A/N: In order to save the header, I moved the Foreword to the end of the chapter. In it, I explain my intentions for this story and explain why I've tackled certain subjects the way I did. I know I rush through this first chapter by skipping forward by a year or two, every so often but… I'm trying to get to the action and save the 'missing details' for later flashback scenes!
Disclaimer:
This story is written for entertainment purposes ONLY. This story is written without permission of the Nintendo StarFox License. You may redistribute (post it elsewhere) if you like, so long as this disclaimer and my name remain attached to it. Also, if you decide to redistribute it, please do not attempt to make a profit off of it; Nintendo will sue you. Finally, if you wish to post this story and / or the other Reflections Series stories, do me a favor and fix all the typos, spelling and grammatical mistakes. Thanks!
By popular request…
Reflections Of Fox McCloud
By
Kit-Karamak
Aka
Ken Weaver
Prologue:
Cerulean locks of hair framed the woman's ethereal visage; an intense emerald gaze locked with Fox McCloud's own. She lifted her paws, placing her softly padded fingertips upon either side of his face. A matching sapphire-colored garment clung to her curvaceous body, accenting her slender waist and voluptuous form.
Precious gems adorned a circlet over her forehead, disappearing into her hair. White beads decorated several chosen locks of her bangs. "Do… I know you?" Fox asked. He saw the stoic expression upon her velvety-furred muzzle develop into a demure smile. She lowered her chin and lifted her eyes. Without logic or reason, Fox felt compelled to lean towards her. His head tilted to the side, closing eighty percent of the space between them.
Her head lifted, submitting the last twenty percent of that gap until their lips brushed together. Their kiss felt like home. New …yet… familiar; the sensation of their passion-bruised tiers meshing together caused his heart to beat faster. The world around them began to distort and Fox found himself unquestioningly losing visual focus. The world melted and brightened and the sound of reveille filled his ears. Her sea-green eyes blurred into florescent white light bulbs hanging above his bunk.
Groggy, the young teenager muttered in disappointment about the loss of his dream. "After I get out of here, I'm never staying on the top bunk again." Somewhere in the background, a call for General Quarters came over the loudspeaker. His words became drowned out by the shouting of an authoritative voice.
"Forward I.G. sounds nothing like TAPS! Up and on your feet, recruits!" The voice seemed to float from various points of origin, leaving Fox to assume the man walked through the bunk aisle, shouting at the slew of teenage boys. The sounds of them scurrying about, slamming lockers and making their bunks filled McCloud's ears. Something soft touched Fox's shoulder.
"Dude, wake up." The voice didn't belong to anyone Fox knew. It came again, louder than before. "Get up, dude. He's almost here."
Fox lifted his paws, rubbing at his eyes with a soft groan. "I think she wore a blue dress or maybe some sort of body suit. I couldn't be sure; I didn't have enough time to really look." His own words made little sense to anyone other than himself.
The soft touch on his shoulder slid down to his sternum and the paw closed around Fox's t-shirt, pulling on it. Fox felt another paw on his face but, unlike the girl in his dream, the touch felt firm. A thumb slid across McCloud's face until it reached his eye, prying it open. His dull jade hues met with some sort of canine boy in a t-shirt. The young man looked to be a hybrid; somewhere between a husky and a greyhound. Over the boy's shoulder, McCloud caught sight of an adult in uniform walking towards them.
Fox's eyes snapped open and he pivoted about on his tail, kicking his legs over the rail of his bunk. Without thinking, Fox arched his body forward, hips first, then grunted in unison to his feet meeting the floor. His knees bent, absorbing the impact and he dropped to his paws. A gray-furred palm slid into McCloud's view; he looked up at it with a touch of confusion in his gaze. He lifted his right wrist to meet and take the palm of his bunkmate. The canine gave a tug on Fox's paw, drawing the young vulpine to his feet.
"William Gray," said the boy. "Call me Bill; I suggest you look more busy and less groggy. You can tell me about the girl in the blue dress later, dude." He afforded McCloud with a grin then leaned down to begin fixing the mattress of the bottom bunk.
"Fox McCloud," replied the sandy-furred teenager. He wanted to correct Gray by saying, 'you mean busier?' but with all the commotion, he decided to start on his own bunk instead.
The adult in uniform began speaking in a clear, loud tone again. "This is your one-week vacation to the real world, girls! If, when you leave the academy, you make the decision to join the military, you will live just like this for EIGHT solid weeks. You will endure grueling physical training every morning, noon and night! You will learn how to wear a tie and tie an ascot. You will learn that women like a clean, groomed man whose shirt buttons must be perfectly aligned with the zipper flap of their trousers! You will learn how to iron your uniforms and stand at attention without slouching! You will learn how to soldier in the Cornerian Army and, if you are lucky, you will learn how to fly in the Cornerian air corps!" The man continued to ramble, walking through the aisle.
Fox's expression melted into a thoughtful frown. 'Six more days of this crap before we can get dormitory beds at the academy…' He sucked in his breath and finished making his bed. All ready, the idea of military life didn't seem to agree with the teenaged kit.
Two years and fifteen days later…
Fox McCloud lay in his bunk. His ears twitched with the light rumbling from outside and his eyes fluttered yet they remained shut. He tossed his head listlessly for a moment then sat up, wide-eyed with a gasp. His young paws groped at the blanket, drawing it into the tight grasp his fists. His breathing mirrored his racing heart. He lifted a paw to touch the moist fur on his face, in an attempt to become calm.
"You're panting." The voice came from above. Fox closed his paw around the bar to the top bunk and peered up at a steel colored face. Bill Gray leaned over the side of his elevated mattress, gazing down at Fox with a smirk. "Another strange dream about the lady in the blue dress?"
Fox shook his head slowly, "It was clearer this time; I think she had blue fur. Dyed maybe?"
"Blue fur?" Bill blinked, furrowing his brows. "Who in the hell has blue fur, dude?"
"Apparently my dream girl," Fox chuckled with a shrug. "But I didn't see her face; that frustrates me so much! This time, we had a kid and stuff but then the same damn thing happens; every time I sleep in… every time I let the dream go too far... It turns into a fight with Doctor Andross Oikonny…or Bowman, or whatever his last name is – I don't remember; she becomes forgotten and the whole fight revolves around me. At least one of the times I dreamt about that ape, I remember Slippy being there… that was kind of weird."
"Slippy Toad?" Bill slid out of his bunk, dropping down to the floor besides Fox. "The guy from the Mechanic's class?"
McCloud offered a slow nod. "His father is an associate of my father. Beltino, I think; I hear he's running for City Council, too."
