Sorry about the wait :( I just couldn't get the words out quite right…
OMG! Just found out that the guy who stole the stuff from my house might actually go to my college!
Thank you so much for the sympathy, it restores my faith in human kind :) They didn't take nearly as much as last time (Then they took practically everything apart from the kitchen sink. The worst part of that to me was I had to re-make all my Wii characters lol) but this time they got away with a v. expensive handbag and some money. :_(
Hehe… and in Psychology, we somehow got onto the subject of 'the awkward turtle'. Good times :) (Google it if you don't know what it is - I didn't until today)
So… yup. Here it is… Chapter 11.
….
The skimmer's wheels touched down on the Condor's landing strip in a cloud of smoke, the tyres leaving black trails behind them as Jake pulled hard on the brakes.
He dismounted, and then ran to the bridge.
"Jake! Why are you back so soon?"
"Well I -"
"Have you found her?"
"I -"
"Is she alright?"
"PLEASE! Let me speak. Yes, I found her, and yes, she's alright."
"Then why isn't she here now?" asked Finn, though everyone else was obviously just as confused.
Despite the situation he laughed. "One reason, is because she's completely trashed your skimmer, Finn."
"Aww… why'd she have to take mine?" cried Finn.
"And the other reason?" asked Aerrow, getting conversation back onto the issue.
Jake hesitated, and then replied "You might want to sit down."
….
After explaining everything he knew, Jake was once again hit with a torrent of questions.
"Are you serious?"
"So you've been keeping relatives of the Dark Ace on MY ship?" (Stork was fuming yet again)
"So that's why she looks so much like him…"
"What a waste of perfectly good disinfectant…"
"Why didn't she tell us?"
"I'm pretty sure she didn't tell us because she knew you would react like this." Jake had never been the democratic type, but in this case he had a go. "Seriously though, think about it, does this really change anything?"
"YES!" chorused the rest of the squadron.
"But why? She's still the same girl you offered a place in the team to, she never even knew the guy, AND she saved all of your lives."
Piper looked to be considering the argument, then asked "Jake you've known her most of her life, right?"
"Uh-huh…"
"Well, what's the worst thing that she's ever done since you've known her?"
"Umm…" he scratched his head, deep in thought. "She always talked back to teachers - especially in English… Oh, and she once stole an eraser from Art… that's it I think." He thought for a while longer, and then nodded in confirmation.
"That's it? So nothing like deliberately running the hot tap when someone's in the shower, just to hear them scream?" asked Finn, to which everyone just raised an eyebrow, then Junko realised something. "I thought you said it was just the boiler playing up!" Finn shuffled away nervously.
Once again, Aerrow put the conversation back onto the right course. "Maybe we have judged her a bit harshly…"
Junko paused his death glare at Finn to say "I think we should give her another chance."
"She is still a Storm Hawk… We wouldn't fall out over something like this." said Piper, and everyone nodded in agreement.
"Then it's settled; let's go find that totally hot babette!" To this, Finn added his signature grin and finger-guns, which achieved nothing but rolled eyes.
….
Not long after this decision had been made, the Condor landed on the building it had turned to rubble on its previous visit.
Fog covered the landscape, so the best they could do, was call out into the distance.
"Ember, it's us! We need to talk!"
"Finn! She'll be scared; don't go saying things like that. She could take it the wrong way." said Piper, scolding him.
"Ember, we know what you've found out; it is okay, we don't mind!" Aerrow shouted in no particular direction, but was then caught off guard by a voice from behind them all.
"You knew I didn't want them to know, Jake. That's what I get for trusting you."
"Ember!" Jake ran towards her voice through the fog and hugged the first figure he came across.
"Err - Jake, I'm Piper."
"Oops… he-he, sorry."
Through the giggles, Ember crept out from the fog into view. "Jake, I'm here you idiot."
About ten seconds later, they broke from the hug. "Aerrow, do you mean it? Do you still want me back even though… you know."
"Yeah. I mean it. We all want you back."
"Wow… even stork?"
"Well… not so much stork, but the rest of us, yeah."
"If you're sure… Of course I'll come back!" Though, she didn't want to sound overly enthusiastic, so she added "I mean it is better than this place I suppose…"
…
six months later
'Dear diary,
I don't think life could possibly get any better than this. I'm useful for once, Jake doesn't annoy me quite as much anymore, now that he's found a talent for electrics. But best of all, I am part of a family. Not to mention Finn asking me out! Of course I said no, but now I think about it, all he's ever had is nos. Maybe if I said yes he wouldn't try as hard. Or maybe he is just a pompous weirdo after all…'
She shut her diary as Aerrow walked in.
"We've had a sighting of Cyclonis; we've got to follow it up."
"Right on it!" she said with a content smile. 'Everything is perfect.'
…..
Meanwhile…
Cyclonis stood at the base of a mountain; exhausted and her clothes in tatters. 'Only one option left…'
She held up a shard of glowing red crystal, and muttered an incantation.
A bright red orb appeared from nowhere, and began to grow larger and larger, and shards of crystals began to gravitate to the centre of the orb. It took mere minutes to form the structure of a person.
The orb faded, and the body fell limp onto the ground. It gained consciousness.
"Hello, Dark Ace. It's been a while."
…..
TO BE CONTINUED…
So that's all folks! Ember is complete!
I really didn't want it to end here, but… it just …did.
But for my wonderful, loyal, and slightly mad fans, never fear! For I am planning on a sequel!
Anyways… hope it was good while it lasted, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Please review! Lots of hugs and kisses,
Kezzy xxx