Innocence Lost

by Yosharo

Introduction: Man of Honor

"...Yeah, Dad, I know! I can't believe it! Valedictorian of the entire CDA!--The vote? Oh, jeez--the vote! Principal Hare said eighty-nine percent of the student body voted for me! The runners-up were these big jocks the cheerleaders voted for. They didn't even stand a chance! Good thing I'm in my dorm here so none of them hear me."

As he listened to his father reply, Fox McCloud reclined further into his beanbag chair. The bubbling lava lamp standing atop his dresser continued to bathe the darkened room in an eerie blue light.

"Hey, Dad, I--I still can't believe you're coming home. It's been two years--heh, no, Dad. I don't think I'm going to cry. Oh, jeez! You don't have to, either! Ah, well. Anyway, the ceremony doesn't start 'til 7:00 P.M.--Yeah, Pops, I know, I know. Pf-f-ft! Whatever, Dad. See ya tomorrow!"

Fox pressed a glowing button on the cordless phone and scoffed. " 'I'm proud of you, Fox McCloud, and I can't believe how you're growing up from a little boy to a big man,' " he repeated. "Brother. Why do parents always have to say that stuff?"

Good thing he didn't come to the party we had tonight. He probably would have called me "Big Ears" in front of everybody and showed Falco and Krystal and Slippy my baby pictures. Oh, jeez--what if he does that at the frickin' ceremony?

Knock, knock, knock.

"Hey, McCloud!" jeered a muffled voice.

"Wha--? Ugh. Falco? Again?"

Fox jolted from his beanbag chair and trudged toward the door, a faint scowl visible in the lava lamp's dull glow. He flung open the door and let out a terse--

"What the--?"

"Hey, hey, hey!" piped a jittering Falco Lombardi, leaning against the doorjamb. Slippy Toad stood next to him, his round body shaking and his globe-shaped eyes dashing to and fro.

"Oh, brother," Fox sighed. "You guys didn't listen to me. Mountain Dew has caffeine! Oh, jeez--you're gonna be up all night."

"Hey, Fox!" greeted a stalwart brown canine passing by. "Congrats on the VD, y'all!"

"Thanks, Bill! Falco, Slippy, I'm not up for this. The party ended two hours ago. You know, speaking of parties, why are you guys so jazzed, anyway? I'm the only one in our gang graduating from college this year."

"Oh-come-on-Fox-what's-the-big-deal?" jabbered Slippy. "It's-worth-celebrating-the-valid-valid-valid-ic-whatever-it-is-it's-you-We-went-all-out-for-ya-so-we-can't-end-the--"

"Slip! Drop in a few punctuation marks, will ya?"

"It's called 'valedictorian,' you loon," bumbled Falco, grinning like a pumpkin. "Not you, Fox. I'm talkin' to Big Nose here. Hey, ya mind if we pop on in and hang out for a while?"

"With the way you guys are right now? I still remember what you guys did on New Year's Eve. You were just like this."

"What-what-what-what-did-we-do?" stammered Slippy in a flat voice.

"You blasted Ferry Corsten music on the stereo and tap-danced on my bed all night! If you get in here again, you're going to wind up--Falco, let go of my shoulder. You're shaking so hard, you're starting to make me sick."

"Sorry, McCloud. Come on, Slip."

"Yeah-yeah-gotcha-See-you-Fox!"

Fox sighed a half-hearted goodbye and shut the door in his friends' faces. Dang it. Hopefully they go to their dorms before they strip down to their underpants and run through the courtyard screaming--again.

Three soft knocks snapped him to attention.

"Ug-h-h-h! Falco, I told you--"

When Fox flung open the door, his eyes fell upon a smiling young vixen. Her Prussian blue hair draped down along her neck, and a pair of locks covered one of her soft azure eyes.

"Oh. Hey, Krystal. Sorry about that. Come on in."

She chuckled. "Falco and Slippy just visited."

In response, Fox nodded and smiled as he flicked on the nearest light switch. Krystal's telepathy never failed to astound him, and at the least, someone with her sophisticated voice and British accent drove away most urges to lie.

"Those two are so hyper," he said, suppressing a laugh, "they could run the Cornerian marathon and back."

"Hmm. That explains the skipping."

"Yeah. You're not here to talk about those two, though, are you, Krys? If my guess is right, they are going to be quite a show."

She shook her head and smiled, cradling the door shut. "You know I'm here to see you."

"Yeah. But--why?"

"Because I wanted to have a little alone time with you," said Krystal, massaging Fox's broad shoulders. " 'Valedictorian of the Cornerian Defense Academy.' "

"Oh, yeah. I can't believe I won it."

"I can! You deserve it!"

"Ugh. You sound like my dad."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, you couldn't figure it out through my mind?" laughed Fox with a tone of affection. "Yeah, I finally got through and told him about the award. He gave me that speech parents do whenever their kids start being just like them. 'I'm proud of you, and--' and--'you're just growing right up!' "

"Oh, Fox."

