Author's Note: Just to disclaim, I own nothing but my thought processes.

Well, I've always wanted to try out this style of narrative. It's very foreign from what I'm used to, that much is certain. It's probably very different for you too.

I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ

-⌘-Comatose Illusion-⌘-

ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ.ಱ

The first thing I see is a white sky.

Not blue, not black, but white. Strange, 'cause I'm pretty sure the sky's supposed to be blue. Not like my plumage though; that's how mama taught it to me. But it isn't just the sky that's bright. It's the ground, the wall or the plain, the air. Dimension and space offer no variety. So if I'm in a room right now, I don't think I'll be able to tell the difference.

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. Then I open them up again.

Suddenly, I find myself inside the cockpit of my Arwing as if nothing had happened. The white light is nowhere to be seen, so being here is a bit of a shocker to me. Heh, I probably must've been daydreaming or something.

My hands grip firmly on the controls and levers, piloting my fighter out in what looks to be Sector Z. My radar starts blinking in front of me. Inspecting it a bit better, it turns out that I'm picking up a distress signal. Then the speakers above me crackle with life, a familiar voice speaking to me. His words didn't sound that clear, but I can tell who that is.

Foxy boy. Oh man, McCloud. When did you get here?

A simple mission, he bluntly puts it to me through the com channel. I laugh. His voice remains ever so unchanging. At least now I know what I'm supposed to do as he continues to give me instructions.

Find an aviator who got lost in Sector Z and bring him back to Corneria. Sounds simple enough.

Scanning the area around me, the wreckage of floating ships makes flying around it a bit tougher, but why should that affect me? I'm Falco Lombardi for cryin' out loud! The best sharpshooter Lylat's ever seen! Even McCloud admits that sometimes, though he'd never put me in charge of anything. Besides, this mission should be a breeze.

At least, I think so, anyways.

Finally, I find the source of the distress beacon: a little ol' military fighter drifting about. I fly closer to it, the blue paint being the first thing that stands out to me. As the details became easier to see, the design looks much like an Arwing. The tips of the wingspan seem pretty neat. The way it feathers out at the ends like that sure look exactly like the way my Arwing was built. It even had those little dents from back when it got kicked and battered.

…Then I realize something. That is my Arwing. What's it doing there?

I shake my head. Nah, it just can't be. My mind must be playing tricks with me. There is no way that that's my ship out there, because I'm in my Arwing right now.

I pull the lever forward, but something strange is up; I can feel it. My fighter isn't changing directions. Why aren't the engines working? I jerk the lever back and forth again; it just keeps flying forward.

Then I see twin lasers being fired at me. I peer out the window to see another Arwing—Fox's to be exact. I turn on the com channel, yelling at him; I seriously wanna know what the hell is he doing. No answer. Eventually, his shots start to hit, shaking the entire cockpit and blowing chunks off. Red lights immediatly flash and an annoying horn blares at me. It's hard to resist the urge to bash it when it keeps shouting the same thing:

Warning! Warning!

Just shut up already!

The idle ship in front is definitely getting closer. I try everything I can; jamming buttons, pulling levers, turning steering wheels. The alarm keeps taunting me, shattering my eardrums. My god, I get it! It's taking everything I have just to not rip out its wires! The distance continues to shorten between me and the other fighter.

Five-fifty. Five hundred. Four-fifty. Four hundred.

My ship jerks from more fired blasts, nearly giving me whiplash. Argh, that foxy lil' bastard! Why is he still shootin' at me like that? If the world isn't already against me, he just keeps making it worse. What a swell tale for me to never tell. A story of how my best friend decides to shoot me down to oblivion, if the ticking seconds didn't get to me first.

One-fifty. One hundred. Fifty. Here it comes.

Right at zero, I shut my eyes tight. I know what to expect; intense heat, a shockwave, chunks of metal blowing up in front of me. Silent seconds pass, and nothing happens. I decide to take a peek with one eye only to greet the sight of purity.

