The Burden is Back
By: Vinny Martello
All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 1
Mind Cage
Roka Embers, Star Fox team housekeeping specialist, chief executive of meal preparation, master of witicism, and top prankster. He was on the low end of the pole but still quite useful for the teams everyday living. Even though he rarely got to go on any missions, he still managed to pull off some pretty amazing stunts. Blowing up Venom outposts, wiping out gangs and drug dealers, and even surviving a capture by Andrew Oikonny himself. Because of these wild escapades he ended up almost cripple and he was pretty much grounded. However, on this particular day, he receieved a surprise birthday party. To his surprise, it was already the month A'dar by Cornerian time and he was now seventeen. It just so happened that when he walked into the kitchen to prepare the usual dinner for the team that they attacked him with confetti.
Roka: Gyaaa! Its raining confetti!!! Huh?!? What's going on?!?
Krystal: Cheers on your birthday Roka.
Roka: It's what? Oh... I forgot again... It is my birthday isn't it? Hehehe. Thanks guys.
Falco: You mean to tell me, even thoug Fox already gave you his present, that you forgot?
Roka: -scratches head- Well, that apple cider in the fridge was a little old I think, and... that's why I forgot!
Falco: You had what?!?
Slippy: Open your present Roka!
Slippy gleefully handed him and large box, it was rectangular, and quite heavy. He tore open the wrapping and pulled a large old rifle. It had a deep red-brown finish on the elongated wood stock that ran all the way down the black, octagon barrel. In the stock was in-laid fine brass furnihsings. To Roka, it was obviously a blackpowder rifle, but nobody else quite knew what it was.
Slippy: Believe it or not I found this at Shockey's weapon supply on Corneria where I purchase our weapons. The clerk said that it was made by an old master gunsmith about seventy or so years ago, even then it was considered old fashioned.
Krystal: We all chipped in.
Roka: Wow, I never thought I would see one of these in my life. This is a Centuckee Long Rifle replica from the Freedom Phantom rebellion three hundred and fifty years ago!
Falco: Nerd...
Fox: Well, I gotta admit Slippy, you really found a winner.
Falco: So dat's what rifles looked like back then? I think I'll stick to my blaster.
Roka: You wont say that when you see this thing in action.
They all enjoyed their little escape from reality. Roka hadn't felt this happy in a long time, he spent five years of his live virtually cut off from the world and treated like a device of someone's imagination. The feeling of love in his heart was almost unbearable. As he was sitting there in the commons room, he looked to his friends with tears in his eyes.
Krystal: Roka, what's wrong.
Roka: You've all been so good to me. I spent so many years being nothing but a number, but then, you took me in and gave me something so wonderful... happiness. And I don't deserve any of it. I could never repay what you have done for me.
Krystal gave the scarred young vulpine and gentle warm embrace and she stroked his head ever so gently. He latched on and buried his head in her arms. The feeling was different for Fox, however, he felt sick to his stomach. He knew exactly what Roka was talking about when he said "nothing but a number." He walked to him and put his hand on his shoulder. He looked into his eyes firmly and said:
Fox: That's not true. You've been through more than any of us could ever had imagined. You deserve happines, you deserve us. Just because something good comes along doesn't mean it's simply a product of chance. You told me that yourself Roka, I'll never forget what you once said. We are here for a purpose, life is not an object, but a privilege.
Peppy: "Maybe that old hound was right, maybe there is something special about this kid."
Krystal: Come on now, it's late and you need your rest.
He left the room and got himslef ready for bed, everyone else did the same, but Krystal didn't let Fox leave. She had a very important question that needed answering.
Krysta: Fox, I need to know something. There has been something on your mind that you don't want to tell me, and I figured that I would leave it until you are ready. Do you trust me Fox?
Fox: Yes, ofcourse I d....
Krystal: Then answer me this, what has been troubling you so much lately and what did Roka mean what he called himself a number?
Fox: -sigh- Oh boy, this is not gonna' be easy. You may regret what you are about to hear, I promised not to tell anyone. Last chance.
Krystal: I want to know.
