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"Hey Daddy, how long are you going to be gone this time?"

"Well, I can't say for sure. I'll be back though."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Lightning Strike patted his son on the head and gave him one last reassuring smile before turning towards the door. Before he got there though, he felt little hands grab the bottom of his leg, stopping him.

"Really?"

He looked down at him, feeling his heart fill with guilt. Every time he left to fight, it was the same thing. Over and over he had to give his son false hope. So far, he had been lucky, and could come home to keep his promises. Though he knew that sooner or later, he wouldn't be able to keep them.

"Really." he gave his son another smile, and continued to the door.

The boy stayed where he was, watching his father leave yet again, off to protect the Atmos. He wondered if his father would take him with to help him fight some time. The idea excited him, and he smiled at his mother who had been standing in the kitchen. She had already said her goodbyes, and for some reason that he couldn't quite understand, she had never liked to see his father walk out of the door. She shouldn't worry though, he thought. Daddy promised he would come back, and you can't break promises.

"I'm going to be just like Daddy when I'm older! I want to be a Sky Knight!" He proudly proclaimed to his mother, who was washing dishes.

She paused, and looked at her son. Although she couldn't say it to him, she worried about Lightning every day he was away. She hated to listen to him promise his return, when he knew that there was no guarantee of it. And every time he had to leave, it was like another part of her heart was cracked off.

"That's nice Aerrow." It was all she could say.

Aerrow's smile faltered a little bit, but he was too excited to dwell on it too long. He turned back to the door, ready to run out and watch the squadron leave.

Aerrow's excitement turned to fear when he realized the door was no longer there. In fact, the whole front area of the house had been replaced with what looked like the wastelands, even though he knew his Terra was nowhere near the bottom of Atmos. He whipped his head back around, in hopes that his mother could explain this, to tell him everything was okay.

Instead of seeing his mother, still washing dishes in the kitchen, he was surrounded with a scene that looked like it belonged in an apocalyptic movie. However, Aerrow was no longer concerned about the area he found himself in, but was now more focused on a pile of metal and debris, which had small flames beginning to spread around the rusted parts.

It took a second to register that the heap of twisted metal he was looking at was the Condor, the ship that belonged to his father and the Squadron. And as he looked closer at it, he began to see what looked like a human arm sticking out of the wreckage, mangled and torn.

He stepped back, horrified, confused. He looked around, desperate to find his mother.

"Mommy?!!"

"You think he's coming back?"

Aerrow froze. The voice he heard sounded nothing like his mother. It sounded sinister, evil, and it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Before he could have time to say anything, the voice started again.

"Just because he promised?" The voice grew louder, seeming to come from every direction.

"H-he always keeps his promises!" Aerrow yelled out, angry at the voice. He knew his father would never make a promise unless he really meant it...

"How cute. It's going to be very disappointing for you when he fails to return."

Aerrow could barely contain his rage. Whoever this was, they didn't know his father!

"You're lying! He always comes back! Always!" As he said this, he began to see a black shape in the distance. When he squinted his eyes to get a better look, the shape began to take a human figure. And then as he finally started to recognize the figure walking towards him, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"B-b-but.....but you...yo-"

The voice seemed to find it's owner, and instead of it echoing off of the rocks around them, it came from the figures mouth.

"And to think, the one closest to the Sky Knight would be the one to take him down."

Aerrow struggled to find his breath, but the meaning of those words seemed to push the air out of him.

"Don't worry though. Soon, you can join your father." He finished this with a wicked smile.

Aerrow found himself backing away, afraid to run, but afraid to stay in the presence of this evil. It was then that he saw his father, standing not too far behind the evil man. His father looked at him with eyes full of grief, a sadness he had never seen on him before. Without thinking, he ran towards him, desperately wanting to hug him and have his father take him away from this darkness. Before he could reach him though, the image of his father seemed to fade away, leaving nothing but darkness.

"Daddy!" He cried out, but it was too late. His father was gone.

The man laughed at Aerrow. He had stepped closer to him, raising his hand above his head to bring out a blade, igniting it.

