Our Sky Knight

The Final battle between Dark Ace and Aerrow, through the eyes of the people of Atmosia. Specifically through the eyes of a young girl. Finn had fallen, Piper had fallen and help was too far away... Injured, alone and outnumbered, how could he possibly win?
But he would not give up. He was their sky knight.
Does not follow canon-timeline. Warning, violence, character death & angst.
__________________________________________________________________________________________



“Run…”
The girl shook her head at the sound of the Sky-Knights voice, hands gripping the window sill and trembling.
Like everyone else around the square, who had been watching the latest battle between Dark Ace and the Storm Hawks’ Sky Knight, Aerrow, she had felt her heart go out to him at the cries of pain he had given as he watched two of his squadron fall to the army of Talons. The other sky knight squadrons were too far away, leaving the protection of the entire terra to the young squadron.
The young squadron who had long earned the respect, love and loyalty of the Atmos as a whole. And now there was nothing they could do as they fell.
First it had been the blonde sharpshooter, Finn, as he shoved Aerrow out of the way of a blast.
He hadn’t moved since.
Then Piper. The sheer desperation and agony that had been in the red-heads eyes as his team fell was heart-wrenching. And, like everyone watching, the girl had tears trailing down her cheeks as Aerrow handed Piper and Finn to the wallop, Junko, and telling him to run, whilst there was a lull in the amount of Talons.
His voice was faint, and filled with a cacophony of emotion. Pain, desperation, determination, fatigue, loss… The young girl’s sobs intensified as she heard the next words.
“I’ll be fine… Go Junko. Look after them. Stay Safe… And tell them I’m sorry… I can’t leave them…”
By them, he meant all of them. Everyone on the Terra. And she felt a burst of love for the sky knight, which was coupled with helplessness as the Wallop spoke.
“Aerrow…”
The wallop’s own voice shook with unshed tears, and the sky knight gave him a small grin, filled with warmth, love and a silent plea.
“Go Junko… Please…”
The wallop nodded and turned, carrying the two unconscious forms, leaving Aerrow to take a deep breath and turn to Dark Ace.

The girls’ stomach tied itself in knots, even as tears spilled from her eyes, and she pulled her mother closer, feeling the older woman’s own silent sobs as she watched.
They all watched. Even the men, who could see from their places by windows and doors, had watery eyes, and clenched fists as they watched.
Then the clash of blades sounded again, this time more ferociously than ever before.
The girl cried, unable to stop as she watched the battle, blurred through her tears.
Then the battle took a turn.
Against Aerrow.
The pained cry echoed across the square as Dark Ace’s blade sliced his side, leaving blood to spill as Aerrow was thrown halfway across the square before smashing into a wall.
The girl gasped at the impact, and her small scream was joined with several others as desperation started to set in.
He couldn’t have survived that- But he had.
The girl watched, her emotions identical to everyone else’s, as Aerrow stirred.

Pride, pain, sadness, respect, love, hope, a silent plea… They all fought for a place in the maelstrom of emotio in her chest as she watched the sky knight push himself to his feet, blood pooling from his various wounds into his torn, tattered, and bloody uniform and turning it the same colour as his scruffy, matted hair.
He was clearly in agony, but he stood up, standing firmly on his own two feet, blades drawn and a look of acceptance and determination on his face, looking every inch the Sky-knight they all knew he was.
That’s when she realised it.
Aerrow didn’t believe he would win. He was just holding out until someone would come to finish the job.
She could feel her mothers’ tears escalating, and could hear the quiet crying of everyone else in the room, coupled with her own wet cheeks and silent, chest wracking sobs.
Then she heard it, and looked up to see several more sky knights arriving on their rides, their eyes and posture radiating fury, yet pained pride as they took in the scene.
“Aerrow!” That was Starling. So much for not having friends… She cared about him. It was clear in the desperation in her voice.
He shot her a quick look, with a small pained smile, and they all seemed to take it as a signal and began to run forward.
They were not fast enough.
They focused on the remaining Talons as Aerrow and Dark Ace resumed their battle.
The young girls eyes were riveted on Aerrow. The flashes of his red hair, the arcs of blue from his blades…the growing streaks of blood on his uniform and the newer gashes that he kept receiving on his arms.
It was clear to everyone that this battle would not end in a stale mate. This was between the two of them and it would end now. Today.
No matter what…
The young girl started to tremble, tears still falling, as she took in the gradual weakening of their sky knight…
The trembling in his muscles… the slower reactions… the defensive stance…
Then it happened.

The Dark Ace lunged and Aerrow’s cry sent shivers through them all as the blade planted itself in his stomach. Then, with a final burst of energy, Aerrow brought his own blades up and span away, slashing Dark Ace across the chest.
The Talon commander fell, the wound clearly having been fatal, but Aerrow stayed on his feet for a few seconds longer.
Then he span slightly, and looked directly at the young girl, their eyes meeting.
He smiled, the smile and his eyes full of their usual warmth, even through the pain, and she began to hope that maybe… But no.
Just as Starling reached him, he collapsed, blades clattering to the floor into a pool of his own blood and his entire body going limp and unmoving.
The other sky knight managed to grab him before he hit the floor and lowered him down, holding him close.
Starling placed two fingers on his neck, clearly checking for a pulse, before swiftly moving them to his wrist, and the expression on her face as she gave a shaking sob sent tremors through the crowds and sky knights alike.
The young girl finally let her sobs become audible, and her mother grabbed her closer, as if trying to shield her from what was happening.
Because Aerrow… Their sky knight… Their own, inspirational, caring, friendly, helpful, loving, respectful, brave, courageous, determined, lively, cheerful, funny,  brilliant sky knight…
The young girl dropped the thought and cried.
Like many others, she simply cried.