"You sure you're alright?" Aerrow once we were back on the Condor.
"I'm fine Aerrow," I once again reassured him.
"Ok, but you've been acting really weird since we left Terra Gale."
"Really I'm fine Aerrow." I said as I kissed his cheek; walked to my room.
Once I was all refreshed I walked onto the bridge, and everyone was staring at me.
"Is everything ok?" I asked confused.
"Everything's fine," Piper told me, "but we did find something interesting."
"What?" I asked as I walked over to her and looked at the maps.
"Right about her is a Phoenix's nest." Piper informed me, "And where there's a Phoenix nest…"
"There's a phoenix crystal" I finished.
"But it's really dangerous to get." Aerrow adds.
"So then only some of us will go." I suggest.
"Good idea," Aerrow commented, "you, Piper, Radarr and I will go get the crystal the rest of you go do some recon on that terra we just passed."
"Awe why can't I go with you guys?" Finn whins.
"Because Finn, when you go into a Phoenix's nest you have to be very quiet." Piper shot back.
"And let's just say you aren't the quiet person we know." I told him, patting his shoulder on my way to the skimmer bay.
On the way to the nest
"Listen guys I need to tell you something." I told Aerrow and Piper as we flew to the Phoenix's nest.
"What is it Jackie?" Aerrow asked.
"Right before we left Terra Gale I thought I saw a skimmer."
"Who's?" asked Piper.
"I don't know, but I do know that it wasn't the Dark Ace's."
"Do you think someone is following us?" Aerrow asked.
"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling that whoever it is, is working for Master Cyclonis." I informed them.
"Why do you say that?" Piper asked.
"Who else would it be?" I asked, "besides she's probably pissed that we defeated her."
"You're right, let's keep an eye out just in case." Aerrow told us as we landed outside the nest.
Inside the Phoenix's nest
We were being as quiet as we could, I looked around 'this nest is huge' I thought. We were about halfway to the crystal when all of a sudden all we heard was 'SNAP' I looked behind me and saw that Radarr had stepped on a bone.
"Radarr quiet." Pieper harshly whispers.
"Piper why are we whispering?" Aerrow asked.
'Dumb question Aerrow.' I thought.
"Aerrow this is a Phoenix nest." Piper pointed out.
"You know what a phoenix is right?" I asked him.
"Sure it's a birdie." Aerrow replied innocently.
"It's more than just a bird!" Piper whispered back.
"It's a very big bird, usually on FIRE!" I whispered back.
"Well it's also not here." Aerrow noticed; then stopped.
I looked over his shoulder and saw why he had stopped. Up ahead a few feet was the nest, and it was huge!
"Which means, score one fire blasting phoenix crystal for the Storm Hawks." Aerrow said excitedly as we leaned over the nest.
Aerrow picked it up, and the moment he did I had a feeling that something bad was about to happen.
"The phoenix and the crystal are linked," Piper reminds us, "so we need to be careful and..." but before she could finish her sentence the phoenix crystal was snatched from Aerrow's hand. We turned around to face none other than the Dark Ace.
"Dark Ace." Aerrow and I both sneer.
"Aerrow how nice to steal from you again; Jackie looking as beautiful as ever."
I looked down to see Radarr ready to bite his leg and smile. The Dark Ace gave me a questioning look before hollering in pain as he threw the Phoenix crystal. Aerrow jumped and caught the crystal, but then we heard a bird cry. Piper and I looked behind us and up, then wished we hadn't, the phoenix was flying down and made a bee line right for us. It landed right in front of us. Aerrow and I looked at the crystal and nodded in agreement.
"You know what, on second thought maybe you should have this." Aerrow told the Dark Ace tossing him the crystal.
The phoenix came closer to us screaming; the Dark Ace tossed the crystal to Piper.
"Don't give it to me." Piper pleaded with a scream.
