Guilt, Pain, and Happiness

Alright, bear with me on this story. This is my first Star Fox story, so I may not be good at it. But, I'm going to do my best. I want to let you know that other Star Fox stories that I read inspired me to write this one. So let's just hope that this will turn out goo like my other stories. Once again, this is my FIRST Star Fox story, so that doesn't mean to not go easy on the REVIEWS. Be truthful to me and let me know where I messed up at and I will improve. I also forgot to mention, this takes place after Star Fox Adventures, and to make matters worse… I've never beaten the game or even got half way through it. But like I said, Bear with me.


Fox was excited to see her again. The indigo vixen he hardly knew but risked his life to saver was on his ship and thanking him for what he does best, in person. He smiled nervously as he heard Slippy go off asking if he was nervous. He was indeed nervous, but more of wondering on what to say to make sure he doesn't make himself looking like an idiot in front of Krystal.

Fox looked at Slippy but received a small nudge from Falco behind him, making him turn his attention to him.

"My sensors indicate Fox's temperature rising. Are you okay Fox?" ROB asked, not knowing the emotions of living creatures. Fox blushed madly, now being humiliated in front of the vixen and team members. He looked at Krystal, seeing her giggle with her hand covering her smile. He heard his team members laugh at ROB's significations, but Fox put it aside, a more important matter before him and having his full attention.

"I'm going to be just fine." Fox replied, keeping his posture, but on the inside, his mind was freaking out. Thousands of thoughts were rushing and he was trying to pick the best ones to play out in front of Krystal. He looked at her, seeing her smile at him and smiling back. Everyone else was just watching the two, the awkward silence taking place for a while.

"Well, I'll get my stuff off my ship and move in I guess." Falco said, breaking the silence. He nudged Fox once more and started walking towards the hanger door, but stopped before he left.

"Hey Slippy, ROB," Falco called out to them, getting both their attention," Come help me with my stuff. I'll need help." Falco requested as he watched both his team mates head out with him and out to the hanger, leaving Peppy, Fox and Krystal alone in the room.

"Well, I better get back to the controls. Gen. Pepper said he'll be sending in our credits, but that's the least of our problems for now." Peppy said as he turned around and started flipping switches and typing on the computers.

"Are you sure Peppy? You might want to turn in for the night. It's pretty late." Fox insisted, but Peppy just chuckled and continued on what he was doing.

"I'll be fine Fox." Peppy responded with a slight chuckle.

"If you insist." Fox answered back and watch as Krystal gave him a small smile and she started to head to the hanger door, Fox beside her.

"Should I ask her? I mean, where else can she go?" Fox thought to himself as he continued to walk next to the vixen. Hearing the vixens giggle brought his mind back to reality, noticing they were just down the hall to the hanger.

"Hey, Krystal?" Fox ask, getting her attention. He was still amazed by her beauty, no matter how hard he tried to get her out his head.

"Yes Fox?" Krystal responded, seeing his face tense up a bit. He kept his eyes on her and tried to be calm, allowing a single thought to come into play.

"I was wondering…" Fox started, throwing his hand behind him, rubbing his neck, but before he was able to continue what he was going to say, he walked into something and fell back. He fell on his back, his hand holding his cheek where he was hit the hardest.

"FOX!" Krystal shouted, a hint of humor in her voice, kneeling down next to him and placing a hand on his cheek, making him blush more.

"Are you okay?" she asked with worry.

"Ye-yeah. I'm fine, thanks." He responded cheerfully. He stood up and looked where he was going and saw Krystal's Arwing right in front of him.

"Oh, so that's what I walked into." He said playfully, rubbing his cheek. Krystal smiled and looked at her ship with a sad sigh. Fox heard this and watched as Krystal walk up to it and run her hand on it, feeling the small dents and scratches on it.

"Something wrong Krystal?" Fox asked, seeing her look at her ship.

"Why ask that? Of course something's wrong. Just look at her!" Fox's mind shouted.

"No, nothing's wrong." She responded as she walked back to the front of her ship and next to Fox. He stood there, watching her watch her ship.

"Just ask her. What could go wrong?" he asked himself again. Right before he was about to speak, he felt her presence leave him, seeing her open the canopy and taking a second to turn around and taking a last look at Fox.

"Goodbye Fox. I hope to see you again." Krystal smiled as she took one step to the canopy entrance, but was stopped when she felt her hand get grabbed, making her turn around in surprise.

"WAIT! Krystal…" Fox started, holding her hand in his and seeing her in surprise from his recent action.

"Krystal, before you go, could I ask you something?" Fox asked, trying to stall her.

