Kursed Heart (Snuff)

One-shot Songfic Sequel to 'The Evil Inside (Vermillion)'

Krystal's arwing came in to the Star Wolf base after yet another excruciating day of patrolling. She easily slowed the arwing down until it landed inside the hangar, along with the rest of the teams' arwings. She sighed due to the fact that she has to see her husband, Panther. There was no spark between them whatsoever; Krystal knew, but Panther did not. Panther thinks that their marriage was fine, but he does not know the true meaning of love. Day after day, she keeps getting away from him more and more. She doesn't hate him; however there is a fine line between dislike and hate, and he is on that fine line.

Before she dismounted, however, she went into one of her compartments of the arwing and took out a picture. It was a team photo of her and Star Fox. Fox and Krystal were holding hands in the middle of the photo eyes closed due to the bright light, smiling. Peppy was right behind them laying his hands on their outside shoulders as he smiled. Slippy was on the bottom with his hands extended out and had a happy smile. Falco was on the right, secluded from everyone in the picture. He had his hand in his pockets and let a frown.

She quickly placed the picture back into the compartment, dismounted from her arwing, and started walking to her room. Even though there was a great check of money to Star Wolf from Corneria after they had helped them in the Angular Wars, the place still looks like a dump. She had on a sour face of all of the scenery that she is seeing. The television was hanged crooked with cords hanging out, ripped up chairs, and garbage scattered throughout the base. What is it with these guys? She thought. Wolf and Panther both had been sending her on pointless missions to pick up food on planet Kew, just to keep her busy. Sometimes, she even volunteered.

She hated this atmosphere. She hated her life ever since she joined Star Wolf. Why am I realizing this now? She thought again. Of course she knew the answer. She knew that it was her fault that she took Fox the wrong way. He was only looking out for her safety, only because he had no one else besides Peppy. No he needed someone other than a father figure. He needed a wife. And Krystal was just that.

She saddened at the thought of Fox in her mind. She wished that it was not this way, not this outcome. Krystal felt bad for the vulpine, worse when Star Wolf used him in order for the check from Corneria. She in fact hated herself.

Dammit...There's Panther. He was lying down on the bed, with another bottle of whiskey in his grasp. He was asleep after another late night drinking with Wolf and Leon. What am I doing here? She grabbed her temples and rubbed them to try and ease the pain. She walked over to Panther and grabbed the booze off of his paw. She was not a drinker, but whenever she thought it was a perfect time to drink, she goes all out.

Bury all your secrets in my skin

Come away with innocence and leave me with my sins

Krystal walked into her bedroom and started undressing. When it came down to her undergarments, she went to her dresser and put on her nightly attire; a white and loose tank top and a pair of basketball-style shorts. Then, she took off her earrings and her tail rings, and placed them on top of the dresser. Ever since she was taken in by McCloud, she hadn't like the Cerenian style of nightly clothing. It was uncomfortable to her, and who can blame her. This wardrobe was special to her though, although she had not known it yet. Fox gave her this attire after he took her inside the Great Fox. She was always appreciative of him.

The air around me still feels like a cage

Why do I keep thinking of him? She thought as she poured herself a glass of the rum and drank the substance. Oh, it burned as it went down the esophagus and finally into the pit of the stomach. She hated this feeling before, but now she was getting used to it. She needed this burning feeling. Why? It soothes her. It provided a way of punishment for her as the alcohol sizzled down. She walked over to her bed and lay down. She put the bottle of whiskey on the tableside, but still kept the glass in her hand.

Is this my fault? She knew what troubled her. She can't get the thought of Fox out of her mind. It was literally driving her crazy of what he did to her. More and more questions and answers came to her mind, but one stood out like all of the rest. She took a healthy sip and finished the cup. "Why wasn't I mature enough of understanding him?"

She only thought about herself, not what Fox had in mind. She absolutely forgot that even men had feelings. They are hard as a rock, but still able to feel. She wished that she went back in time to change that event so they could be together in each other's arms again. How she had missed those moments of being alone after a long day of work. This is what she wanted.

And love is just a camouflage for what resembles rage again

She did not want this in her life. She did not want Panther, nor to be on Star Wolf. She did not want this outcome of mercenary life without her lover. Those thoughts intruded within her mind as she went into her comatose, drifting away from her problems yet again...or so it seemed...

