Author's Note: I do not own Storm Hawks, etc.
Chapter Fourteen – Growing
Steela was tucked into her bed. She felt comfortable beneath the familiar sheets as she snuggled herself into position. This was one of her favorite times of the day.
"Are you ready for story time?"
"Yes, uncle Stork."
"Did you brush your teeth?"
She smiled open-lipped to show all her shiny white teeth.
"Yes, you did. As a reward for having brushed your teeth…"
"A story!" She threw her arms up in excitement.
"Yes, a story. What do you want to hear?"
"Storm Hawks!" She shouted, this was her favorite stories and having Stork as a first-person account made it all the more fun to listen.
"Let's see…how about the time that the Storm Hawks grappled with the deadly Leviathan?"
"You went up against the Leviathan?"
"We sure did! Though yours truly doesn't remember all the details, but my friends filled me in afterwards."
He recounted the story with Steela laughing every time he did his pirate impersonations from beginning to end.
After he was finished with the story, Steela snuggled beneath her covers.
"Uncle Stork?"
"Yes, Steela?"
"I was wondering. Some of the other kids at school talk about their mommies and daddies, could you tell me where's mine?"
"Well…it is kind of hard to explain where they are. I mean…" He bit his finger as he wondered if he would explain about death."
"Uncle Stork? It's okay, I know who they are."
"You do? Who do you think your mommy and daddy are?"
"Piper and Aerrow."
"How did you know?"
"One time when you were shopping and I was home, I found some old pictures in the study and I saw that they were happy together."
"Good for you on figuring it out."
She smirked as she liked the praise she was getting.
"Tomorrow is our day at the park, so we need to get our rest."
"Aye, aye, Captain Uncle Stork."
He laughed serenely, "Yes, I am." He ruffled her hair with one hand, making her giggle, "Well…ye best be off to sleep there, swabbie, much a fun to do tomorrah."
She giggled and cradled against her pillow a second later. Stork walked and flipped the two light switches, so she could have her night light in the dark room.
"I love you." He said just like every night before closing her door.
"I love you, too." Was her usual reply and the door closed with only the dim illumination of the night light for her to see the room.
When she heard Stork's footsteps creaking down the hall to his room, she got up and removed the picture from underneath the pillow. It was just as she described, Piper and Aerrow were hugging each other as they smiled at the camera.
Her fingers brushed over Piper, "Mommy…", then Aerrow, "…Daddy."
She cried until she fell asleep, ever wondering where her parents were at this very moment.
Tarek awoke in the morning for today was a very special day. He opened his eyes to see both parents standing over him with presents in their hands.
"What is this?" He asked.
"Why, Tarek. Today is your birthday, the day when you graced us with your beautiful self, your purple eyes, your wonderful nose, and…"
"Helena…"
She looked back at Aerrow and smiled sheepishly, "Right, Aerrow. You know that today is the day you turn six years old. Like we have said earlier, when you turn six, you get more activities to do and more responsibilities around the house."
He nodded.
"So, Helena and I will send time in giving you the skills to live in the real world. I will be helping you socially and how to fly a skimmer."
"And I will help you talk as well. I will also be training you in various ways to defend yourself."
"Sounds good, what are my new responsi…respon…chores?"
"You will wash the dishes for now and as you grow older, you will help us tend the orchard and wash the clothes."
"Do I have a choice?"
His parents looked at each other and said in unison, "Hmmm…" Turned back to Tarek, "…No!"
He nearly broke out in a sweat, "Okay."
"But no work today for the birthday boy, now get dressed and meet us in the kitchen."
They left his room and he got off his bed, walked to his dresser, and got on new clothes for the day. His favorite outfit was a black sleeveless shirt. brown work pants, and black boots. In fact, it was the only outfit he had, his mom stole these from a factory on a nearby Terra. She stole many matching pairs, so he would have clean clothes.
When he walked into the kitchen, his parents were seated at the table with a vanilla birthday cake with six homemade candles burning on top.
"Happy Birthday, Tarek."
It was one thing for your parents to say it's your birthday, but when they shout with a birthday cake in front of them is another. His smile widened and he hurriedly went to his seat. They sang him the birthday song he enjoyed hearing every year and afterwards, they gave him his presents, which were small toys and more work clothes, ones more his size now that he has grown a little. Finally, they enjoyed the cake.
Tarek knew that his parents were fighting and their arguments coursed through the house every few days at a time. However in this simple moment, he was happy that they were all getting along. Aerrow dipped his fingers in icing and leaned over to smear a small bit of it on Helena's face. In retaliation, she playfully lunged at him and he fell back in his chair with her. Tarek couldn't help but laugh at his parents being silly.
