Author's Note: Sorry for the slightly late update! Easter and all. I hope everyone had a great easter!

Enjoy!


Aerrow, Piper and Radarr crept through the Phoenix nest, being as quiet as they possibly could. They were after the Phoenix Crystal, probably for Piper to study since there really was no other reason for them to have it other than keeping it out of the hands of the Cyclonians.

Perhaps the latter, as the Crystal was ripped from Aerrow's hand only for them to turn around and find it in the hands of the Dark Ace.

"Dark Ace!" Aerrow acknowledged him.

He chuckled evilly, "Aerrow. So nice to steal from you again," but his attention was drawn to Radarr around his leg, yelping out and the crystal being thrown out of his hand in the process of the creature biting his ankle.

Aerrow dove down, catching the crystal, but disturbed the peace within it. Beautiful, calm flames surrounded the crystal, a high-pitched screech following after. Aerrow stood up to watch as the Phoenix landed in front of them.

"You know what?" Aerrow said, "Maybe you should have this." he told the Dark Ace, throwing the Crystal over to him.

The Dark Ace was none too pleased with the Crystal being in his hand, as he now held the attention of the Phoenix despite his expression being one of fascination upon seeing the creature. He tossed it over to Piper, who told him not to give it to her, but screamed and ran away with it nonetheless, running for her life to the point where she passed Aerrow, throwing the crystal behind her and it falling into Aerrow's hands.

The Dark Ace was already on his Switchblade and took off from the cliff, speaking about collecting the crystal from their charred remains.

Piper told Aerrow as they descended down to not deploy the blades of their rides, diving straight into the water and avoiding the phoenix in the process. They drove out afterward, Aerrow commending Piper for her idea. Radarr saw the Crystal and moved for it, but it was picked up by a tall, blonde man.

"This is exactly what we need." the man spoke with a rather self-righteous tone, standing proper and composed.

"Uh...hello?" Aerrow spoke out.

The man acknowledged them as the Storm Hawks, but put them down at the same time. Aerrow didn't know who the man thought he was, but Piper knew that he was the leader of the famous Rex Guardians.

Aerrow asked politely for the Crystal back, explaining that they almost lost their lives in the process of obtaining it.

The man disregarded Aerrow's request, stating simply that it's much too dangerous to be kept in the hands of children and that it will be taken to Terra Rex with them.

Finn and Junko soon joined in, asked if the Rex Guardians were giving them any trouble. Aerrow explained the situation.

Piper tried to explain that they're all on the same side and shouldn't be fighting over such a thing.

The man said that 'The Code' was quite clear, that the Crystal was now theirs and if they had a problem with that, it can always be dealt with through a challenge. Aerrow took him up on the challenge and in return, they were to follow the Rex Guardians back to their Terra as honoured guests for the evening; the following day would hold the challenge for who wins the right to the Phoenix Crystal.

Back on the Condor, Piper had to show Aerrow what 'The Code' was, explaining that the very first Sky Knight was a Rex Guardian and it held a set of rules in which not a single word of it had been changed in over five-hundred years.

Stork commented that they were uptight, considering the way they flew their rides but Aerrow still didn't see what was so great about them until Finn pointed out that they had a landing strip full of screaming fans.

The Storm Hawks were quite impressed by the recognition they received from the citizens of their Terra, Finn being rather upset that they didn't have action figures like the Rex Guardians did. Piper was taken away by the charm that the Squadron leader, Harrier, carried and tried to keep the Storm Hawks in line for the awaiting feast.

It was a complete disaster, none but Piper carrying any proper etiquette for such a special occasion. Aerrow seemed rather nonchalant and still didn't see what the problem with the feast was the following day.

"Flame would smack you all over the head if she saw the way you guys were acting at the table!" Piper exclaimed, "It was a complete and total disaster!"

"Just because they've got fans and shiny armour and fancy rides doesn't mean they're any better than us." Aerrow reassured his Squadron as they entered the Arena, looking around to see what they were truly in for.

Finn was dumbfounded, "We're so gonna lose..."

The two Squadrons went through the five events, the Storm Hawks being given excessive negative points or being disqualified, the fans being unhappy with the ratings that the Storm Hawks received. The only disqualification the Rex Guardians received was due to a small piece of metal of the wrong colour.

Finally, it was Aerrow's turn and in the end, he did defeat Harrier. However, everything favoured in the Rex Guardians and the final decision was that the Rex Guardians had won the challenge, clearly a biased decision.

The crowd ridiculed the Rex Guardians despite their victory, as they saw how extremely unfair the outcome was.

"You should be cheering!" Harrier exclaimed to the crowd, "I am your Sky Knight! I am your protector! I am the one who has guaranteed your safety for generations to come!"

"What is he talking about?" Aerrow asked Piper.