Bill stood up straight then arched his back and stretched. "Nice. So why don't you ask the Coordinator if you can visit the other side of the base? Go and talk to Doctor Andross and see if you get any strange vibes from him. Call it… the diplomatic solution, dude."
Without warning, Fox decided to change the subject, asking, "Wanna go to town with me? I was going to pick up that new game today; it's out at Speeding Comet Toys, in the business district, Sector Four."
"You mean that mega toy store off of Route 67?" Bill stood up, stretched with a grunt then cracked his knuckles. He turned towards the wall and flexed in front of a mirror. "Video games… That's something I've not done in ages, dude. All the girls want tickets to the Gun Show," he said while tightening his forearm. "I've hardly had time for video games, you know?"
Fox cast a grin at Gray, slid out of his bunk and said, "They're so realistic now it keeps you sharp, pilot." With a shrug, Fox decided to change the subject again. "What are you going to do after the academy?"
"I'm thinking Cornerian Air Guard. I'll transfer out to Katina, where it's ridiculously laid back then suck up all the cash as a duel-team squadron leader; you know how small their squadrons are over there… It'll be a piece of cake to run double shift. That way, I don't get bored and get double pay incentives. It's sweet as candy, dude. You should take my advice and head out there with me."
"Heck no," Fox chuckled. "My father is going mercenary, soon. He's bought a ship and a piloting droid. I think that's my calling. Screw the military, I give orders not take them."
"…Hey!" Bill turned back towards Fox, dropping his paws at his sides. "Don't like my advice? See if I help you again!" He shook his head and repeated Fox's statement with a sarcastic tone. "Screw the military? I think your perceptions of the military are completely Charlie Foxtrot," he said, using military letter words to spell out the abbreviation CF – a term usually denoted to mean Cluster F'ed. "Oh!" This time, Bill changed the subject. "There's this girl, who graduated last year; she's a year older than us and… get this… yesterday, she became the youngest Chief Test Pilot in Cornerian History. She's supposed to be hot and loaded. She's the daughter of the Spaceship Magnate CEO, Zerda Phoenix."
Fox stretched a bit then announced, "Hey Father Phoenix, I came to take your daughter out and teach her how to really fly! …Yeah right, Gray. Hot and loaded? You know my track record with girls, right?"
"You're so damn shy," Bill groaned. He feigned a melodramatic collapse and put the back of his paw to his forehead. "…At least around women, anyhow. Get a grip and go out on a date, Fox."
McCloud grinned. "Yeah, yeah; I'm heading into town. Wanna go? I know this place that has the best horned lobster."
"Are you going to take your blue-furred dreamboat girl?" Bill turned back to the mirror then reached for a scarf above it. "Don't chase her away by stuttering and stammering at her, dude."
"Dreamboat?" Fox gawked at his friend. "Is that seriously a word? And, thank you Captain Redundancy, I won't stutter or stammer in front of any girls."
Bill looked tickled, turning back to Fox with a smirk. The greyhound-mixed-husky wore skivvies and a tank-top with his flight scarf. "Yeah, you'll be too busy playing your video game instead of flying a real M-Class fighter."
"That's cool," Fox replied. "You go fly as a soldier, while I take all the girls to Persimmon's." McCloud feigned a grin. "The tallest department store in Corneria always makes a lady smile. Then, I'll get a room at the Lunar Stone and take her for a 'swim' in the Jacuzzi."
Bill erupted into laughter. "Jeeeze! Your dream-girl must have really got you all wound up, Fox." He tossed the flight scarf onto the top bunk then patted his friend on the shoulder. "I've never seen you talk hardcore before. And both of us know you don't have the brass buttons to take a girl over to Lunar Stone."
"Yeah, you're probably right. But I'm only seventeen. Why worry about girls yet? I'll have time for it when I put some money aside, later."
Bill's laughter tapered off into chuckling. "On the cusp of turning seventeen, you mean. Goddess be, man. You and money; sometimes it's all you talk about."
Fox shrugged. "Dad has me all hopped up on this Mercenary thing; he's got a ship, a pilot droid and…"
Bill lifted his paws, palms out. "Yeah, ya told me, dude! So, have you seen the advertisements for those dogfight movies in this year's Cornerian Film Festival?"
Fox shook his head, reaching for a comb on the nightstand. "I've been studying; I've not seen any commercials for it. What about you? What're your plans for this weekend?"
"What did I do last year, Fox?" The corner of Bill's muzzle tugged back into a grin.
"I'd forgotten about that," Fox replied with a quirky smirk. "You totally dogged me last year; just because I wouldn't use a fake ID to go in and see those dancing girls down at Exotic Aroma. I think those girls are in a constant state of Estrus, all year 'round."
Bill nodded in return with a shrug. "Uh-huh, then you sat on the waterfront for an hour until a street vendor came up, asked you to buy two tickets to the Cornerian Film Festival and you bought them. You go with Slippy then come back and tell me how great the festival was and how I should have gone instead of watching strippers. And now, you're telling me you've not even kept up with this year's lineup. For a guy who likes money, you're a total goodie-goody at times, dude."
Fox turned to his dresser and grabbed his toiletries for the shower room. "I'm not unable to make friends with people who aren't goody-two-shoes, Bill. Just because I consider you and Slippy to be my two closest pals doesn't mean I'm… aw never mind."
Bill grabbed his pants, pulling them up over his left foot. "I'm sure you'll do just fine with someone like Wolf O'Donnell. I bet you guys could become great friends."
"Speaking of which," said Fox, "O'Donnell dropped out last week; even he is doing the mercenary thing now. It's just the way to go."
"Neat." Bill worked the pants over his right foot and pulled them up over his legs then fastened them, reaching for a nearby belt. "Anyhow, go on to town, dude. I have P.T. today, I'll catch you tonight. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to find one scum-ball and hang out with them. Personally, I see you avoiding people who aren't devoted to their Academy Education."
"Befriend one scum-ball, Bill? Sure, I'll get right on that." Fox gave the canine a sarcastic grin and walked out of the dorm room, headed for the shower.
A few hours later…
Fox McCloud ambled down the walkway, beneath the main Cornerian underpass, in the shade of the Route 67 skyway. In his back pocket, a video game box peeked out from the blue uniform pants. A matching blazer and hat brought attention from some passing citizens. Fox McCloud dressed sharp today and he knew it. The academy logo, a circular red patch, covered the left breast pocket of his dress jacket.
A rumble of motorcycles paraded up the street, turning at the next intersection. A moment later, a lone bike with a blue-feathered avian rolled up the block then came to a stop adjacent to McCloud. Fox's eyes flitted over the man; he removed his uniform cap and tucked it underneath his arm.