The five of us ran to the entrance of the cave, the phoenix on our tail. I could care less if the Dark Ace got away, all I cared about was to make sure that we all got out safe and unharmed. The Dark Ace was the first one out followed by me, Piper, Radarr and finally Aerrow. Piper and I waited for Aerrow to get on his skimmer before we left. We took off just as the phoenix reached us, I looked down and saw the terra, and we were headed right for it.
"Whatever you do, don't pull up!" Piper shouted at us over the wind.
"Don't pull up?" Aerrow echos in a confused, "I like it."
Aerrow might have liked the plan but Radarr didn't.
"Whooo" Aerrow and I screamed as we hit the water. Once we were sure the phoenix was gone we drove out of the lake and landed on a heap. We were all coughing.
"That was pretty cool." Aerrow commented.
"Ya, can we do it again?" I asked. Piper gave me a look like I was crazy.
We looked a few feet in front of us and saw Radarr; a few feet in front of him was the Phoenix crystal. Piper got up and Aerrow helped me up, then we walked over to where Radarr was.
"Did you see this," I heard a male voice say, "it's exactly what we need."
The three of us looked at each other.
"Uh, hello?" Aerrow asked the man.
"Let me a guess, from your unkempt appearances and appalling sky rides you must be the children calling themselves the Storm Hawks."
"Who are these guys?" Aerrow asked.
"The Rex Guardians" I groan annoyed.
"Ah very good." Harrier, the Sky Knight of the Rex Guardian, said pleased as he bowed. I saw a blush crawl onto Piper's face as she curtsied. I had met the Rex Guardians when they came to Terra Swan for a party one year.
"Well if you really are a Sky Knight," Aerrow started annoyed as ever, "you'll give back our crystal."
"We nearly got burnt to a crisp for that thing!" I added.
"Then it's clearly much too dangerous to be kept by children, it will be taken to Terra Rex."
'I always knew that the Rex Guardians were stuck up, but this is radicalise' I thought to myself.
"Hold on that's not fair" Aerrow argued back, just then Junko and Finn arrived.
"These guys giving you trouble?" Junko asked us.
"Wait we're all on the same side here" Piper piped up, "we shouldn't be fighting each other."
"But Piper they took our crystal," I pointed out.
"And they called us children." Aerrow adds.
"Low blow," was all Finn could say.
"The Code is quite clear the crystal is ours, if you have a problem with that you could always issue a challenge."
"The Code?" Aerrow asked, "What Code?"
Harrier laughed at Aerrow for not knowing what the Code was.
"What Code?" then the rest of his squad laughed. Aerrow just looked mad, I couldn't blame him. I saw Harrier stop laughing and put on a serious face, "theye're serious."
"Ok, fine, I challenge you for the Phoenix crystal!"
"Oh it shall be so, follow us back to our Terra, tonight you shall be honored guests tomorrow we will see what kind of squadron you really are. It was nice to see you again Miss Jackie." Harrier said before he rode off.
"Could someone tell me what this Code is, and how he knows Jackie?" Aerrow asked as we walked back to our skimmers.
Back on the Condor
We met on the bridge as Piper went to her room to get a book.
"So how do you know the Rex Guardians?" Finn asked as we walked onto the bridge.
"Back on Terra Swan, the Black Swans were holding a party for the Sky Knight Squadrons that were still around, so we had squads like the Red Eagles, the Third Degree Burns, Absolute Zero's, and the Rex Guardians."
"Wait, you had a party and didn't invite us?" Finn asked.
"This was before I knew you Finn." I point out.
"Oh ya."
"So anyway Ben invited me, so all through dinner I had to deal with Harrier bragging, I wasn't the only one there who found him annoying that night."
"Ok, found it." Piper said as she laid a book on the table, opened it, flipping a few pages and started reading. "The very first Sky Knight was a Rex Guardian and the Code is their ancient set of rules and rituals."
"No one has changed a word in like five hundred years." I add.
"And uh they seem a little uptight." Stork comments.
"We could learn a lot from these guys. They have class, discipline, well maintained gear." Piper starts to list.