Nothingness. Empty space, but not the kind of space you'd think it'd be. Everything just disappears as fast as it came. No control panel, no crash, no space. Forgetting to breathe for a second, I blink again. Nothing changes.

All I see is just that damn white sky again.

I sigh, looking up at nothing, staring at it. I still don't even know where I'm at. Dead? Maybe, but it sure doesn't feel like it. Yet one thing's for sure; it's warm here. Ya know, that was probably one hell of a vision I just had. …Heh. Can't seem to keep myself from chuckling at that thought. If only McCloud can see me now, talking 'bout visions like that. We both would've been thinking the same thing.

Utter bullshit.

But… what else can it be?

My fingers run themselves through the feathers on my head. All I need is a sign of some sort; an answer to my questions, this light to go away, the comfort of flying to return. Hate to admit it, but I can really use a familiar face right about now.

Man, I seriously don't remember what happened. Why does my head hurt so much? I swear, when I get my hands on that vulpine, he's gonna get the interrogation of a lifetime.

A sudden chill travels down my spine. My body freezes in place, feeling the presence of a familiar figure. I swivel my head around. There he is, suited up, standing a few metres away with his usuals; his white coat, a green jumpsuit, that smug look plastered all over his face.

My beak opens, but no words come out. Only air. He, in turn, points at something behind me. I glance over my shoulder to see nothing. I was about to shoot him an angry glare when I turn back to see not him, but the hull of the Great Fox. The windows are watching over Corneria, and the controls stand at the front.

Now when exactly did I get here this time?

I walk over to the main corridors, searching for any signs of my teammates. Okay, obviously by now, this has got to be some crazy dream, right? I'm totally getting pranked here. I wouldn't be surprised if this was Slippy's doing, tryin' to get payback for that bit of alcohol I slipped into his drink. Maybe one of dem hired Star Wolf for all I know, and that lizard dosed me with that powdered stuff of his. This ain't funny, ya know. If they thought I'd be laughing, they were dead wrong.

I then hear a crash from the end of the hall, coming from my room at the right. I race over there immediately, drawing out my blaster out of its holster.

For a moment, I press my back against the wall. Then I jump out of my place and train the barrel at the intruder. To my shock, it is just mah ol' bud McCloud again holding his arms up in surprise. Don't you dare, Fox… He better not think I forgot what he did earlier! Then again… it's only a dream. He wouldn't really do something like that ever, right…?

I shake that thought from my head. Why would he ever play me like that? He's my friend. I would as sure as hell take a bullet for that guy, 'cause I know he'd do the same for me. So I lower the gun and walk up to him. He says that he was searching for me. I, for one, don't know whether to be happy or worried.

He continues speaking like he always does. For some reason, I chuckle at him. It just makes me happy seeing the Foxy as his usual self. His eyes drift to the side after he starts talking about a mission he isn't sure about, because the client wanted it to be done as a solo job.

A solo mission? I know him well enough to guess exactly what he's implying.

I never thought I'd see the day he'd do this for me. Sure, Fox. I'll take it on. Heh, funny thing is, he's giving me that wide-eyed look. Don't tell me that isn't what he meant? He didn't seem to hint out anything else. I mean, based on what he describes, it seems like an easy recovery job. And you get to shoot down anyone who tried to interfere. It's almost as if this task is made for me! I flash him a grin as I walk over to the dock. There they are: our Arwings parked in beautiful condition.

Then I feel a claw dig into my shoulders. Glancing over behind my right, I notice the same brown-furred vulpine holding a pleading pout on his face. Damn, Fox. Why th' puppy dog? I thought you want me to take this on, finally giving me that chance I deserve… Next thing ya know, his face loses any emotion he had. He starts barking commands at me, refusing to let me take this solo opportunity on. It's too risky, he curtly puts it.