The blue falcon wore a folded red bandana around his forehead, matching the stark red feathers around his eyes. In punk contrast, he wore a pink wife-beater and his head-feathers were spiked to resemble a Mohawk. "Hey, brother, did you see which way my crew went?"
Fox hooked his thumb back at the nearest intersection. "You just missed'em, buddy. Nice uh…." Fox wanted to say shirt but instead, he said, "Bike."
"Hey, you're a pilot right?" The blue-feathered man cut the engine to his ride, a plume of steam gushed out of the bike's rear-mounted turbofan engine.
"Yeah, I fly at the Academy, why?" Fox stuffed his paws into his pockets. "You lookin' to fly?"
"Hell yeah," said the man, adding, "I'm Falco Lombardi and believe me, if I could get my pilot's license, I'd be the baddest boy behind two smoking wing blasters. As it stands, half my gang has a base set up in the asteroid field. Hell, a lot of gangs do. What about you? Ya gonna go military or something?"
Fox shook his head in a polite manner. "No, I've got my eyes set on being a mercenary fighter. If you ask me, there's no money in the military, even with wartime danger pay."
"Yeah?" Falco asked. "Right on, flyboy! Look, I'll tell you what: change is in the winds man… Look at you in your pretty little uniform. I'm freakin' hopped up on becoming a fighter pilot. Can you bring me an application or something? How's that work?"
Fox's expression melted into a thoughtful frown. "Well, you have to pass an exam; they have student loan programs to pay for your classes. Look, if you're really serious about earning your wings, then do me a favor. Sit down and think about this, because you'll have to give up your bike and your look." He sniffed at the avian's beak and tilted his head. "And, most importantly, if you want my help, you have to promise you'll give up the booze. At the very least, you can't drink and fly. Uniforms and flight simulators are a prerequisite."
"Pre-what-quisite?" Falco tilted his head for a moment then said, "Oh, right, they're par for the course, I'm sure. And if you're going to help me, I promise to give up the drinking. I know, I know... I'm operating a motorized vehicle; no more drinking and driving - or flying, or whatever. Do you need a ride or something? I'm serious man; I'm really interested in flying. Let me give you a lift Mister…" The avian trailed off with an expectant tone, as if to ascertain the pilot's name.
"Fox McCloud. Give me a ride? I mean… well…" He thought back to what Bill had said earlier then grinned inwardly. Sure, the falcon was a little liquored up but Fox was ready to prove Bill wrong. "Sure, why not. I'm headed back to the academy. You like flying that much huh? You like flight simulation combat video games?" Fox put his cap back upon his head, giving the brim a tug so that it came to his brow.
"Are you kidding?" Lombardi's face lit up. "That's the one cockpit I could school you in this very instant."
"Then let's go," Fox said, climbing onto the back of the fancy looking bike. "I'll tell you everything about the academy, if you're willing to listen. Heck, you could trade your bike towards your first semester entry fees."
"Jeeze Laweeze, slow down; one thing at a time." Falco juiced the engine and turned the handlebars. Throttling the accelerator, he eased back into the lane and made a U-turn. "So much for my boys; I'm sure they're long gone by now, anyhow. What'd you say your name was again? Fox McCloud?"
"You got it," replied Fox, securing the game in his back pocket by shifting his weight on the bike. He reached for two handles on the sides, beneath his hips; the bike merged into traffic. "So you're really interested in changing your whole life just to fly?"
"I can't begin to tell you what Gang Life is like," Falco replied over the howl of the wind. "Maybe I'll explain it to you one day; just know I'm not interested in staying. Several of us are getting out: me, Chad, Dennis, Katt… It's complicated. Crap changed, yanno?"
"It's cool, man." Fox reached up and took the uniform cap from his head. He held it down against his stomach then announced, "You don't need help getting into the academy." He repeated himself a second time and added, "All it takes is for you to go there and sign up. Just like that."
"Just like that," Falco reiterated. After that, the avian grew quiet and Fox did the same.
Once they arrived at the academy gates, Falco came to a stop and Fox slipped off the bike, checking his back pocket for the game. Fox replaced the cap upon his head and gave his blazer a tug, smoothing it of wrinkles.
"Thanks for the ride, Mister Lombardi." Fox offered his right paw.
Falco took the paw with a firm grip and said, "Falco. Which room is yours? I'll come by and own you in that game, later."
"D-wing, room five-fifteen." McCloud paused then he said, "My roommate thinks I'm a bit of a goody-goody. You've been warned."
"Maybe I'll help you mellow out, huh?" Falco smirked then said, "I've got an application to fill out and an entry exam to think about… academic stuff?"
"Yeah, it's not hard." Fox fished out a few credits from his pockets and passed them to the avian. "It costs twenty-five credits to apply for the entry exam. I don't know you but you really seem like you want to fly and I think I'm a pretty good judge of character. You deserve the wings if you can earn'em yourself. There is a good amount of reading comprehension and some basic math, that's all. Good luck."
"You'll see me again," Falco replied, taking the credits. "It's rare someone pays your way to chase down an opportunity of a lifetime. I won't forget this." Lombardi smiled a bit then said, "If you help me learn to fly, I'll teach you how to shoot. Sound like a fair trade?"
"As in, how to handle a blaster?" Fox looked rather interested. He knew he couldn't be a mercenary without learning how to wield a gun.
Again, the avian smirked. "As in… exactamundo, foxie. I'm a crack shot, too. That's a street term for 'marksman' buddy. I'll rain-check ya for that videogame ass-whooping. See ya around, Mister McCloud." Lombardi turned the bike around, gunned the engine and drove across the academy grounds towards the administrative office.
One year later…
A knock at Fox's door caused the young pilot to tense. He approached the door and opened it, casting his gaze across the two men in suits. "Yes?"
"Fox McCloud?" one of them asked.
Fox opened the door wider. "Yes, please come in, gentlemen." He speculated but couldn't be sure if they were some sort of none-uniform inspection crew or if they were academy officials at all. He shut the door once both of them stepped inside then he picked up a glass of soda from a nearby shelf. "You guys want anything to drink?"