XXXX

She felt a little breeze all around her body, and she opened her eyes. Krystal noticed right away that she was not in her usual habitat at the Star Wolf base. She was in a more peaceful setting. She was lying on a patch of grass on top of a high cliff overlooking an ocean. The sun was shining high in the sky and the waves were calm. She first thought that it she was back in Sauria, due to the scenery around her. Then, it hit her. The last thing I remember is going to bed at the Star Wolf base. I must be dreaming.

So if you love me let me go...

And run away before I know

She turns around to get more of the peaceful vista and spots something in the pasture. It was a vulpine, but she didn't know who he or she was. He was standing there staring at the blur-furred vixen. He showed no emotion, except a gloom look on his face with his head down. He had no shirt on, only just a pair of jeans.

It took a moment for Krystal to realize the situation. She noticed the vulpine with an all too familiar face. The same muscular tone, the light brown fur; it was all too recognizable. Then, her eyes went wide and her mouth agape when she figured out who this was, the most known vulpine in the Lylat System and maybe the whole galaxy. A tear formed in her eyes as she saw this great moment...

"F-Fox?" she stuttered. She got up, still trembling at her glorious sight. She finally saw him again after an extensive and excruciated amount of time. How she have waited for this moment to finally renew their relationship together. She wouldn't want anything, except the love of that vulpine have to share.

My heart is just too dark to care

I can't destroy what isn't there

Krystal noticed that something was wrong with Fox. He still kept that cheerless face and pointed his eyes to the floor. The vulpine did not respond to the vixen's emotional feelings. She started walking toward Fox.

Deliver me into my fate

Krystal saw Fox turn away from her and started to walk the other way keeping that gloomy face and his head down.

Far alone I cannot hate

She knew that Fox is getting away from her and she started speeding up her pace. From a slow walk to a jog, she tried to catch up with him. The vulpine now kept getting closer and closer to the vixen. Krystal tried to read his mind, but the dream wouldn't let her. Then, she got close enough for her to hear the vulpine.

"I don't deserve to have you..." Fox said.

Krystal stopped in her tracks as Fox stop in his, only a couple of feet away from her. She was surprised at Fox's statement toward her. It ached in her heart for Fox to tell her this. This is not what she wanted. He turned around.

Oh, my heart was taken long ago

If I can change I hope that I will never know

He looked up to see the vixen, tearing up. Krystal took a step back at the vulpine as she knows that something was wrong with him. She sees Fox, but he looked very different than before. Her eyes went wide as she saw his eyes. He did not have emerald green eyes; instead the sclera was dark black and the iris of the eye was blood red. Veins were scattered throughout the eyeballs that connected to the pupil. She looked down to his chest to see another horrible sight. Krystal sees large black veins and arteries connecting to a black organ that is continually contracting and expanding. The organ was his heart.

She breathe heavy at the horrible sight as she thought it would turn into a nightmare. Krystal blinked, to make sure she is not imagining things, and it worked. He was back to normal.

I still press your letter in my lips

And cherished them in parts of me to savor every kiss

He stared at her almost as if he is in a trance, motionless. Krystal could tell that something wrong was happening within Fox. She knew what was troubling him. It was the break up between the two.

I couldn't face a life without your light

She lifted her hand and walked toward him, tears forming around her eyes. She wanted to say sorry to Fox. He was her one true love, which was separated by her decision to leave. She closed her eyes as she embraced the vulpine, only not to be hugged back. Fox kept his face the same until a few seconds passed.

All of a sudden, dark clouds formed and the wind picked up. The sun no longer shined at the vixen. Instead, it became darker while exotic colors filled the sky with different styles of red pigments. Then, he changed his mood dramatically into an evil smile.

All of that was ripped apart

When you refuse to fight

He pushed her away making her stumble onto the ground. Krystal was shocked to see his reaction and kept her eyes covered because of all of the rubble that came up. Her hair was swiftly twirling as it danced along the wind, and she opened her eyes only to see Fox standing above her. He was smiling evilly at the vixen.

So save your breath I will not care

I think I've made it very clear

She was scared to death. Tears from her eyes came flowing down as if they were a waterfall. Her breathing became a bit shortened and her heart raced faster than ever. Fox suddenly morphed into the figure that Krystal saw earlier: black and red eyes and the awful veins that connected to his heart.

You couldn't hate enough to love

Is that supposed to be enough?

He grabbed her throat choking the vixen as he lifted her up to his eye level. That creepy smile became wider than ever, and Krystal kept gasping for air. Fox pulled her closer to force her to look into his eyes.