"Remind me why these chains are so necessary?" Flame asked as he bound her hands together as she sat on his Switchblade.

"Harrier wants you for his wife and he thinks that's what he'll be getting in return for handing me the Phoenix Crystal along with 'protection' against Cyclonia." he explained, "Besides, I don't think you want to go out there in front of your friends as if it wasn't against your will." he chuckled darkly.

She looked up and shook her head before he gently placed his hand on her chin lightly, kissing her softly, "Don't worry. You will never be his," he reassured her, leaning in closer, "Because you're mine." he finished, getting on the ride too.

"Dark Ace?" Harrier called out.

He revved his engine, the bike taking off into the arena and stopping, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake. He stepped off along with her, holding the chain that bound her hands together.

"Flame!" Aerrow called out.

"Aerrow..." she said, looking down.

"Don't worry, you'll be with your friends again soon enough. Thank you for helping me." the Dark Ace spoke so only she could hear him.

"As long as you don't use that Crystal. It only brings death along with it."

"And you will lose everything if you don't shut up and start acting like a prisoner." he hissed.

"Fuck you." she said, upset and looking away from him.

He let out a low, menacing chuckle, "Later, my love." he spoke as he approached Harrier.

"Accept this Crystal to affirm our peace." Harrier spoke.

"Don't mind if I do." the Dark Ace spoke, a mischievous grin forming across his lips as he looked at the Storm Hawks.

"And the woman who is to be my wife?" Harrier asked.

"In a moment." the Dark Ace replied, looking over to his lover for a few seconds.

Flame scoffed, "Your wife, Harrier?"

"Yes. You are a rare gem—although your attire will need to be completely changed due to its appalling nature—and are part of the exchange. I had the Dark Ace bring you to me. Since you've refused me of your own will, I've no choice but to take you by force using the only man that I knew could capture you."

Flame let out a rather dark laugh, the Storm Hawks looking at each other for a moment. Finn noticed her looking at the Dark Ace in a rather unusual way before returning her gaze to Harrier, "I like real men, Harrier. Dark, handsome, powerful and dangerous; not cocky, over-groomed and over-praised poodles like yourself." she spoke out, the crowd gasping in shock.

Harrier was taken back by her refusal despite being chained as she was, but the Dark Ace seemed rather amused by her words.

"Is anyone seeing this?" Finn asked, but they weren't sure what he was talking about. Surely, they couldn't be so blind that they didn't notice that Flame was a bit too calm standing next to the Dark Ace, chained or not. Clearly, that wasn't their biggest concern at the moment.

"You made a deal with the Dark Ace?" Aerrow asked Harrier, "Are you out of your mind?"

"I know exactly what I'm doing!" Harrier snapped, "I'm ensuring that the Cyclonians will never threaten Terra Rex!"

"That's the Dark Ace," Piper spoke out, "He doesn't do deals!"

The Dark Ace stood there with Flame next to his side as Harrier spoke.

"He gave his word, His honour, bound." Harrier said.

"Honour is overrated." the Dark Ace told Harrier, "A Cyclonian invasion force is preparing as we speak." he informed the Squadron leader, throwing a forceful punch directly in Harrier's face, knocking him down, "As for Flame, I think I'll keep her for myself. After all, I am the type of man she likes...trust me on that one."

"What? Let her go, Dark Ace!" Aerrow said, but the Dark Ace ignored him as he approached his Switchblade, still holding the chains that bound Flame's hands together.

"Get on the Switchblade, Flame." he ordered her.

Flame looked at Aerrow and then back to her lover. This wasn't part of the plan. She was to be handed over to the Storm Hawks rather than being kept by the Dark Ace. Above all else, practically telling everyone that they were together.

"I said get on the fucking ride!" he yelled and she did as told, a look of sorrow in her eyes. She looked up at Aerrow and then to Finn. She knew the blonde teen was more aware than the others, but she just didn't know how explain such chemistry between her and Cyclonian Commander without being looked at as a traitor. They were too young to understand the true difficulty and simplicity of it all.

The Dark Ace got on to the ride as well, "Thanks for the rock, Aerrow." he told the teen before taking off with Flame as she looked back down at the Storm Hawks.

"Was it necessary to make it so obvious?!" she yelled at her lover.

"You said it yourself." he dismissed her irritation.

The Storm Hawks ran toward their rides, but were halted by a couple of Rex Guardians.

"Oh, come on! He's getting away!" Aerrow said angrily.

"This is our battle." Harrier informed them.

"You don't know who you're dealing with." Piper informed him.

"Quiet!" he exclaimed, "You're about to see how a real Sky Knight does battle." he spoke, taking off, the rest of the Rex Guardians following him.

"Those guys are gonna get smacked down so hard." Finn said in amusement, Junko nodding in agreement.

