Shattering the Triangle (remastered)
Act 1: Nightmarish prediction
An eerie atmosphere lingers around a barely lightened hallway. The feeling is unusual but ever since a specific person came aboard again, that atmosphere is justified. As he walks towards the end of the hallway, he sees the windows letting in the only light into the hallway. They give an astounding, breathtaking view of Lylat's own Fortuna and asteroid belt close by it. He can't recall any time where he thought about the planet, or even Lylat in that way. The person, who taught him that, is staring through one of those windows: Krystal. Her appearance has made a change since the destruction of the Aparoids. She now wears a pink outfit, white boots, an ear-communicator and has a soft, fluffy tail free of tail bands. Fox always adored her in her old purple suit; it was his gift to her when she became an official Starfox member. Well… gift?
The relation between the two vulpines did already progressed to such a degree that Krystal actually bought the suit for some "roleplaying" during private time. It didn't include the black parts currently present. How they both of them came up with the idea using that as a suit, is somewhat of a mystery. At least it was something that reminded him of better times. When he held Krystal closer than everything else he ever cherished. He hopes that she still has it. But as she is now, it might be even better; she's back with him. With some reluctance but second changes are always rough at the start.
A chill suddenly runs over his back, somehow it discourages him to get any closer. A lockdown. Ever since so many he loved died, he hasn't been able to love one like he would want. It's a horrible and twisted feeling that sickens him every time.
In both psychical as social ways; this very lockdown is what got Krystal kicked off the team by Fox himself in the first. 4 years ago... and she still wanted to come back. Reason enough for Fox to put the chill to rest and approach her.
'Hey Krys.' he greets nice. 'What are you looking at?'
She barely reacts to Fox, who's standing almost next to her. 'Those shooting stars...' she points absent, seemingly fixated on those stars. They resemble various vicious looking ship-designs. Something he tends to recognize.
'Three to be exact.' she finishes as she softly presses her right paw against the glass. From her point of view, the paw is placed over just one of the shooting stars...
'Hmhm.' he nods before telling something that has been nibbling inside him for some time.
'Krystal, I really got to get this off my back: I'm absolutely thrilled that you're back and that you stayed. Even after...'
As Fox thinks he's talking to Krystal, she's only half focused on what Fox says. She withdraws her paw and turns to Fox with a dubiously sad look on her face. As if she doesn't know to be sad or happy.
'Even after those... two messages? Krys... Wh-what's wrong?' notices Fox who starts to get concerned. Did he say something wrong? In the corner of his eye, he could swear that the stars are getting closer. Krystal takes a deep breath, preparing herself to say the words that will scar Fox for a long time to come.
'Those stars... are not stars.' she admits as she turns her head away. She has no interest in Fox's reaction. 'They are my pick-up; I'm leaving Fox.' she states already looking at the hallway where Fox came from; her ticket out.
'Y-you're leaving?' questions Fox with good reason. He shakes his head, chuckling, dismissing the idea as some kind of joke. Hopefully...
'Fox...' The tone in which that is said, is Fox's wake-up call.
'...wait. No... Nononono. You are serious?' he exclaims. 'Why would you… w-why wou…? Fox is at loss of words. Everything goes south! If not north, west and east as well.
'I can't stand the guilt anymore.' claims Krystal recalling that message of Panther after Starfox defeated the Anglars on Venom. 'I'm going back to Panther and Starwolf.'
*Panther again!? That son of a bitch…* 'What guilt? That furrball has nothing on you.' states Fox. But Krystal's mind is set. As Fox tries to reach out for her, she backs away in some misplaced disgust.
'Don't push it Fox!' she yells. Tears come to her eyes. 'Can't you see it's impossible for me to stay with you? I'm not your crystal anymore… let alone your Krystal.' She bows her head down and slightly to her left.
'But Krystal… I thought…' he tries to soothe a conflicted Krystal. He reaches out again with Krystal backing off only a little. He softly strokes her left cheek and Krystal looks up and at him. Fox smiles at a shivering Krystal before she rejects Fox's paw and pushes it away by violently shaking her head. A few tears spatter on Fox's arm before Krystal turns around.