"Ah," I heard Junko cry.
I looked over and saw that Junko had leaned on a pipe and fell, all I could do was shake my head, I could see what she was talking about.
"Besides all that, what do these guys have that we don't?" Aerrow shrugs.
"How about a landing strip full of screaming fans?" Finn called from the window.
We got off the Condor and watched as the Rex Guardians sign autographs, dolls, and various other stuff.
"Wow, and I mean Wow!" Aerrow whistles.
"Ya!" Piper agreed in astonishment.
"They've got action figures," Finn pointed out, "why don't we have action figures?"
Piper and I both gave Finn a look, as Harrier walked towards us. "This way I hope you're hungry?"
At dinner
The seven of us were walking to the dinning hall, well Aerrow, Stork, Piper and I walking well the boys and Radarr were running ahead knocking things over.
"The Storm Hawks." I heard someone announce as we entered the dining hall.
Junko, Finn and Radarr ran past us; I could tell that Piper was already feeling embarrassed and I don't blame her. At the table Finn and Junko were still joking around and I could see that the Rex Guardians were not quite sure what to think of us.
"I see you dressed up for the occasion." Harrier commented as he clapped his hands, "let the feast begin."
First up was soup, and of course Finn couldn't bother to use his spoon. He just lifted the bowl to his lips.
"Uh Finn wouldn't you like to use your spoon?" I asked him as I lifted up my spoon to show him.
"Which one?" Finn asked as he looked at the cutlery placed in front of him.
Piper gave Harrier a weak smile; I gave him an apologetic look. Stork sniffed his soup and then pushed it forward in disgust. Next Junko sipped from the little bowl in front of him.
"Umm lemony."
"It's for your fingers." The gentleman told him, so Junko stuck his fingers in it and then licked them.
Both Piper and I couldn't watch, and I bet we were both thinking 'Why us?' But Radarr was the worst of all. We all watched in horror as he jumped on the table and grabbed one of the chickens drum sticks, took a swing out of a nearby glass and belched.
"Um..." was all Harrier said.
"Ya Radarr's a handful, but what can you do?" Aerrow asked, trying to defend his friend.
"Die from embarrassment?" I heard Piper softly say as she sank into her chair.
Luckily dinner was short, and we got out of there or I swear I was going to kill someone.
That night on the Condor
"You guys have no manors AT ALL!" I heard Piper yell, as I was walking to my room, just then Aerrow came out of his room.
"We have manors!" Finn shouted back.
"Well it didn't look like it at dinner!"
"Well guys live by a different set of rules."
"Clearly!"
"How long have they been yelling at each other?" Aerrow asked.
"A good five minutes at least," I told him, "and I think if we don't do something and soon this could go on all night."
"To the bridge then," Aerrow agreed as he held out his arm, I took it and we made our way to the very loud bridge.
Once we got on the bridge we the pair were still fighting.
"Guys!" I tried to call over their voices, seeing that it didn't work Aerrow tried, again nothing. Finally I whistled, that got their attention.
"Will you guys quit it!" Aerrow said.
"But Aerrow, Finn was the worst one of all of the boys tonight!" Piper yelled.
"I know Piper," I reassured her, "I was there and trust me when I say that you me and Aerrow were about the only civilized ones there from the Storm Hawks."
"But… but.."
"No more buts" Aerrow started.
"We have the challenge tomorrow, and if we want to win we need to be well rested now go to bed!" I told them as I pointed to the door.
"Fine." They both sigh in defeat leaving the bridge.
"Now time for bed." I said as I too left the bridge, Aerrow beside me.
The next day
I was riding beside Piper on our way to the area where the challenge was being held, Piper was still mad about last night. Aerrow matched her speed and started talking. "Ok, so dinner last night didn't go so well."
"Didn't go so well? Try complete and total disaster." She answered anger still in her voice, "and that poor squire."
We all looked back at Junko.
"What I thought he was choking?" he said innocently.