Fox: -clears throat- When Roka was about ten years old... he was... he was kidnapped.
Krystal: Oh my!
Fox: And, something bad happened to him. But, he is going to have to tell you himself. I won't impose on his dignity, what's left of it. I made a promise and I have decided to keep it.
Krystal: I will respect your wish Fox, but don't let whatever it is consume your mind, or your very being will be trapped in it's own cage.
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The dream he had was still boring a hole in his mind, seeing the destruction and annihilation of Corneria City, the death of his love, and his bioelectrical body, was too vivid of a dream. None of it had happened, but still seeing it all happen was a mental torture in and of itself. Roka Embers had alot on his mind. It almost seemed as a warning of things to come, but there's no way of knowing until it happens. Roka was now seventeen and cripled. The leg braces were helping and he was recovering well, but the constant pain made took him right back to the labratory of Andross. It was certainly a humbling experience. The rest of the Star Fox team could go on missions and accomplish tasks, but whenever he tried to come along he always got the same answer. "Not untill you recover, then we will talk about missions.'' Roka spent most of his time doing light excercises, chores, and reading trying to make himself smarter. He couldn't let himself waste away. His life was consumed with routine which was painfully boring. He couldn't do much for fun, he loft his gun in the... incident, he couldn't force himself to play video games, everything just seemed so dull. Even the rescued N64 in the commons room looked dreary. He was in a slump. Things would change for him however when a new task arrived for the team. Scientists on Fichina discovered a new mineral which could be used to make stronger alloys for ships and weapons. The data containing its chemical properties, atomic mass unit, and atomic number all were out on a very out-dated disk. Apparently the scientists were runnung a little low on funds.
Fox McCloud was in the briefing room when he receieved the message over the virtual display and he didn't like the idea of delivery boy. Roka, like a hero from the ashes, was willing to help the flustered scientist.
scientist: Please Mr. McCloud. This data is invaluable, it must be delivered to Corneria.
Fox: I'm not interested.
Roka: I'LL DO IT!!!
Fox: Roka... for the ump-teenth time, No. You have a broken body.
Roka: But I live in a cardboard box!!!
Fox: It's not that bad.
Roka: Ok then, a nice corrugated cardboard box.
scientist: hehehe.
Fox: What?
scientist: -cough- Sorry, I have a bit of a cold. I took a shower last night and I must have gotten my feet wet.
Fox: Oh, ok.... what????
Roka: Awww, come one! It's just a flesh wound...
Fox: Darn, you're persistent. Fine, just don't go getting yousrelf into trouble... -sigh- Ok doc, we'll have Roka pick it up for you.
scientist: Thank you so much, now remember, this must be kept safe!
Roka: Got it!
Fox: Whatever.
The communications were cut off and Fox looked at the eager young space cadet. He would have jumped for joy if his legs weren't broken in six different places.
Fox: Go to the hangar, fly to fichina, do whatever it that you have to do, then come right back. No misadventures and crazy escapades.
Roka: OK! Be back in a day.
He ran towards the hangar, metal leg braces clicking all the way. It was good for him though, Fox thought to himself. He needs some time away from away from the Great Fox. He had been stuck there for two weeks with nothing to do. Meanwhile, Roka hopped into his hand-me-down Arwing. It wasn't much, but Roka and Slippy had their fun tweaking it. The cockpit control system was all push-button style, no 3-D buttons. It was built like an old fighter plane from long ago. He stuck in the brass key and have it a sharp turn to the right and it roared to life. If he could only put a V-8 in the old thing, then it would be a hot rod. He flew off into space towards Fichina, he hit the big red button and rocketed towards the cold planet with blinding speed. Within two hours he arrived at the outside of the atmosphere. It looked mostly white, even with a climate control center it still wasn't much of a beach resort. He broke through the atmosphere and and flew towards the main laboratory. When he arrived there was an old English bulldog there to greet him. He hopped out of the cockpit and stepped on to the cold, crunchy snow. He spread his arms out wide enjoying the icy, dry air.
scientist: Good heavens child! Put a coat on or something, it twenty-five point three degrees out here.