"Cyclonia had more to offer to me than he would have ever had." He spat these words out, as if disgusted by the thought of the Sky Knight. Aerrow slowly turned around, tears spilling from his eyes. He had never felt so scared in his life.

"..b-but Ace....Why?!" He choked, unable to find his breath again.

"I guess it's one of those things that will remain a mystery." And with that, he lifted the sword. The sword that Aerrow had seen his father wield on many occasions. His eyes drifted to Ace, his face twisted in a grin that held nothing but hate and darkness. His eyes were as red as blood, not bothering the hide the rage and evil that were contained within them.

As the sword was brought down, Aerrow closed his eyes, afraid of what death would feel like.

When he opened them though, he found himself in his room on the Condor, Radarr sound asleep on his left.

He let out a heavy sigh and put his head in his hands. It had been 10 years since his father had been murdered, and still, Aerrow didn't know why. If he could, he would find the reason behind Dark Ace's betrayal, and his horrible slaughter of the former Storm Hawks.

As these thoughts whirled around in his head, he shakily lifted himself from the bed. After another heavy sigh, he made his way out of his room and to the front of the ship. Stork was where he usually was, out on the bridge, asleep next to the wheel. He always wanted to be prepared in case there was an attack.

Aerrow passed by the sleeping merb quietly, and stepped outside to lean against the balcony. He usually went here to calm himself down and think. His eyes trailed upwards, gazing at the stars that littered the night sky. A small breeze ruffled his hair, and again he closed his eyes. His thoughts were brought back to the last day he had seen his father. His father walking out the door, the Condor taking off, his mother in the kitchen, all of these images came flooding back.

Aerrow opened his eyes again when he felt a single tear roll down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away, in fear that the merb would have woken up and would see him crying. He would never let the others know, not even Piper. He told himself it was because he didn't want them to worry about him, but he knew lying to himself was useless.

Looking back at the merb, who was still asleep, Aerrow thought of how lucky he was to have a squadron like them. How lucky he was to be able to continue the legacy his father had built. But he couldn't rid himself of that one thought. The one thought that tore away at his heart each time it entered his head.

He promised.

Description
"Hey Daddy, how long are you going to be gone this time?"

"Well, I can't say for sure. I'll be back though."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Lightning Strike patted his son on the head and gave him one last reassuring smile before turning towards the door. Before he got there though, he felt little hands grab the bottom of his leg, stopping him.

"Really?"

He looked down at him, feeling his heart fill with guilt. Every time he left to fight, it was the same thing. Over and over he had to give his son false hope. So far, he had been lucky, and could come home to keep his promises. Though he knew that sooner or later, he wouldn't be able to keep them.

"Really." he gave his son another smile, and continued to the door.

The boy stayed where he was, watching his father leave yet again, off to protect the Atmos. He wondered if his father would take him with to help him fight some time. The idea excited him, and he smiled at his mother who had been standing in the kitchen. She had already said her goodbyes, and for some reason that he couldn't quite understand, she had never liked to see his father walk out of the door. She shouldn't worry though, he thought. Daddy promised he would come back, and you can't break promises.

"I'm going to be just like Daddy when I'm older! I want to be a Sky Knight!" He proudly proclaimed to his mother, who was washing dishes.

She paused, and looked at her son. Although she couldn't say it to him, she worried about Lightning every day he was away. She hated to listen to him promise his return, when he knew that there was no guarantee of it. And every time he had to leave, it was like another part of her heart was cracked off.

"That's nice Aerrow." It was all she could say.

Aerrow's smile faltered a little bit, but he was too excited to dwell on it too long. He turned back to the door, ready to run out and watch the squadron leave.

Aerrow's excitement turned to fear when he realized the door was no longer there. In fact, the whole front area of the house had been replaced with what looked like the wastelands, even though he knew his Terra was nowhere near the bottom of Atmos. He whipped his head back around, in hopes that his mother could explain this, to tell him everything was okay.

Instead of seeing his mother, still washing dishes in the kitchen, he was surrounded with a scene that looked like it belonged in an apocalyptic movie. However, Aerrow was no longer concerned about the area he found himself in, but was now more focused on a pile of metal and debris, which had small flames beginning to spread around the rusted parts.