Flame looked back to see the Rex Guardians flying after them, "You need to unchain me, Ace. I can't hold on much longer with them after us!"

"Ugh! Damn it, woman!" he said, holding out his blade so she could melt the metal away and free her hands, rubbing her wrists a little.

"Just letting you know, I hate you right now." she told him as she wrapped her arms around her lover.

"I love you, too." he told her, "Now hold on tight." he turned around, now heading straight toward the Squadron, "Only five of them. I better go easy."

She let out a laugh, "Like you know how to go 'easy'." she told him, kissing his neck softly.

"You of all people should know that." he said, turning to look at her for a moment before he drew his attention back to the Rex Guardians, spinning to slice the wing off of one of the members' Skimmer. "Where'd you find your ride?" he asked them, "A museum?"

This caused Flame to laugh out as her arms were wrapped around her lover.

The Rex Guardians were absolutely no match for the Dark Ace, as each one was taken down one after the other. Only Harrier was left.

"Those who fight with honour will always prevail!" he told the Dark Ace.

"Times have changed." the Dark Ace replied with a smile, sending a bolt into the Skimmer, destroying it. Harrier deployed his parachute, but the Dark Ace came back around to sever it, telling him to enjoy the ride.

"Was that necessary?" Flame asked him.

He looked at her, "Better him dead than always being after what belongs to me." he explained simply.

Luckily for Harrier, his death fall was halted by him landing on Aerrow's Skimmer wing.

"How dare you interfere with my dual!" he spat at the redhead.

"The ground's right there, if you want to get off." Aerrow told him, dismissing his self-righteous comment. Radarr attached a parachute to Harrier, deploying it so that he would no longer be a thorn in Aerrow's side.

The Dark Ace took out Junko's ride, immediately heading toward Finn afterward.

"Ace, wait! Finn is my ticket out of this!"

"Not this time, my dear." he growled out, not wanting to let her go.

He shot a bolt from his blade and Finn did the same with his crossbow, both avoiding the collision, but the Dark Ace spun around to slice Finn's Skimmer in half, as it tended to happen quite often.

"Then how about Piper? Let me get off with Piper, Ace! They're going to notice even more if I stay!"

The Dark Ace growled out "Damn it, woman! Use your wings if you want to get off so badly!"

The expression on her face was one of shock, "H-how do you know about them?"

"I just do!"

"But nobody else does!"

"Goodbye..." he said, his blade aimed at Piper, being surprised by Aerrow kicking his blade away from Piper's direction.

"Hello!" Aerrow said.

Flame took the opportunity of her lover being distracted by Aerrow as a means to escape, jumping on to Aerrow's Skimmer.

"I just need to get back down to the ground, alright, Radarr? I'll send you back up after." she told the pet as she descended.

Once low enough, she told Radarr to let the Storm Hawks know she's safe and made her way over to her own Switchblade to leave Terra Rex.

"Flame! Wait!" she heard, stopping in her tracks and turning around to see Finn.

"Finn? Is something the matter?" she asked the teen.

"What going on?" he asked her, a suspicious tone in his voice.

"I'm going to my Switchblade to get the hell out of here. What are you doing?"

"You know what I'm talking about, lady." he said, not buying her fake ignorance, "How did the Dark Ace capture you if you're so fast and you're his equal?"

"I don't know, alright? When I woke up, I was gagged and chained." she lied.

"Oh..." he said, a look of thought in his eyes, "Okay!"

Flame rolled her eyes, continuing on to her Switchblade albeit entertained that the teen didn't even consider that her ride was there, meaning she arrived to Terra Rex conscious. Use my wings. Like I need people to know about that...and why haven't I ever come across anyone else with them? Do they hide it as much as I do? she thought to herself as she mounted her black and purple Switchblade, revving the engine and taking off from Terra Rex, looking back at her lover battling Aerrow.

"This ride isn't big enough for two!" the Dark Ace told Aerrow, pulling out the Phoenix Crystal.

"I'd think twice about using that." Aerrow told him, but the Dark Ace didn't listen, attaching it to the hilt of his sword, the blade being engulfed by flames.

"Afraid of a little heat, are we?" he asked the teen, pointing his weapon at him.

"Me? No. But you should be." Aerrow told him, an entertained look on his face as that all too familiar screech sounded out.

The Dark Ace looked back to see the Phoenix come into view.

"Say 'hi' for me!" Aerrow told him before jumping off the Switchblade and landing on his own Skimmer.

The Dark Ace looked back at the Phoenix, wasting no time in taking off as quickly as possible, but he wasn't fast enough, "Get away from me!" he yelled at the bird, grabbing on to his ride's handle, only for his hand to be burnt from the intense heat from the Phoenix. He had no time and jumped off the Switchblade as it ignited, diving down, but the Phoenix pursued him.