"Forget it, what matters now is winning this challenge, just because they've got shiny armor and fancy rides doesn't mean they're better than us." I told the team as we entered the area.
All around us there were cheering fans, it's like we were at a sporting event not a challenge. Aerrow and I couldn't wait to get started, but the rest of the team looked like they were scared.
"We're so going to lose this." Finn said sadly.
We lined up in front of the judges ready to start the challenge.
"Sky Knights prepare your squadrons for the first event." The head judge announced. "The first event demonstrates grace and control, it is the noble art of writing."
"Lame." I heard Finn comment.
We looked up and saw the symbol of Terra Rex, the beautiful swan, "the Rex Guardians earn the full ten points, well done." The head judge announced, the crowd was cheering like mad, that is until Finn flew up. Aerrow and Piper looked pleased, but I knew we were starting this challenge on the wrong foot.
"On a scale of one to ten I think that's an awesome." Finn said as he dusted himself off.
"The score for the Storm Hawks minus fifty-two points," the judge said.
"What?" Finn asked in shock.
"You have been penalized for failing to salute and defacing the noble symbol of our terra." He told Finn.
"Come on it's totally an improvement that swan rocks." Finn tried to argue.
"Forget about Finn you did great." Aerrow told Finn, "right Jackie?"
"Ya Finn, that was a very creative idea you had," I told him, "we'll make up the points in the next event."
"A pilot is only has their ride, he or she must know it inside and out, the first competitor to assemble a working ride from these spare parts will score twenty points." The judge informed us.
"You can do it Stork!" Junko encouraged.
"You better win dude." Finn told him.
The moment that the Rex Guardian had snapped his fingers Stork was done his ride.
"This may look like a normal converter but it's also a sonic scrambler." Stork told the judges, and the crowd clapped.
"The Storm Hawk has clearly assembled the vehicle in the faster time."
"Finally!" both Aerrow and I cheered.
"Wait for it." Finn told us.
"But, your modifications are completely unauthorized and you failed to wash your hands before and after the job!"
'This is ridiculous!' I thought, 'he was making a ride not a salad'
"Disqualified!" the judge declared.
"I have an objection!" Aerrow argued, "None of this stuff would work in the real world, the Cyclonians would wipe the skies with us if we acted like this."
"The Cyclonians may wipe the sky with you, but they wouldn't dare tangle with us." Harrier said matter-of-factly, "even those bruits have honour."
"Honour?" I laughed.
"Have you met the Cyclonians?" Aerrow asked Harrier.
"Enough!" the judge yelled, "The event goes to the Guardians."
Then the crowd started booing, even they agreed that what the judge had said didn't make any sense.
"I don't understand the Storm Hawks are making a mockery of the Code, why do they cheer?" Harrier asked, completely confused.
"Hey at least we're putting on a good show." Junko told him.
"The next event, the traditional fighting technique of Sky Fu."
Even though I was a master of Sky Fu, Aerrow and I agreed to let Piper handle this one. We watched Piper and the girl from the Guardians complete the set from sky fu.
"Where'd she learn that?" Finn asked.
"She knew some before I came, I just helped her get better." I told him.
"Each of you performed to perfection." The judge called over the crowd, "The event is a draw."
"Wait a minute," Piper called out. I looked at her and then the Guardian and saw what she was going to say.
"Nice catch Pip!" I commented in a whisper.
"UH?" Aerrow asked, giving me a confused look.
"Just watch." I told him as we waited for Piper to continue.
"According to Lisanders wardrobe decree section four "Jacket clasp must be gold in colour" hers are silver."
He didn't look very happy but in the end the judge said "It appears she is correct, the Rex Guardian is disqualified."
"What? But that's, that's…" Harrier stuttered.
"A taste of your own medicine?" I finished for him.
"YA!" The rest of the team cheered happily that we finally won an event.
"For the last event the Sky Knight duel, and since I hear you have two Sky Knights, which is very uncommon, Storm Hawks only one of you will participate."
