"Well, that was smart," Piper snorted, blowing wet blue hair from her eyes. She was standing...okay, sitting...on the floor of her crystal lab, dripping with water. The Geyser Crystal had slipped. Just plain old slipped. One moment her fingers had it, and the next...
The water was seeping out into the hallway, and Piper could hear inquiring voices. There was a knock. She pulled herself up and slid over to the door, her feet making ugly squishing sounds. She opened the heavy metal door a crack and peeked.
Aerrow.
She pulled the door aside and grinned sheepishly. He was scratching the back of his head, eyes smiling, but otherwise worried.
"What happened here?" he asked, peering over her to survey the damage. Another embarrassed smile.
"Small accident with a Geyser Crystal," she explained.
"Well, guess you'll need help cleaning up," he mumbled. She skidded to her closet and opened the door. The musty smell of unused bleach blasted her in the face. She grimaced at the thought of potentially dirty cleaning supplies. Was that even possible? Piper grabbed two mops and a sponge before handing one of them to Aerrow. The other one she twirled absentmindedly before setting to work. He grinned and walked into the room, boots squelching. At least the rain has stopped, he reasoned. No need for it to be just as wet inside as it was outside.
They worked in relative silence, Aerrow mopping up the hallway from the open door while Piper finished up the room. When they'd finally finished and the floor was drying itself, they sat down on the bed. Aerrow picked up Piper's sketchbook and laughed.
"That's a good likeness. You should show Spark," he said, peering at the picture. Piper blushed.
"I think it's one of my better ones," she admitted modestly. She had caught Spark at a good moment: Arguing with Aerrow. Eyes flaring, her hair askew, arms animated in angry motions...Aerrow handed the sketchbook back to Piper, who stroked the lines with familiar grace. Aerrow watched as Piper's thin fingers danced over the paper, his eyes fixed. He cleared his throat.
"She's a good girl," Aerrow said softly.
"I know."
Piper flipped through the pages, showing Aerrow her pictures of Stork, Finn, Fauc, even Dove. Aerrow looked at all of them with interest. Piper really could draw. This sketchbook was a new one. He remembered the other one she had filled up with funny caricatures of Finn playing his air guitar, or Junko drinking Yorka juice. Suddenly, Piper stopped at a picture, her eyes misty. Aerrow looked at it.
Starling.
"When did you do that one?" he asked.
"A while ago. I just felt like..."
"Remembering?"
She nodded, her honey eyes closing to push away the tears. Starling had been the greatest friend anyone could ask for. The fact that she was gone was something no one on the team had every really gotten over. A pain that festered. Like a scar beneath a bandage. Everyone had gotten used to the bandage, but every now and again, peeled it back. To see if any healing had been done.
Aerrow gingerly placed an arm around Piper as a solitary tear slid down her face. He didn't cry. He had shed all his tears for Starling a long time ago, and even those only Radarr and his pillow knew about. She closed her sketchbook and set it aside, hands trembling. This war, this new one that posed just as great of a threat... Would it conjure the same losses?
The question lingered in the air.
The intercom squeaked with rusty inefficiency as Stork's voice came on. "We are approaching Terra Atmosia. Do we land?"
"Yes, Stork, we do. We need to talk to the Council."
"Fine. We should probably disinfect first--"
A distant voice shouted, "STORK!"
"I'm just saying," the Merb mumbled, before the intercom clicked off. Piper chuckled and wiped her tear away before standing. Aerrow's arm fell limply to the bed. She didn't seem to notice. She gestured towards the door. He stood and slid after her, the floor still damp. They walked down the hall, meeting Fauc and Spark along the way, Button perched on Spark's shoulder. Piper peeked into Spark's room. The deep purple and yellow walls were empty and hollow. A reminder.
Stork was spraying green fluid on himself from an aerosol can, insisting there was a potential for disaster if everyone didn't have some as well. Spark and Aerrow politely declined, Finn conveniently had to use the restroom, Junko said he'd probably need five cans and wouldn't want to waste any, and Piper, always tactful, got straight to the point and said no. Fauc, however, still unfamiliar with Stork's ways, agreed, and stood as Stork sprayed him over. It took a few minutes before the boy realized he'd just been doused with something that had the consistency and odor of mucus. He wrinkled his nose in disgust as Spark howled with laughter. Button was shrieking, as if giggling. Even Aerrow chuckled a bit. Finn, however, led his son to the washroom, all the while explaining that Mindworm Repellent was NEVER to be touched.
They landed where they always had, on the hills. Stork lowered the ramp and everyone walked down, absorbing the terra. It was noon, and the entire city was alive with people. No one seemed to notice as the Storm Hawks walked through the crowd, except when it came to Fauc. His odor was attracting more than enough attention. Fauc, in desperation, had dumped an entire bottle of cologne on himself. He smelled like a walking perfume exhibit. Spark could always be counted on to laugh at him, and did so willingly. Aerrow reprimanded her, so she continued her teasing in silence, miming a chocking victim as he walked past her.