"Sure Fox, what is it?" she answered, grasping his hand in hers. She looked in his eyes and saw a look of worry and hope.

"I was wondering… if you… I mean if you don't want to its fine… but like, if you want. You can stay." He offered, his face red from him stuttering on what to say. Krystal smiled a faint smile, but she didn't want to be in the way of the crew.

"Thanks for the offer Fox, but I'm going to have to decline. I have to go and find a new home, since… mine was destroyed." Krystal stared as she felt her eyes sting with tears.

"GREAT! Look at what you did McCloud. You made her feel bad, something you weren't supposed to do." Fox shouted in his mind.

"Krystal, I'm sorry." Fox apologized. He didn't know why he apologized though. Sympathy, comfort… or was it something else?

"No Fox, it's okay, really." Krystal answered, not wanting to make it his problem to worry for her.

"I should go. I'm probably just in your guys' way." She loosened her grip on his hand, but felt his still cling to it.

"Want to join the team?" Fox asked rather quickly, his action taking a hold of him rather than thinking.

"Wh-what?" Krystal asked in disbelief.

"Do you want to join the team? You know the basics of flight and hand-to-hand combat. You'll be perfect as a mercenary." Fox continued on. He watched as Krystal went from shocked, to emotional. She clung to him from the canopy, lunging and locking with him in a tight embrace and squeezing him while his right shoulder was being drenched by her tears.

"Oh thank you Fox. Thank you so much. I don't know what would have happened if I was out there all alone. Thank you. I would be more than happy to join your mercenary team." Krystal cried as she hugged him tighter. He was shocked by her sudden emotion, but it didn't stop him from returning the hug.

"It's the least I can do for you." He replied calmly. He felt her arms unravel from his body and saw her cheeks stained with tears of joy. Fox smiled to himself, knowing he made her life better by offering her a position in his crew.

"What do you mean by that Fox?" Krystal asked, looking right into his green eyes. Fox raised his hand and wiped away the tear stains on her cheeks.

"I wouldn't want you to be alone in the Lylat System by yourself. It's dangerous." He lied somewhat. With Andross dead, what problems would occur? He was the only enemy to the Star Fox team… right?

"Thank you Fox. I wouldn't have known what I would do if someone didn't offer me a place." Krystal hugged him again.

"No problem Krystal." Fox said happily. She pulled away from the hug and walked to her ship again.

"Oh, let me help you with that." Fox offered as he saw her lift a few bags from her ship. He grabbed the bags and held them, helping Krystal move in to her new home.

"Thanks Fox, I really appreciate what you're doing for me." Krystal thanked as she handed him a few more bags. When Fox had what Krystal gave him, he waited by her ship on his communicator.

"ROB, could you come into Hanger 473 and help Krystal with her bags?" Fox asked.

"Affirmative. Hey, you're supposed to help me ROB, not Fox." Falco's voice was heard on the other side, making Fox smirk.

"Hey Krystal, ROB is going to take the rest of your bags to your new room." Fox informed.

"Oh, thank you Fox." Krystal responded surprise.

"Come on, I'll show you your new room." Fox began walking out the hanger with Krystal next to him, sharing small talk along the way and laughing. As they were walking, ROB came heading out a door with a frustrated Falco behind.

"Oh, ROB," Fox started, causing him to stop in his tracks, "In Hanger 473 near the Emergency pods is Krystal's ship. Go get the rest of her bags and report to my room." Fox ordered. Krystal watched in surprise.

"Your room?" Krystal asked in disbelief that he would give his room to her.

"Hm, oh, yeah. I'm going to give you my room. It's bigger than the rest and I don't have much in it." Fox explained as ROB nodded and went through the door to the hanger.

"Fox, I'm fine with the other room you were going to give me. It's very generous of you to do so…"

"No, it's not fine. Trust me, you deserve the bigger room." Fox insisted while he smiled happily to her. Krystal smiled back and they continued to walk down hallways and into the main room where the crew member were now at, relaxing in the living room. Krystal watched as the crew members nodded at her while she walked by with Fox to her room.

While they were walking, Fox slowed down and turned around, facing Krystal.

"This is your new room, and new home." He smiled as he lifted his tail and pushed the door handle downward and opening the door to reveal what was behind. He walked inside and placed the bags and boxes on the ground to his right in front of the closet. Krystal walked in with her mouth open and taking in everything she saw.

In front of her was a giant window with curtain of silver to give a color of the darkness of space and stars. To her right was a king bed with two night stands on each side of the bed. The sheets were silver as well and the pillows were black. To the right of the bed was the closet that took up most of the wall, leaving a small amount that was used for a book shelf, home to only a few books that Krystal couldn't tell of what kind. In front of the bed was a 34 inch LCD television mounted on the wall with a rectangle slot in the wall with a DVR in it, holding the channels of T.V. At the corner of the wall and left of the window was the bathroom. It was gigantic, holding a Jacuzzi and a regular bathtub. The floor was a silver tile color and the sinks were a marble black.