'I'm sorry Fox. I'm so very sorry...' are the last words from Krystal he hears before she's out of his reach. His arm, still reached out for Krystal, serves no more purpose other than to point at the direction the love of his life ran away to. Suddenly, the tears that Krystal left on that arm, start to burn.
'ACK!' he exclaims before trying to wipe them off. But they're gone, as if he already absorbed them. The pain quickly spreads throughout his body before paralyzing everything except for his head and neck. As if half-stricken by Medusa, he's incapable to move; his body doesn't feel like his anymore. Nothing runs through his mind, nothing makes his heart beat. The eerie atmosphere he experienced begins to turn dark, hazy and ominous. The dark turns choking, surrounding him. Across the window flies Krystal's CloudRunner next to Panther's Black Rose. Fox turns his head towards the CloudRunner which stops in front of the window. It turns to its right, leaving Fox to be faced with the exhaust. As the engines power up to leave, the light coming from that exhaust blows a hole in the darkness surrounding Fox. He can't help but stare into that light as he sees an animate reflection of Krystal in her Assault outfit. She seems to prepare blow a hand kiss to him.
*What is the meaning of this...?* is the first thing coming to his mind. Before he can think about anything else, the window bursts into pieces as the reflection blows the kiss towards Fox. The kiss is the enormous output from the ship and it manages to throw Fox against the far side of the room. Shatters of glass come with it and literally nail Fox to the wall he just hit a split-second ago. Before Fox realizes it, the CloudRunner left the area of the Great Fox. It leaves a gaping hole, like the one in his heart.
*Why...*
He doesn't even seem to care anymore that the vacuum of space sucks him towards the gape. He closes his eyes as the Great Fox spits him out. The glass shards come with him as the blackness of space engulfs him.
A shock awakens him. He's overjoyed to see a rather bland ceiling; his ceiling of his room inside the Great Fox II.
'Phew... what a horrible nightmare.'
He breaths out. His paws have clawed their way into his mattress and his sheet and blanket are moist. That horrendous dream felt so realistic, he could swear that he still feels the shards nailing him to the wall. But it's something different. Something invisible is holding him down. A shadowy figure of himself, his fur drenched in black and his hair snow white. He's covered in a haze, pluming around him. It stares down into Fox's still sleepy eyes. Fox knows the figure's name, but he never met him. It opens his mouth wide to reveal a cold feeling, dark void inside, speaking: "I'm your future! EMPTY!"
After blinking in fast succession a few times, the figure isn't there anymore. He denies it ever existed and the pressure disappears like it was never there. His right paw releases the mattress and wipes any sweat left on his forehead away. On the more enjoyable side of things, Fox can still think and dismiss the nightmare and the weird figure as "No sweat". In a ramshackle fashion, he crawls out of bed. A shock runs through his foot as it touches the ground, like stepping into a needle. He limps onwards to the shower, hoping that the streams of warm water will flow his sorrows away. But when salvation should come, he can only feel that choking feeling of that nightmare surrounding him. The water couldn't be possibly be hotter, but they feel colder than absolute zero. He leans his back against the wall side of the cabin and slides down.
There he is. The big and legendary leader of the famous Starfox mercenary team. Broken down by a nightmarish prediction.
*That nightmare... it isn't real.* he tells himself. *But why does it feel so... so... realistic? As if it's going to happen...* The reflection he sees in the glass of the shower cabin shows his fur color turn black and his hair white.
'Something interesting asshole?' he asks the reflection on glass. He's sitting in the exact same position as Fox, putting up a small smug smile. He's is dressed, unlike Fox. Something he prefers over someone naked at least. He's wearing an outfit that can best be described as '50 shades of black'. Occasionally, there is a chain or something else iron hanging loose. He's wearing big Goth boots and has a manipulating look on his face. It tilts his head slightly to his left.
'Nah.' waves the figure off. 'Just checking on your progress.'
'Ah yeah? Well, how am I doing than master?'
The figure chuckles. 'I see you're talking to a hallucination so it seems I'm coming sooner than expected.'
'Yeah about that. Just a tip: you might wanna exchange that void for some teeth before I turn into you.' suggest Fox cynical as he feels his gums and teeth. 'It's easier to eat that way.'
