I hate this chapter with a passion. It's so sad, and very, very out of character for Kai. This had to happen, otherwise it wouldn't have. At all. It's setting the stage for future events, though. Damn it…

Well, here you go.

Change

Kai

I felt like I was pushed into this. I was given a running start into an inescapable fate. I knew it wasn't right of me to kiss Aerrow like that. It was like saying goodbye… At least, that's what I forced myself to believe. I knew that there was a possibility neither of us would come back and that it was now or never… I never expected the outcome, however.

We flew for thirty agonizing minutes, clung to each other on his skimmer. I closed my eyes and drifted off, comfortable against him. I wondered what exactly was going to happen. This was a true test of my skills—Aerrow sent me to the academy knowing nothing of what I could do, fearful yet confident. The boy was fearing for his own life.

I knew this was truly my first—and possibly my last—mission as a Storm Hawk. I was learning the hard way.

Rain began to pour down, dense like a barrier keeping us from saving precious lives. Aerrow warned me quietly, the boy's mind still blank. "It's, uh… Just rain," he laughed. "However, we are close. Don't open your eyes until I say when." I could hear pain in his voice, the scent of death and sorrow filling the air. He knew we were too late to save the bulk of the crew. "The ship has been directed off course. We're here… but they're not…."

Visibility was extremely low, and even if they hadn't gone far, simply looking for them wouldn't cut it. "Damn," he cursed, slamming his fist against his navigational instruments. "Kai, can you fly?"

"You told me not to open my eyes…"

"Promise me you will focus on nothing but keeping us steady. If you don't, we'll both head straight into the Wastelands." When I agreed, Aerrow steadily began to rise to his feet, my arms automatically grabbing the handlebars.

"Counter my movement."

I'd never dealt with something like this. I'd seen Aerrow rise up on his Skimmer, Radarr taking over the controls while the red-head would fight in a more unorthodox fashion.

Aerrow jumped from the seat to the wing, a move that could potentially send us spinning. I didn't dare look around, afraid to see the death that surrounded us. I kept my eyes on the dense rain ahead of me and listened closely to every word Aerrow said.

"Straight ahead. Don't worry about me, just focus on keeping us steady."

Scared out of my mind, I could feel the anxiety knotting up in my chest. My body grew cold as my core temperature lowered—I had to keep warm and focused. I centered the crystal energy within me and used the power of a cooking crystal to keep me warm. The fire brewed from my spine and branched out to my limbs. I could see the light crawl along the markings on my skin.

The rain was relentless and there was no chance of keeping dry. The static on my radio grew louder until the contraption shorted out. Aerrow could see I was losing focus. "You can do it, Kai… just listen to the sound of my voice, all right?"

"Yeah, like that'll help me focus," I laughed.

"Now… be careful up here… Try to steer clear of the rocks…"

"That's not entirely possible!" I shouted back, releasing my anxiety. I was scared from square one. I went into this with a fatal mindset and I was stuck there. If it wasn't for the rain, my comrade would've seen my tears and we would've both lost focus.

Instantly I could feel the tension lift. "Speed up a bit, Kai. I can see the stern."

I wanted to hit my head against the instrument panel until I was unconscious, but Aerrow needed me in this fight just as much as I needed him.

"I don't want you in the air for this fight, all right? Find a good place to park it and stay hidden."

"But what about—"

"Damn it, Kai, do you understand me or not?"

I sunk low in the seat and continued onward toward the ship. That's when I realized exactly why Aerrow was so frustrated.

The boy launched himself from the wing to the deck and bolted up the mast, clinging himself onto the netting. I watched as he crawled like an animal across, his speed was frightening. I traced his line of sight and screamed, throwing his skimmer into a roll to evade the worst threat of all.

The one man I'd tried to escape from my entire ride as a Storm Hawk had thrown himself from the ship and reached for the edge of my wing. The talon scratched at the metal to keep himself attached but was thrown off by the slippery surface. Ace was thrown into the air, but with the deck of the ship below him, the man was swiftly saved.

Aerrow shouted towards me, his words hitting the rain like a brick wall. His green eyes followed Dark Ace as he rose back to his feet. The talon began to plot out another route. I knew Aerrow had the right way of thinking—I needed to land or Ace would take the Skimmer down, even if it meant his life.

