Skies and Scars

Mortal Instruments / Storm Hawks

Disclaimer; I do not own any of the MI or SH characters. Anne Cusack is mine though - all mine! Well, she's a friend of mine from school who is so amazing that I just had to include her.

Note: Storm Hawks; I love them. Really, I do. It seems quite childish but if you look at the big picture, I too am a child - not just my television habits. Fifteen, I have realised, is not that great. It's normal. Sure, I can get into MA15+ movies. Cool... then what? I guess it's the age of letting go and holding on. Letting go of your childish behaviour and holding on to the world rushing past. But I still enjoy the old carton or two. In fact, I love them. Still. Still, at fifteen, I find myself every afternoon sitting down in front of the television, switching to ABC3 at five thirty before finishing my Science homework to watch Storm Hawks. Still I wish I was in Atmos, still I wish Aerrow was real. And heaven forbid, I still wish I had a skimmer. And I guess that raises the question; is growing up all that great?

Foreword:

Atmos; the land of thousands of scattered mountains known as terras, each guarded by their own Sky Knight against wild beast, rouges, super natural forces but worst of all, the Cyclonians. Master Cyclonis has opened the door to the Far Side of Atmos and has found a supernatural force much greater then her Storm Machine. The Storm Hawks led by Aerrow are ready to fight but they'll need a little help from someone a little closer to home then they may think.

I know, you're trying your hardest

And the hardest part is letting go.

Mayday Parade, Miserable at Best.

On Terra Gardina

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Cusey, Happy Birthday to... me."

3. Changes

On the Condor

"So, let me get this straight - we're going to some little Terra, in the middle of no where, with no Cyclonia activity for no apparent reason?" Finn asked, frowning. Aerrow turned at him, fierce in his eyes.

"We're going. I... I have something to do there," he said softly, looking back at the map before.

"But how are we supposed to find it?" Piper said, pointing to the vacant area which he was staring at. "There's no Terra Gardina on the map."

"It's there, trust me," he growled. Piper stepped back; she had never seen him like this before. Ever. She had known him the longest out of the Storm Hawks, both orphans and both alone, she was his best friend - excluding Radarr of course. But still... she knew something was up. He was seventeen now, they met at twelve. Five years, and still she never fully understood him. Every year, on this day he would just sit out on the hanger's deck and watch the sun set. Every year. And he would always take this small blue baby blanket with him. Over time, she just forgot to ask why.

"If Aerrow says we're going, we're going," Junko smiled.

"If it means certain doom..."Stork interrupted. "I mean, an unknown Terra... Who knows what's thriving down there."

"Shut up Stork!" Piper mumbled harshly. Aerrow didn't seem to hear them, his stare perplexed on the map beneath him. He knew it was somewhere - it had to be. He promised.

"Master Cyclonis has the key thingy for the Farside of Atmos remember? Why are we wasting our time..." Finn mouthed off, Radarr throwing a spanner at his head to make him shut up.

"Aerrow, Finn's right... For once. Can you please tell us why we're on the other side of the Atmos looking for a tiny uninhabited Terra?" said Piper, placing her hand on top of his. It was cold as ice; like his eyes. The Condor grumbled, it's hull screeching in protest.

"That can't be good," Junko gulped. The team were flung forwards, crashing into the windows that now served as a floor. Grass grew beneath them through the glass, fresh air leaking through the window Junko had fallen through.

"What do you know? An unmapped Terra..." Stork said. Aerrow heaved himself up, opening the hatch to the main window. The Storm Hawks plummeted down to the ground beside Junko, landing on the soft green grass. rubbing their heads, they stood up and looked over the small plain they had 'landed' on. It was small, tiny even, with a small hill on the far side. An old tree sat at the top, a broken swing rocking back and fro in the slight breeze. The scene was beautiful, yet terrible at the same time. A shed with weather beaten walls sat beside the hill, scorch marks making their way up the side in a cruel pattern. Aerrow's breathe caught in his throat as he looked over to the garden he had played in when he was young. Now, overgrown and wild, it seemed like a jungle rather then a flower patch. Behind the garden was the cottage; correction, what was the cottage. Burnt wood that had been the pillars now stood stiffly upright from the ground, grey ash settling in the breeze. Tire marks dug their way across the ground, time making them permanent etches on the Terra.

"Oh my... Is this...?" Piper breathed softly, watching small tears smart up in her leader's eyes.

"Yeah. It is, it's my home Terra," he admitted, kicking the ground beneath him.

"No it's not, it's mine," came a voice from the house. A girl with golden brown hair sat perched upon the crumbling fireplace, a dark wood bow in her hands. She sat upright, with her back dead straight. The small breeze flew strands of hair along her face like golden flames, lapping themselves around her icy blue eyes.

"Hello," slurred Finn, pushing back his hair. Red light wooshed past his hand, scorching his hand like fire. Hopping his feet, he began screaming.

"Leave now," she yelled, hooking another quiver into the blue pendent around her neck flared up with light as she spoke, matching the anger in her voice. Aerrow took a step forward, towards her, and raised his hand.

"Aerrow," Piper warned. "That was a fire crystal combined with a leech crystal - only a powerful warrior can do that - she could have anything in her arrows." He ignored her, coming closer the girl.

"Come any closer and I'll hit right in your cold heart," she cried, pulling back on the string.