'Keep going like this and you might see them appear soon.' assures the figure as he opens his mouth to show that a few sharp fangs break through the darkness.
The mood between the two is unsettlingly calm and friendly. The two are supposed to hate each other's guts, but they just sit there like old friends. They even crack a few jokes to each other. Minutes pass by as the only thing they really seem to miss is a cold beer to keep the spirits up. Fox could really use one right now. When the figure grabs two bottles, with the frost still on it, Fox utters a deep sigh.
'You're a dick. You know that?'
The figure shrugs and laughs. 'SSSHHH!' is hissed when he opens the bottle.
'Oh come on man! Seriously?' complains Fox as the figure gulps it down. He nearly chokes when Fox complains in that way. He wipes any leftover foam and beer of his chin before looking up at Fox.
'Don't make me laugh like that you jackass.' He coughs a few times. 'I could have choked myself.'
Slowing, the laughing subsides. So does the mood between the two. Fox in particular is really done with the figure right now.
'What's your name?' he asks out of nowhere. The figure needs a few seconds to process but when he comes to his senses he answers.
'You know my name.' he says reluctant. He was just starting to like the new Fox.
Fox shrugs. 'I do.' He swallows before he continues to dramatize his upcoming comment. 'Something with two x's. But I can't pronounce it without throwing up or thinking about the boring biology classes about chromosomes at the academy.'
It takes a while before the figure gets the biology joke. When its face turns crusty, Fox knows he's done it.
*It seems my "future" self isn't so good with comebacks.*
Fox stands up to see that the lights have been turned off. *But he sure is with stupid pranks. Funny. Very funny.*
He sighs before he turns off the shower and steps out of the cabin. A snap of his fingers is enough to turn the lights back on. All lights do, except the one over the glass side where the figure appeared. Fox ignores it completely. An automatic dispenser shoots out a fresh and still warm towel right in Fox's expecting paws. After drying himself, patching his hair and putting on his uniform, he walks towards the bridge. The door opens up to a large panorama window on the opposite side with ROB 64 behind the controls. Hardwired to the half-round floor of the Great Fox II's bridge since its installment, after the destruction of the original Great Fox.
On the left, there is his best friend and most skilled/egocentrically ace pilot Falco Lombardi sprawled out over his chair, his feet resting on a pop-up desk in front of him. Having his fingers play air guitar at music loud enough to be heard by Fox from underneath his headphones, even at a considerable distance.
Slippy, the mechanic of the team has his head stuck inside a panel in need of fixing.
At last, on his right, there is the lovely Krystal standing in front of the holo-transmitter. Panther's hologram is visible for a second before vanishing. Fox is just too late to intercept the message. He only hears '...that Panther knows.' before Krystal replies with 'Yeah. Sorry about that.' Those words. As if he went back in time.
*The end of the first message that a-hole Panther send... The message I referred to in that nightmare... Could it be true then?*
His pondering is interrupted after Slippy manages to get his head out.
'Whew! That's fixed.' He turns to Fox and holds his thumb up, signaling they're ready to go. His big smile causes Fox to cheer up a little as well. He doesn't want to burden his friends with his inner demons. It could demolish morale and cause another split up.
'Erhum... Starfox. Move out. We're headed for Aquas. I want to meet that fiancée you were bragging about Slip.'
The Great Fox sets course for planet Aquas as all seems to return to normal. Lylat is safe once more, they received their fee for delivered services and Starfox is complete again. But the future looks grimier.
Act 2: Unable
After dropping Slippy off on Aquas, duty called again. An escort mission for a Cornerian Supply Transporter. Nothing big, but Fox caressed every mission, every moment with Krystal. Maybe... he should have told to Krystal instead of keeping it for himself. He defiantly tried, but something always got in the way.
About a month after Slippy's drop-off, he managed to catch Krystal alone. He expressed most of his feelings for her, but didn't say the most important three words that he knows are what Krystal wants to hear from him. Five, awfully painful minutes pass by without a word said by the both of them before Fox reluctantly kicks the bucket. With a kiss on his forehead, Krystal said: 'It's okay Fox. I know what you mean.'
