DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Star Fox series or its characters, plot, etc. It completely belongs to Nintendo. Only this story is my own, so please don't steal it. Oh, and I don't own the song or lyrics featured in this two-shot. I'll mention (and credit) the actual band that owns this song at the end.
I'd Come for You
Notorious hero and mercenary Fox McCloud stood on the bridge of the Great Fox II, a sole hand perched upon the reinforced glass near the front of the bridge as he gazed down at the dreary planet known as Macbeth. A few hours ago he was on that very planet in a Landmaster, helping his teammates Falco Lombardi and Slippy Toad clean up what remained of the Anglar forces scattered about the planet. It was an easy job; a far cry from what he and so many others had gone through only two months ago. Besides, the pay was good, even though the funds he and his team had earned from the Anglar conflict were more than sufficient enough to keep the Star Fox team running in top form for another six years or so.
He loudly exhaled as his eyes turned away from the ugly grey planet and focused once again on the countless sparkles of light emanating from outer space. It wasn't his own team's well-being that he was thinking about at that moment.
No, he was thinking about her again, the beautiful cerulean vixen that seemed to break his heart a little more each day.
'No, don't think about her again,' he told himself. 'She's moved on with her life, so you should move on with yours too!'
Deep down he knew his subconscious was right. After all, he had a team to care for once again. They needed their fearless leader, the one who had saved the Lylat System from Andross not once, but twice, and had managed to defend their home even from the likes of the Aparoids and, more recently, the Anglars. The media made him out to be some sort of holy savior, a selfless spirit who together with his small band of freedom fighters roamed Lylat, searching for villains hell-bent on ideas of conquest and the annihilation of the entire galaxy. The public hailed them as celebrities, people to look up to and aspire to be like. Heroes.
'They're all wrong though. Maybe Falco and Slippy and even Peppy could be called that, but I'm no hero. A hero is selfless and willing to subdue his own wants and needs for the greater good, but I couldn't do that. If I truly was a hero, I wouldn't have driven her away in the first place, before this whole Anglar mess started. She wanted to stay, to fight with me and always be by my side. But I didn't want that. I didn't want to go through the pain of losing her in combat, like how I had lost my father. I didn't want to take the chance that she could lose me as well. I thought that someone as kind and beautiful as her wasn't suited for the life of a mercenary. '
So he kicked her off the team as much as it hurt him to. Falco and Slippy had already left for their own reasons. He thought he was better off alone. He told himself it was for the best, that she deserved a better guy than he could ever be. Hell, he hadn't even had the guts to tell her how much she meant to him, even though there had been many opportunities.
But that was the problem. She didn't understand his reasons, only that he didn't want to see her get hurt. He never wanted to experience that kind of pain. But the look on her face when she left on her Arwing pierced through him like a blaster bolt through his very soul.
She had run into the open arms of Panther Caroso and had joined Star Wolf. It's ironic that your own teammate would end up joining your worst enemies in the entire universe. If he had been told this would happen a few years ago, he wouldn't have believed himself.
Then the Anglar invasion started, giving him an excuse to bring his old friends back together to reform the old team. Most of all though, she had chosen to come back to him.
'I thought I'd been given a second chance, a way to make amends for what I did. After we defeated the Emperor Anglar on Venom, I vowed to make things right, to tell her how I honestly felt about her. I wanted her to know that I was wrong, that I should have taken her own feelings into consideration. But before I could even begin to explain to her how much I truly cared…'
-Two Months Ago-
Fox was working on his personal laptop, filling out some paperwork concerning payment for the Anglar conflict when he heard his bedroom door open slowly. His heart rose slightly when he caught a hint of blue fur in the corner of his eye. He swung his chair around to face his visitor.
"Fox…" said Krystal in a somber tone. No longer was she in her old blue and black Star Fox uniform, but the dark military fatigues of the Star Wolf team. Fox was taken completely off-guard.
"Krystal? I…what are you doing?" he asked. Her eyes wandered, trying to avoid his gaze but she managed to keep her tone steady and official.
"Well…it's been almost a month now since we defeated the Anglars, Fox. We haven't had a new mission since then and well…" her voice trailed off as she tried to fight back her tears. Those were just excuses. Both of them knew that maintenance funds for their aircraft were all covered under one cost. No, Fox knew there was another reason; a reason he feared but hoped wouldn't come to pass.
"Come on Krys, that's not the real reason. Tell me, what's going on? What's wrong?" Fox asked, forcing a warm smile and trying to remain calm as he rose from his seat. He slowly approached her, stopping when she backed up a bit. He kept his arms out as if he were surrendering.
"If it's about what happened a year ago Krys, I've been meaning to talk with you about it, but I haven't had the courage to bring it up yet. The truth is that I…well…" he struggled to find the right words. Before he could say another word she placed a finger over his lips, tears now flowing freely down her cheeks.