All of it took her breath away, leaving her in awe. Fox smiled to himself, knowing that every second she stared at his old bedroom; he's making her life better.

"Here, let me get my stuff and move out." Fox said breaking the silence. Krystal walked up to the window and looked out, seeing Dinosaur Planet drift off into space. Fox saw her lean against the window, making him smile at the memory he had.

He turned to his closet and pulled out his clothes, folding them neatly on the bed. When he was folding, he noticed a small shirt that used to fit him. He held it in his grasp, memories flooding back to him and his eyes stinging with tears. He remember when he had that shirt, the shirt he his father gave him for his birthday before going on a mission he wouldn't be coming back from.

"I miss you dad." He murmured as he held the shirt. The design of Arwings flying upwards towards space with Corneria below it on the shirt was slightly cracked from the years it hasn't been worn. The faded blue of the sky was almost gone, but the memories it held would never be washed away no matter how many times he would wash it, and he hasn't. He placed the shirt beside the others, not wanting to fold it and the design become worse than what it is.

He continued back to folding his clothes, but the more he folded, the more he remembered his dad getting them for him. It took him an extremely amount of will power to not cry on front of Krystal, but it was a losing war. He grabbed the last shirt and it made him loose it. He held the shirt to his chest, sniffing at the memory. Krystal turned around and saw Fox's clothes folded on the bed and him standing in front of his closet crying silently to himself.

"Fox? Is everything alright?" Krystal asked as she walked up to him. He couldn't answer. He tried to talk, but nothing came out. Krystal placed her hand on his shoulder, turning him around and seeing him grasping a shirt close to him.

"Fox, you're worrying me. What's wrong?" Krystal persisted, wondering why he's crying. He simply just handed her the white shirt, seeing a picture printed on the back reading," To a beloved father, and an outstanding soldier. James McCloud was one of the best and he would not be forgotten. He may be gone from this world, but his memory and his legacy, will live on." At the end of the saying, there was a memorial picture that had James McCloud in front of his Arwing with his wife next to him and his son on his shoulders.

Krystal felt bad when she read the cursive writing, and felt even worse when Fox spoke up.

"My dad was the best. I always looked up to him, but when he passed away. My mom got ill and…" Fox didn't get to finish when Krystal hugged him, comforting him. He accepted the hug and squeezed her a little.

"I'm sorry to hear that Fox. Your parents would be proud of you." Krystal comforted. He sighed and took a step away from the hug, looking into her eyes and seeing that she understood what he went through. That eerie silence took hold of them, but ROB solved it by knocking on the door and entering the room.

"Krystal's supplies are ready to be un-pack. Do you need any assistance in the process?" ROB asked as he stood in the entrance of the door way. Krystal and Fox let go of each other, and Fox wiped his tears away.

"Tissue Fox?" ROB asked as he extended his robotic arm with tissue in it, making Fox smile.

"Thanks ROB. Go ahead and set Krystal's stuff down and you can talk to Peppy, see what he needs help with." Fox informed as he wiped his tears more and his nose.

"Affirmative." ROB answered and started to place Krystal's belongings down and left.

"Well, let me move my stuff out and I'll help you move in." Fox said with his sadness now gone.

"No Fox that could wait. But, do you mind me asking you a question?" Krystal asked as she sat down on the bed and motioned him to sit by her. He stiffened a little and nodded.

"I don't mind. What was on your mind?" Fox asked as he sat down beside her.

"What was your life like with your father?" Krystal asked, making his ears droop and his face tense up. Krystal saw this and felt bad for asking.

"Fox, I didn't mean…"

"No Krystal, it's alright. It's just; it's hard to keep memories alive when those memories bring pain." Fox interrupted. He looked at her and saw her nod and looked forward.

"I know what you mean Fox. I miss my family too. But now I know that they are in a better place and no one can bring harm to them." Krystal added as she placed her hand on his, giving a small squeeze. Fox felt his face heat up, blushing because he was in control and letting himself do this.

"Well, it's getting late. I'll move my stuff out and I'll help you move in. And I won't take 'no' for an answer." Fox smiled as he stood up and grabbed his clothes and headed out. Krystal sat there, watching him leave her room and to the room in front of her, surprised that he would be that close.

"I'm just across the hallway, so if you need anything, just call me." He informed as he walked back in her room and grabbed more of his belongings. Krystal sat as she watched him enter and exit her room, surprised at his sudden mood change. At first he was happy, and then he was shy, then sad, and now happy.