"No thank you," said the second one. "We're here on behalf of Sergeant John Pepper, down at the base. I'm Specialist Nelson and my floppy-eared accomplice, here, is Corporal Johnson." The two canines looked awfully generic even as far as soldiers went. "We're notifying you – because you are the next of kin to James McCloud – that your father and his team have disappeared over Venom. Their fighters were destroyed and we're conducting an investigation. Our probe into the black-box recorder transmissions we've received, leading up to the destruction of those fighters, is currently sketchy. The reason for that is because they attacked Venom by surprise via the wormhole. We're trying to ascertain whether he disappeared in the gravity well of the hole, or if he was shot down over Venom airspace. The time-slip teleportation caused grainy gaps in the black-box recordings. We've placed your father and his team on "MIA" status and would like to ask you not to speak to the press. All they currently know is that James McCloud and crew disappeared after entering the wormhole. However, after hearing a change in typical Venom chatter, we have reason to believe they made it as far as the Venomian atmosphere."
"This is…" Fox just stared at them for a moment. After a short pause, he added, "Bull... I can't believe the Government expelled that lousy, stinking ape to Venom. If you people would have hanged him for crimes against humanity, my father would be fine right now. But NO! He creates bombs and biological weapons and he was a stalker who couldn't leave my mother alone. This is… unacceptable."
"Mister McCloud," said the first soldier. "Please try to understand, your father volunteered for this mission. We're not yet sure how all three fighters disappeared at the same time but, as previously stated, our department is working on an investigation into the matter."
"Have Sergeant Pepper call me, later." Fox said, pointing towards the door. "You've said your peace, now please leave." He reached for the knob and pulled on the handle then gestured for them to depart. "Go on; get out of here."
The two men left in haste and Fox shut the door in their face. He then turned around and balled up his fists, cursing under his breath.
At that very moment, on Venom, Peppy faced James in a detention cell. "I'm not kidding, Jim, we'll both go." Peppy sounded stern, looking at the stoic fox with a frown. "We'll abscond Venom together, Jim. You staying here will result in your death."
McCloud folded his arms. "I don't want to hear it, Hare. Those are my orders. When I give you the signal, you make a break for it. I'll carry out the diversion and you head back to Corneria. If Venom really does kill me, then they'll go to war with Venom. If we don't then Corneria is a bigger wimp than I thought. And, if I die, your job is to prepare Fox for the day Venom undoubtedly attacks Corneria. Make sure that boy is ready to defend himself. We both know what Venom is planning; it will be your job to take it back to them. When you're running, they'll chase you and that's when I'll escape. And we both know I'm the priority target. Don't worry, Hare, I'll be right behind you. We'll shut this planet down like we shut down that Aparoid."
"We injured it, but we didn't beat it," Peppy reminded. "All right, I've heard enough of your speech, Jim. I'll run when you give me the signal. You'd better be right behind me."
"Well, I do have to lead them into the other direction at first. This is going to be tricky, Peppy. I know you'll make it; I just don't know if we'll both make it." James F. McCloud drew his sunglasses from his snout and folded them into his right palm. He turned away from Peppy Hare and placed the shades onto a wooden bench jutting from the wall. He reached to the red scarf on his neck and pulled it from his shirt then laid the cloth next to his glasses. The pilot pulled a pair of identification tags from around his neck and tugged on the metallic chain. The fastening opened and the chain slipped from his throat, coiling into his paw.
"I want you to give Fox one of my tags," he began, looking back to the laser bars of their cell. "If we both make it, you can give this stuff back to me but… just in case, you know? When he's a little older, give him the scarf and glasses. Remember, pilot: Don't look back, just trust your instincts. You can do this, Peppy. I believe in you." His paw met the rabbit's paw, handing over one of the dog tags. The two pilots embraced in silence.
After a moment, the two men relinquished the masculine hug and Peppy closed his paw around the tag. "I don't understand why you don't do this yourself and let me be the decoy. Fox will freak if he loses both of his parents."
James lifted his paws and said, "Stop. I mean it." He reached for the glasses and scarf on the bench then handed them to the rabbit, adding, "Peppy Hare, I'm ordering you to do this. You're married and you have an infant daughter. My wife is already dead and Fox has one more year in the academy. He's old enough to understand. Lucy isn't." He removed the headset communicator from between his ears. The state-of-the-art half-helmet metal comm. unit had 'Fox Sr.' inscribed in it; not his actual name but after the birth of his son, the inscription came as a bit of self amusement and pride.
"Goddamn it, Jim. How can you endure another minute of torture, while I escape? Why do you have to make yourself the martyr; we should escape together!"
James sank to the bench and groaned softly, leaning back against the concrete bulkhead. "Peppy, the truth is… I'm bleeding internally. I might survive, but I'd be in no shape to make it all the way to the hanger. GreatFox is still in storage on Papetoon. Secure some money so you can take it out of storage. Don't worry, Imperial forces won't find it. If you have to, do a little spying on Imperial freighters to make sure they're not carrying it away in pieces. And, if I don't live, make sure you stay alive long enough to see Fox get married. Remember, you're his godfather."
"Jim…" Peppy closed his eyes with a sigh, shaking his head. He could already see that James McCloud had no intention of trying to survive an escape from Venom. "At least try to keep up, will you?"
"What do I always say?" asked McCloud.
"…To trust your instincts," recited Peppy.
James afforded his friend with a wan smile. "Never give up; trust your instincts. If I don't make it, I want you to drill that motto into Fox's skull until he's reciting it in his sleep. I mean it. It'll keep him alive. I know most parents would say they want their kid to stay away from someone like Andross but… if anyone can avenge me, it's my son. He's an amazing pilot. But he can't do it alone; he'll need your help. Wait until the time is right. You'll know when. Until that time happens, keep Fox out of the line of fire. If I don't make it, you're responsible for the existence of the McCloud line. I'm counting on you. Never give up hope, Peppy. Trust your instincts."
Peppy nodded slowly, took a deep breath then said, "I'm ready. What's the plan?"
"The afternoon guard," replied the fox in a stoic tone. "You know, the one that comes to perform the tortures with his little chameleon sidekick in training. When they arrive, I'll tackle them both and make a break down the hallway. You head for the hanger bay and get the hell out of here. If I make it to the flight deck, fine… if not, I'm ordering you to leave without me. Don't even hesitate."
"Understood." Peppy paused, lifting one tall lapin ear. "Someone is coming… get ready, Jim."
Chapter -1-
A Mercenary's Son
Fox placed his fingertips against the cool metal of her tiara. He traced it until his claws began sifting through her sapphire strands of hair. Small white beads clinked together and she leaned into his touch. Her azure-furred muzzle brushed against the inside of his wrist and he could feel her warm breath rustling through the fur of his forearm. Her coy look began to evolve into something less demure; a sense of longing seemed to fill her gaze. Indecorous emerald orbs shined with desire.