She left the room, leaving Fox with the feeling of pain redefined. His paws are all over his face to reflect this. He was so close... but once more his own lockdown killed off another attempt.
The kiss? Meant nothing; a disguise for the empty feeling she has. Weeks passed by, tedious and repetitive. Constantly the same shit, different day. And when things looked darkest, it got even worse. That empty feeling that Krystal has, was filled up with the over-romantized words and made-up poems that would even make Shakespeare sick. They're from everyone's favorite womanizer Panther Caruso. He was even so generous as to put a simulated version of himself to preach it. Sending them via a hacked signal, so only Krystal could receive it.
3 weeks ago, Fox caught her with one of these simulated messages in own bedroom. Her door was open. Curious, he took a peek. She quickly covered it up with her blanket like a boy with his porn magazine. She quickly regained herself and waved it off as one of those pop-up ads. Of course Fox saw that. It was a golden opportunity to talk to her, but yet again it ends up in a fiasco.
His friends weren't much of a help too. Not because Fox couldn't tell them. On the contrary; the lockdown isn't even present around them. It's Fox doesn't wanna settle his friends up with his problems. No matter what they would offer, Fox would never accept it. Falco tried it once, simply because he saw Fox holding himself cool when Panther asked for an offer. Nothing Krystal-related, but Fox could see in Panther's eyes that he was up to something. After the transmission, Fox was boiling. When Falco got him a cold soda and sat down with him, Fox bursted into tears. Falco assured Fox that Krystal would never leave him, but even he sensed a certain distance in between Fox and Krystal.
All this, in three months that felt like centuries. He now stands on the same position as he stood when he first entered the bridge. Krystal is staring out the window, in a similar fashion as in the dream which is still lingering.
Act 3: Shattering the Triangle
*That very position... the way she has her paw on the glass... her hopeful gaze at those "shooting stars"... She's screaming:
'Get me out! Take me with you Panther!' Argh! This can't be...* he thinks as he stands like statue. Suddenly, the holo-transmitter rings. Guess who's the first to reach for her "savior's call".
*Oh God no... don't let this be true!* Desperation falls all over him. He seems powerless.
'A simulated message?' wonders Krystal as she reads the specs. 'C-could it be?' She looks out the window again, seeing the shooting stars. She lets a small sigh before accepting the moment is there. 'This must be it then.'
'One day you'll join me again. This, Panther knows.' plays from a simulated hologram of Panther. It seems to be signal for her.
Krystal's and Fox's eyes spread open wide, for the same reasons. For a second, they stare at each other. How could it come so far? Fox is sick of it. Lockdown or not, that nightmare will never become the truth.
*Break... break... BREAK FUCKDAMMIT!*
He cramps his paws together into fists, his nails nearly puncturing his skin. He starts to breathe faster, feeling something cooking inside.
'Fox?' notices Falco who just entered the bridge and approaches Fox from behind. He places a friendly hand on Fox's left shoulder. 'Buddy? What is it? You're boiling man.'
'Leave me Falco...' hisses Fox.
'For wha...' Before Falco can finish his question, he sees Panther appear in person on the transmitter. Fox is glaring at him.
'Oh. It's still like that huh? I'm out already.' Falco takes his distance as Slippy enters the bridge.
'Hey Falco.' greets Slippy friendly before he's turned around and pushed away by Falco. 'Hey... what are you...'
'This is for your own sake.' tells Falco. 'Fox is about to explode. He's had enough I think.'
'About what?'
With some distance taken, they see that Krystal is giving in.
'Oh that. I think Fox should have done this ages ago.' comments Slippy.
'Let's just hope it's not too late. We need her tail here, not with the competition.' says Falco.
'Well... maybe I could...' doubts Krystal towards Panther.
Just the word "maybe" is enough to bluntly shatter what Fox has left of trust in that she will always be his. The choking dark starts to flow over his shoulders, pluming like it did with the creature. He feels the same cold breathing in his neck, the message the creature gave him repeating in an endless loop in his head.
'EMPTY! EMPTY!'
The plumes start to chain and engulf him, revealing themselves as the lockdown Fox gave himself. For a second, it's dark. For a second, it's cold. But Fox finally snaps, breaking out in a glorious eruption.