" 'Chip off the old block, Big Ears!' "

"Fox, it's all right! I understand!"

"But, get this--he's finally able to come home for good!"

"He does?" Krystal gasped in glee.

"Yeah. Man, it's been two years already. I wonder how much touch I've lost with him."

"Hmm. It sounds to me as if he loves you and sees a bright, successful future ahead of you. Maybe you haven't lost that much touch with him," said Krystal, a loving edge in her voice. She then added, with a heavy sigh, "If only I had parents that could tell me that."

"Nah, you don't need them for that, Krys," murmured Fox, half of his mouth turned upward in a macho grin. "You've got me, right?"

"Oh, this talk is nonsense. How can I forget? This isn't about me! It's about you! Think about how hard you've worked to get through college, and look at all you have going for you! Your father is coming home tomorrow, you have the highest GPA in this school's history, and you're set up for a dream career, a salary worth nobody's business, and--Fox, I know what you just thought."

Fox nodded, his eyes in a dreamy glaze. Somehow, he didn't notice that his hand had wrapped around Krystal's back and pulled her close. She gasped with an enraptured "Oh, my," and Fox chuckled.

"Yeah. I've got you, too. That's the best thing."

"Oh," cooed Krystal. "You're blushing."

Fox swallowed hard, turning his cherry-red cheeks away from Krystal's unrelenting gaze.

"Oh, Fox," sighed Krystal, smiling and wrapping both arms around Fox's back. "It's all right."

As he turned back to look at her, his eyes took on a peculiar gleam. Krystal had never seen it before, yet she knew what it meant.

"Fox," she murmured. Her feelings deep inside reflected Fox's passionate gaze and heavy breath. "You want to--are--are you serious?"

"Why not?" he replied sotto voce, drawing himself closer to Krystal's face. He sifted a gentle, strong hand through her hair and said, "It's been ten years since we met. We've waited long enough."

Krystal tried to argue it, but the seductive gaze in Fox McCloud's ocean-blue eyes intoxicated her. She felt Fox's sinewy arms holding her close, and she and Fox heard their hearts beating like drums.

"No, Fox," she breathed, her heavy eyelids sagging. She reached behind herself and flicked off the lights. "We've waited too long."

Without further word, she threw herself into Fox's embrace, and the two covered each other's face with kisses.

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Chapter 1

Sunlight passed through the pearl-white dorm room curtains and graced Fox's senses. On cue, he pried open his eyes and beheld Krystal's cerulean face. She was still asleep, but smiling--just as she did hours when she drifted to sleep in her hero's arms. With a silent, satisfied chuckle, Fox cradled her in his robed arms and nuzzled her cheek--just as he fell asleep once more.

"Fox?"

Fox's eyes lifted open as the angelic voice dissolved into his mind.

"Fox?"

"M-m-m-mph. What?"

"Maybe we should get out of here and celebrate your graduation, hmm? Valedictorian?"

With a tender hand, he rubbed Krystal's robed shoulder. "Not yet."

"But, aren't you supposed to move out of your dorm today?"

"Mmph, not that. Not until later. It's not warm and cozy out there."

Krystal nodded and replied, "Very true."

After a sigh, Fox let out a yawn and stretched his arms. " I guess we should get on with the day. Better that we--"

A door crashing open cut him off.

"Hey, Fox!"

"A-a-a-gh!" Krystal cried.

"Jeez-aloo!! Slippy, what are you doing in here?! Haven't you heard of knocking on the freakin' door?!"

"Krystal?" mumbled Slippy, his face falling.

"Slippy, aren't you going to answer me?" demanded Fox. "What gives you the right to barge in and--"

"Fox--w-were you--and-and--and Krystal--?"

"It--it's not what it looks like, Slippy! Now, do you mind?"

"All right, all right!" With trembling hands, Slippy reached for the doorknob and twisted it, his dismayed eyes steering away from Fox. Once Slippy thrust open the door, he bolted from the room and mumbled that he didn't see anything.

"Brilliant," sighed Krystal, the gleam in her eyes clouding over. "Well, someone has to stop him from telling the whole campus about us!"

"It's all right, Krys," hushed Fox. "Look, unless they've all forgotten, it's our lives! We can do whatever we want! I gave up letting my dad lord over me years ago, and Principal Hare doesn't tell you what you're supposed to do anymore!"

"But, they both will find out with how fast word spreads around here. You know that."

"Slippy isn't going to say anything. I've known him since our days in the sandbox, and believe me: he won't go blabbing."

Fox let out a huff, his head falling back into his pillow. For a moment, he stared up at the ceiling, keeping his mouth clamped shut.

"Fox," murmured Krystal after a pause, "are--are you upset at how we--well, do you regret it?"

"Nah," was his sheepish reply. "I've--I've got no reason to."