…Ya don't trust me, Fox. Is that it? I can't believe this!

First, he tells me about a job suited perfectly with my abilities, and now he won't let me do it? Who does he think he is? Sure, he may be the leader of this squad, but my skill level is much higher than his! Who is the one that always won the races? Who is the one that always shot down the most enemies?

Who is the one that always saved his ass when he was in trouble?

Me, and yet I hardly get the credit for that. No wonder the guy's had trouble with Krystal; that bastard thinks he knows more than me. Me, his best friend—older and stronger than him—who stuck by his side for years now.

I tramp over to where my Arwing stood in the hanger, but I can hear Fox growling back. If I forgave him earlier, I take it back. As soon as I reach the ship, I kick it with my boot; a nice new bent spot makes its mark on the metal. Boiling rage only heats up my blood as I punch the sides of the cockpit. Bigger dents form, my knuckles nearly bleeding from the blunt force. I'm not even sure if I started yelling, but if I did, that goddamn vulpine better have heard me.

My energy soon diminishes from that meltdown. I find myself panting without realizing it earlier. My feet trudge over to the wing, and I plop my forehead flat onto it. I keep knocking my head against the surface. It's probably gonna make my headache worse, but I honestly didn't care.

…I'm such an idiot…

Negative thoughts push into my mind with each bang, but at least my anger manages to calm down. My eyes naturally rest, finding myself almost sleeping in that position. I lift my head up and turn around, rubbing my beak off for a second. Then I find my beak directly in line with the barrel of a gun.

Whose hand is it in? C'mon. Take a guess.

Our very own Fox McCloud glares at me with cold eyes. He's definitely trying to say something to me, but I can't seem to hear what he said. His finger pulls the trigger, and I shut my eyes tight again.

I inhale a sharp breath, and yet nothing happens. Then I learn that Fox's body heat was long gone, and so was the hanger that surrounded us. A bright light pierces through my eyelids.

That white sky… It came back.

Should I have expected that? I don't even know anymore. I really wish I can say I hate Fox, but… I won't. Maybe, it's more like I can't. And yet, there are a million reasons why I can. Too bad I still pity the fool, no matter what I do. Geez… What happened to him, or better yet, what happened to me? And Lylat wonders whether I'm just hallucinating again; I can't even tell if this room is spinning at the moment.

I sigh. This didn't seem like a trick anymore; there's just no way this could've been one.

The sky's probably mocking me right now. It's its doing, isn't it? Why else do I keep seeing it every single time? Why else do these images appear in front of me?

…Oh man, I really gotta stop drinking. That thought sounded crazy, even for me.

So I begin to entertain my curiosity. Why haven't I explored this place yet? There has to be a boundary somewhere; I just gotta look for it. My feet finally decide to move, and begins to meander forward. I know I'm moving, but it didn't look like I was. The background stays the same despite the pushed floor. My hands slip themselves into the warmth of my pockets. Seems like I'm gonna be here a while. The walk feels tedious, but it's a start. …Have I ever mentioned how warm the room feels? So the hands in the pockets thing might not have been very productive.

Voices suddenly resound in the area. My head immediately shoots up, searching around for the source.

Guys? Is anyone here? Oh wait, of course they aren't.

I take out my blaster, and scrutinize every little detail. The barrel, unused. The trigger, untouched. The chipped pieces, never forgotten… I don't wanna look at this world anymore. The white sky, the never-ending plain. It hurts… 'cause it keeps reminding me of him. Why? It's the simplest question ever asked. Any answer will do…

My closing eyes make the world go dark, just how I like it. The floor starts to rumble below me, and screeches echo in every direction.

Wha—?

My eyes shoot open only to greet the sight of a battlefield. The dirt under me is covered in blood and grime. Where am I? Corneria? Katina? This just makes absolutely no sense. The shouts of running soldiers catch my attention. Lasers shoot from every direction, making me wonder how I haven't gotten hit yet. Dark clouds roll up overhead, fighters flying and dropping bombs in random places. Immediate adrenaline pumps up my instincts. I spot a Venom soldier and I quickly gun him down.

