Sky Knight Academy, 3 years prior to Age of Heroes, Council POV
"You think it wise to let him train?"
"No one must suspect anything and there would be questions if we denied him this chance. Yes, if he wants in, we can let him try."
"You say that like you know he will fail. What do you have planned, Oliver?"
The two old men and their silent companion turned to look at the couple in front of them. As the three highest respected men in all of Atmos, the Sky Knight Council, it was their duty to test those who wished to train as Knights.
The man named Oliver, Head of Council, looked down at the boy and his guardian. He studied the boy; red hair, green eyes, eager smile. It was hard to believe he harbored such an evil being; then again, no one knew for sure, and there was a much more obvious choice.
The boy was looking up at the woman with him, silently asking what he was expected to do.
"How old are you, son?" Oliver asked, leaning over the desk counter to better see the boy.
He looked a little ashamed, so did the woman, "Eleven."
"Are you sure-"
"I can do it! Please sir, let me try. I can keep up; I can become a Sky Knight!"
"He can, sir. Fittest little guy I've ever seen, even when he was a baby. Be your loss if you didn't let him train."
The men turned around again.
"So, should we let him train? We can use his age as an excuse not to."
"No. We'll let him train. It's when he goes out to fight, when he has a squadron, that he could be dangerous. We'll use the excuse of his age then."
All three men nodded and faced around. Oliver sighed but it was only for show.
"You can try the training. We will tell you now that no one your age will be at the Academy; we don't usually take students this young. Good luck."
He pointed to a door on the left of the Hall, gesturing for them to proceed.
The woman knelt down, spinning the boy around by the shoulder so he was facing her.
"Aerrow, you have to go by yourself from now on, I need to get back to the orphanage."
"You can't stay-?"
"Sorry, hon. we talked about this remember? You go become a big hero and visit me when you do, okay?"
"Okay. Wait for me, Mona."
"Waiting already Aerrow," They both smiled.
She hugged the boy and stood up, waiting for him to disappear around the door before turning to the Council again.
"Keep him safe, please."
The old men nodded grimly.
Council Hall, Age of Heroes, Council POV
The boy stood in front of him again, five others were with him this time. Oliver, despite having everything memorized about the new 'Storm Hawks,' was consulting a list. Again, he was acting for their sakes; he couldn't let them know anything about this, about the boy.
"It seems everything is in order."
The kids seemed to relax a little and the girl said something to the blonde.
Sighing internally at what he had to do he opened his book, and held the pen up,
"I'll need your names and positions for the registry."
He waited for them to speak. As expected, the boy went first.
He saluted, "Aerrow, Sky Knight and leader."
The blonde went next, "Finn, wingman and sharpshooter."
Oliver scratched each of their names downs, pausing when he looked at the girl.
She couldn't possibly- the Merb sneezed, breaking the elder from his thoughts.
A furry blue thing jumped out after Stork had finished speaking, performed a series of Sky Fu moves and stood hands-on-hips on its hind legs waiting for a response.
"Eh…what is that, some kind of pet?"
It growled at him. Aerrow knelt down and placed a hand on its shoulder,
"He prefers 'mission specialist.' We just call him Radarr."
Oliver grunted, "The Council will be most pleased to learn the new Storm Hawks squadron has formed."
Indeed, he thought, ecstatic.
"Your predecessors were greatly admired-" yes, and that was where the trail of Tylur's descendants picked up again, "You have much to live up to Aerrow."
"We're ready." The boy announced confidently.
Oliver hated himself as he held the book out, "Sign here please," and smiled at Aerrow.
As the boy reached out to take the pen Oliver readjusted the glasses he'd let slip down his nose and pretended to be surprised.
He snatched back the pen, "Wait just a minute! How old are you?"
The boy looked ashamed again as he answered, "Fourteen."
Oliver kicked them out of the Hall, denying their pleas to be heard, saying that they were just too young. As the doors closed against their dejected expressions he hoped they'd leave the Sky Knight thing alone and wait to come of age. He very much doubted that, but it was worth it, wasn't it?
Street outside the Beacon Tower, Age of Heroes, Council POV
Oliver led the rest of the Council towards the illicit Storm Hawks, a half smile on his face.
"Storm Hawks," he called, "we'd like a word."
They watched as the sharpshooter nudged the Wallop, "See? I bet this is the part where they beg us to protect the Terra!"
Not quite. Oliver hoped that by giving them a mission like this, it would lower their excitement about being a real squadron and maybe reconsider their careers choice.
0o0o
It was to no avail. Barely had the teens set out for their mission when someone pointed out to the Council a swarm of Cyclonian fighters. Painfully, Oliver realized that, being themselves and the only trained squadron around, the Storm Hawks Junior would try to fight the Talons. This was what he'd hoped to avoid, sending them into battle with Aerrow as part of it.
There was no helping it now, they just had to watch…and prepare to run.
0o0o
He stared in horror as the Dark Ace blasted the wing of Aerrow's glider and as Aerrow fell, almost head first into the main street of Atmosia. He took a step back as the Dark Ace landed and drew his glowing red sword to Aerrow's throat; it would not be good for anyone if he tried to kill the boy.
Miraculously the Cyclonian did not strike but after a short bragging speech, deactivated his blade, took the Aurora Stone from one of his thugs and addressed the crowd.
"Your own sworn protector turns on you and Atmos sends children instead of Sky Knights? How pathetic."
He pocketed the crystal, turned and climbed onto his skimmer, "The wrath of Cyclonia is your future now."
The Cyclonians flew away with the crystal and Oliver turned back to the boy. Two of his friends landed and rushed to help him to his feet; the old man winced.
"Where are the others?" Aerrow asked.
Oliver sighed and turned his thoughts to the pressing matter of Cyclonis having the Aurora Stone. When the others joined Aerrow and were reassured that he was fine, Oliver walked forward, eager and frightened to hear the boy's answer to his next statement.
"The Aurora Stone in the hands of Cyclonis and her Talons," he turned away from Aerrow, to the crowd, "Our own Sky Knight has betrayed Atmosia. Something must be done!"
"It will." Aerrow responded, eager and confident as he always seemed.
He had to make them understand, at the very least, the girl. He turned and used his hands to emphasize his words, "The future of the entire Atmos rests in that crystal."
"We're going to Cyclonia to get it back." The boy announced, further surprising the Council.
His squadron exclaimed their surprise, and Aerrow just nodded. Oliver stayed silent and still, he'd thought that maybe once the boy had felt how the crystal hurt him and made him feel he'd hate it and say good riddance. Maybe it was just the Sky Knight poking through, either way, Oliver wished him luck.
Council Hall, Age of Heroes pt.2, Council POV
"Of all the brash, reckless things to do, you destroy the Aurora Stone? However, taking into consideration the testimony of Sky Knight Starling, this Council concedes it was the…proper course of action."
Also the fact that none of us has been killed and the world seems normal has helped your case.
"Does that mean the Storm Hawks are official?" The girl asked hopefully.
Oliver took off his glasses and sighed, ignoring the others councilors negative mumbling.
Before he could speak however Aerrow jumped to his own conclusion, though it was the right one: the Council still wouldn't approve of their becoming a squadron. He turned to the girl, "Forget about it Piper, we don't need to be official to know who we are. Wherever Atmos needs help, the Storm Hawks will be there. Let's fly."
The kids were determined, he would admit that. All he could do for now was sit back and wince whenever they were called to a mission. As they turned to leave, the monkey-creature on Aerrow's shoulders, he mentally prepared himself for anything to come.
"Good luck," he said, "Sky Knight."
It was the least he could do; hope that the knight could outweigh the Darkness.