Piper smiled at them.
All three of them. Dressed in normal clothes, the result of not having to fight anymore.
"How you holding up?" Junko smiled, his voice a little deeper than it used to be.
She grinned, "I'm fine."
"We've got something to talk about." Stork said in a weird serious tone that didn't suit him.
"What?" She asked worried.
Radarr sighed and looked at Junko to explain. "It's Aerrow, he-
"-he's fine isn't he?" came out in a panicky tone, it was Piper's turn to worry.
"Fine in the alive sense. But we need you to talk to him." Stork replied simply.
Piper opened her eyes in horror, "Am I dead?"
They laughed. "No, but Aerrow has turned into the grumpiest git you could imagine. And we need you to sort him out."
Piper considered Storks answer, "Why doesn't the future me do it?"
He glanced at the other two, "You'll see why when we get there."
00
Lypix looked around nervously, like someone was going to jump out and attack her.
"Lypix!" A chorus of happy voices came, she smiled as she realised it was the Blood Sashes. At least they looked exactly the same, which was another small comfort.
Sparks drifted eerily around her legs like a twirling mist, cheeping out in a high pitch.
Siren hugged her and James smiled.
"Would you like to see your Terra, my dear?" He asked almost mockingly.
"Don't call it that" She groaned taking a hard hat from Nathan and following him.
Finn followed quietly watching her reaction.
"We're removing the glass wall that was left and then removing the earth that covers over Suba."
"Why not just rebuild another city on top? And what do you plan to do with all the earth?"
Anastasia answered, "It'd be too unstable, it would very likely cave in killing the occupants on top. We're planning to use the earth to expand the Terra into the wastelands."
"What about Tofwa?"
Now it was Finn's turn to be confused.
"Tofwa? What the hells that?!"
Lypix yawned, "Our underworld. It opened up, Crispin escaped from it and Rondana, Tyrannis and I had to close it."
Eci came darting over towards them, "Lypix!"
"Hey!" They hugged and Lypix looked her over. "You're pregnant."
Eci blushed, "Well you're looking at the father" she said sheepishly as another crystal angel ran up beside her. It was one Lypix had assumed had been on Midnight's side. Lypix tensed slightly but extended an arm politely, "Nice to know you're one of us."
The man, tall and not unlike Nonte in his facial expressions, smiled weakly back. "I'm sorry."
She nodded in a gentle way, Lypix understood. "I'm sorry too."
Who wouldn't have picked the side they thought was going to win?
00
Stork, Junko and Radarr had stuck by their new fast and improved skimmers. Piper sighed at their cowardice, anything she, as the current teenager, could do, they as adults should be able to do as well.
Loudly, she knocked on the door.
"GET LOST!" an instant reply came, Piper stood a step back.
"Is that anyway to talk to a friend?!" she answered angrily, her head tilted towards the door.
"I DON'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS. GET LOST!"
Piper ignored him, taking one step back she kicked the door in an expert way, it opened.
A figure in the gloom turned to face her, "You of all people should know I don't want people here." It came as a rude snarl.
"Now looky here. I don't know what's happened in the last ten years, but at no point would I allow you to become this… this social hermit."
Aerrow stood up, his hair was longer and less sharp. He still wore his uniform, although it had been re-stitched in places, the effect of him growing a good two feet taller.
"What can you be doing that's so important you can't talk to us anymore?"
He lifted one eyebrow in surprise and then realised Piper was wearing her uniform. "Are you from the past?"
"Yes. Lypix and I are here."
"Where's Lypix?"
"I'm not sure, Jun-"
"She's with Finn." A cold response came from Stork, stepping into the room, "She's coming nowhere near you."
"But Stor-"
"No buts." Junko replied, equally as frozen, "She does not see you."
Aerrow seemed a little lost now, his eyes flitting from one male Storm Hawk to the next in a pleading fashion.
"Why can't they see each other?" Piper asked.
All of them seemed to have forgotten about the lone girl in the middle of the room.
"Why can Aerrow not be allowed to see Lypix?" Piper asked again with more detail.
"It's complicated." Stork answered, "We cannot explain or everything will be changed."
Piper looked down, "I see."
"You can't sit in here forever Aerrow." Junko finally said, changing the topic.
"Watch me." He sat back down at his desk which was full of books and maps.
"What is all this?" Piper asked, curiously peering.
"It's nothing." He answered trying to cover it up. Piper looked away but she'd seen a lot of references to crystals.
"Nothing can be changed Aerrow." Stork told him, selecting his words carefully.
The boys now sat down while Piper stayed standing.
"I know." Aerrow replied sadly, "But I can try."