"Cusey?" he asked, watching her eyes sharpen on her target.

"How... Don't mention that name... I hate it when you call me that!" the girl said, faltering at the shoulders. "Aerrow?"

"I came back, like I promised," he said hopefully.

She laughed, like bells, "You're late." Jumping down to the ground she ran to him. He opened his arms around her into a hug, holding her tight across his chest.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on here?" Stork asked aloud. "First she's threatening to kill us then we embrace her with open arms. Explaintion!"

"Stork, I think that's... I think that's Aerrow's sister," Junko smiled.

"What happened when I left?" Aerrow asked, handing her a cup of hot liquid. They were aboard the Condor, now unhitched from Terra Gardina but not unharmed - Stork had shuffled off the to Hull muttering something like 'I'm sorry honey...". The girl looked up at him, eyes hollow.

"Long story," she said sharply.

"I've got time," he said, pointing at the Storm Hawks fixing the broken window.

She took a breathe, as preparing herself for a marathon, "The Dark Ace came. You saw as much. He saw me letting you escape, he smashed the only transmitter I had. His men dragged Darla and Graham out of the house, making them beg for their lives. He said he was looking for something for his Master. It was some type of crystal. He described it; blue with etchings on it. When we couldn't find it he... He took Darla and Graham away, leaving me alone on the Terra. So, I grew up. I had to take care of myself, you know? I found a small opening on the other side of the hill leading into a cave. One of the talons had began blasting holes all through out the area once the Dark Ace left, to scare me. He must have blown the top layer off... But I found this cave, full of crystals. And that's how I began living. I grew food myself, drew water from the well, learnt to read, write and fight, I then began making my arrows. A couple of bandits came one night, thinking it was an abandoned Terra, and all I could do was watch from the tree..."

"Anne, it's not your..." he cooed, bringing his sister to his chest in a hug. She wasn't crying, far from it, but she continued.

"It's not my what Aerrow? My fault? Yes, yes it is. I could have saved Darla and Graham. I could have grown up with them and you on Terra Gardina, safe and happy," she mumbled, pulling at her necklace.

"What...? You were just ten years old! I should have stayed with you. I should have taken care of you," he said, holding her in front of him.

She shook her head, "No. You don't understand. I found the crystal they were looking for. I could have stopped them all that time ago."

"In the cave?"

"No," she answered quickly. "I had it all along!" The metal chain around her neck snapped as she pulled it away from her neck. Her small hand clasped around the stone, tight and sweaty. Slowly, she uncurled her fingers. Soft blue light glowed from her palm, the small runes on the stones bright and clear.

"But... that's supposed to be white. It was just a plain white stone... wasn't it?" Aerrow said taking it from her hands. As he touched it, the light vanished, leaving the plain polished white surface he remembered.

"It is. Sort of. Alot of things have changed Aerrow. Me especially. Two years ago I had this dream. It was... really weird. But when I woke up, I had this," she explained, rolling up the sleeve of her shirt. Along her right arm was a bandage, carefully wrapped from her shoulder to her elbow in tight layers. With care, he began to unravel the white cloth; slowly winding up and down her arm until he could see the skin beneath. Then he saw it. Black curvy lines, like smoke, curling up her arms like burns. He touched it, but it was as smooth as her skin - as if it weren't there at all. That was the thing, it was part of her. It wasn't a burn or a wound, just flawless skin. The blank lines moved like ink, in a older fashion. They curved and cut across her pale skin like tar on snow. It looked like a swan; terrifyingly beautiful.

"Does it hurt?"

"No," she laughed. "So, tell me. What have you been doing all this time? Five years is a long time to be doing nothing."

He sat back down beside her, letting the bandage fall to their feet, "Well, you set for the Skimmer to go to some safe house Terra. I met Piper and Finn, both orphans too, and we built a tree house there. Radarr was with us, of course, and we started to live their. We had a bit of trouble with the young cyclonian gangs in the area, which is how we met Junko, then with a couple of twists and turns we became the Storm Hawks. Apparently, I'm going to save the Atmos against Master Cyclonis. But... she has this key. It opens the door to the Farsde of Atmos, and God only knows what's there. She could be opening it right now."

He fell off the seat as she pushed him over, "And you're here! Why didn't you go to Cyclonia? You know, stop her?"

"But... I had to come here. I promised!"

"You'd think I wouldn't understand if you were late after five years because you were saving EVERYONE IN THE FRIKING ATMOS!" she yelled.

"Well..." he stuttered. Suddenly, they both burst out laughing.

"I missed you," she said, pulling him up into a hug.

"Yeah, I missed you too," he agreed, glad to feel the soft curls of her hair in his hands again.

At Cyclonia

"I'm back Dark Ace, did you miss me?" Master Cyclonis drawled, gliding down the steps to see her faithful servant waiting.

"Was your mission fruitful?" he asked, bowing at her feet.

"Oh, trust me Dark Ace. I've found something that even the pitiful Storm Hawks won't be able to handle," she chuckled. "There's someone I'd like you to meet." The door way glitched with light again, as someone began walking through. A tall boy, with dark black curls and matching eyes stepped on to the platform.

"Sebastian, this is Dark Ace. Dark Ace, this is my Shadowhunter," she said, a small smile stretching across her face. The boy looked up, and smiled too.