The Stain of Atmos (Storm Hawks AU)

Chapter Fourteen - Stain Of Atmos

Hours after capturing Stain, Endeavor helps the Sky Knights clear out the rest of the Nomu sent by the Cyclonians. After that, Endeavor meets with Stain who was locked in a secured facility.

Endeavor: Chizome....so you're the Cyclonian Killer...

Stain said nothing as he looked at Endeavor with hatred in his eyes. Endeavor could feel the rage coming from Stain. 

Endeavor: Answer me Chizome. 

Stain: Why should I? Why should I answer a fake like you?

Endeavor: You killed my Squadron!

Stain: A squadron of fakes! No better than the Cyclonians! No better than you! 

Endeavor: So that gave you justification?! Who gave you that kind of authority?!

Stain: When one of your own led the Cyclonians into Terra Musutafu all those years ago! When my wife....your daughter was killed!

Upon hearing that, Endeavor kept a straight face to try to not show any emotion to Stain. 

Stain: You knew he was in the pockets of the Cyclonians and you didn't do a goddamn thing! You stood by and let it happen! Your ambitions killed Fuyumi! 

Endeavor remained silent as he looked upon Stain. Stain wanted nothing more than to break out and strangle Endeavor. Soon, he regained his composure. 

Endeavor: It's over Chizome. 

Stain: No Endeavor.....no it's not. The mission will always continue. No matter what, the mission will always continue.....

Endeavor soon left the room as he realized that he wasn't going to get anywhere with Stain. As Endeavor left the room, he realized his own folly. He let his emotions get the better of him. Despite this, Stain's mind was still on the mission. Meanwhile, Aerrow arrived on the Condor wearing an arm cast. 

Finn: You good Aerrow?

Aerrow: I'm good. That Nomu really did a number on me! 

Piper: Good thing one of the Sky Knights came in and helped you out! I don't even want to imagine what would've happened....

Aerrow: It wasn't a Sky Knight that saved me. It was Dove.

Junko: Dove?! You serious?!

Finn: I thought she was all buddy buddy with the Cyclonian Killer! Why did she help you?

Aerrow: I....I don't know. I was in and out of consciousness. She killed that Nomu and said something to me. Last thing I remember was her getting on a Skimmer and leaving. 

Upon hearing that, the rest of the Storm Hawks were confused. Despite Dove's allegiance to Stain, she still saved Aerrow from certain death. 

Stork: Maybe it was a warning. Wouldn't surprise me. 

Piper: I remember Midoriya telling me about how Stain ordered Dove to leave the Terra. Maybe he knew it wasn't going to end well for him so he wanted Dove to get away. 

Aerrow: That's a good a guess as any....

As the Storm Hawks pondered their next move, all of Atmos now knew of Stain and his ideology. Meanwhile, Dove reached the hideout on Terra Neverlandis and entered the war room. When she entered the war room, she reflected on what had happened. 

Dove: Dove you coward! How could you leave him like that?! You were supposed to fight by his side and you left him!

As Dove was nearly consumed in anger, her memories fell back on when Stain took her in after her Terra was devastated by the Cyclonians and everyone she cared about was killed. In that memory, Stain stood before Dove like a looming figure. 

Stain(Memory): To be better than the Cyclonians, you must put aside all forms of vanity, anything that says you want something for yourself! To be better than them, you must be pure! You have to believe that you are nothing and the world is the only thing that matters! 

In that moment, those words became ingrained in her mind. Those words became her mantra. Stain's mission became her own. Ever since Stain indoctrinated her into his mission, self doubt flooded her mind. Now that she reached this point, Dove cast off all that self doubt. 

Dove: Yes.....I understand now. I understand what I must do....what I must become. I must become better. To complete your mission, I must become better. Stain....I will free you. And then we'll continue our mission. We will unleash our fury upon the Cyclonians! They will know our wrath!

Dove then walked over to the armory and saw an prototype armor she had been working on. It was a lightweight armor fitted with Striker Crystal plating. She soon gazed upon her old armor of pots and pans displayed. For a brief moment, she remembered her old life before the Cyclonians took everything from her. That armor symbolized her past. She then remembered a conversation she had with Stain about her old life. 

Dove(Memory): Stain....how do you cope? With your memories?

Stain(Memory): You don't. Let the past die. Focus only on the mission. To rid the world of the Cyclonians and the Fakes, one must do whatever is necessary to purge them. In order to create a better world, the filth must be purged. 

In that moment, Dove let go of her past. She became even more willing to complete Stain's mission. His mission became her own. In letting go of her past, Dove was reborn. She vowed to not only saver her mentor, but to continue his mission. Dove would not stop until every Cyclonian from the Talons that terrorize Atmos to Master Cyclonis herself. As she made her vow, Dove was now more than willing to fight Stain's crusade. Dove would become the necessary stain of Atmos to ensure a better world.