A/N: Because I really suck at cutting down action chapters into just one or even two chapters, you guys also get this.

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No matter how many sudden swerves, dives, corkscrews or flips the Dark Ace employed, he couldn't shake the stubborn red-head. Snarling, he set the controls to automatic and leapt at him. Aerrow whipped out his blue energy blades to counter the red. Flashes of energy painted the sky as they duelled on the wings of the Cyclonian skimmer. With shock, both of them realised how close the Dark Ace was to the edge. Dark Ace used Aerrow's faltering for his own gain, shoving him to the other side of the switchblade. Thumping on the wing, his blades went spiralling into the clouds, and he was perilously close to following them. Quick as flash, he was back on his feet, hands curled into fists in the absence of a weapon.

"Ha! You really think you have a chance now?" The Dark Ace lifted the blade to deliver the finishing blow. Aerrow's eyes darted around, assessing the best possible reaction. Those damn eyes... Dark Ace wasn't sure if he thought the words or spoke them, but regardless, he stopped his downward swing.

This time, Aerrow took advantage of the Dark Ace's hesitation, ripping the broadsword from his hands. Surprised at the sudden turn of events, the Dark Ace stepped back from the blade that had served him so well. "You were wrong," Aerrow whispered. "This is my sword." The Dark Ace backed away from the burning blade.

"You realise what you're doing, Aerrow." His voice rasped from the fear that the red-head would push him off the edge, and he cursed his reluctance to end the boy's life. Now it would cost him his own. You know the children won't kill you... He wanted to laugh. Cyclonis was wrong.

Emerald eyes unwavering, he replied, "Like you always say. No mercy." And he jabbed the sword forward, the Dark Ace having no choice but to jump off the switchblade. Radarr flew the skimmer close, and Aerrow leapt back to his own craft.

Free-falling was quite a different experience when you knew there was nothing to save you at the end. He would have expected fear, but it didn't come. Maybe it would later, when he fell through the clouds and could see what he was going to be splattered across. Wait, he still had his battle-glider. Of course, now it made sense that the boy could have done that so easily – he had known he wouldn't be killing anyone.

Or would he? With encroaching horror, the Dark Ace realised that the wing release had snapped. His scream rang out as he plummeted through the cloud line.

At about the same time, the switchblade's automatic failed and it dropped like a stone, following its pilot into the Wastelands. Aerrow landed his skimmer on the deck, Finn and Junko both dumbstruck. Piper still lay unconscious against the wall, unaware of the death the others had witnessed. Numbly, Aerrow dismounted his ride. He gazed at the broadsword that was his prize, then blankly at the others.

"I can't believe it. He's... gone."

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A/N: *shifty eyes* I didn't borrow/steal that last line from the last episode of Storm Hawks! No, what makes you think that? And I realise that I'm probably going to get a lot of angry reviews from that... oh well, it's not like you know where I live. :P