The pilot placed his free paw on her bicep. He trailed his palm over the white marking where she'd been branded. The tribal-like symbols also decorated her thighs and the small of her back. Her lips parted and a melodic voice, soothing in beauty and disorienting with power, flowed from her lips. "Protect me with your heart and soul, not your mind. Trust in me and in our love… Be gentle with me; do not sully our pledge of ardor." She turned away from him, glancing over her shoulder. He could hear her gasp in surprise and so he peered over her head, to see…
The hulking shadow of an ape stood tall behind her, snickering in a throaty voice. "I will strip it all away from you," said the shadowy presence. "Just as Corneria has stripped everything from me, I will take it all from you. Your family, your love, your hobbies and your youth. What she will learn about me will surprise and shock you… One day, she will meet with me on Titania and learn all there is to know. She is not a part of your life; you are merely apart of hers." The hulking frame stepped from the shadow, lifting the lifeless head of James McCloud…
Fox McCloud sat up in bed; his eyes dilated and his heart pounding in his chest. His clinging paws tightened around the bed frame; sweat matted down his fur. It trickled over his athletic build in thick beads. The door to his bedroom opened and Vivian Hare stepped into his room.
She knelt down to a bucket of water in the corner and picked up a sponge. Vivian firmly cupped it between her palms then pressed them together, releasing the water back into the bucket. She approached young McCloud and knelt down besides him. Without a word, she placed the sponge to the side of his face and began to dab at his moist fur. She placed her left paw to his forehead; he could feel the coolness in the metal of her wedding band.
"You're clammy, Fox. Try and relax." Her softly spoken words soothed his soul like a palliative melody. "If only I could produce some sort of panacea for us both…"
Fox afforded her with a weak smile and asked, "Where's Peppy?"
Vivian's eyes lowered with a sympathetic frown. "He is giving private lessons today. Since retiring from the military, he's doing all he can to provide for all of us."
"It's my fault; I'm just one more mouth to feed," Fox said with a flat tone. He leaned away from the sponge, looking away from Vivian in a fit of self pity and guilt. "I'm sorry, truly."
"Stop that, Fox," Vivian replied with her firm, intelligent voice. "Peppy is grateful to have your help, when he is unable to be home. You help with Lucy; you set the table when I'm struggling with my dizzy spells. It's the least we can do."
"It's all Peppy can do, struggling to feed me on top of paying for your therapy. If anything, I'm a ward on this family. I'm the one who is grateful. I'm the one who appreciates everything you're both doing for me. But I can't keep sponging off of you guys. When I get a job, I'll get an apartment with Slippy or Falco. I know you guys argue and I feel like it's my fault." He shook his head with almost listless abandon. "Peppy is trying to honor my father by looking for ways to make this 'mercenary' thing work and it's causing stress between the both of you. Pretty soon, Lucy will be old enough to see it, too."
"Fox," Vivian tilted her head, giving him an awkward expression. "I may not completely agree with Peppy becoming a Mercenary… especially when he had such a promising future with the Cornerian Military. That much is true. I wish to go back to school and I want to put money aside for Lucy's future education… but our disagreements do not involve or concern you living with us. I promise." She took his head in her paws and turned his attention back to her until their gaze locked. "The doctors tell me they've found a way to put the sickness into a state of dormancy. Furthermore, even if he and I decided to separate for a little while, you need to understand two things… Number one, it's not because of you. Number two, I am the one who suggested the separation. I thought if I concentrated on school and Lucy …and he concentrated on learning how to make money as a Mercenary… then in a year or two, we could work things out again. Separation isn't divorce, Fox."
"I feel like this is my fault. I'm almost eighteen and…" Fox felt hopeless. "I just…"
"Fox," Vivian placed her paws on either side of his face again, offering him a motherly smile. "You're a very brave and courageous boy. You need to understand that I'm doing this out of love. That way nothing tears us apart forever. You'll understand when you're older… Think of it this way: what if you had a love interest flying on your team? Could you live with yourself if she followed your orders and died on a mission? And what if you found out that the reason she died is because she was distracted by the thought of an argument you both had, half an hour before the flight? What I'm doing is putting a small amount of distance between us, so that he can give this Mercenary Business the full attention it needs… and so that I can go back to school and attend to Lucy. It's not forever. If you ever have that sort of decision to make, you'll understand. I'm not setting him free, just giving him a window of opportunity."
Fox lifted his paw, running his fingers through his damp headfur. Tears welled up in his eyes but he choked them down like a man, doing his best to burry his emotions. His voice came out in an uncaring tone but his words suggested otherwise. "I don't know what to say… what if you have a relapse?"
Vivian's eyes shined with empathy. She knew he'd lost his mother and father. She worried that subjecting Fox to a struggling family would corrupt his notions of how to properly express himself in a situation concerning love. She could only hope that it wouldn't tarnish his perception of how to love a woman in the future. "Peppy and I have discussed what might happen if I got sick again. But for now, the treatments have been successful. I'll move in with my mother; she doesn't have much longer to live… then, whenever everyone has everything sorted out… Peppy and I will get back together like nothing ever came between us."
Fox slid out of bed, walking to the door. He gazed into the mirror fastened to the backside of his bedroom door. His head dropped, glancing down at the white specks of lint on his navy blue sweatpants. "I still feel like this is related to me and my father. Maybe, after living with dad in the wake of mom's death, I began to realize some things. I guess I just want to see you and Peppy work things out so I know that at least someone had a happy marriage. And if you ever did pass away, I know that Peppy would handle it exactly the same way my father handled it…"
"And how did James handle it, Fox?" Vivian put the sponge back into the bucket and slid her paws into the pockets of her bathrobe.
"He bottled it up, I guess. No one knows for sure because he didn't say much about it," Fox replied. "But I've only seen him weep once, since the funeral… and that was because I woke up in tears one day… I think I was about twelve. We cried together; I'll never forget it. He was always pretty stoic after that. I think he bottled his emotions to show me how to be a strong man… how to stand up and smile and how to do your job and raise your children and be the best you can be, alone. After that day, I never felt the need to cry again; I just looked at him and saw how strong he was being… and I knew I could emulate it. And one day, when the time comes, I'll do whatever is in my power to ensure that my future wife is not placed into lethal danger. Not that dad could have known in order to prevent mom's death but… just the same."
Vivian, a bundle of mixed emotions, simply nodded. "I'm going to get ready; I have a class in two hours. I appreciate you watching Lucy while I get myself together. Her sitter will be here half an hour before I have to leave."
