Terra Cyclonia's red skies and constant storms continue to rage as they normally would, with the towering palace being a shelter to the weather in all aspects but the odd sound. Within the tower, the Dark Ace had made his way silently through the corridors, holding a small paper bag under his shoulder, held shut with twine and with his name scribbled on the front.
Finally entering his destination, he stood before Master Cyclonis and her crystal melding machine once again. This time, however, she faced him. Wearing a devilish look upon her face. The Dark Ace stopped, and before Cyclonis had a chance to talk to him, he insisted on opening the package under his arm. She tilted her head in a way to grant his permission. He pulled the bag into the both of his hands, and unwrapped it. Inside the paper bag was an item that immediately drew Ace's face into a bright red hue. Cyclonis looked at Ace with mild amusement, asking him what his gift was. Locking eyes with Master Cyclonis, the Dark Ace gripped a part of the item and let go of the rest.
Unfurling from his hand, Ace revealed his package to be a pastel pink pinny. Almost exactly the same as the one Starling had forced him to wear. Looking at the dramatic display of embarassment, Master Cyclonis' smile grew into full menace. 'That's a pretty addition to your collection. Although, I think this is a bit more your speed...' She held her hand out, aiming behind Ace. Suddenly, appearing from behind him, a second paper bag shot across and into Master Cyclonis' hand. She candidly offered it to the Dark Ace, who took it hesitantly, and slowly opened it.
After barely opening it half way, the Dark Ace slammed his hands together and shot a silent and aggressive look at Cyclonis, before tearing the package open violently, revealing a similarly designed pinny. This one being a sleek crimson that melded with his under-armour's colour pallette perfectly. 'Am I a joke to you?' Ace asked, angry and offended.
'No. But you are still very much at my service. So you are going to put that on and dust the rafters for me' Cyclonis replied, her voice indifferent to his complaints. 'Make sure you have no creases either, I can't have my main maid looking less than stellar' The Dark Ace quietly growled whilst he took the crimson pinny with him. He left the main room and entered a small cupboard in the next door over.
Inside the cupboard, Ace grumbled to himself about the current happenings as he unclipped and yanked off his metal plating on his suit. He slipped the pinny over him and wrapped the tie strings around his back, then around the front, and then around the back once more. He deftly tied the strings together behind him, and pulled the fabric taut across his body. The creaseless front panel manipulating into place. Once properly applied, Ace turned to open the door; although his reach for the door handle ended up stunted as he managed a quick glance at himself. He froze in place, looking at himself through a full body mirror hung upon the door.
Ace pulled himself away, and gazed upon the reflection. He twisted his body to see more of how his crimson pinny fit. He knew deep down he should hate it. It was unbecoming of a hunter of sky knights, degrading in nature of his very essence.
Yet, looking upon himself, he found himself smiling. He was... at peace. The fabric lent wonders to his sleek frame, pulling sightlines to and from the angualrisms of his body. It seemed to make him feel comfortable in a way he had not felt in a long time.
Finally pulling himself back together, Ace reached for the door handle with renewed strength. His smile crooked into his standard focused neutral face as he twisted the handle, and re-entered the corridor.
Returning to the room Cyclonis stood in, the Dark Ace held his right hand across his ribs and bowed a slight amount forward. Silently complying with Master Cyclonis' orders. Master Cyclonis smiled, and pulled out a couple of crystals from behind her; holding them in one hand. Around her, a purple aura started to eminate. These eminations surrounded her entirely, and reflected off of the walls. Once she felt the glowing was strong enough, she held her hand out to the Dark Ace and watched as the aura spread across her, out from her hand, and reaching Ace. Ace's aura sheened a reddish hue, and filled him with power and confidence. This confidence made him reflexively leap into the air, and instead of coming back down to the ground, he flew around the room. The excitement welling up inside him making him need to experiment with a whole range of aerial manoeuvres.
After a while, Ace had calmed down, and set himself to the task at hand. Using a large, puffy feather duster. He darted all around the large room indifferently and devoid of any overflowing emotion. Master Cyclonis held her arm in his direction as she used her crystal powers to hold a book in the air fir her to read; pages turning semi-regularly. With most of the dusting finished, Ace approached Cyclonis, landing a small distance away and walking up to her. She soon realised he had landed, and payed attention to him. She noticed that he had a contented smile on his face.
'What's with the smile?' She asked, grinning back at him.
'I must say, Master, whilst I fully expected to hate every second of this; you have made the right choice of attire. I feel good in this' Ace pulled his pinny outwards, and slightly swished it from side to side. 'I feel... free'
'It is my gift to you regardless of how you feel about it. So long as you do not disgrace yourself, you may wear it as often as you wish' Cyclonis coldly warned, turning and walking away.
'Would wearing it amongst your sole company count as disgrace?' The Dark Ace asked, his tone of actual curiosity rather than any kind of snark of ego.
Master Cyclonis stopped. Thinking over whether or not to allow him to. Eventually, she creaked her head to the side. 'Upon condition of asking, you should have the permission to wear your new gifts. Both mine, and the...pink one'
'The pink one isn't from you?'
'No. It isn't... but I think we can guess who it came from' Cyclonis clarified, before continuing to exit the room. Leaving the Dark Ace alone as he muttered the name of who he expected to have sent his fashionable gift.
'Starling...'