InsaneJournal

This chapter is dedicated to all those people who reviewed. Thanks for the support, guys! =D Reviews tell me that you care. <3 ‘cause I’ve been feeling so distracted, depressed, disoriented and discouraged lately. (lol, so many d’s)

But I also have to thank Lianabluestar for giving me the courage to pick this up again. It’s very hard for me to keep an epic going, hell, I almost wanted to drop this.

And lastly, thanks to my beta-reader, missreige, for beta-ing this! It makes me feel more secure, XD really.

III - Nowhere to go - III

Breathe.

He needed to breathe.

He opened his eyes and looked around listlessly. Below him was Terra Atmosia and above him were the darkening skies, a sign of rain, maybe? The winds whooshed and whistled around him, cold and harsh against his skin.

Mind games.

That was all they were, just mind games.

Dark Ace’s reason didn’t make sense, but maybe it didn’t have to, because there was a chance with that maniacal laugh of his and his evil ways of living, that he wasn’t quite sane. Who would be sane after killing so many people? Did Dark Ace ever feel guilty for all of those people? Was he born evil?

Drip.

He blinked and looked at his gloved palm. The Sky Council was right in picking him to deal with Dark Ace, because after all of these years of fighting, he knew how Dark Ace would react to certain situations. That didn’t mean that his rival was predictable though, because that kiss had been definitely unexpected.

Drip. Drip.

He gazed at the sky and felt the raindrops trailing down his face. He resisted the urge to sigh and took out the crystal again. He returned to Terra Atmosia and descended to the ground. The crystal gleamed mysteriously.

Dark Ace was in his cell, a strange, calculating look masking his face. The bars of the cell slid down and two bodyguards, armed with crystal-enhanced weapons, placed shackles around Dark Ace’s wrists and legs. They accompanied him and exchanged nervous glances with each other. Once they reached the restrooms, they stopped and let Dark Ace go.

Aerrow wasn’t sure if that was out of fear, courtesy or something else, but whatever the reason, it was their biggest and stupidest mistake.

Dark Ace bent down, held out his leg and swung it. Naturally, they stumbled and fell on their butts. Dark Ace snatched the weapons, deactivated the shackles by using said weapons and burst out running in the hallways of the prison. He survived through many of the traps, from the darts thrown at him to the crushing walls.

Aerrow gasped and without a second thought, got on his skimmer and sped off, going through the villages of the Atmosians. By the time he arrived in the prison, he realized that he was too late. Dark Ace was nowhere to be found. He glanced at the crystal again and saw something quite familiar nearing Dark Ace. His ship. The Condor. His friends were in there.

If Dark Ace was going to be sneaky and stealthy, it would be less likely that Dark Ace would attack his friends the moment he reached them. That would give Aerrow some time to catch up to him. He turned around and maneuvered his way out of the maze-like prison of traps.

In times like these he didn’t understand Dark Ace.

What was his rival up to?

III - NTG - III

In the launching area of the Condor, Junko was fixing and cleaning the dirty, scraped and broken skimmers.

Finn, being himself, was obviously doing something else as he put on his headphones, thrummed his fingers against the strings of his electric guitar and rocked on to the music.

They were completely unaware of a pair of red eyes watching them, but that was fine. After all, oblivion is a bliss. Or was that ignorance? How foolish of them to be so inattentive, but maybe it was for the best.

With that in mind, Dark Ace moved on to the next room.

III - NTG - III

Radarr stood on his hind legs and scrutinized the bridge.

There was a weird, but familiar smell in the room. He scampered towards the paranoid Stork and crawled up to the Merb’s head to get a clearer view.

The shadows suddenly shifted. What was that?

(Or who was that?)

“You noticed it too?” Stork asked, his left eye twitching. “Can’t let this happen again.” He glanced at the buttons and pressed them all. He waited. Radarr waited. And then, none of them triggered any of his traps.

“We’re doomed,” he whispered ominously.

III - NTG - III

She was a strong woman.

She knew this, accepted this and was proud of it.