Fox reached for a t-shirt and pulled it on. "It's my pleasure, Mrs. Hare. She's a smart little girl." He opened the bedroom door and looked down with a lopsided grin. The little rabbit toddler, sitting on the floor, doubled over in the hallway. She tried to touch her toes with her head brushing against the floor. Her ears splayed out across the carpet and her powder-puff cotton tail jutted straight up in the air. She stuck one small leg out as if trying to do a headstand.
In this precarious position, Lucy tilted her head at the opening door and smiled, albeit upside-down, at Fox McCloud. "Hi, Mister McCloud!" announced to toddler with a delightful expression.
Fox wanted to be emotionless around kids but they always seemed to break through his steel skin somehow. "Hey there, little Lucy." For the moment, he put his emotions back into a jar. Fox struggled to treat kids like the children that they were but at Lucy's age, he felt it was just what she needed. Fox emulated the way he saw Lucy's parents treat her, minus the parental affection. "Little Lucy," he repeated, grinning at the toddler.
Twenty-Four hours later…
Fox felt queasy. His stomach churned in a painful manner and his eyes dilated. He stood in little Lucy's empty room, filled with a sense of disbelief. Vivian and the baby left; the house felt empty. "This …I can't believe this," he whispered. "Is it me? Am I bad luck for relationships?" He ran his fingers back through the narrow vanilla streak of his hair, gawking at the empty room. "I had no idea it would happen so soon." He grew quiet again.
The sound of a ringing phone broke him from his reverie. Fox blinked twice then walked down the hallway and glanced at the caller identification display. He snatched the phone receiver off of its cradle and said, "Peppy! We have a problem."
"Fox, listen to me," Hare replied over the line. "I need you to come downtown right now. Bring your license. Meet me at the Defense Administration Office on Sycamore Street. There's no time to argue, just hurry."
"Peppy, Vivian and Lucy are gone!" Fox's words caused the line to grow quiet for a moment.
Peppy took a long, slow breath then said, "I know, Fox. I kissed her goodbye before you even got out of bed this morning. She wanted Lucy to be asleep when this happened, so that things would be easier." He cleared his throat to stifle the emotion in his voice. "Listen, this is very serious; you and I will have a man-to-man about that later, but I need you to come here as quickly as you can.
"The state is going through possessions belonging to your family that he never had a chance to put in his Will. You need to lay claim to GreatFox now and have the title transferred into your name, or we'll lose it. I came to do just that but there's a new law; no one can have ownership of weapons like GreatFox because of terrorists loyal to Andross' cause. However, I found a loophole; you can inherit it but cannot bring the ship to Corneria unless given express permission from the government. The problem is, I can't inherit Jim's ship and he didn't put it in his Will. Cornerian law, unlike most planets in Lylat, claim that you have an RTC clause, also known as Right To Claim, within a certain amount of time after his death. But, because it's a weapon-capable ship, the government is trying to expedite a Claim-Against-Inheritor order to possess the ship."
"Dammit," Fox groused. "I'm on my way. I don't have transportation, so I'm going to call Falco; he never sold his bike. I hope you don't mind, old timer."
"Just hurry. I've got to go and stall this." Peppy's communication line disconnected at the source.
Fox took one last look at the toddler's empty room then shook his head to clear his thoughts. He ran out to the kitchen and grabbed his wallet, keys and comm.-phone off of the table then his jacket off the back of a kitchen chair. He locked the door behind himself. Fox sprinted down the street towards the academy dormitories. Simultaneously, he thumbed the contact information for Falco and held the communicator to his ear.
"Hello…?"
"Falco! It's Fox! There's been an emergency; take me down to Government Plaza, they're trying to possess GreatFox and that's our home when we get the Mercenary business up and running! I'm across the street now, get dressed and get your bike!"
"Whoa, hold up!" Lombardi replied, "I can hardly hear you; it sounds like you're in a wind tunnel, man. Something about an emergency and my bike?"
Fox groaned. He lifted his free paw, half-covering the receiver to reduce the wind noise. "Yeah! Get your bike; I'll explain when I get there!"
"All right, well hurry up then!" the avian said in a dry chuckle. He cut the transmission; Fox put the communicator into his pocket and continued to run over to the dormitory grounds. He drew his jacket over his arms, still in motion, then thrust a paw up into the air when he saw Falco coming through the front doors. Lombardi lifted his keys, shaking them in display. "C'mon, Fox, the Bike is over this way. Whatever is going on, it sounds serious."
Fox nodded in reply. "Let's roll, I'll explain on the way!"
Pepper tightened his jaw in an attempt not to cringe. The hefty hound glanced from McCloud to his superior officer then back to the young vulpine pilot. The exchange of stern words between the two brought a deep sensation of discomfort; Pepper folded his arms behind his back, trying to remain out of the discussion.
Meanwhile, Fox knew it would be hard for his father's friend to take sides. Pepper's duty and his superior ranking officer could make or break the Sergeant's career. At the same time, Fox knew that Pepper saw the McCloud family as friends. Fox's eyes flitted back to the Lieutenant General and took a long, slow breath. "Okay, so you're telling me that the GreatFox is now out of everyone's paws, right? If I can find it, I can have it; is that essentially what you're telling me?"
The uniformed leader changed his tone to something a bit more… empathetic. "Indeed, young man. You can't come and claim a dreadnaught class starship outfitted with weapons; you're not even eighteen yet. And we cannot claim it from you, because we've just learned that it's not on Corneria. Papetoon's laws are different, son. It's not their jurisdiction to seize it because Imperial Venom has just overthrown the head of the Federal Government. If you go there to steal your ship, you'll be looked at as pirates. They will not tolerate your claim to the ship."
"Dammit," Fox grumbled. He balled his paws into fists and turned away from the group. His eyes connected with the blue-feathered Academy Junior in the back. Falco, leaning against the wall, jerked his head towards the exit with a grin.
"Am I to understand," the large-shouldered feline began, "That you've just graduated from the flight Academy? Are you thinking about a military career, young man?"
"Not on your life," Fox said with a smirk. "As far as I'm concerned, Corneria is just sitting here while Venom is setting up shop throughout Lylat without any resistance."
"We'll need good pilots for the day they try to invade Corneria."
A soft growl emanated from the back of McCloud's throat. "Don't patronize me. Someone should be leading a resistance against Venom. Your political negotiating isn't keeping them from hitting Corneria… Isn't it obvious? Venom and Corneria are on opposite sides of the Lylat System. No, Venom is setting up shop so they can attack Corneria without a break in supplies. Get it through your head; you're a military leader. Why aren't you out there shutting down their aggressive and hostile 'negotiations' General?" Fox lifted his paws to keep the man from replying. "I don't care why, to be honest. I don't want to hear, 'but the prime minister says…' because it's a cop out."