Steela was walking hand-in-hand with Stork as they enjoyed a nice stroll through the Botanical Park, the only place on Terra Tecnos that had plant life. She smiled with her uncle as the sun shone high in the sky. He couldn't believe this was the same place that only a few months ago, Miranda left them and Lily became Steela's best friend. It was a little annoying because she couldn't stop talking about her.
"Thanks for today, uncle Stork. I really had fun."
"Not a problem, it is taking a while for all the paperwork to come through. But once it is finished, I won't have to bust tables or wash dishes anymore. I can be a mechanic like I used to be."
"Tell me another story, uncle Stork. I always love to hear them."
He rubbed his chin trying to think of a story he hadn't told her recently, "Okay, I will tell you how the brave crew of the Condor survived the deadly horrors of the Black Gorge."
She clapped excitedly. They walked to a bench and took a seat, she sat his knee as he recounted the story from beginning to end.
"…And so the ingenious Piper used her solaris crystal to power the Condor as the evil metal-eating vulca bats began breaking through with their sharp, gripping maws. But the Condor flew out of the Black Gorge and the sun made the vulca bats flee back into the darkness. With their ship safe, they flew through the free skies. So once again ends another adventure of the brave captain Aerrow and his crew."
Steela clapped and giggled, "Great, uncle Stork. That was wonderful."
"You know that telling stories makes your uncle Stork hungry, so how about some ice cream?"
She shouted, "Yeah!"
The park had several cart vendors ranging from breakfast to dessert. It wasn't hard to find one who sold ice cream. Stork ordered a pistachio as Steela had a chocolate, both had two scoops. They sat down on a bench and enjoyed their ice cream.
Steela gazed ahead in deep thought. Stork smiled, "So, what's on your mind?"
"Well…last night, you told me about who my parents are. I was just wondering what my mom was like?"
"Hmmm…interesting question, she was a kind-hearted person who was very brave. Though many times she was in danger of losing her life, she was never afraid. She also loved crystals and knew a lot about them, too. You remind me a lot of her: you got her blue hair, and unique tonality."
"Wait…you said blue hair, but I have some red, too."
"That would be from your father."
"What was he like?"
"Well, he too was very brave and kind-hearted. He was generous and always did the right thing even if it went against common sense. Also, he was a great warrior, a great sky knight, and a great friend. You have his eyes, but you are more like your mother than him."
"Will I ever get to meet them?"
He scratched the back of his head fiercely, "Umm…um…that is a talk for another day."
"Oh, I see." She pouted a little.
"Hey, don't feel sad, you should know your parents love you. It is just…um…they couldn't be here with you for they…ah…are very important to Atmos and so left you in my charge."
"Hmm…okay. But one day I will meet them and we will all be a happy family."
He smiled trying to stomach his own lies, "Yeah, one day."
Stork got up from the bench and looked at the sunset.
"Come on, Steela. We better be heading home."
"Okay, Uncle Stork."
She hopped off the bench and ran to his side. Together, they walked back home. Stork looked down at her happy expression for she knew her parents would come back and he couldn't help from being sad.
"No, Tarek. Not like that!" Helena shouted.
He sweated in fear as she was practicing the stance right next to him. He knew this wasn't going to be easy and he wasn't going to get it on the first try, but his mother was expecting him to. She got out of the stance and walked over to him.
"Your right foot is too extended." She grabbed his leg and moved it a little back.
"Your chin is not high enough." She tilted his head back a little.
"And your butt…" She clasped it firmly in one hand, which was uncomfortable for both of them, "…needs to be a little more forward. There…much better. Now, back to the lesson."
"This is known as Raven Claw I. The first phase of four, when you have mastered this, then we will move onto Raven Claw II. Understand?"
"Yes, mommy."
"Okay, let's try it again."
They both struck their hands forward while the fingers were open and curled like a claw.
Aerrow watched them practice from the window. He didn't like how hard she was pushing him, but this is the way it would be if he had to defend himself. He turned back to look at what needed sprucing up around the house and put things that were out of place to where they belonged.
After several minutes, he had only a few items left, they were small assorted towels that didn't belong in any of the kitchen cabinets.
"I guess these go into the closet." He walked toward the wood door and opened it up. He saw the radio standing there on a stool.
"Never seen this thing here. What is it doing here?"
The front door opened, Helena and Tarek entered the living room.