He deployed his glider, the thrusters pushing him upward significantly. He looked back to see the Phoenix still after him. He detached the Phoenix Crystal from his blade, looking at it once more, "Ugh, fine! You want it? Go get it!" he told the fiery bird, tossing the crystal down. The Phoenix followed the crystal, snatching it up and returning to its nest.

In the end, the Rex Guardians were the ones to thank the Storm Hawks for their help, accepting even further help from them, considering that the Cyclonians were still on their way to attack.


Atmosia...

"You should have been more careful, Ace." Flame lectured him, carefully cleaning his burnt hand before wrapping it gently.

"I'm just glad you were able to save yourself before you got injured by that damned bird." he said, hissing in pain.

There was a moment of silence. She knew she had to speak to him about it, but she didn't know how to even bring it up. She felt like a freak and always hid them away. How did he know about them?

"There are two elongated bones that stick out under your shoulder blades." the Dark Ace spoke, "Something that humans don't have."

She looked up at him in surprise. How did he know that's what she wanted to talk about?

"They're very strong. I assume you're ashamed of them, since they're always covered by your cape and what would appear to be simple armour.

"I feel...like..." she started, sighing, "They make me feel like a freak, to be honest." she said, looking down to the ground, "I don't know anyone else that has them and I don't know how I got them. They were just...always there. I tried to hide them from you, but I knew you finding out was inevitable...I just didn't know you knew exactly what they were."

"Cyclonis might know their exact origin," he said, "I just know because she's spoken of them before."

"Cyclonis?"

"Nevermind her, Flame." he said, standing up and gently placing his hands on her hips, giving her a soft kiss, "Can I see them?" he asked.

"You want to see them?" she asked, unsure if he was being serious.

"Of course I do." he chuckled, "It's a part of you."

She gave it some thought before looking at him, "I can't do this here. We'll have to go outside...a cliff would be preferable."

"A cliff?" he asked, unsure as to why she couldn't just go outside of her home.

"Yes, a cliff." she smiled, wrapping her arms around him as he looked down into her eyes.

Nonetheless, it was what she wanted and he smiled, "Consider it done."


They found a somewhat deserted Terra with a rather large cliff on one end, Flame saying that it would suffice and he landed at the bottom of the cliff's hill.

They made their way to the top and she looked back at him, "Don't follow me or look over, okay?" she asked of him.

"But...why?" he asked.

"Just don't." she smiled, giving him a soft, sweet kiss before leaping back and off the cliff's edge.

The Dark Ace stood there, worry starting to take over him as he was counting the seconds in his mind. Just as he was about to move to look over the cliff, a large figure shot over him and he looked up to see Flame in the air. Feathers like a Raven and that familiar purple glow...the wingspan was extraordinary and her being illuminated by this light was mesmerizing.

"I told you not to look." she smiled at him, the wings flapping gently in the air.

"I don't make promises I can't keep." he smiled, impressed by the sight of her with wings.

"Care for a lift?" she asked him, gently lowering herself closer to the ground with her hand held out to him.

"Let's go home instead." he said.

"What's the matter, Ace? You know the feeling with your glider, don't you? It's actually slightly different with real wings. You feel more free with them."

"They're absolutely beautiful, but I'll take you up on that offer another time."

"If you wish." she smiled.

The Dark Ace rubbed the back of his head, looking away from her for a moment, "It's said that there was another Heiress to Cyclonia, the older sister of Cyclonis, but she wouldn't grow up to rule Cyclonia. She holds great power, greater than Master Cyclonis herself because of her pure soul."

"I don't understand." she said, her wings retracting back into her body.

"I don't know very much other than what I've overheard, but if Cyclonis were to ever make an alliance with her sister, all of Atmos will see a chaos like none before. I think this is what she's after most."

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, a look of confusion clear in her face, "I thought we had established that we weren't supposed to speak about Cyclonis' or the Storm Hawks' plans."

"Well, consider this an exception," he said, "It's important that you know."

Flame thought for a moment before looking at her lover again, "Well, then I'll do everything I can to make sure Cyclonis never makes an allegiance with her if it will end everything we know...I suppose it's just a matter of finding her."

He kissed her gently, wrapping his arms around her, "I know you will." he reassured her. He knew she still didn't fully understand what he was trying to say, but he didn't want to tell her any more than that. Her heart was so good and so pure, despite her little habits of teasing and taunting him, that if she knew the truth, it could destroy her. How could he explain to her that she was the older sister of her greatest enemy? In a way, he didn't really know what to consider them. They'd spoken many times when she visited Cyclonia and actually got along with the young Empress, despite being enemies.

He gave out a dark, menacing chuckle.

"What is it?" she asked him, looking into his eyes.

He cupped her face gently, giving her a soft kiss, "I'm in love with an Angel."


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