My hands grip my blaster tighter. It's crazy, but maybe I actually do know what I'm supposed to be doing here.

I frantically scan the area. Somewhere… Some completely insane feeling tells me that I'm close by, but where? Then it hits me. I spin around and basically sprint forward.

I gotta get there! I just have to!

And there he is, Fox McCloud, standing there with a blaster by his face in the middle of an open field. I immediately spot an overhanging bomb dropping above him.

Fuck! Fox, MOVE!

I push him out of the way before he even sees me coming. His eyes widen like saucers, but I only flash him a smirk. Nice knowing ya, man.

…I'm sorry.

The bomb falls on me, and I get blown away by an intense shockwave. Shrapnels cut easily through my skin. My body is left to unceremoniously flop around the ground. The shards dig in deeper, but I can't feel anything by this point. Is that a good sign?

The blood gathers in my throat; I can't even cough it out. Pathetic. I only watch as a dusty figure runs up to me. His voice sounds pretty shaky right now, but at least he's able to choke out my name.

Falco… W-why…? Well, I think that's what I heard him say anyways.

I only wish I can say something back, but my beak stays shut. Tears well up in his eyes. McCloud… do you really care, buddy…? Guess it's your turn to be thankful now. Sorry I never did you the same for you.

…Hey, Fox? When did you become one of the most important people in my life? To the point where I would do this for ya unconditionally. I find that funny. You aren't worth the trouble, and yet…here I am doin' it anyways. Don't 'cha know I'd always take that bullet for you? I hope you never hated me. Then again, maybe it's me who should've never hated you. I can't believe I'm doing this, but please let me leave this place. Just get me outta here before I lose my mind.

'Cause you'd do that for me, right? That's why you're my best bud…

My eyes drift, and eventually close. I wait for that white plain to come take me away; I'm practically expecting it to appear. Instead, my sight remains dark. I can still feel myself breathing though. Yet for some reason, I can't move. My head won't turn, my eyes won't open. My entire body is dead weight.

Then I hear a faint noise.

Beep… Beep… Beep…

I listen more carefully to focus on the sound. The beeps keep going as constantly as a metronome. It's not…annoying, like that alarm from before. In fact, hearing it seems…reassuring. Then soon, I hear whispers next to me. I try to make out the words.

Falco…don't…I'm sorry…

Or at least, it sounds like something along those lines.

I don't get it. What happened to that white sky from before? By now, it should've appeared. A thin breeze bristles through my feathers. The world itself, however, is still as dark as the shadows. That's when a new thought pops up in my mind:

…Wait, am I alive…?

My eyes flutter open, colours remaining hazy as the world spins 'round. The first image that I get to see clearly is a brown vulpine resting his head on my bedside, snout and all buried in his folded arms; mumbles come out from his muffled mouth. I gaze the room around me; the ivory ceiling only reminds me of where I was earlier. My body is buried in a thick blanket, and a heart monitor beeps next to my bed. Guess I now know where that sound came from. A white room… How swell. Have I ever told anyone that I hate that colour? Well, if it's even considered a colour in the first place, that is.

I groan from the aches as I flip over to face him; his ears shoot up when he hears me. His hazy, green little eyes stare at me with disbelief. Go figure. He carries the face of completely baffled fool… Yet that look he has on at the moment is just so…damn…priceless.

Sure, my voice'll probably be raspy, but I'm pretty sure he'll be able hear what I'm gonna say anyways, 'cause there's no way in hell I'm sayin' it twice.

"Hey, Foxy… It's been a while…"

Tune4Toons: What did you think of that? Liking it? Confused? Comments and constructive criticism are always welcomed with open arms.

I hope you enjoyed that. Stay tuned, and thank you for reading!