"Can I do it Jackie?" Aerrow practically bagged, "I want to show Harrier a thing or two." I thought about it for a second.
"Fine Aerrow you can do it." I told him.
"Thanks you're the best." He told me as he quickly kissed my cheek and then ran to get his skimmer.
"Even though we lost every event so far, except mine," Piper started.
"We can still win the challenge." I finished.
"Ya with only minus thirty-two points all you have to do is win before time runs out." Stork paranoidly said, has he held up an hourglass.
"Right, I can do this, no problem." Aerrow told himself.
"You'll do fine Aerrow, the whole team has their faith in you, you're one of the best Sky Knights out there you've got this." I reminded him before he went to his starting spot.
"This looks more like a jousting match then a duel." I said to Piper.
"I know what you mean." Piper answered.
Aerrow POV
Harrier and I were up in the sky ready to duel, but I felt silly holding the weapon they gave me, so I threw it away. I could see that he was confused about what I was doing, he fired at me, and I easily dodge it and flew over him. I think I scared him, I landed on his ride. He threw away his weapon and brought out his energy blade, and we started a real duel. I knew time was running out, I needed to win this and fast. I knew that Harrier was getting annoyed and that was part of my plan, so the next time he went to attack he hit his skimmer instead. It started to crash, so I pushed Harrier off and we flew the rest of the way down with the help of my glider, Harrier screamed the whole way down. We crashed a bit on the landing but in the end I was the one holding my twin energy above him.
"I, I yield." He reluctantly said, and the crowd cheered louder than ever.
I looked over at the team and they were all smiling, and I knew once I walked over Jackie would give me a hug and if I was lucky a kiss, that made me smile. I held my hand out to help him up, but he pushed it away.
"They have the most disrespect for the Code I've ever seen. He abandoned his ride and he's not even wearing regulation duelling armour." Harrier screamed at the judges.
'Man this guy is such a sore loser' I thought. I stole a quick glance at Jackie and she looked like she was ready to kill someone, so I made a silent jester to Junko. He saw what I was talking about and silently went to stand next to Jackie, just in case she tried to do anything. After a few seconds of discussion the judges came to an agreement.
"We agree although Aerrow won the duel, we penalize him by ten seconds, the Rex Guardians have won the challenge! The Phoenix crystal is theirs."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing; I didn't even have to look at Jackie to know that Junko was holding her back. Once Harrier picked up the Phoenix crystal the crowd started to boo him, this got him mad.
"You should be cheering I am your Sky Knight, I am your protector!" he shouted at them as Piper and Jackie walked and stood beside me. I grabbed Jackie's hand and she squeezed mine. "I am the one who has guaranteed your safety for generations to come."
"What's he talking about?" I asked the girls.
"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about whatever it is he did." Jackie said with concern in her voice.
"Dark Ace," Harrier called.
Regular POV
A skimmer drove into the area and through the dust a figure appeared; he walked right up to Harrier.
"Accept this crystal to affirm our peace." Harrier told the Dark Ace.
I couldn't believe my eyes.
"Don't mind if I do." The Dark Ace said, has he accepted the Phoenix crystal.
"You made a deal with the Dark Ace, are you out of your mind?" I asked Harrier.
"I know exactly what I'm doing, I'm ensuring that the Cyclonians will never threaten Terra Rex."
"That's the Dark Ace, he doesn't do deals." Piper tried to tell him.
"He gave his word." He argued, I looked over at the Dark Ace and I could see that this argument was amusing him. "He is honour bond." Harrier finished.
"Honour is overrated, the Cyclonian invasion force is preparing as we speak." He said, then punched Harrier. "Thanks for the rock Aerrow, and pleasure seeing you again Jackie." He said, flying off.
"Come on guys we need to stop him." Aerrow said as we ran to our skimmers, but the Guardians had another idea.
"Oh come on he's getting away." I yelled at them.
"This is our battle." Harrier began.