Like Junko and Finn, she was oblivious to the intruder of the Condor. She kept herself busy with her crystals because it was part of her job. She loved creating new ones, exploring every aspect, every facet, every bit of detail besides plotting and making plans for the Storm Hawks. After years of studying, of writing her own books or just plain notes of her discoveries, she was positive that she knew just as much as Master Cyclonis.

She froze at the thought of that name and closed her eyes. Her crystals, her knowledge and her Sky Fu skills had brought her victory against Master Cyclonis and yet she knew that her strength, her courage and her will were going to be tested again.

Things didn’t end as they should have had.

The memory of the confrontation was so clear.

iii - ntg - iii

They both retreated, equally exhausted, equally out of crystals and equally matched. They weren’t girls anymore; they were women, with something to gain and something to lose. They understood why they had done what they did, why they were here now and the startling similarities between them.

Piper gripped her staff tightly, lest Master Cyclonis decided to strike again. Despite the gauntly appearance of her opponent – her eyes void of any kind of emotions, her skin so translucent and white like death, and her life force so weak from the use of her powers – Piper would not underestimate Master Cyclonis.

“Isn’t this fitting?” Master Cyclonis inquired with a ghost of a smile, “for us to meet like this, be it as friends or enemies? The last time we had a confrontation, you were weak, but had a lot of potential. I see now that you have reached that potential. I’m impressed.”

“I guess I should thank you,” Piper said softly, “but that doesn’t mean I will join you like you wanted me to from all those years ago. If you’re truly as knowledgeable as you look and act, you would know that this is all pointless.”

“It may as well be,” Master Cyclonis admitted, chuckling a bit. “But it doesn’t matter. I didn’t want to conquer the world because I was expected to. The Sky Knights and the Atmosians took someone and something dear to me. I’m only taking back on what is left and what is mine.”

“What your ancestors and what your father did all of those years were wrong and you know it,” Piper said sharply. Once more, they fought with fists and legs and whatever skills they have left.

Both staffs by now were gone and so were their will to continue the fight. It was when Piper stood up on her own two feet, did she realize the real difference between them.

She had a strong conscience that Master Cyclonis lacked. As she gazed upon her fallen enemy, deep into her hollowed eyes, Piper could finally see the emotions pouring in: the anger, the resentment, the hatred, the grief and even the loneliness.

For a moment there, she saw her Lark, the giggly, bubbly girl who could have been her best friend.

iii - ntg - iii

She opened her eyes and felt the tears fall. She hastily wiped them all away and continued working on her crystals. It was that same conscience that had made her turn around and leave.

It was that same conscience that gave her the ability to be compassionate and forgiving to others and ultimately, that had allowed Master Cyclonis, even in her weakened form, to escape.

She would never truly forgive herself for letting that woman live.

III - NTG - III

Aerrow slipped into his bedroom and hid under the dark blue blankets. He tried to relax his body, pulling the blankets over his head to give the impression that he was napping. As he lay there waiting for Dark Ace, he realized how stupid this was and shook his head mentally. Was this even going to work?

The floor creaked and then there were the sounds of light, careful footsteps. He gasped. His eyes widened. Through his thin blankets, he could see a silhouette moving closer and closer to him. A hand suddenly pressed upon his rear and slid up to the curve of his back. Out of reflex, Aerrow lashed out, only to have his wrists pinned above his head by strong, coarse hands.

The intruder then climbed up on him and straddled his hips. He gazed at Aerrow thoughtfully, a familiar, smug smile curling upon his lips. “Your squadron is already losing their touch,” Dark Ace said with a derisive snort. “Most of them didn’t know I was coming in, but then again, they aren’t all like you, alert and aware.” He leaned in, allowing Aerrow feel the weight of the older man’s body. The tip of their noses just barely touched. “Maybe you’re not as naïve as you look, Sky Knight.”

Aerrow blinked. What did Dark Ace mean by that? He never considered himself naïve because of his past. “What tipped you off?” he wondered and once he tried to move about, he realized the awkwardness of the situation. Dark Ace was on top of him. Dark Ace had so-called kissed him and had copped a feel earlier. That wasn’t right and it wasn’t even because they were both guys; it was the fact that they were supposed to be enemies!