"You never cared…you never cared did you? I honestly don't know why I led myself to believe that you'd changed. All you care about is yourself and what's best for you! We're only convenient to have around when you need a helping hand! Isn't that right?" she shouted.
"Krystal, that's not true! It, it was a mistake I made, but I…" Krystal cut him off before he could finish.
"I'm sorry Fox, I can't do this anymore! I'm going back to be with Panther and the rest of Star Wolf!" she shouted, her lips trembling as she fled his room, never looking back as tears obscured her vision.
Fox stood there shocked, speechless. He didn't need ROB to tell him that the Cloudrunner had taken off from the docking bay to realize she was gone. He stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity, staring though the open doorway. Moments later, Falco noticed the dumbstruck Fox.
"Hey Fox, what was that announce—" he tried to ask before a door was slammed in his face, followed shortly by the muffled sounds of an animal crying out in pain. Falco knew what it was immediately and simply let his leader be. He knew nothing he said or did at that moment would help.
A sole tear fell from Fox's right eye as he remembered that miserable day. It had taken two weeks for him to fully get back on his feet, three days before he even managed to come out of his room. Falco and Slippy had let him be, but were both still worried about their captain. Falco had tried knocking on his door a few times, but the only answer he ever received was silence.
'I'm glad they stuck by me though. They both said to me after that even though Krystal had left again, they weren't planning on doing the same anytime soon. I just hope they didn't stay for my sake alone…'
But that wasn't true. Lately they had been getting so many requests from Corneria concerning Anglar cleanup that they could hardly keep up. Katina, Titania, Aquas, Zoness, Macbeth…the list had kept growing as they received more missions. It was good in a way; it kept him and his teammate's minds preoccupied and off of other things. Falco loved the constant action; it was what he lived for. Slippy didn't mind the excitement either, although he was looking forward to returning to his fiancée Amanda on Aquas once the clean-up was finished.
Fox didn't turn his gaze away from the stars as the bridge doors opened, revealing a tired but cheerful Falco Lombardi. His blue feathers and grey Star Fox uniform were drenched in sweat, but the signs of a successful mission glimmered in his eyes.
"Hey Fox, we finished mopping up the rest of them. Slippy's still on the planet coordinating the Cornerian forces, but otherwise we're pretty much done here. He'll give Peppy a call for us once things are finished so we can get paid and leave. Good riddance too, I've always hated that planet," he said offhandedly. He sat down in one of the team's chairs, swinging his feet up on the controls and placing his hands behind his head.
"Good, just let me know when we're ready to depart," Fox said as he continued staring out at the stars. Falco watched him out of the corner of his eye.
"Still thinking about her, eh?" he asked. Fox stiffened a bit but didn't respond. Falco took his feet off the controls and turned to face the vulpine.
"Look Foxy, I know you were in love with her and all that man, but c'mon, it's been two months now! She's gone and she's not coming back, get over it. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if she's with that Panther guy right now…"
"Leave it alone, Falco…" Fox threatened in a dangerous voice. Falco stood up and walked slowly toward his leader.
"Why should I? If it's affecting your ability to lead us then I have every right to bring this up. If you're not up to leading us then I might as well take over…" he said sarcastically.
Before he could finish Fox rushed up and grabbed him by the scruff of his jacket. He pinned the avian against one of the walls, baring his teeth.
"I'm not in the mood for your bullshit right now, Falco!" he screamed. Falco responded by sending a knee into Fox's stomach, loosening his grip long enough to get free.
"Obviously someone has to pound reality back into your head, McCloud! You've been moping around here for months now, and I'm sick of it! Get over it, she's gone and you're never going to see her again!" he yelled.
"You have no idea what I've been going though! These last two months have been a living nightmare for me!" Fox retorted, running straight at Falco with his fists raised. The ace pilot merely sidestepped to his left and tripped the running vulpine. He growled, leaping to his feet and sending a fist to Falco's face. The impact was so harsh it dented the left side of his beak. Furious, he tackled Fox to the ground, helplessly pinning his leader while unleashing punch after punch. More tears starting to stream from Fox's eyes after each strike, his fighting spirit completely leaving him when he finally realized what his fellow wing mate was getting at.
'He's right, I deserve this. After everything I put them through, after neglecting my job as their leader, I don't even deserve to live…' he thought.
Falco raised his fist again for another punch, but stopped when he saw the tears flowing down Fox's bloodied and bruised face. He lowered his fist and looked down at his bloodstained hand, and then back at Fox again. Slowly, he climbed off Fox and sat down on the steel floor in shock, adrenaline still pulsating through his veins.
