InsaneJournal

***

In critical situations, he always tries to have the upper hand and he will know it when he is smug and calm-- when he is in control.

But when his Master is in obvious distress, it is hard to remain stoic, because he is supposed to be her Dark Knight, her right-hand man.

(Though he knows that she prefers someone else, someone who he will have to kill someday. When the favored one dies, he will laugh at the girl’s burning body and will finally have his Master all to himself.)

And when he faces Aerrow, he often feels as though he’s facing a younger version of himself. Aerrow is a cocky and tricky, drawing out the worst out of Dark Ace: his impulsiveness, his anger, his weakness.

When he is weak, his Master tries to ignore it, which he is grateful for, but he knows her patience with him will not last much longer. She does not value him the way he values her; their feelings have never been mutual.

***

In critical situations, she always tries to have the upper hand and she will know it when she is smug and calm-- when she is in control.

It’s something that she shares deeply with her favored Talon Commander, but she doubts that he realizes it for he is too lost in his own troubles.

And when he is in such troubles, she tries to dismiss them all because she believes in him, because she values him in a way that he will never value her. They have their roles, their positions and no matter what happens, they will always remain that way: she being his Master and he being her Servant.

But every time she encounters her rival, Piper brings the worst out of her: her impulsiveness, her foolishness, her weakness.

The Dark Ace has never acknowledged any of her flaws, her faults and she rather likes it that way. She wants to remain perfect in his eyes.

***

As usual, Master Cyclonis is working in her lab. Without much light, it is dark and haunting, but the sparkling crystals make up for that. There is a sudden creaking sound of the doors opening, but she does not turn around. She keeps working furiously.

The heavy yet subtle, familiar steps she hears is familiar and she finally pauses, closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

“Master--”

“So you failed,” she cuts him off immediately, “again.”

“Yes.”

There is a moment of silence.

In dire situations, when they are vulnerable and weak, they do not have control, but they must go on, to struggle on and on. That way, victory and revenge will both taste all the more sweeter.

“Next time,” she pauses again and finally turns around, keeping her tone stern, “do not fail me.”

“Understood.”

“And one more thing,” she says, looking deep within those crimson eyes, “do try something else. Do you really think the same tactic will work the next time?”

“But I’m only following your plans, Master,” he says.

“The Storm Hawks have never followed Piper’s,” she replies, shaking her head. “Perhaps that is the key.”

She wonders then, if she has disappointed him. She does not know that at that very moment, he ponders the same.

Fin.

***

A/n: I’m sort of in the same situation in RL. I lost my confidence in English again (and in turn, writing) and have decided to just stop taking any classes that will ultimately ruin my experience/view of any of my favorite hobbies. So I wrote this, as a stepping stone, to get over it, maybe, but I dunno if I’ll ever get over it, ever.