Well, ex-enemies now, but whatever!

Dark Ace released his wrists and got off him instantly as though he too had realized the strange awkwardness. A part of Aerrow was shocked, to say at least, to the point that all he could do was sit up and stare at his rival. Dark Ace seemed different, poised and calm as though this was all part of a plan, and chances were, it probably was.

“I think it’s pathetic-- no, a tragedy for the Sky Council to have so little faith in people redeeming themselves. What happened to giving people second chances, to correct the mistakes of their pasts and start anew?” Dark Ace asked in a smooth tone of voice. Aerrow resisted the urge to roll his eyes; Dark Ace had probably used that tone of voice to placate a PMS-ing Master Cyclonis.

“What?” Aerrow blinked again. “Are you saying that you’ll actually turn your life around and take responsibility for all of your mistakes and crimes?” If he wasn’t so tense, he would have laughed. How fake could Dark Ace get? “I think you can do better than that, Dark Ace. That isn’t like you.”

“Oh?” Dark Ace inquired, crossing his arms and cocking his head to the side. “What does it take to prove myself?” Dark Ace had escaped prison, like the Sky Council had expected. Dark Ace didn’t mess with his friends like he usually would and he didn’t even bring any of his weapons, but that didn’t mean that Aerrow would lower his guard.

And yet…

“Maybe being in that prison did drive you crazy,” Aerrow mused aloud, earning him another snort. He didn’t believe Dark Ace because people like him never changed, but he might as well play along with this, to figure out not only Dark Ace’s motives, but also the Sky Council’s intentions for them.

“Answer me or else I will change my mind,” Dark Ace said sharply, “I could have escaped by using one of your skimmers, destroyed your ship and killed your friends, but instead I came to you.” But that was the problem; it wasn’t Dark Ace to act like that unless he wanted something...

But what could that be?

Aerrow couldn’t take it anymore. It was just too much. He laughed and pointed at Dark Ace like a ten-year-old child. “Who are you and what did you do to my rival?” This was just funny, really funny, because there had been a lot of times he’d try to convince himself that Dark Ace was just being Dark Ace, messing with him and whatever, but really now…

…who was he trying to convince that Dark Ace’s tricks weren’t working on him? Himself or his rival? Was he going crazy like Dark Ace? Or was he being in denial? Too many questions and so little answers; it was as though the more Aerrow got to know Dark Ace, the more mysterious he was.

“I assure you that I am the real thing,” Dark Ace said, smiling in amusement now. “It’s not unexpected of you to be distrustful of what I say and myself, because after all, in your eyes, I am a traitor. And who knows,” he paused, his eyes gleaming, “if I was given the chance to restart my life, I might betray Atmos again.”

“Three tests,” Aerrow answered finally, “from myself and the Sky Council, to prove yourself, but I don’t know if that is enough for the Sky Council. They never trusted any of the traitors of Atmos because what they had done and what you had done is ultimately unforgivable.”

“I see,” Dark Ace murmured as though he was in a state of regret. Aerrow would have believed that if not for the man‘s request: “Take me to them again. I will do whatever it takes.”

Now that was Dark Ace, a man who was willing to do anything to get what he wanted.

Aerrow was actually glad and relieved for this, though he didn’t know why. He gazed at Dark Ace again and said, “I can only guess what you’re up to, but I’ll tell you right now, whatever it is you’re trying to do, like with that so-called kiss of yours, it’s going to backfire. Piper’s plans, no matter how perfect they were, were never exactly followed, because things just… don’t go as…well, planned.”

Dark Ace gave him a strange little smirk and chuckled. “If that’s what you think, then we’ll see how it goes. If you’re right, then I will remain in prison for the rest of my life and if you’re wrong, then I have the right to take your life. Is that something that you’re willing to risk, Aerrow?”

Aerrow looked at him and smiled. “Bring it on.”

III - NTG - III

Dark Ace was impressed.

Others who believed too much in the goodness of the heart, for it to purify and heal itself, like Aerrow’s father and Piper would have believed his pretentious acts and fallen into his traps. Because of this though, he knew that there were going to be some drawbacks, but he could always improvise, like Aerrow would do with his squadron. Now they were back to square one:

Standing before the Sky Council once again.

