her feet. It climbed the pillar, higher, higher, spreading it's midnight gloom over her face. Soon, it's owner had caught up, obstructing her view, their gaze finally meeting hers.
"You there! What are you standing there for?!"…