"You are getting better, Tarek. But you right foot is still a little overextended. But with a little bit of practice, you can overcome it."
He nodded his head, "Yes, mommy."
"Aerrow…" She looked at him and saw him looking at the radio, "…honey? What are you doing?"
"I am just…wondering how long this radio has been here?"
"Why, it has always been here. You never been in this closet before."
"Does it work? I mean we don't need this for there is nobody out there we need to talk with, right?"
He leaned over and picked it up in both hands, "I'll just sneak into town and dump this in the trash."
Helena started to panick, "No!"
"Why not?"
"Because…because…it is a present for Tarek. I decided for him to have it on his next birthday."
"Why not this birthday?"
He looked back at Tarek who looked excited at the prospect of another gift only a month after his birthday.
"Well, we don't want to spoil him. Besides knowing that he has a fantastic gift such as this would make him a good boy for the next eleven months. I mean it would stop him from stealing things from the townspeople."
"Okay, but it still is eleven months, so…"
She got real close to his ear, "If you back me up on this, I will do those things you like me to do in bed tonight."
He whispered, "Tonight?"
"Okay, how about the next week starting tonight?"
"Week?" He whispered with a big smile, knowing that he got her pinned.
She looked gravely at him and said through clenched teeth, "Month."
He said out loud, "Well, when you put it that way, then I see that you're right. He will just have to wait til his next birthday."
Tarek pouted a little bit, "Okay."
"Don't be sad, little man. We are going to fly our skimmers real soon, remember? I tell you this kid is a natural behind the throttle, just like his old man. Tarek, get your goggles and gloves, and met me outside in three minutes."
His mood completely changed, "Yeah!"
He scampered off into his room to change, Aerrow went outside and got the skimmers ready. Since Tarek is still too short to ride a skimmer unaided, his foot handles had a few books strapped tightly around it and a few straps fastened between the books and the skimmer itself, so they couldn't move.
Tarek raced out the front door and nearly slammed into his father.
"Whoa, it seems someone is ready. And up we go!" He grabbed Tarek around the waist and lifted him up onto the driver's seat.
Aerrow mounted his skimmer and they both turned on the ignition as they felt the gentle vibration of the engines. Tarek rode out first, so Aerrow could catch him if he fell, something that luckily hasn't happened yet.
Once out of the valley, they turned from motorcycle to skimmer and flew off into the near dusking sky. Helena breathed a sigh of relief at the fact she was alone and the radio remained where it was. Though it did cost her quite a bit, but the pleasure from such actions would more than overweigh the regret of the deal she made.
She picked up the speaker in one hand and pushed down the button, "Communication Officer Jenkins, are you there?"
She tuned in for the bimonthly report.
Stork was reading a newspaper in the study. This was something he had been doing since that one night he read the article about Damien. He figured that if he kept reading news, he would find something else that was interesting.
"School strike on Terra Souderta…Murk Raiders on the move…Storm Hawks Testimonial found…well then, there is nothing…WHAT?"
He brought the paper up close, "The publishing company in charge of creating the book about the final battle between the second Storm Hawks squadron and the Cyclonian Empire had just received a big step forward in their efforts. An anonymous account was mailed into the company's front desk. Due to damage during delivery, the sender's name and address were left unreadable. However, the written account is undamaged and is now being reviewed for historical accuracy based on all the collected sources. We will keep you updated on any further developments in future issues."
"Wow, but how did they get a written account? I am the only Storm Hawk left alive. Could it be that?..." He knew that Junko and Finn died in the debris, he was there personally to watch Piper die, and that left Aerrow…but, his mind drifted back to that day where Piper dug his pauldron from some debris.
He shook his head, "It might be a joke or something. They are all…" He sighed, "…behind me now."
The only people he ever called friends were all just a memory. However, there is an old saying that nothing ever disappears without leaving a trace.
"Uncle Stork! I'm home!"
"How did you enjoy your time at Lily's?"
"We had lots of fun, Uncle Stork and look what her parents gave me." She brought up this large, thin book with many colorful crystals on the front.
"What is this?" he said with the parent curiosity and took the book in hand.
"The crystals on the cover are a solaris crystal, frost crystal, and a furnace crystal."
"You figured that out from reading the book?"
She nodded her head, "I know a lot about these crystals, but the book didn't tell me as much."
"Oh, how come?"
"I don't know. I just knew it so how."
He smiled and thought, "It seems you gained a lot more from your mother, more than I could have imagined."
Next Chapter, Aerrow leaves, the garage opening, and Station Alpha.