I circled back around, unsure of how to get back. If needed, I knew Aerrow would fogive me for ditching his Skimmer. It would take a lot of apologizing, but he would forgive me in time. I slammed on the breaks and looped in the air. As the Skimmer began its free-fall toward the deck, I kicked the tail into a spin. The front tire hit the deck like a bag of bricks while the back tire skidded against the deck, absorbing some of the shock.

I kicked the Skimmer aside and distanced myself from the machine as quickly as possible. Any deckhands that weren't injured or occupied quickly came to my aid, securing the bike against the deck. They knew we would need it later. However, that painted a target on their skulls. In order to protect their saviors they risked—and lost—their lives.

I ran to hide myself in the depths of the ship, counting any remaining fishermen I could see. The number was depressing.

Before I could get very far I was cornered by none other than the Dark Ace himself. "I see you've come to aid my attack Miss Kai…"

"Do you not see Aerrow? I think that would at least tip you off to the very opposite!"

His eyes scanned my skin, a disheartening frown crawled over his features. "What did they do to you? You used to be pretty…"

"Their damned sharp shooter turned me into a freak…" I could feel the power of his Firebolt call out, hearing its master's voice. It wanted to be released, but not in my favor. Sparks of lightning crawled up my arms, sizzling and arching in the rain.

"They're insane if they think he'll get away with harming my team mate…" Ace glanced over his shoulder, scratching at his neck.

"Unless you plan on putting up a fight, I suggest you get your pedophilic ass away from me."

His expression grew confused. "Me? A pedophile?" Ace laughed, chucking any unnecessary armor aside. He drew his weapon and sighed. "That insult is one I haven't heard in quite some time…"

"From Lora, I suppose? You know, your girlfriend paid me a little visit. She seems to hold one deep grudge for you, comrade."

His knuckles turned a blaring white as he gripped his weapon tighter. "Will be a shame to cut you in half with an insubordinate crystal… Your boyfriend up there stole my favorite…"

"I know," I spat back, the lightning's call growing louder. "Let me show you what that crystal of yours has done for me!" I charged toward him, my hands reaching or for any limb I could grab onto. My hand hit his wrist and I gripped onto it, daring never to let go. I surged the power of his Firebolt through his veins, but not enough to kill him.

I knew that wasn't what I was here to do, no matter how much I wanted to.

Ace cried out in pain, the lightning glowing through his veins. His translucent skin began to burn, the smell of fried skin itching at my nose.

I laughed as I released the weakened talon. "You can't win this fight, Ace. Call off your troops and I won't hurt you anymore."

"Kai!" Aerrow called out from behind me. "Look out!"

A Cyclonian-dressed woman launched herself off a platform behind me, taking a friendly stance beside me. "Need some help?"

As my hand shot out to immobilize her, I froze. She was here to help. She was Lora… I backed away, feeling the tension in the air rise much higher than the previous fight had caused.

This was a fight I didn't want to be anywhere near.

"Nice to see you again," Lora growled. "I see you haven't changed a bit…"

This honestly couldn't have been the first time she'd seen him in six years… I looked up, searching for Aerrow in a desperate attempt to flee. The boy was busy fending off other talons. I knew if Ace's comrades were busy with him, I could round up the crew and keep them safe.

"Here, kid," Lora handed me her weapon. "Take it. I don't need it to rip apart the Dark Ace…"

I refused, my markings glowing yet another odd color. "I'm fine."

Ace laughed. "Nice to see you again as well, my dear…" He faced his lost love with a grin, an underlying fear building behind his red eyes.

Without a second thought to aid Lora in her attempt at murder, I ran in search of the deckhands. There were six last time I counted. Once I'd rounded up the rest, there were four…

Once they were safely below deck, I locked the door behind me, welding the metal to the doorframe as best as I could. I could feel the heat in my hand; if I were anyone else, my skin would've melted of the bone.

I slid down against the door, sitting down. I cried uncontrollably, fearing the worst outcome of the fight. I was weak for breaking down at all the wrong times and I knew that. I needed to be emotionally stronger, and I knew the only way to do that was to let out a demon that I wasn't prepared to control.

I'd spent every day trying to hold back an uncontrollable rage and all it did was cause me to break down more and more. I was becoming weaker and weaker, and the only way to save myself and Aerrow would be to become the one thing I'd tried so hard to suppress. I would be as unforgiveable as the Dark Ace himself…

I closed my eyes and took in a sharp breath, saying a silent farewell to the Kai I once knew.