After Fox grabbed the last of his books that were on the book shelf, she noticed he forgot his shoes under the bed, so he placed the books on the bed next to Krystal and reached under the bed. Krystal looked at his books and saw that they weren't books, but photo albums.

"Sorry if I'm taking too long. I'm kind of forgetting the small stuff. "He chuckled as he lifted himself up and seeing Krystal looking through his photo album.

"Oh, those are old pictures from old missions long ago. Some are from my child hood memory so I keep them close by." Fox informed as he sat down beside her.

"When was this taken?" Krystal asked pointing to a picture of Fox and his crew.

"That one was taken a few months ago. We were in Corneria enjoying the spring day. I think it was the 24th of March. ROB was taking the picture" Fox explained. The picture was taken with Fox, Slippy, Peppy, and Falco on Corneria's coast with the ocean behind them all.

"Looks beautiful." Krystal said in a little more than a whisper talk.

"Yeah, that was when we decided we should get out and meets some people, enjoy a day away." Fox continued.

"Who did you meet?" Krystal asked, concerned for some reason.

"Oh, I-I didn't meet anyone. I was just talking to old friends, you know, meet up." Fox stuttered, mentally kicking himself for saying that.

"Meeting people. I could have said just meeting friends because that what we exactly did." Fox thought to himself.

"Well, here you go, sorry for snooping in on your life Fox." Krystal apologized as she closed the book and handed it to him.

"No Krystal, it's alright. It was fun remembering all that happened some time ago… sometimes." Fox replied as he stood up.

"I'm going to be in my room for a second and I'll be back to help you." Fox informed as he left the room and into his, setting down his stuff on the bed. He turned around and walked out, almost bumping into Slippy. Fox walked in Krystal's room and saw that she was already almost done un-packing her accessories.

"Wow, you can un-pack pretty fast Krystal." Fox complimented as he walked up to her.

"Thanks Fox, but I'm not quite done yet. I still have to un-pack my clothes which shouldn't take long." Krystal informed as she opened another box and pulled out her Cerinian clothes that mainly consist of covering her chest and lower body. Fox watched a Krystal pulled out only a pair of clothes and was moving to another box, his face red.

"Umm, Fox, do you mind…"

"Oh, Krystal I'm- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Fox apologized as he turned around with his tail down and his hands covering his eyes.

"I-I'm just going to head to my room. So-sorry Krystal." Fox stuttered as he walked sideways and out the room, but not without hearing Krystal giggle.

"I'll meet you out in the hallway in a few minutes." She called out to him as he left.

"A-alright. I'll be here." He responded. He walked into his room and closed the door and fell down, his face red and his temperature rising.

"Why was I starring! I shouldn't have been doing that. She doesn't deserve that, she deserves respect like everyone else… maybe more." He thought as he looked to his bed and saw his clothes folded. He stood up and walked to them, seeing a few clothes that stood out. One being a solid grey shirt and the other being matching grey jogging/sweat pants with a strip of blue running down from the hips to the feet.

"I'll give her these. It's better than to have her walking around the ship practically naked." He whispered to himself. He grabbed the clothes and walked to his door, taking a deep intake of air and opening it up and seeing Krystal's door still open. He walked up to the door and stopped, tapping the open door to alert Krystal of someone's presence.

"Krystal?" Fox called out, receiving the sound of movement and seeing her blue fur walk to him.

"Yes Fox?" She asked as she saw him holding clothes to her.

"I thought that you might want to wear something a little more comfortable, you know?" Fox offered as he held out his clothes. Krystal took them and held them.

"Thanks Fox, but aren't these yours?' Krystal asked as she held them.

"Yeah, but, I thought that you might wanted to wear something more comfortable for the night." Fox explained.

"Thank you Fox. You've given me a home and a new life. I don't know how to repay you."

"No problem Krystal and you don't have to repay me anything. Well, I'm going to turn in for the night, good night Krystal."

"Good night Fox." Krystal responded back and watched him turn around and head to his door, opening it.

"Oh, and thank you again Fox, for everything." Krystal thanked again.

"You're welcome Krystal, and just let me know if you need help with anything and I'll be there." Fox replied. She nodded and watched as he closed his door.

"I know you will." She whispered to herself as she turned and closed the door, continuing on with un-packing her belongings.


Well, how do you like it? It's my first Star Fox story so give me what you got. Harsh or not, tell me the truth and let me know what I can improve on. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this and don't forget to REVIEW. I would also like to inform you that UnwarierTitan789 is helping me with the information on this story. So credit also goes to him.