Chapter 5: Prodigies of the Sky

It seemed like forever, the time we'd been afloat on that blimp. No one had spoken about the incident for weeks and Jet had locked himself up in a room. The only one who was able to keep a smile was Ebony. This may sound rude but she gave me the creeps from the first time I saw her. I don't know if it was her ugly mug or her perky attitude but something just wasn't right.

Eventually I got tired of moping around and decided to cheer the guys up. Storm was definitely the easiest. If you went into his room he'd either be punching holes in the wall or knocked out.

"Hey Storm! How's it going?" I tried to be as chipper as possible.

"Lame. Everything is lame! My dad, Jet's dad, you dad! There all lame! Couldn't even get some stupid treasure!"

"You're uh…you're right Storm. And we shouldn't be all depressed because they couldn't do a simple task. How about a…cookie to cheer you up!"

He mumbled. "I l-like cookies…"

"Good! I'll go get one!" I ran out and pulled one from the kitchen and dashed back. He eagerly gobbled it up.

"T-thanks! Ya know Jet was wrong about you! You aren't a wannabe tomboy at all!"

"Uh, what was that he said," I asked trying not to blow my top.

"Well me and Jet actually did talk some while we've been on this ship, mostly about what happened but also about you."

"And…what else did he say?"

"Okay there's a lot so uh…he said your riding bites, your voice is too high, your clothes are weird, you don't have a nose, you're a boy trapped inside a girl's body, and your feet stink."

"WHAT!" I grabbed Storm by the neck and started to strangle him. "Did he say anything good about me?"

"Ahhh, I was lying! He told me to tell you that unless you asked." He wheezed.

I let go and crossed my wings. "What'd he really say?"

"I can't tell you. You'll just have to ask him yourself. Nyah!"

"Fine I will. And if he doesn't tell me, I'll be back."

Without a care in the world I banged on the door. "Let me in Jet! Right now!"

On his own watch he opened it, the same solemn look on his face since we set off.

"What do you want, Wave?" he groaned.

"A little, I mean big bird told me some things I didn't want to hear. Said you told him to tell me those thingsand that you we're just kidding. So Jet Hawk, how do you really think of me?"

"…You're gonna put me on the spot like that," he complained.

"Yep. Unless you're too-"

"Do NOT finish that sentence! Look I only told Storm all that because I'm still bent on my parents. If your kind weren't so tight assed…"

"Hey watch it! They were only thinking about the good of Babylon they had nothing against Thunder Hawk."

"But they still had a reason to kill him and both our homes…"

"Jet, you're such a…" It had started all over again. The tears I fought so hard to hold back flowed cheek for cheek. Then I'd felt that same wing that pushed me wipe the eye water away.

"Cut the waterworks. I didn't mean to make you cry and besides it's now that we need someone like you around me, or us, Storm too. You could be our mechanic."

"Is that the only reason you want me around?"

"Maybe not…" he answered with a smirk.

For a while we stared at each other. That's all we did and it was pretty weird. I had no idea what was going on or what to do next, but my thoughts were probably the same as his. After sitting there for almost an hour something finally knocked us back into our senses. Literally.

The entire ship suddenly stopped and my head crashed into his before falling backwards. Two knots sprung up. "Agh, why'd we stop?"

Ebony's voice called out to us. "Jet, Storm, and Wave we're here at last!"

Crawling out of the room was Storm trembling in fear. He tugged on my shirt and was stammering like crazy. "Storm, what's wrong with you? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"No…but I think ghosts may live here!" he pointed to the window.

Jet and I stepped up to the cockpit window and gazed down. In the middle of the desert was a place darkened with quagmire and decay, half finished buildings and scavenging creatures. They circled us like we were food!

"This is our new home and your training ground. Here you will no longer be some orphaned hatchlings, but warriors of the skies to be feared by all! Oh, and from now on I'd like for you three to refer to me as 'Master'."

I knew she couldn't be trusted! Now we're going to be turned into some kind of Wind Warriors or something! But I really can't do anything to complain seeing as how we've got nowhere else to go.