Chapter 24

Dawn

We all sit around in a circle, dazed. April just got back to our room, her eyes in a blank stare into space. I found Blake misty-eyed with a Tailow by his side. They cried together, something I never thought I'd see Blake do. The Tailow left shortly after that. So, we all are silent, facing each other. I can tell that everyone wants to say something, but stays quiet. I don't like it. They're in pain or distraught and I want to know why. So, I break the silence. "Alright, what's going on with you two."

They look up, surprised to hear me talk being as I'm typically the silent one while April is the real motor-mouth. As I expected, April talks first. "I just saw my old childhood friend, Kila. She's a Xatu and she predicted my future."

This takes me in surprise. A Xatu as a childhood friend? That would have been great. To be able to have a friend that could know the future. I'm determined to keep the conversation alive. "Really? What did the Xatu say?"

"Kila said that there were some sort of ruins in a warped state in my future. I have no idea where it is or what it might mean but, she thinks it's connected to the captured Moltres somehow..." April's voice trails off. I nod periodically. It sounds exciting and frightening at the same time. I wish I could have gotten my future read by her friend, but it was probably a risky move. Xatu's are rarely even allowed to leave their post, wherever it is. I don't know of any ruins, so I don't really have anything to say, but I can't let the conversation die either. I turn to Blake.

"So, what's up with you?" He turns to me, clearly not listening to the chat between me and April. His face is a bit rosy and splotchy. He's been weeping, hard. For a lot longer than I thought he was. He doesn't say anything, but I look at him expectantly. I know it's selfish to demand an answer from him, but the sooner that he gets this thing, whatever it is, off his chest, the better it will be for him. He finally gives in and confesses to his sorrow.

"The Raptor squadron came back from Mt. Coronet, defeated." I'm not surprised. I've heard about the Raptor squadron leaving to fight the Wings of Legend. I knew that they'd be crushed, but I guess they had higher hopes. Blake continues. "They came back with about one third of the army, dead. Most came back with severe wounds." Blake swallows hard. "My superior and family, from when I was a Starly, was brought back...dead..." His voice trails off as well. My eyes drop from him to the floor. I feel my sympathy grow for him. I can't find the right words, so none find their way out of my mouth. I'd never know the pain he's feeling. I'd never really cared about anyone like he did until April and Blake showed up. We're all family now, but we're all in pain and distraught.

"But..." My eyes find him again at the sound of his voice. "I can't be staying here. I don't want his death to go unpaid for." I stare at him as his gaze finds mine. "I want revenge." I wouldn't expect anything less from Blake. The inferno that is set ablaze in his eyes are a welcoming sight. Blake's fire isn't extinguished from his tears. It only fuels the fire. And he wants to descend that fire into the Wings of Legend.

"Um...Dawn?" I turn at the sound of April's voice. She looks at me with concern. "What's wrong?" I blink. She's good. I've tried to mask the mixed feelings that are stirring inside of me, but nothing is ever hidden from April. She can sense sadness from miles away. I take a deep breath, and launch right in.

"Um...I visited my old bedroom earlier today and I...well...um" I stammer a bit. April looks at me expectantly, urging me to finish. "I don't want to be a victim anymore." April blinks and so does Blake. "I don't want to just sit here in Skyborne and do nothing..." I my voice trails off, hoping they understand. April speaks up.

"But, Dawn. You and Blake took down Moltres. That was a huge contribution to the-"

"No." I cut her off in mid-sentence. My voice starts rising in volume and intensity. "It's not enough. Capturing Moltres might help. But, it's not enough to end the war. We need more than a soldier of their ranks. We need information that will destroy them. We need to know what they have in mind! Sky borne isn't going to be finding out any time soon!" I'm on a roll. And no one in the right mind would dare stop me. "We need to go in, find out, and attack from the inside." I finish, allowing my comrades to speak once again. They stare at me in shock. But, of course, April is the first to reply.

"You mean, by ourselves?" She's in shock.

"Yes. If Skyborne was smart enough, it would have happened a long time ago. The war would have been over and no one would be dead!" I am yelling now. April's eyes are filled with pure fear. If an official was to hear me ranting about the quality of the Skyborne government, then we'd all be in deep trouble. I don't care, though. Let them come. This must be said in words. "We can't rely on Skyborne to end this war, anymore. We've got to go do it ourselves."

"But, an entire army couldn't do it! What makes you think we can?" April protests.

"If we attack with stealth, then we might be able to knock out at least their leader, Rayquaza. If we were able to take out Moltres then, we can take down Rayquaza now." Sure, there was a loose Hyper Beam to help us, but we might get lucky again. April doesn't say anything else. She just stares at me like I'm crazy, then thinks the whole plan through. It might work. Even if all we could get was information, any information from the very core of the inside is as valuable as gold.

"I'm in." April and I turn to the most quiet one in this conversation. Blake looks up from the floor, the fire stronger than I'd ever seen it. I nod at him and turn back to April. April's eyes alternate from me to Blake. She's outnumbered and she knows it. Then, she shrugs.

"Why not? Might even find out what those ruins mean. I'll definitely never find out cooped up in this mountain." I grin at April.

"Alright then, we'll start by making preparations." Our circle scootches closer together in a huddle to map out the plan.