A/N Hey everyone! Well, after more than 2 months, I present you with the latest installment of Who Knew?

I thank all my reviewers for your support and kind words. You guys are my inspiration to keep on continuing this story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks or anything related to the show.

Chapter 16: Shadows

“Well, I better wrap up now. I miss you guys so much, but we’ll see each other very soon next week at the ball. Take care, and stay out of trouble!” Piper swept her hand over the messenger crystal. It glowed and deactivated at once.

Sighing, she got up from her desk and stretched. She had spent the past half hour recording a message to the Storm Hawks. After being at the palace for a week, she felt it was time to contact them and inform them on her progress. She just hoped that they would understand her hectic schedule and not be too upset with her.

She left her room and gave the crystal to a passing palace servant to be delivered. What to do now? she thought as she wandered in the hallway.

“No, put that down immediately! That doesn’t even fit in with the other decorations!”

Piper smiled as she headed to the elegant ballroom located at the end of the corridor. Cyclonis had been busy with preparing with the ball these days. All the meetings with the sky knights had been completed earlier today. In honor of the treaty, Cyclonis announced a ball was to be held.

Piper entered the ballroom and stopped in her tracks. She had only been in there once, but it looked grander than before.

Streamers hung high in all directions. Banners of all the squadrons who had agreed on the treaty surrounded the room on the walls. Tables were scattered around the room. New solar crystals had been put; they shone brighter and changed colors at various times.

A stage was being set up at one end of the room. Resting below it, instruments, microphones, and sound equipment were being sorted by servants.

In one corner, Cyclonis was barking orders out to her servants. Two men were removing crystals from the ceiling.

“How’s the planning going?” Piper asked as she halted next to the girl.

“Oh, fine. We should be done with the decorations in three days. I still need to go over the menu, but I want to finish up in here.”

“Uh, aren’t you taking this a bit too far?” Piper asked as she stared at the pamphlet Cyclonis was holding. It was a catalog for ice sculptures. Red circles enclosed several figures; among them were a phoenix, bear, skimmer, and siren.

“What makes you say that?”

“Cyclonis, we don’t need to make things so formal. Trust me, I think we’ve done more than enough already,” Piper answered as she gazed around the room.

“I suppose so,” Cyclonis muttered as she pocketed the catalog.

“Well, I’ll be heading out then. See you at dinner.”

“Good bye Piper.”

As Piper left, she heard a crash. “What happened? Oh never mind; just clean this up before I dock your pay!” she heard Cyclonis scream in irritation.

Clunk, clunk

Piper halted in the doorway to the courtyard. She could have sworn she heard something. Shrugging, she continued walking.

Clunk, clunk

She stopped again and controlled her breathing. “Who’s there?” she called out. Silence was her only answer. Suddenly, her eyes caught a darkened figure on top of the roof.

Narrowing her eyes, she crept to the side of the wall and looked up. From being one of the towers, a piece of black cloth moved. Got you.

She jumped up and raced to the tower. She heard rapid footsteps from the other side and spotted the figure jumping down. She chased after it and jumped down.

Pain shot up from her knees as she landed, but she ignored it. She spotted her target turning a cornet. She sprinted and brandished her staff from its cover on her back.

“Stop!” she yelled in vain, but her warning was ignored. The figure entered a doorway and vanished from sight.

She quickly followed and stopped to catch her breath. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she could hear stomping from a distance.

Using that as her guide, she ran along the corridor and finally caught up to the figure. She followed it around a corner. Up ahead, a stone wall stood in dreary conditions. Ha, a dead end. You’re mine.

The figure halted and turned around. It wore a black robe, and its hood was up. However, Piper could tell it was a man from the broad shoulders.

“Who are you and why are you sneaking around here?” Piper roughly asked. She crept forward; the figure crept backward until he hit the wall.

He chuckled but didn’t answer. Piper eyed him; what was up with him?

Finally, he spoke. “I’ll tell you this; your pathetic plan shall never be carried out. A treaty with the squadrons? I don’t buy it. You and your friends better be careful.”

Before Piper could respond, the ceiling shattered. Debris tumbled down into chunks, and the room shook violently. She jumped back and looked on at horror as the figure leaped up and landed on a skimmer. The rider was dressed like him. The skimmer moved up and soared away.

The debris finally stopped falling. Piper stood there trying to gather her thoughts. Who was that guy and why was he so opposed to the treaty? She shook her head.

Now was not the time for speculation. She received some cuts and needed to be treated. In addition, she needed to report the intruder and damaged room. Sighing, she began to make her way out.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t be caught,” a woman snapped as she rode her skimmer. Her partner sat behind her and didn’t say anything.

“You’re just lucky that I found you in time. That Piper nearly had you.”

“Will you quit it? I know, alright,” the man growled. He shook his head and coughed. “Anyways, I discovered that they have completed their meetings. The treaty will be officially established in one week at Cyclonis’ ball. All the squadrons participating will be there.”

The woman smiled. “And so will we.”

A/N So, this isn’t my best chapter, but it’s warming up for the next one.

In the next chapter, we will discover who the heck those two strangers are. Piper comes to term with her feelings, and we get a look at what’s going on in Dark Ace’s head. Stay tune!

Please R&R!