“So you request for a second chance,” the old man with the monocle stated with a deep, weary sigh. “It is not often we hear criminals like you to seek redemption, but I assume that Aerrow has already told you what you must do? Three tests?”

Dark Ace nodded. He knew what he was doing. He knew that it was stupid and ridiculous and completely unlike him. And even Aerrow knew what he was up to, but he had his own plans and he was more than willing to put them into action.

“Very well.” A ponderous pause. “Aerrow, you are to take Dark Ace back into his cell and resume your duties as a Sky Knight. Is that understood?”

“Yes,” Aerrow answered with a small bow.

There was something quite strange about this.

As Aerrow took hold of his chains and led him back to his cell (it was probably even more guarded now because of his previous escape), he wondered what else Aerrow had to do as a Sky Knight.

It wasn’t as though there was anything else, unless it had something to do with politics, but even then people never truly sat down and discussed the problems of their Terrae. They used wars and crystals to solve those issues.

After all, actions spoke louder than words.

The bars slid up and he stepped back and returned to his cell. For once, he could not see or speculate what might be going through Aerrow’s mind. His face was blank and expressionless as though he was hiding something. Even Dark Ace by now had to admit that they had many, disturbing similarities.

Once the bars slid down, Aerrow turned around and left without a word.

A realization dawned upon Dark Ace.

Time was out of joint.

III - NTG - III

Aerrow believed in many things. He believed in law and order. He believed that there were three kinds of people: the good, the bad and the lost.

Those who were lost were usually labeled as the misunderstood, the insane and sometimes the bad.

It wasn’t like him to question the symbol of his beliefs, but now after weeks of thinking, after visiting Dark Ace on a daily basis, he found himself lost.

And questioning authority.

“Why me?”

A whisper, a plea. He was desperate for answers, for certainty.

“We have already answered that question.”

“What’s the point in doing this?”

Silence.

“Again, you should already know why.”

He willed himself to be calm or at least pretend to because he could not let frustration and anger get to him like this. He wouldn’t be the leader of the Storm Hawks if he did.

But it was times like these that he regretted his actions. He should have let Dark Ace fall and die because now, he realized that there was no point in continuing the cycle of suffering and the process of karma.

“What does he have left to offer to you?”

Or better yet, what secrets did Dark Ace have?

“That is for us to know and for you to find out.”

And so he would, whether through the Sky Council somehow, through his friends or even through Dark Ace.

III - NTG - III

It was his fault.

It was Dark Ace’s fault that Aerrow was here, leaning against the wall and watching his rival carefully. Aerrow had already lost track of the times he visited him. But wait, he wouldn’t be in this situation if he hadn’t saved Dark Ace for his own twisted sense of justice. He didn’t have to listen to Dark Ace’s taunting words and baffling philosophies.

Why was he listening to this man anyway? It wasn’t as though Aerrow looked up to him. Or maybe, in a way, he did, by learning from him. From battling Dark Ace, he had learned many techniques and from listening to him, he was slowly understanding the mindset of people like Dark Ace. He was Dark Ace’s opposite in that he avoided his rival’s mistakes.

“Your first test has something to do with phoenixes,” Aerrow paused and looked at the man lying on the bed. Dark Ace merely nodded in response. “The Storm Hawks are going to be the diversion by taking one of the phoenix crystals. While the phoenix is distracted, you’re to pierce the phoenix’s eyes. Piper will then collect its tears by using crystal-enhanced containers.”

“Tears of fire,” Dark Ace murmured with a grimace. “I would ask what’s the point in trying to make a phoenix cry, but I suppose the tears have some chemical properties that can be used for creating new crystals…”

A ponderous silence surrounded them. They stared at each other, scrutinizing, judging and speculating.

Dark Ace was the first to break the eye-contact. He gazed at the wall listlessly and said, “I’d imagine the Storm Hawks by now are official.”

Aerrow shook his head. “If only.”