"You don't know who you're dealing with." I told him coldly.
"Quiet, now you will see how a real Sky Knight does battle." Then the Guardians flew off to follow the Dark Ace.
"Those guys are going to get smacked down so hard." Finn commented, all we could do was agree with him, this lesson was going to be learned the hard way.
We watched as the Dark Ace took out four of them in under a minute.
"I almost feel bad for them." Finn said in an honest voice.
"You got to let us get up there." Piper told the Guardians that were still on the ground.
"Come on look around the Dark Ace defeated four of your squad without breaking a sweat." I told them.
"Do you think he's going to have trouble taking down Harrier?" Aerrow asked them.
They looked around and knew we were right. We quickly went to our skimmers and took off; I found Harrier easily and saw that he was about to lose. I signaled Aerrow to go right below where he was going to fall Aerrow nodded and flew off. I went after the Dark Ace as he was shooting at innocent people.
"Hey Dark Ace!" I called out, he stopped and looked at me.
"Ah Jackie, couldn't keep away from me could you?" he teased.
"Well any day I can kick your butt is a good day in my opinion" I replied flashing a smile, as I flew back to the team with him on my tail. I flew over them, then flew beside Aerrow once they split. I watched as he shot at Junko, causing him to lose his wings.
"Good work distracting him," Aerrow told me.
"Well I couldn't just let him hurt innocent people." I shrug as we watch Finn too go down. Piper was next on the Dark Aces radar, he began firing at her unaware that Aerrow and I were following him, he got a nice shot in and sent Piper spiraling to the ground. "I'll get Piper, you go kick his butt for me." I told Aerrow as I flew off to help Piper.
Aerrow POV
I watched Jackie go off to help Piper, and got ready to fight the Dark Ace.
"Goodbye." I heard him say.
"Hello," I said as I knocked his energy blade out of his hand and let's just say he didn't look very happy.
'Come to think of it when he is happy, you should be scared' I thought to myself.
He swung his blade at me, I jumped and my energy blades clashed with his once I landed. I teased him a little more, then he told me
"This ride isn't big enough for two," as he pulled out the Phoenix crystal just as I planned.
"I'd think twice about using that." I advised him. I put on a scared look for him.
"Afraid of a little heat are we?" he asked, pointing his energy blade at me.
"No, but you should be." I heard Jackie answer from behind.
Regular POV
We heard a familiar screech, the Dark Ace turned around to come face to face with the Phoenix.
"Say hi for me." Aerrow said as he jumped off and landed on his skimmer.
We watched as the Phoenix chased the Dark Ace wanting its crystal back. His skimmer caught on fire, so he jumped, but the Phoenix was still chasing him.
"If he just lets the crystal go he has a better chance of getting out of this alive." I told Aerrow and Piper.
"Ya, but you know that he is really stubborn." Piper commented.
"True, look!" I said and pointed to the Dark Ace. He threw the crystal at the Phoenix and flew off. A skimmer appeared and the Dark Ace landed on the back, but it wasn't a Cyclonian skimmer.
"Is that the skimmer you think you saw on Terra Gale?" Aerrow asked me.
"Ya it is, but who's the rider?" I asked.
"I don't know, they're too far way to see." Piper signed. "I'm sure we'll find out though." as the three flew back to the arena.
"We were wrong about you Storm Hawks, and we're sorry," Harrier apologized as he approached us and stuck out his hand. Aerrow shook it, then he offered his hand to me. I looked at Aerrow surprised, he gave me a warm smile, and I looked back at Harrier, smiled and shook his hand.
"It's not over," Piper reminded us, "the Cyclonians are coming."
"We'll find a way," Harrier signed.
"Maybe we could stick around?" I offered.
"That is if you're up to learning some new moves." Aerrow added.
"Terra Rex, and I would welcome that."
"So would I." We heard Finn say, "This is something I could get used to." We look over and he is signing autographs with girls all around him. We all just shook our heads and laughed.