I opened my eyes and exhaled, watching as fire escaped from my lips. I felt as all signs of the rain evaporated from my skin, hypothermia now entirely impossible. I stood up and slowly exited the brig, walking up the stairs. I pushed open the overhead door, my fist splintering the wood. The door went flying back, slamming against the deck floor.

Just as quickly as the fire in my veins appeared, it vanished. The power of the frost crystal crawled through my veins, freezing the drops of rain that hit my skin. Every step I took froze my boots to the deck, requiring great strength to move forward. I rushed to Aerrow's side and warned him not to touch me—to get as far back as he possibly could.

As his fear for me overwhelmed him, he backed away. Aerrow knew I meant only the best for him, but he was beginning to question where the sudden strength came from.

I looked over the fight between Lora and Ace, seeing as it had taken to the upper levels of the ship. Lora clung to the netting and hung outward, egging Ace on.

Ace was losing this battle.

I held my hand out in front of me, my arms locked at my elbows. The talons that once overwhelmed Aerrow were backing away—they were now in over their heads. I was a force beyond their comprehension.

"Either jump off the ship or I won't hesitate to kill you."

One naïve talon stepped forward, holding his blade loosely in his fist. The instant he took his second step forward. I reached out and gripped his wrist, flipping him to the ground. I pinned his arm to his back and froze his body from the inside, out; in mere seconds he was dead.

The others watched with wide eyes, but another tried their luck. I pinned him against the deck in the same fashion, boiling his blood at inhuman temperatures. The smell of burnt skin filled the air once more. No one dared to step forward a third time—they knew they were outmatched.

The talons stepped back as I walked toward them, nearing the edge of the ship. "So what shall it be, boys?"

One glanced over his shoulder, looking at the clouds below the edge of the ship. He jumped seconds later. Another fell to his knees in surrender. The last talon joined in surrender, but I never gave a thought to showing them mercy.

I gripped a hand around each of their necks and smiled, draining the very force that kept them alive. I laughed quietly, feeling their energy surge through my veins.

Evil…, my conscious cried. Their minds were evil… They're in your system now… I hope you're happy, Kai… You're slowly losing yourself to this power. Pull out of it!

I stepped back quickly once their bodies were limp. I scanned the area around me, my eyes hitting Ace and Lora, then onto Aerrow's Skimmer, then finally, Aerrow.

The rain hit his skin, rolling down his cheeks.

The internal battle between the rage and the person I once was had quickly come to an end and I fell to my knees, questioning everything I had done. Why had the rage not felt remorse?

Why hadn't I stopped myself? Why couldn't I have pulled out of it sooner? It didn't have to end how it did… I didn't have to kill them…

I reached out toward Aerrow, but he backed away, afraid. Aerrow defied Piper's orders when she told everyone not to touch me. He was afraid, but he didn't care. Now I had gone and done what he'd asked me to do originally and Aerrow was afraid.

I buried my face in my hands and cried. Aerrow knelt down beside me, cautiously resting an arm over my shoulders. "Kai… We need to go… Lora's fight isn't one we need to get involved in. We can work this out later…"

"No!" I screamed, shoving his arm off of me. "Leave me here… When Lora loses, I want Ace to kill me. I… I don't deserve to live after what I've done…"

Aerrow looked down, defeated by a secret he'd tried so hard to keep. "Kai… I don't know how much this will help… but back in the Cyclonian outpost, I had killed two talons in an attempt to find you. I can't tell you how long I'd spent punishing myself for it. I know what they're doing is wrong and they deserve the worst punishment for it… But I couldn't stand the thought of being a murderer…

"I never came to terms with it, so I had to learn to stop hurting myself over it… Kai… I'm here for you… There is nothing in this world that will change that." Aerrow pressed his cold lips to my cheek and smiled. "You have to get up so we can go… Neither of us can afford to sit in this weather for long."

Incoherent and malleable, I followed Aerrow's movements as he helped me to my feet. I leaned against him as we walked toward his Skimmer. The boy started up the engine and shouted toward Lora, "Don't stay out here too long!" He knew the fight was a mere fencing match. Neither of them intended to hurt one another. The battle would end when one had to leave. The lack of blood and injury backed up the observation.

I spoke quietly, whispering to Aerrow about the deckhands locked in the brig.

He shouted back to her, asking her to kindly set them free when all was said and done.

I clung to Aerrow as we flew away from the tragedy. My mind was blank, tears silently flowing from my eyes. I fell asleep against him, finding comfort in knowing he would be there, no matter what I did.