It took a second to register that the heap of twisted metal he was looking at was the Condor, the ship that belonged to his father and the Squadron. And as he looked closer at it, he began to see what looked like a human arm sticking out of the wreckage, mangled and torn.

He stepped back, horrified, confused. He looked around, desperate to find his mother.

"Mommy?!!"

"You think he's coming back?"

Aerrow froze. The voice he heard sounded nothing like his mother. It sounded sinister, evil, and it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Before he could have time to say anything, the voice started again.

"Just because he promised?" The voice grew louder, seeming to come from every direction.

"H-he always keeps his promises!" Aerrow yelled out, angry at the voice. He knew his father would never make a promise unless he really meant it...

"How cute. It's going to be very disappointing for you when he fails to return."

Aerrow could barely contain his rage. Whoever this was, they didn't know his father!

"You're lying! He always comes back! Always!" As he said this, he began to see a black shape in the distance. When he squinted his eyes to get a better look, the shape began to take a human figure. And then as he finally started to recognize the figure walking towards him, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"B-b-but.....but you...yo-"

The voice seemed to find it's owner, and instead of it echoing off of the rocks around them, it came from the figures mouth.

"And to think, the one closest to the Sky Knight would be the one to take him down."

Aerrow struggled to find his breath, but the meaning of those words seemed to push the air out of him.

"Don't worry though. Soon, you can join your father." He finished this with a wicked smile.

Aerrow found himself backing away, afraid to run, but afraid to stay in the presence of this evil. It was then that he saw his father, standing not too far behind the evil man. His father looked at him with eyes full of grief, a sadness he had never seen on him before. Without thinking, he ran towards him, desperately wanting to hug him and have his father take him away from this darkness. Before he could reach him though, the image of his father seemed to fade away, leaving nothing but darkness.

"Daddy!" He cried out, but it was too late. His father was gone.

The man laughed at Aerrow. He had stepped closer to him, raising his hand above his head to bring out a blade, igniting it.

"Cyclonia had more to offer to me than he would have ever had." He spat these words out, as if disgusted by the thought of the Sky Knight. Aerrow slowly turned around, tears spilling from his eyes. He had never felt so scared in his life.

"..b-but Ace....Why?!" He choked, unable to find his breath again.

"I guess it's one of those things that will remain a mystery." And with that, he lifted the sword. The sword that Aerrow had seen his father wield on many occasions. His eyes drifted to Ace, his face twisted in a grin that held nothing but hate and darkness. His eyes were as red as blood, not bothering the hide the rage and evil that were contained within them.

As the sword was brought down, Aerrow closed his eyes, afraid of what death would feel like.

When he opened them though, he found himself in his room on the Condor, Radarr sound asleep on his left.

He let out a heavy sigh and put his head in his hands. It had been 10 years since his father had been murdered, and still, Aerrow didn't know why. If he could, he would find the reason behind Dark Ace's betrayal, and his horrible slaughter of the former Storm Hawks.

As these thoughts whirled around in his head, he shakily lifted himself from the bed. After another heavy sigh, he made his way out of his room and to the front of the ship. Stork was where he usually was, out on the bridge, asleep next to the wheel. He always wanted to be prepared in case there was an attack.

Aerrow passed by the sleeping merb quietly, and stepped outside to lean against the balcony. He usually went here to calm himself down and think. His eyes trailed upwards, gazing at the stars that littered the night sky. A small breeze ruffled his hair, and again he closed his eyes. His thoughts were brought back to the last day he had seen his father. His father walking out the door, the Condor taking off, his mother in the kitchen, all of these images came flooding back.

Aerrow opened his eyes again when he felt a single tear roll down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away, in fear that the merb would have woken up and would see him crying. He would never let the others know, not even Piper. He told himself it was because he didn't want them to worry about him, but he knew lying to himself was useless.

Looking back at the merb, who was still asleep, Aerrow thought of how lucky he was to have a squadron like them. How lucky he was to be able to continue the legacy his father had built. But he couldn't rid himself of that one thought. The one thought that tore away at his heart each time it entered his head.

He promised.