'What in the hell am I doing? Is beating the living shit out of Fox going to change things? No…this is wrong…'
The avian looked back over at his friend, who was still silently crying to himself as blood caked his nose and mouth. It was a sight Falco never thought he would ever see: his bold and confident leader Fox McCloud, crumpled in a bloody heap with painful tears streaming down the side of his face. Carefully Falco stood up and regained his footing. He helped his longtime best friend up, hoisting Fox's right arm over his shoulder as he escorted the vulpine to a nearby bathroom. He took a moment to fix his beak before he went to the nearby closet in search of the emergency first-aid kit.
'I never realized that she meant that much to him until now. I mean sure, they'd flirt and such and I'd occasionally throw a remark or two in their direction, but I never truly saw how much Fox really cared. Heh, it kind of reminds me of someone else I know…' Falco thought as he found what he was looking for and went back to Fox, who was using some wet tissues to drab up some of the blood and tears that now stained his face. The vulpine took the kit from Falco wordlessly as he continued cleaning his wounds in the bathroom mirror.
"Look, Fox. Old buddy..." started Falco as he fumbled for the right words, "…I, um…Well, look. I didn't mean to fly off the handle like that at you. I mean, if you'd just listen to what I'm trying to say…"
"No Falco, I'm the one who should be sorry here," Fox responded in a shaky voice. "I'm the one who made the first move; you have nothing to feel bad about. I had this coming for a long time now, anyway…" Fox said bitterly to himself. He couldn't stop staring at his bloodied reflection in the bathroom mirror. It was a fitting look for him in his opinion; it looked exactly like he felt in his heart: bloodied and beaten.
"And here we go again with the whole 'I don't deserve her' act! So what, are you going to sit around here licking your wounds for the rest of your life? Wow, Fox, I'd think by now after all these years of being our leader that you'd know when you have to go after something…" Falco grumbled, leaning against the bathroom wall with his wings crossed.
"What do you mean Falco? I've already had my second chance with her and I blew it. She's gone back to Star Wolf so why should I keep trying?" Fox asked as he started to bandage up a few minor wounds on his face.
"You could start by tracking her down and explaining things to her. Tell her exactly how you feel, for starters. After that, allow her to make her own decision. That, my friend, is a choice that's out of your hands. On the other hand though, that's how you lost her in the first place, right?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, things were getting serious between us and I didn't want to see her get hurt because of our way of life. What's so wrong about that?" Fox asked. Falco just shook his head as he walked away, wings stuck in the pockets of his jacket.
"That's the thing about relationships, Fox. It takes two to make it work, not one," he muttered as he opened the door to his quarters, shutting the door behind him. Fox poked his head out and stared at the avian's door in amazement.
'Wait a moment, since when does Falco of all people know so much about relationships?'
"Man, that guy has such a thick head it's unbelievable sometimes…" Falco muttered to himself as he sat down at the desk in the corner of his room, bringing up his personal holoscreen to make a call. After finding the contact he was looking for and pressing the call button, his eyes glanced over to his left where a framed photograph sat.
A familiar, younger blue avian in sunglasses, a green Hawaiian shirt and blue shorts was standing on a white sandy beach in front of a beautiful, endless ocean. Wrapped in his arms was a pink cat in sunglasses who wore a matching pink and white top that was tied in a knot in the center and khaki short shorts. Both were barefoot and smiling at the camera with joy. A small smile escaped his lips as he picked up at the photograph, his finger tracing the face of the feline he secretly loved so much.
'Hard to believe that was taken on Corneria almost eleven years ago, right before the Lylat Wars began. I miss those days…if only I had actually told her how I felt about her before she left…' he thought with a sigh.
The sound of a grumpy old hare hitting the answer button on his holoscreen came through the speakers and interrupted his thoughts. The screen came to life as a hologram of a tired-looking General Peppy Hare appeared. His aging features perked up a bit when he saw who was calling him.
"Falco? Oh, I wasn't expecting you of all people to be calling me at this hour. What can I do for you?" he asked with a warm smile.
"Well old timer, it's not exactly about me this time, it's about Fox. He's been in a bad way for awhile now ever since…well, you know…and today he just got ten times worse. I was wondering if you could do me a favor…" Falco asked.
"A favor? Concerning Fox? Wait…does this have anything to do with Krystal, I wonder? I know he's had a hard time with things ever since she left again. Wait a moment...what are you planning, Falco?" the old hare asked, a shrewd expression on his face. He had been wondering exactly when Fox would get back on his feet and go after that blue-furred vixen. If only Fox knew what James had gone through before Vixy would marry him.
"Heh, you read me like an open book, you old fogey. Looks like you still got it," Falco said with a grin.
"Well, just tell me what I can do to help and I'll work something out. But before all that I have to ask, Falco…why are you bothering to help Fox out? You've never been the type to play matchmaker the way you go through women, so why do you even care if Fox is with Krystal or not? Is it because he's your leader, or it something else?" Peppy asked suspiciously. Falco merely grinned even wider, fighting the small tear that was forming in his left eye.
"Well, let's just say I don't want him to end up making my mistakes…"