Piper broke off to say hello to Agatha and Maverick, as well as explain that she might not be back for a while. Aerrow led the others to a quiet spot that most of then recognized. Fauc, who had never seen Atmosia in his life, was aghast at the size and grandeur of the place. His blonde eyes took in every orifice of every building. Aerrow had led them to a large tree that grew right in front of the old beacon tower, now powered by an ordinary Solaris Crystal. The light was no longer blue, but the golden aura cast by the stone was warm and comforting. It was here that, twenty years ago, the legend had been born.
Piper came back, face red, panting.
"Agatha...said...it...was...fine..." she mustered. The group stayed and allowed her to catch her breath before moving on, this time with Junko in the lead. The Wallop made for an excellent crowd parter. Button contented herself with Spark's shoulder, preferring the comfort of a friend to being trampled. Finally, the little band of people reached the Sky Knight Council's building. It looked an awful lot older. And more imposing then ever. Junko took off his knuckle busters, for fear of breaking the door open, and knocked. The door eased open slowly, a piercing creak cutting through the air. The Wallop walked in first, Aerrow and the others following. Stork took up the rear, trembling and twitching.
"Who calls?" a wheezy voice inquired. Everyone looked up to see the old podium. But a different person sat in the registrar's seat.
"We're--" Finn began, but the new man cut him off.
"Meetings with the Sky Council are by appointment only," he said, surveying everyone cautiously.
"But this is an emergency," Aerrow said, walking forward. The man adjusted his glasses and peered over the edge of his seat. His dark eyes widened in obvious shock. Everyone readied themselves for the outburst.
"YOU!"
"Erm..." Aerrow mumbled softly.
"You're Aerrow!" the man said in disbelief.
"That's what they call him," Spark muttered, her eyes shooting up again. Button sneezed as Fauc walked up to stand next to her.
"But...You've been gone for twenty years! And that must make the rest of you..."
"The Storm Hawks. Minus one, plus...two," Junko said, counting on his thick fingers. The registrar leaned back, a pleased smile spreading across his aged face.
"My uncle told me a lot about you. He was the old registrar. Passed away a while ago, unfortunately," he said, his eyes downcast. But only for a moment. He lit up again and leaned forward, fingers cupped together. "What can I do...for the greatest Sky Knight in history?"
Aerrow blushed red as his hair before commencing. He told the registrar about Nightwing and the Cyclonian attack. The man's eyes went from amazement to disbelief to an expression that could only be penned as outrageous. By the time Aerrow had finished, the registrar looked as it he was ready to throw them all out.
"You expect me to believe that the Dark Ace and Cyclonis had a SON, who hid out with the Cyclonian survivors in the Wastelands for TWENTY years, before somehow attacking the breaches of Terra Gale, and you want permission to resurrect the Storm Hawks...and fight them?" the registrar spluttered, glasses askew. "THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!?"
"Well, some of us are," Spark said, grinning at Fauc.
"I can't give you permission to do that! And even if I did, what would my superiors do? Take it back! Out of the question!"
"But--"
"No! Now leave!"
"Sir, I have--" Aerrow attempted, only to be cut off again.
"NO! Now go, or would you like me to THROW you out instead?" the registrar barked. Aerrow sighed and ushered everyone out the door before shooting one final look at the registrar. He closed the heavy door behind him and walked out into the sunlit street. His brow was creased with evident worry.
"Well, that was totally unexpected. And a waste of time," Fauc muttered. Finn raised a cocky eyebrow at his son. Piper moaned.
Button snaked her way through the tangle of legs with several apples in her arms. Spark lifted her friend off the ground and patted her on the head.
"Where'd you get these?" Aerrow asked, taking one and inspecting it.
"Reep," Button chirped. In the distance, an angry shopkeeper was waving fat fists at them. Aerrow smirked and pulled out a few coins, walking towards him with apology and money in hand. Spark scolded Button silently before biting into her own apple. Junko ate his whole. Piper shined hers on her shirt and nibbled at a corner. Stork sprayed his over with dissinfectant before trying some and spitting it out. Finn and Fauc ate theirs in sloppy gusto. More then eyebrows were raised as they slobbered over the steps.
Aerrow came back, his apple still intact, face red.
"To quote a great Merb: 'We're doomed'," he said.
"And how do you come to that conclusion?" Spark asked.
"If the Sky Council won't confirm our mission..." Piper began.
"...then we'd be operating illegally and outside their area of control. They won't be able to fund us or even provide us basic supplies," Stork pointed out.
"Technically, we'd be Rogues!" Junko exclaimed.
"And fair game to any squadron sent after us," Finn added through a mouthful of apple.
"You're right, Aerrow. We're..." Stork began.
"Doomed?" Spark said softly.
"Yup."
It was the truth. For the first time in all of their lives...Stork had a valid point.
I think this story is getting WAY too long. Maybe I should do it in two parts! That would give me time to work on other stuff. Opinions, people?
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