“Hmm, doesn’t that make you curious?” Dark Ace inquired, his eyes gleaming impishly, “you’re probably asking yourself, whether the old Storm Hawks, your father’s squadron and mine, are meant to be replaced.”

“So what if I am? Is there a specific reason why?”

“I take back what I said about you not being naïve,” Dark Ace muttered, shaking his head as if disappointed. “Whether you’re a good citizen or not, you should never believe nor trust the Sky Council’s way of doing things around here. They are a bunch of old fools who can only watch and judge. They can do nothing else.”

The silence returned. For a while, Aerrow didn’t know how to reply to that. “Well, whether we’re official or not, it doesn’t matter. We don’t need a title to prove who we are.” He smiled and remembered the first time he had said the very same words to the Sky Council themselves.

“Such optimism,” Dark Ace murmured with a deep chuckle. “Even through all these years, you still remain optimistic, though only in some aspects by now.” Aerrow was about to protest, but Dark Ace immediately cut him off. “Would you believe me if I tell you that the reason why the Sky Council is doing this not just to myself, but also to you is because they want you to prove a theory of theirs? That my Master is not only alive, but has survived because of a crystal that allows her to move things with just her will and her mind?”

“No, because crystals like that don’t exist,” Aerrow answered bluntly. It was true that the dragons had existed, that there were many powerful and undiscovered crystals out there, but a crystal like that? It was unheard of, but it could explain a lot of things he had been wondering about, though it was way too early to tell. He needed more information; he needed facts.

“She used to tell me,” Dark Ace paused, looking at Aerrow again, “that her mind was her power and her power was her mind. She lets nothing limit her just as you never let the skies limit you. If she wants to forget everything, then she will and if she wants a specific detail, she will pull out one of her books and point out the exact page and the sentence. When she isn’t distracted by anything, when she has her focus, her mind is her pure power.”

That must be the reason why Dark Ace was loyal to her; it wasn’t so much of Master Cyclonis having power, but how she used it. If Dark Ace was right in that she never let anything stop her just as Aerrow would never let the opposite forces to do the same, could Dark Ace be also right in that Master Cyclonis was still alive? Was that also why Dark Ace acted as though he had nothing to lose, because in reality, as long as he had Master Cyclonis by his side, there was nothing to lose?

“But I digress,” Dark Ace said with cool arrogance, “the reason why the old Storm Hawks are never going to be replaced by your squadron is because of fear. The Sky Council fears that the past will repeat itself.” He raised his hand and pointed his finger at Aerrow. “Now who will the betrayer be? Will be Piper because she had fought Master Cyclonis last? Will be Finn because of his selfish nature? Or will it be somebody who you would never expect?”

“Shut up,” Aerrow said softly, glaring at Dark Ace now. That familiar hatred was seeping into him again, like the blood in his veins. “I’m not like you, Dark Ace. I will never betray my squadron. They’re the only family I have.”

“That’s what I thought too, but someday, you will understand what it means. If the wars are over, then there is peace, but if there is peace, there are no uses for Sky Knights. People of the future will take peace for granted and will never fully appreciate what has happened in the past.”

“And that matters to you because?”

“It doesn’t, but does it matter to you?”

III - TBC - III

A/n: Terrae = plural word for Terra. Yes, I checked the dictionary.

This chapter was a pain in my ass. I had to rewrite the first scene a few times, I had to rewrite Piper’s scenes at least 4 times and I had to rewrite the scene after that at least twice. And I have a feeling that section sounds really stiff. And I had a mental block/writer’s block. And lookie at the word count, 4000+ words! ^_~

So uh, any questions? Questions are really helpful. They will change how a story goes, just so you know. =D

Also, I’m starting another DA/A story, called “Hellish Paradise” soon to satisfy some cravings (there seriously needs to be more well written DA/A smut) and also another story for another fandom, but this story takes first priority, mkay? =D I’m actually getting very attached to it now.

And this is completely off topic, but it’s summer time and I just graduated from high school like… on Friday, the 13. That means more writing and I might even finish this epic in a matter of weeks! YAY!

Now, let’s see if I can write chapter 4! If I make it through chapter four and five, then I know I can finish the rest!