Roka: Woops, forgot one.
scientist: Come on inside young man.
He led him into the large white building where it was certainly much warmer, and the atmosphere seemed like that of a nice hotel. However, at the end of the large lobby was a door that was carefully locked. It looked like one that no pick could ever hope to crack. The old canine stuck in a little key card and the door flew opened exposing a long hallway with many doors on the way down. He walked up to one of the doors stuck in the key card again to expose a small square lab with various equipment on long counter-tops.
David: Oh, forgive me, I didn't properly introduce myself, my name is David Attwood, Scientist, Researcher, and Comedy extraordinaire, at your service.
Roka: Roka Embers, Star Fox team housekeeping specialist, chief executive of meal preparation, master of witicism, and top prankster.
David: I see now, a most intelligent way of saying cook, nanny, and comedian all in one, BRILLIANT! Now to buisiness, this special new element we have descovered reacts with aluminum to form an alloy harder that any other we have come up with, and the strange part is that it's easy to make.
Roka: Any drawbacks?
David: It doesn't react to lead very well. It seems though as if lead causes it to oxidize rapidly and become like rust, nothing but a loose powder.
Roka: How convenient.
David: What do you mean by that old boy?
Roka: I happen to be a firearm enthusiast and firearms shoot pieces of lead at high velocity.
David: My great-great grandfather had something like that, he was isued one when he joined the army quite some time ago.
To Roka's surprise, he handed him a brown cardboard box wrapped in industrial grade celophane tape.
Roka: It's in a box wrapped in scotch-tape?
Daniel: Does this look like a priceless discovery to you?
Roka: No...
David: Excellent! That was the whole point.
Roka: Makes sense.
David: Quite...
Roka: Yup....
David: Certainly...
Roka: Absolutely...
David: Better be on you way.
Roka: Goodbye.
Their highly intellectual conversation was over and he led Roka to the lobby and out the door into the cold dry air once more. He yanked open the cockpit door to his ship, the warm glass made some of the snow melt and ice had formed over the air-tite seal. He jumped in, fired it up, and blasted his way through the atmosphere and made his way home. After so many hours in space he arrived at the Great Ego... I mean Great Fox, and landed in the docking bay and parked his arwing. He made his way through thr main hallway and into the kitched to grab some cider. His journey ended when he found Fox and Krystal arguing over Fox's decision to let Roka go on a mission.
Krystal : I can't believe you let that poor child go out on his own even though he is severly injured and in need of recooperation.
Fox: But the poor guy lives in a cardboard box.
Krystal: That is not true!
Fox: Fine, then a nice corrugated cardboard box.
Roka: High guys...
Fox/Krystal: Hello Roka.
Fox: See? It wasn't that bad. He was only gone for half a day!
Krystal: It was still foolish to let him go out on his and take a risk like that!
As they were arguing, Roka went into the kitchen's closet and dug around. He found a roll of yellow "WARNING" tape and began to put it around the kitchen. When the kitchen's exits were blocked off, he stepped under the yellow tape and walked out. "This has been my best idea yet." He thought to himself. It didn't last though, as he stepped out of the room the flaming foxes saw him leave with the yellow tape in all its splendor. They stopped arguing immediately and felt a blast of embarresment shortly thereafter, than came a raging river of re-directed anger.
RRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOKKKAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oopsie! I pushed a wrong button. Run away! Run away!
Fox/Krystal: COME BACK HERE YOU ARROGANT LITTLE RUNT!!!!!!!!!!!
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Later that night, a small group of intruders entered the Great Fox looking for something valuable to take for their own, to their surprise, they found a drowsy Roka Embers wandering the main hall wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and his legbraces.
Roka: Uh-wha? What's Star Wolf doing here? Hehehe, and you found youselves a new space cadet.
Panther: Allow me to introduce myself, my name is...
Roka: Lemme' guess... it's Panther isn't it?
Panther: How'd you know?
Roka: -yaaaawwwwn- Because I can read minds, but the only problem is... I'm illiterate. So even when I am reading your mind I really can't tell what it is sayin'.
