A/N: Okay guys, this is it. I said to myself I would finish this on Valentine's Day and I went through hell to do it. I was up to four in the morning last night plus some this morning and thats the least of it. So I hope you guys like it. The last chapters are all coming up.
2014: Some major editing has taken place. May be some inconsistencies left over. Apologies.
"Your left foot Aerrow! No, your other foot! You dance across skimmers in mid air dodging the Dark Ace but you can't waltz across a flat surface?"
In the middle of the lit dance floor the dancing pairs were trying their best to stay in the competition and not look like idiots in front of the watching crowd. Some people seemed itching to join in- possibly frustrated with the complete incapability of the chosen dancers to remain simply upright.
"Fighting isn't the same as dancing Stork." Aerrow argued back. This was the fourth time he'd stepped on Stork's bare foot. Maybe you oughta get shoes, he thought to himself. He was actually a little irritated with himself- he didn't figure he would be this bad at dancing. It didn't help that everyone was watching. The music wasn't even something you could waltz to.
They both tried to unsuccessful lead again and ended up in a strange lock wrist situation.
"This isn't working," said Aerrow eyebrows set.
"Clearly," said Stork. "If you'd just let me lead.."
"I'm trying!" Aerrow retorted.
The song died down.
"OKAY EVERYBODY! THIS IS THE LAST SONG FOR THE DANCE COMPETITION!", yelled the announcer. "SO GET IT TOGETHER AND BOOGIE!"
Then the music started in again, with a steady, faster beat.
"One more song?" said Aerrow.
Finn wasn't five minutes from the dance competition when the group of guys found him.
"Hey!" shouted one of them in a gruff loud voice.
Finn cringed in mid step and ever so slowly turned.
The group advanced menacingly. The leader in front growled.
"HEY YOU. COME BACK HERE!"
Finn let out a half-yelp half-scream and darted away, breaking into a ran. The gang chased after him.
It was hard to maneuver, there were so many people. Where the heck was the door to this place? Finn tried to escape the crowd. He broke free of the mob, looking behind as he ran forward….
Whack!
…. straight into a wall.
He stopped and panicked, and looked behind again. They were gaining.
Finn had no where to run. So he turned around and tried to look brave.
"I'm warning you," said Finn. "I' m a Storm Hawk."
They stopped. "A Storm Hawk?" The burly guy in front said. "Wait..." he scratched his chin. "You do look familiar."
"I do?" said Finn. "Oh yeah you bet I do! Wait-"
"You're Finnick, the Sharpshooter!" He exclaimed. His friends nodded realizing it too.
"Yeah I am!" exclaimed Finn. "No I mean, it's Finn. Finn the Sharpshooter."
"Aww man that's so cool! Here-" The guy reached into his back pocket and brought out a pair of sunglasses. "Ya dropped these when you bumped into us. I tried to return them but I don't think ya heard me."
Oh. Oh. Whoops, thought Finn. Okay play it cool.
"Oh um, thanks, man. hey, yeah, didn't hear ya, you know, the music's really loud in here." Finn took the glasses sticking them onto his face.
"Yeah. Just wanted to make you got 'em back." The guy shifted on his feet nervously. "Hey..would you mind, uh, giving me your autograph would you?"
Finn's jaw dropped. Was this the real life? Or was it just fantasy?
Apparently he paused too long for the guy stammered. "But it's okay if you don't want too. I bet you get bothered everywhere you go."
"No, no, no,no, it's no problem." Finn quickly amended. "The Finnster will happily comply." He pushed his glasses up onto his nose. A set of five hands shot out clutching pens and paper as the group of guys smiled tentatively.
It's not a date Finn thought. But fans were fans and totally awesome.
Cardinal didn't know what to say, so she just sat there with her mouth hanging open. She watched Junko finish off the last of the food on his plate, the same way she had watched him finish off all the other plates. He swallowed the last morsel, gulping loudly and licked his lips. A small burp escaped his throat and he quickly covered his hand over his mouth.
"Oops, sorry," he chuckled embarrassedly.
Cardinal shut her mouth and blinked. She thought she had seen it all- working in her parent's diner, she had watched her fair share of eating contest (including watching the losers lose their dinner) as well as the other unpleasentries of watching people eat, but never, had she ever seen anyone down so much food so fast without a single problem the way Junko did.
Finally she managed to speak. "That was.."
Junko cringed. He was sure she was going to criticize him for burping or eating too fast like Piper usually did.
"...really impressive."
Junko smiled bashfully. "Really?"
"Yeah," she said. "You should totally come down to the Treble Chef for our Friday Night eating Contest. You'd win hands down."
Junko laughed. "Well if there's one thing I'm good at, besides being a Storm Hawk, it's eating."
Aerrow felt he was finally starting to get it. It was a bit like fighting, he had to admit. There were moves and a pattern, but you kind of just went with the flow. You responded with instinct, not thought.
Stork was, and though he would never admit, actually enjoying himself too. He figured he would probably break something by the end of the night, or contract some illness because the close quarters but there was just something about music.
It was only as Aerrow did a spin around did he notice something.
"Hey Stork?" said Aerrow moving back into a waltz.
"Uh huh," said Stork.
"Why are we dancing again?"
"Because those leather guys are chasing Fin-" he stopped. "Oh. Yeah." The leather guys had left to go chase Finn, leaving the other Storm Hawks free to stop dancing. " Guess… we could stop then."
Aerrow shrugged to one side. "Well, we could just finish this last one."
"We could," agreed Stork. "But that's it."
The next song has a salsa-ish vibe. Aerrow tried to get too fancy with the footwork which resulted in the two falling and being disqualified. A pair of girls finished the dance and won.
Finn met up with them later looking smug. Stork's heart dropped. Smug face? Oh no. But he was alone so that was a good sign?
"You look pleased with yourself" said Aerrow.
"Oh just signing some autographs for my fans. No big deal." Finn said offhandedly.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"
"Uhh, now what?" groaned Stork as the announcer's voice rang out once more.
"IF WE MAY DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE CENTER STAGE NOW!"
The sparkling pink curtains of the stage in the far wall opened up, revealing a black space.
"TONIGHT WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL GUEST!"
The light at the back of the stage glowed red, illumining the silhouette of a slim figure in a dress, surround by some other silhouettes who appeared to be sitting on some chairs.
"INTRODUCING, LADY RAVEN AND THE HEART STRINGS!"
The crowd roared. Apparently Lady Raven and the Heart Strings were very famous on Terra Muse. The stage lit up all over. In the center stood a woman, with her hair in a black up-do and wearing a shimmering gold dress. There was a strange violin tucked under her chin. The other figures around her, dressed in less striking tuxes, or black dresses all had a string instrument of sort with them. A cello, a viola, a bass etc. Some of the instruments looked to be electric though.
"Wow. Man, she's hot." Finn said.
Without saying a word they started to play except...it didn't sound like traditional classical music. It sounded more upbeat. Catchy, like a pop song.
Aerrow narrowed his eyes looking on stage. The main violinist was practically shredding her violin, her hand moving in a quick perfect motion while her eyes were shut. Some underlining melody repeated itself again, something that made the Storm Hawks all shiver.
…familiar.
"That tune..." said Aerrow. He itched for his blades back on the ship.
By a food table at the side of the hall Piper stopped talking the girl she'd been chatting with and turned to the stage.
"That sounds like..." said Piper. "It can't be..."
"It is," said Finn horrified. "Agh, ewwwww."
The woman stage opened her shining yellow eyes.