"I only wished you weren't my friend," he said to the sobbing vixen tightening his grip.

"Then, I could hurt you in the end." Krystal heard these words ringing around in her head as she remembered the detachment in their lives. He laughed psychotically as he grabbed a knife from his pocket and put it up to his face. He stopped laughing and continued. "Look at me! I will make you see the pain!" His eye went wide as he was excited for this moment to get back at Krystal.

I never claimed to be a saint

Krystal also became wide eyed, but for a totally different reason. She was indeed frightened to the core at the vulpine as she had no control of what he is going to do. He pressed his knife to the crevice of his lips. Then he put pressure on the skin to cut through the mouth as if was butter. Blood oozed out of the wound as Fox continued to make it greater. He laughed maniacally as Krystal gasped another breath of air. She hated this sight of Fox as she squirmed from the torture.

Fox sliced through his mouth and then went to cut his jugular artery. Once the final slash was made, blood burst out and his laughter stopped. He let go of his grip on Krystal.

Oh, my own was banished long ago

It took the death of hope to let you go.

He fell back and closed his eyes accepting the suicidal death. Krystal fell to the floor and knelt down to try to get her breathing rate to return to normal. She never did. Krystal bawled her eyes out screaming for Fox to come back. She looked over at Fox while a pool of the red liquid formed around him. He was dead.

Suddenly a black figure flowed out of him as if the soul was released from his body. However, it did not disappear. It stood and took form of another vixen keeping the same tint of color. It came in front of the weeping vixen. The vixen looked up to see another nightmare in the front of her eyes. It was her.

So break yourselves against my stones.

And spit pity into my soul.

"You killed him," said the black vixen. "Your planet was destroyed, you left Fox heartbroken, and you let your love die out." Krystal cried even harder as dreadful memories enter into her head. She couldn't take it anymore; Hell came and hit her like a train. "You are cursed." She hated to admit it, but the black vixen was right. She was indeed cursed to whoever she came into contact. It all started after Cerenia was destroyed.

You never needed any help.

You sold me out to save yourself.

She continued crying until her time to wake up had come...

XXXX

Krystal woke up violently with tears in her eyes as she gasped for air. She was wide-eyed frantically looking around in her scenery. She was back in her bedroom at the Star Wolf base. She silently cried for a great amount of time. The nightmare was the worst it has ever been. Sure there were minor visions here and there, but none were as terrible as this recent one. She lifted her head as thoughts came in her mind. She looks at Panther who is still asleep on their bed. Her idea was to get out and run. Run as far away as she could. She was a curse to everyone close, even if it was Panther, Wolf, or Leon.

Her dream told her something though. There was no one, or there will be no one, important enough for her. No one will search for the vixen. She got up and went to her closet. Krystal pulled out a large empty suitcase and started packing her stuff, which are a few clothes. She grabbed her Cerenian attire; including her native outfit and jewelry and her staff. The blue-furred vixen stopped crying only to replace that with anger and hate. How she had hated herself for all the things that she had done. She hated the way she look, the way she thought, and the way she treated Fox.

And I won't listen to your shame

You ran away, you're all the same.

She needed to get out. She needed to run. Krystal walked through the hallways and headed toward the hangar. She stopped halfway and went into the kitchen. Alcohol and wine were placed throughout the cabinet. She opened her suitcase and placed the rum drinks inside as much as she can carry. The angered vixen zipped it up, and walked to the hanger.

Angels lie to keep control.

She got up on her arwing and started the engine. Then, Krystal placed her bag in one of the spaced areas behind her seat.

Oh, my love was punished long ago

If you still care don't ever let me know...

Krystal turned the arwing around and blasted off into the deep space.

If you still care don't ever let me know!

Her eyes became a bit watery as she saw the picture of her and Fox again as the slot automatically opened up. But then, she shook her thoughts about Fox, slammed the booth, and paid attention to her driving. She asked herself, "What now?"

She hadn't thought about it this far. She just needed to get away from everything. She needed to get another identity, live in another planet, and have another job. But what could she do? She was a known for her intelligent skills. And countless of times she killed people during the war. She had gotten batter after the time with Star Fox. All she could do is kill, like a cursed parasite to an unknown amount of subjects. "I have been a curse to everyone. All I am is a curse." She paused to regain composure. "I will be forever cursed." Those words rang inside her head as she kept repeating herself.

Cursed...Cursed...Cursed... Then, she knew what her identity is.

She said out loud, "Kursed the Bounty Hunter."

So the run begins...