~ Complaints ~

Finn knew he should have been happy for Piper. She was learning her history, her identity, as a crystal mage. She was learning things that no one had been taught in centuries.

"But she's never around!" Finn complained. He quit his pacing, slumping into a nearby chair. "I miss her."

"Don't worry, Finn. I'm sure once everything gets settled you'll see more of her. She's just got a lot to do right now. I'm sure she misses you too."

Finn gave his best friend a weak smile. "Thanks, Junko."

The Wallop gave the sharpshooter one of his winsome smiles. "Aw , come on, Finn. What are friends for?"

It had been hairy the first twenty-four hours. Even the doctors weren't sure they were going to save Junko. After the meeting with Agate, Finn hadn't left the small private room that had been cordoned off for the Wallop's recovery. He didn't want to admit it but Finn had most definitely cried when it turned out that his best friend was going to make it.

Finn had still stuck close by; he felt distant from the hive of the busy Resistance.

Feh, the Resistance? How unoriginal can you get? Finn thought dismissively.

"What about Stork? How's he doing?" Junko asked. His makeshift bed creaking as he shifted slightly. There wasn't a single bed big enough for the monstrous Wallop, so three cots had been shoved together to make do.

"Busy. They've got him fixing their rides and stuff," was the answer. Stork had stuck by Junko while the Wallop had been unconscious. But now that Junko was in the clear the Merb allowed himself to be conscripted into helping the Resistance.

"Shouldn't you be helping them?" Junko asked.

Finn sighed. "Eventually."

~ Sense of Value ~

Junk hated feeling useless. That's why he loved being with the Storm Hawks so much. Heck, that's why had joined the Cyclonian Youth Brigade before meeting Aerrow and Finn and the rest. He needed to feel like he was part of something bigger than himself. A cog in the giant clockwork of life. Or something.

He was worried what his place was now, though. The pipe that had thrusted through his gut during the crash had nicked his spine. The doctors told him that they were doing the best they could; that if he worked hard, he should be able to walk again. But it was going to take time. And that he shouldn't get upset.

Which was hard not to do. He wanted to help, he needed to. Finally, the first time since Aerrow had disappeared, the Storm Hawks had a direction. They weren't lashing out to get back at them, wildly and lost. It was a definitive stroke against the bad guys.

It was spring, when action would be taken. The spring thaws would make it easier to get off the mountain. They would storm the capital; sieging the Council's chambers and their homes. With the place of power in the Resistance's control, they would slowly be able to liberate the people of the Farside.

Junko would give anything to help, but he couldn't. He was trapped on his three cots. It bothered him that Finn didn't help; burned Junko deep down, actually. He couldn't really be mad though.

As much as Finn smiled and joked, he looked weary. The sharpshooter wasn't the same person after the crash; not the same person after Aerrow disappeared.

None of them were, and that also burned Junko deep down.

~ Request ~

A few days later, Finn received what he thought was an odd request.

"You asked to see me?" Finn asked as he settled down onto a cushion.

Agate waved away the Resistance members that were her current audience. All were large and bulky sort of people with strong foreheads and close eyes; clearly from slave stock. The Council had been 'breeding' slaves for so long that you could recognize a slave typically from their face. It was a thought that twisted Finn's gut.

Once the room was vacant Agate spoke her smooth, measured tones. "Yes, I was hoping you would be able to help me with something."

He shrugged, letting his hands rest in his lap. He felt the heft of the cast on his broken arm rest heavily on his leg. His arm had been properly looked after once the initial meeting with Agate had been done with. "Sure, whatever," Finn answered.

Agate appraised him with her alien lavender eyes, wondering how she should react to his melancholy tone.

"I get the impression you don't like me much, Storm Hawk," Agate commented evenly, without a hint of hostility in her voice. There was only patience.

Finn gave another shrug. Something bothered him about Agate, but he couldn't put his finger on what. It was probably nothing. "I like you fine. What was it that you wanted me to do?"

Agate seemed to settle for the answer, albeit, grudgingly. "I understand with your broken arm that your abilities to help are limited. But I've been made aware that you're skilled in projectile weaponary."

"Huh?"

"Piper calls you a 'sharp shooter' I do believe? She also said you were the best."

"Yeah, guess so," Finn answered, pride evident in his voice.

"Well, I would appreciate it if you were to teach the Resistance."

"I'll think about it."

"Please do."

A/N: I apologize for not responding to your reviews for the previous chapter. The site was being weird and would tell me the response links were expired. So I'll take this opportunity to thank everyone of you that reviewed last chapter, and anyone whose reviewed at all! Even those of you who just read this story I'm thanking! I love writing this story in itself, but I also am really humbled and love the support and positive feedback you've all given me. So here's my thanks!