"We did launch a counter offensive," the general shouted. "We went straight for the heart of their Empire! You, of all people, should know this!"
"My father dies and you gave up, you son of a bitch! Now, instead of thinking that Corneria is serious, they're laughing at this planet!" Fox drew his fist back and swung it with all of his weight. He struck the general across the jaw then pitched forward two steps from the over-swing. The two-star General spiraled back to the wooden desk, sprawled out across it.
"Fox!" Peppy shouted, locking his left arm into McCloud's elbow to keep the pilot from swinging again. From out of the corner of Fox's eye, he saw Falco run towards him. McCloud struggled, slipping out of Peppy's grasp only for a fierce sting to greet his muzzle. Fox toppled to the ground. His wide eyes stared up at Falco in complete disbelief. His gaze flitted over to Sergeant Pepper, who pushed Falco and Peppy back then turned to McCloud and knelt over him.
"Get away from me," McCloud said. He laid his ears flat in unison to the narrowing of his eyes. His lower lip trembled from rage and his body quivered from the adrenaline of his pounding heart. "That ship belongs to me and I'm going to use it to tear Venom a new rear end."
"Fox!" Peppy shouted from over Pepper's shoulder. "You're being unreasonable! Calm down!"
"Cool your jets, McCloud," Falco added.
The two star General slid off of his desk and gripped his uniform jacket. With a firm tug, he pulled it downwards then fixed the lay of his ribbons. The large feline stepped behind his desk and turned towards the group. "Get that boy out of my office. In fact, get off this planet! People who have a problem with Corneria's political decisions don't need to live here. If you aren't off this planet in twenty-four hours, I'll be filing charges for this assault and have you thrown into a military brig."
Peppy circumvented Pepper and snatched the boy by his shoulder. "C'mon, Fox. Get up; let's go. Don't say another word, let's just leave. You are lucky he's not putting you in jail right now. Assault and Battery holds ninety days for the first offence."
Falco turned to Pepper then to the General and shrugged. "I say the slime-ball deserved it. I only knocked Fox down because he'd keep going if I didn't." Falco cocked his head at his friend and offered something rare: A proud grin. "C'mon, Fox… Grandpa is right, let's roll."
"You're lucky you stopped him," said the General to Falco. "If you hadn't, I'd have had you expelled and you'd never finish your senior year."
Falco glanced over his shoulder with a smirk. "Didn't you hear? I skipped ahead during my sophomore year. I'll be out in three days, instead of nine months like everyone else. I can take my final exam on the computer and print out my certificate. Anyway, you shouldn't have mentioned Andross and James McCloud in succession like that; it was dumb. You got whacked because you ran your mouth. If you're going to talk smack, then have something to back it up. Fox was right; you gave up on Venom after StarFox disbanded. You have two pilots missing in action, one presumed dead. That, somehow, makes it too large of a risk to take the fight to Venom, huh?"
Peppy placed his other paw on Falco's shoulder. "Falco…"
"Yeah, yeah," Lombardi said, flipping off the two-star General. "We're going. Fox doesn't need this loser's help, anyhow." He ducked his head beneath McCloud's left arm and hoisted up his friend. "C'mon, let's blow this pop stand." He slid his right arm around Fox's waist and helped the dazed pilot out of the room. Peppy followed.
The general turned to Pepper and narrowed his gaze. "Sergeant, do you realize that kid and his hot-headed friend are in trouble? They're going to get themselves into a world of problems, out in Lylat on their own. As long as they leave tonight, I suppose that I won't press charges… I know that kid is the son of your friend and I know this is a difficult and emotional situation for such a young man. Thought, I have to wonder if his mother did a very good job with raising him if he acts like that." The general ran his furry fingertips over the two stars on his shoulder with a frown. He didn't want to invite more investigation concerning his administration and the McClouds; Andross caused enough of that before the expulsion. The feline offered a simple, frustrated sigh.
Pepper turned to his superior officer and frowned. "Sir, his mother died when he was a child. He doesn't even know this yet, but during the military investigation into Doctor Andross' experiments…" Pepper glanced back at the door of the office then turned back to the General. "…We learned that Vixy McCloud's death came from a bomb that…"
"Spit it out, John."
Pepper face faulted. "One of the bomb fragments had the last three digits of its serial number still legible, Sir. We linked it to the inventory list of a missing detonator from one of Andross' test labs. We think that the Doctor was involved in… or possibly masterminded the explosion that killed James' wife."
"Did James McCloud know this before taking the mission?"
"No sir. Peppy claims that Jim McCloud found out 'the whole story' behind his wife's death while on Venom but would not go into details with Peppy, let alone anyone else. The Criminal Investigator and I know what happened but we're the only ones. I wanted to tell Fox but the investigation file is still under 'classified' status."
The General sighed, sinking into his cushy chair. "By the Creator… If he's anything like his father, he'll get his ducks in a row and fly to Venom with daggers in his eyes. Taking on the Venom Fleet alone is suicide; James McCloud has already proven that fact. God help that McCloud boy."
Pepper glanced back at the door to the office with a frown. In a soft voice, beneath his breath, he said, "No… God help Andross Oikonny."
Author's Note
and
Foreword (Moved from the header, down to here.)
Well? Shall I keep going? Any comments? Let me know!
Below, I've taken a moment to dissect this chapter. I talk about Falco's pink shirt, the insertion of Lucy and Peppy's 'temporary separation' and WHY. I also explain Fox's dreams about the girl with blue fur. If you haven't figured out who THAT is… then… you've not played the game! Which is even better, because it's foreshadowing. Anyhow… Read on, if you're curious why I've done things the way I have…
A conversation between Fox and Falco in StarFox: Assault happens to mention that the asteroid field is a playground for gangs. I give a hint to that in the scene where Fox and Falco meet. IF you've read the comic, you might remember that Falco was wearing a PINK shirt. I'm sure all the fans of "falcoXfox" really love that one! ANYhow, I gave Falco the attitude of, "So what? It takes a real man to drive a pink caddie; hop up off my threads," without actually writing that as a quote.
We also see Falco whack Fox to help him "cool his temper." That's another little tidbit I took from the Comic. I'm also exploring the possibility of mentioning Pepper's addiction to lollypops by giving him a diabetic background. Just trying to add a little sense of realism to the story, that's all.
Speaking of realism, StarFox Command gave us a whole new perspective on Peppy Hare. Suddenly, we find out that the old rabbit has a daughter younger than Fox and we find out that his wife died from illness! Oh no! But where were they for the first several games? Where were they in the comic? I tackle that, too.