'Nooooo!' screams Fox as finally he lets it all out. His voice echoes throughout the bridge and gets everyone's attention.
'F-Fox?' stumbles Krystal who didn't expect such a violent outburst from Fox. Fox can't believe it either. He stands as a more free man with the darkness laying on the ground ripped to pieces. After the realization wiped the aftermath of discovery, he continues.
'I'm sick of it!' adds Fox persistent.
'Of Panther?' inquires Krystal.
'Of him! His constant presence, his words, his... everything!' As that brief collision between words and actually uttering it ruins his intended rant, he turns his head away. He feels that lock closing around him again.
'What's wrong Fox?' plagues Panther with the tension to laugh at him. His words are toxic for Fox. Turmoil on a bushfire.
Fox stomps towards the transmitter, pointing at Panther. 'I'll tell you what's wrong piece of...' He chokes on his own words, again. *I can't get it out!*
His face cramps together, trying to resist giving up.
'Fox? What's going on?' Krystal starts to worry. She never saw him like this. Never before so conflicted, not even when he tried to show his feeling to her for all those months.
'I-I can't... get it...' admits Fox painful, bowing his head.
'Fox...' Her voice is a lot closer than before. She stands in front of him. '...tell me what's on your heart.' She sounds honest in her request. When she places her paw on his heart, he knows that her concern is genuine. He utters a deep sigh.
'What is wrong...' he repeats. 'I'm the one wrong.'
He looks up to Krystal. 'I'm sick of everything I held in... held back.'
After another word choke, his attention shifts to the main aggressor.
'You!' he points at Panther. 'From the very moment that you came on stage, you tried to hit on Krystal. It angered me, but I was able to restrain myself knowing that Krystal would never fall for such cheap flirts. But some time ago, I made the most horrendous decision: making her leave and sending her into your, of course, open arms. All because of some social and emotional lockdown I've given myself. Now that I'm on the brink of losing her again... I won't let it happen!'
*Nevermore! Time for that lock to break!*
'Krystal. Before Starfox, I was an empty shell. I missed something in my life. But even with Starfox, my life wasn't complete.' he admits a little sad. 'Then! There was the mission on Sauria. When my eyes first gazed upon you... I realized I found what I was looking for all those years. You didn't even have to open your eyes to steal my heart. You are all that matters to me.'
It's a side, an emotional side she never saw of him. Its introduction has made an impression on Krystal; she's really touched.
'And Starfox then...?' she says a little off guard.
'Starfox... is a spec in my head compared to you. If I have to give up my reputation, I would. If I have to give up my Arwing, I would.' He pauses a moment to hold Krystal's paw. 'If I have to mop up Starfox as whole... I would.'
She has no words. Her tears speak of her emotion. 'Fox... I-I…'
He comes a little closer to her. 'You mean the world to me Krystal. I can't stress enough how much you are to me. I can... only summarize it: I love you Krystal. More than anything.'
The five second rule of two months ago makes a comeback: with a change of rules. The five seconds of silence are longer, but feel so much better.
'That's it?' comments Panther brutal before unleashing a roar. 'Hahahaha! Of all the typical lies, you choose the most unbelievable.' He sweeps away a fake tear. 'You threw away your shot buddy. Krystal, tell this desperate furrball to get in his Arwing and buzz off. I'm preparing to dock.'
The Black Rose comes closer as Krystal is now the one frozen solid. She's in dubio: either the faithful Fox currently holding her paw or the smooth talker Panther, who likes her more than his own reflection. She lowers her head and closes her eyes. Her mind is set.
'I love you too Fox...' she mutters so soft that even she can't make out what she said.
*Did she just... or did I imagine it?* thinks Fox hopeful. He sees Krystal raise her head. Her eyes sparkle like diamonds when she speaks the relieving words.
'I love you too Fox.'
Before Fox can believe what he just heard, his first concern is not falling down as Krystal pounces at him, wraps her arms around him and gives him her most passionate kiss. Panther can't believe the escalation. Seconds ago he could have sworn that Krystal would come with him, and now she all over his rival in love.
