1- First impression

When he first entered that class he saw a student alone who was spending the recess at there. Fox's eyes stopped on him with curiosity and education, and his smile was kind, not sardonic or sarcastic. It was something that unsettled him, and part of his being wanted to punch him in the face because he was being so disgustingly kind.

-Hello, I'm Fox McCloud.
-Lombardi. Falco.
-Nice to meet you.

Falco let his school bag in the only free table, right in front of the fox, and shook his hand. He was a small guy with a normal hoodie, on jeans and sneakers. His brilliant green eyes he saw on no one before caught his attention. He told himself he was a handsome guy. He liked him. A lot.

The rest of them mocked him on the corridor. What the hell could he see on him that all the rest couldn't? On him an undesirable slum rat who shouldn't be there.

He took a look at the room, maybe they were twenty, twenty five students at max. The rest of it looked like a preppy high school.

-What are you doing here all by yourself? Aren't you gonna gossip with the rest of 'em?
-Eh? With those posh guys? No way... They love to put people down. They even put each other down. They are not my kind of people...
-I see...

Fox saw in Falco someone frank and different, it was something he liked among all those persons who smile at you and then stab you in the back. He went straight to the point, didn't care about nothing or no one, not even what others think about him. He admired him from the beginning. He would have liked being so self-confident and go through the corridor without having to feel afraid. He would have spent all his life looking at those blue eyes.

-Are there all like that?
-Yeah. All of them. I'm sure they will come to laugh at you in no time, but don't pay attention to them, they do it all the time. They have been doing it to me for years.
-Start a fight, then.
-It's not worthy, I'm really comfy by the heater.
-I feel ya! If they give you too much trouble tell me. I'll give them what they deserve.

Fox didn't like that as much.

-What?
-Let's say I have a great creativity and an impressive insults collection. Stuff you learn on the street, y'know.

They laughed together as the bell rang. Fox felt there was a friend on him, and Falco felt that, at least, he could fit somewhere different that in a marginal slum.
His class mates started to come back one by one, and all of them gossiped about the new one's looks like they used to do with all of them.

-Hey, new guy. Where are you from?

Falco took a quick look to that posh guy. A marmot or something. Is this the thing that comes to intimidate him? For real? A small group of people came to watch the scene.

-Zoness.
-I heard you love to be gay at there.

People laughed.

-You also heard we love to bury corpses 'n trashing people? Cause if you never saw that I can offer you a demonstration any time you want.

The guy closed his mouth and went to his place. He didn't say a mean word to him anymore.
The teacher closed the door behind her.

-Lombardi, in this high school is forbidden to threaten anyone. I know in Zoness you usually do it, but you are not in your turf anymore. This is not a game of yours.
-You are dead meat, pal...
-I was just telling... what was your name?
-Lee.
-Lee. I was telling my friend Lee something that happened to a friend of mine when they just transferred to my school. I am not one of those delinquents that just live to hit people. It is a complete lost of time.

It seems the teacher believed that and started the class. The very second she finished the lesson and went away, Fox turned away to speak to him.

-You are good.
-If you had lived in my place you would have learn it quickly... I don't have this bandanna for nothing.

In the second recess a guy who was kinda older than him approached. He offered his hand directly.
-Bulldog.
-Lombardi.
-Zoness, right?
-Aha.
-Hot Rodders?
-That's right.
-I'm a friend of one of yours.
-I understand...
-You left?
-They needed it.
-What are you doing here? You can fly already, and even better than the rest.
-I have my reasons and I'm not sharing 'em.
-You need a gang?
-Not now. I wanna see how people is around here first.
-Clever boy. Don't be fooled, the rich guys aren't friends, they wear masks.
-Do I have to remind you where I come from?

He smiled at him.

-The were right when they told me about ya.
-What did they say?
-That you're good living in hostile environments... You are McCloud's friend?
-That fox from my class? That's the only one worthy here.
-You know who's his father, right?
-Maybe McCloud?
-What a guy! You always have an answer, isn't it? He's James McCloud's son.
-Yeah, I've heard 'bout him.
-Well, I gotta go. They are waiting for me. Nice to meet you, man.
-Same.

Falco can see him going away. James McCloud? That was StarFox's leader, that team that saves the galaxy when there is any invasion attempt. A hard job, but maybe even worst for his son. Your father going to war, and who knows if that's the last time you are seeing him.
He returns to class, but he's not there. He throws his bag on the table and takes out his agenda. Fox McCloud, huh? He should have known, that's not a family name you hear every day.

-Hey, you are here! I've been looking for you. It's incredible, no one gave you a tour around the school yet. At the end of the corridor there's a vending machine with pens, correcting tape, paper handkerchiefs and stuff. It's the most useful thing you'll find around here. Ah, and sugary cereals at the cafeteria are marked with a red line. And for the love of everything, don't eat the grapefruit. It's horrible.

Fox sits again. He brought a sweets bag too.

-You want some?
-No, thanks.
-You're welcome.

The bird looks at him again. It's and incredible thing this is James McCloud's son, he looks like he harmed no one in his life and didn't even try to kill a fly. He takes a look outside again where a military ship is landing.

Impossible. It's impossible this saint of a kid would be his son.

-I've never met someone from Zoness.
-Now you do.
-It isn't true you go hitting people, right?
-Just between gangs. Turf stuff 'n' that.
-Ah.

Fox gets comfortable in his seat and briefly looks at him. It's impossible that Falco has ever done that even once. Or that's what he thinks. Or that's what he wishes, of course. He swallows the gummy brick he has in his mouth and puts on it a flavored chew.

-Are you sure you don't want any of these?
-Are you deaf, kid? No. If I want some, I'll buy 'em.
-I was just trying to be kind.
-With me? Why? Cause I look like a poor boy or cause I'm the new one?
-Cause I like you.
-Heh. You don't even know me. You befriend people too quickly, McCloud.
-Just call me Fox, please.
-Fox, then. You met me two second ago. We aren't friends.
-There's no need to get defensive like that.
-I get defensive if I want. You don't give me orders.

Fox sighs, shakes his head and puts other sweet in his mouth.

-I have the feeling this is going to be a long conversation...
-Oh, c'mon! Just shut up!