Panther: Yes... and all who see my Rose see death!
Roka: -yawn- Could the same be said for that nice plumbers crack you got goin' there?
Wolf: Buwahahahaha!!
Leon: Hehehe...
Panther: We shall see hoe clever you are little runt.
The enraged feline got a devious little smirk on his face and lightly drove his foot into on of Roka's leg casts. He instantly stood perfectly erect at the genlte little tap. His head began to cock in unusual positions and he got a nasty twitch in his right eye. Leon walked up to him and waved his hand in front of his face and got positively no response.
Leon: Hehehe, positively brutal Panther... kicking a cripple in the shins like that.
Wolf: I think you went a little too far that time.
Panther: What do you care?
Wolf: Ummm. Nothing. We need to move, there is a valuable little piece of metal that we can get a lot of money out of. I'll check the main hallway, you two look around the rooms and any place where a priceless object would be kept.
Leon: That's simple... the vault ofcourse!
Panther: Might as well start looking, I don't want to be late for dinner with some gorgious girl.
T he team began their search, but right when they began to move forward, a loud -THUD- was heard. Panther looked over his shoulder to see Roka lying face down and unconscious. "Maybe I was a little rough with this pup, oh well." he thought to himself. Panther made his way and eventually found himself in the kitchen. The first thing he noticed was a cardboard box with a big CedEx label on it. He passed it on as some cheap trinket. The next thing he noticed was the big whit refrigerator that looked oh so inviting.
Panther: I think I will have some milk. Hhmhmhm,,,,,
Panther grabbed a jug and began a chug. It was quickly stopped when he was blasted whith the overpowering taste of garlic and onion. He spit it out and looked at the jug. "Nice try ya' stupid puss" was written on it.
Panther: Grrrrraaaaaa!!! Where is that miserable little brat?!?!
He looked back and forth and saw no sign of the little red vulpine. Suddenly, he heard the stretchy sound of twisting sheet metal. He turned around to the diabolical grimace of a vicious little fox. "What? Geeeee!!!!..." He fell to the floor unable to move his body.
Wolf: Panther, what's goin' on? Are you alright.
Wolf and Leon ran into the kitchen to see a teary-eyed Panther Caruso on the floor holding his groin... and a triumphant little Roka Embers standing over him wielding an aluminum spatula like a samurai warrior.
Roka: You don't want to suffer his fate do you?
Tough as he was, Wolf felt a queezy tumult in his stomach, he didn't want to stick around to see what this little demon might do next. Besides, the only thing worth stealing was the nice TV in the commons room. He just couldn't find what he was looking for. He decided to call the whole thing off and just go home.
Wolf: Let's move out. I don't think we will have any luck finding it here.
Panther: Wait! Don't leave me here. -WHEEZE!!!-
Roka: I'll help ya'. Just try any more antics like that, and you will feel the sting of being tea-bagged a second time.
To his surprise, and his embarrasment, Roka helped him up and walked him back to his Wolfen. It was a crushing blow, having your own enemy help you back to your feet and. The audacity of this pup was more than he could handle.
Panther: Why are you helping me you sick-minded little pup?
Roka: I'm not one to 'old a grudge.
Panther: I don't know how they put up with you. Your willingness to help your own enemy will get you killed.
Roka: I can't be killed. Oikonny 'imself has already tried and he failed too.
Roka helped the badly injured ladies-man into his ship and they started up there Wolfens and began their journey home. Panther felt uneasy about this demon-child. Was he some sort of bio-machine? And why did he say he couldn't be killed? And why would a kid his age be involved with Oikonny? So many questions, and so much tingling. It didn't exactly turn him on.
Wolf: Buahaha!!! Looks like you won't be using them things for a while ay?
Leon: I like this kid. The only thing better than revenge is counter-revenge!
Panther: Shut your mouth you spinless lizard!
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Krystal: Good morning Roka. How are you feeling?
Roka: I...uh...ummmmm... slept good?
Krystal: Doesn't sound like it.
Roka: I had a really weird dream...
END OF CHAPTER 1.