'Wait... what is..? Krystal? B-but...'
It's him choking on his words now. Falco and Slippy stack up at the holo-transmitter in order to silence Panther in a possible attempt to disturb Fox and Krystal's intimate moment.
'Hello there Panther! It seems you are the left heartbroken.' comments Falco cynical. 'Slip, can you explain the procedures for unwanted guests on our comm line?'
'With pleasure Falco. Panther and Starwolf are now...' He presses a button on a remote he build. '...marked as "imminent threat" by the board computer.'
'In other words?' asks Falco rhetorical.
'Goodbye Panther!'
A loud screech fires through his earpiece till he unplugs it and throws it away. It ricochets off the inside of the ship. Before him are just the controls of his Black Rose, not the inside of the Great Fox.
'How could she? Just how?' he wonders in the blind.
'Keep crying Caruso...' snarls Leon on Panther's right, annoyed to death by something. 'Keep crying and you'll surpass that nagging hog Pigma on the annoyance list.'
'Piss off Leon...' hisses Panther restrained. 'How could she? After all we've been through... After all Fox did to her...' whimpers Panther.
'You really talk too much.' comments Wolf in a tone saying: "Get over it Caruso". 'We're out of here.'
The Wolfens fly off with a bitter aftertaste, leaving Fox and Krystal in each other's arms.
Fox, overjoyed can't hold back his emotions with Krystal held close to him again. Krystal, dries his tears as she allows Fox to put his paw on her left cheek. They nuzzle each other before holding the tip of their noses against each other. Fox is staring at Krystal's sparkling, deep blue eyes. He just can't look at anything else for the moment.
'I love you Krystal. From the moment I met you till now and forever. Always did and always will.'
'Silly. I know that. I just wanted to hear that from you. And I did. Giving me something better is impossible.'
'Is that so?' inquires Fox. 'How about this then?'
He tries to kiss Krystal again but Falco has to kill the moment.
'Guys. Although I'm super happy about your lovey-dovey business and you two back together and all, I'm unable to stand here staring at it without a gag every once in a while. Let alone a barf-bag.
Slippy gives Falco a sharp elbow in his left side. 'Don't ruin their moment Falco. Jesus…'
Fox turns his head to ROB. The robot knows exactly what to do.
'PARTY MODE ENGAGED!'
While Starfox celebrate their deserved reconciliation, the band of Starwolf mercenaries drift around aimlessly in space. They got nowhere to go; Sargasso is still under Cornerian control. Fuel levels and moral are getting below average as well. After a while, the aftertaste starts to wear on Panther, who seemed to manage so far.
'Can we uh... stop at something?' asks Panther trying to keep his head up. 'I could use some rest...'
Wolf notices that Panther might have been hit harder by the rejection than he thought at first glimpse. Looking at Panther flying on his right, he can see Panther struggling with his tears. He constantly wipes them away in case anyone might notice it.
*Poor guy.* He runs the search word motel but ends up with nothing in reach for their Wolfens to get to in a short time span.
'There're no motels close by.' he reports harsh as always. 'But...' His voice turns more compassionate towards Panther. Not that he never was like that, but it's one of the first times he actually cared. It wasn't necessary before that but it's nice for a change.
'…there is a diner some 100 miles away from here.' remembers Wolf. 'We can get our shit together there. It seems you really need it Panther.'
'Hmph... fine enough.' says Leon with a whiff of reluctance. Turning the wheel for a crybaby is not his cup of tea at the moment. He still recalls his face on the warrants and screens all over Lylat. 10000 Cornerian Francs for capturing him alive. The lowest of the three but still; the thought of him in prison, being wanted all across Lylat and then entering a public place like a dinner? Shivers run down his spine. It also explains the touchiness back at the Great Fox.
For Panther however, it's a moment of solace. Even if Leon hates doing this. He manages to stay strong; not to cry.
'T-thanks Wolf... Leon... You guys are the best.'
'Don't mention it. Starwolf... move out.'
This is the remastered version of Shattering the Triangle. This is because my other contestants are spewing triple A quality and I just wanna make sure it goes okay. It just goes to show that everyone can improve.
-Phantomfoxx