See, I feel that having Vivian and Lucy living with Fox on Papetoon / the GreatFox / etc would have had a profound impact on the conversation between Fox and Lucy in the game… that conversation didn't reflect such a thing, so I decided to have Lucy and Vivian "elsewhere" in Fox and Peppy's historical video-game youth. Out of the picture doesn't mean they simply appeared the way Nintendo pulled it off, in SF:C, though. Shoot, what else is left? A separation. I'm too much of a hopeless romantic to spell out a full-blown divorce, though.
But, if Vivian died TOO early in this story, who would raise Lucy? We certainly didn't see PEPPY raising Lucy, so logically we can deduce that Vivian died sometime after the Lylat War. I've just got to sit down and think about "when".
Anyone who is familiar with the game series knows who Krystal is. They know that Fox and Krystal will fall in love, have a rocky relationship, break up then try to patch stuff up. Depending on how you play SF: Command, they either work it out, don't work it out, or don't work it out right away, leaving a possibility for something down the road. One ending goes so far as to detail their distant future, with children. The rest are pretty vague and NONE of them really seem to mention that she marries panther or has kids with him. So, the way I see it, they successfully accomplish their mission… a few months pass, then she goes BACK to Panther. Fox gets depressed, Amanda joins the team, then Krystal somehow comes back into Fox's life. Whether they meet on Planet KEW first, or whether Fox races in G-Zero first, who the hell knows. It's tough to mix all the endings to get one definitive answer but… whatever!
Yeah, the dreams are about Krystal; he just doesn't know it yet. When he finally meets her, nearly a decade later, he'll have practically forgotten those dreams.
Fear not, fans of Fara Phoenix, when she dies, I don't kill her off for good. Her death puts Fox into an eight year depression. Then, he takes a mission on Sauria and meets Krystal… but! I bring Fara back in the distant future, in the story Reflections Of A New Generation. Many of you who are currently following that story already know that her rich parents put her into stasis, unable to let go of their dead daughter.
I don't know how far into the future I'll take this story… part of me thinks I should go all the way up until Fox meets Krystal, in my first Reflections story. Part of me just isn't sure. I've been toying with the idea of REFLECTIONS OF ROMANCE, detailing the days when Krystal leaves Panther and returns to Fox. Part of me thinks I should just incorporate that into the second act of THIS story. I mean, if I'm going to detail the life of Fox McCloud, I've gotta pull out all the stops.
Also, I've been thinking about making each game's time line a separate act of this story. You know? Act ONE would be before the full blown Lylat War. Act TWO could be after the war, leading up to Sauria. Act THREE would be shortly after Reflections Of Krystal ends, act FOUR would be shortly after Reflections Of The Future ends. Act FIVE would be the romantic return of Krystal to Fox, after SF: Command ends. Act SIX would detail whatever we learn about StarFox for the WII. If I've not finished this story by the time that game comes out, then act EIGHT will be following the game, leading into the marriage of Fox and Krystal.
Then again, I might just write sequels for .Fox. Who knows; I have no idea. I DO plan to finish Reflections Of A New Generation. I'm nearly finished chapter 21. I've also posted chapter 4 of Reflections of Peppy, last month. I was VERY happy with that chapter but only a few people read it and I only received one review… so who knows; yaw'll might have hated it! Personally, I liked it.
I don't mean to keep babbling on, but some people want to know where I'm coming from with this series and where I'm going with the story and other members of its series… let alone my other stuff.
I'm NOT giving up on Reflections Of A New Generation. I'm just… struggling with writer's block. It's temporary, I assure you. I adore the plot line, it does all the exciting things I want to do with a story… and it won't get easier on Marcus, even when we see his parents again.
At ANY rate, I've had an overwhelming amount of requests from people wanting to see a "reflections of fox mccloud" story … the problem is, making it interesting.
I mean, you PLAY as Fox McCloud in the video game… so you already KNOW his life. You already know all the details and all the exciting parts. SO, for me, I feel that the best thing I can offer to do… is tell the story behind the scenes.
Now, how do we go about looking at the "before" life of McCloud when Nintendo handed us two conflicting storylines? It's StarFox, not Zelda. We expect 500 storylines from Zelda but then again… Nintendo is notorious for changing their minds about things later. Toadstool, Daisy, Peach… are they ever going to settle on a name? I mean, Metroid is pretty linier with no changes, but it's something we've all come to live with when it happens to our favorite cartoon, video game or other entertainment medium involving story plots… whether it's Castlevania, Sonic or one of the many other video game franchises where a creator decides "I'm going to change everything." This is especially true when someone makes a comic different from the game (like StarFox and Sonic! And, to a lesser degree, the Nintendo Power Metroid Comic from the mid '90s.)
What are my options here? If I tell the story, starting with Fox McCloud as a child… all I'm doing is perpetuating the whole cycle of confusing his 'true canon beginnings'. My, my! What a dilemma!
So, of course, I STILL give in to the requests, but I mix the comic series with the game history to better tie up the loose ends with my imagination. (Hey, I did it in parallel in my other story, SIMILAR PATHS TAKEN. This time, I'm going to combine them to better cover the other version's set of plot holes. You might be surprised how well the two versions of his past compliment one another.)
Those of you who already read REFLECTIONS OF A NEW GENERATION know that I did NOT kill Fara Phoenix. In this story, we'll learn more about her and why Fox became depressed and stagnant for 8 long years before meeting Krystal. We'll learn that part of the reason he worries about Krystal's safety and pushes her out of the team (in SF:Command) is because of what happened to Fara, as well as what Vivian said to Fox, during this chapter… We'll even learn what happens to him leading up to pushing Krystal off the team before he goes Solo again…
We'll learn why Falco left the team for a while, leading up to the Sauria Mission.
So far, my plans involve the story of Fox McCloud, leading up to where I begin with Reflections of Krystal, the first story I wrote of this series. I won't completely detail every inch of the Lylat Wars or every iota of the Dinosaur Planet adventure. But I will include parts and pieces as I replay through those games.
For now, let's start with the humble beginnings of Fox, maturing into his adult life. If you want to go back further, you can read REFLECTIONS OF PEPPY, as I posted Chapter 4 last month, dating back 17 years prior to the Aparoid Assault and how Peppy and Beltino became involved and WHY they knew so much about Aparoids, at the beginning of SF: Assault (when the other characters had never even heard of such a creature!). And yes, I plan to portray Fox's life with Fara AND with Krystal… but it'll be a while before we get to the Krystal part, unfortunately for all you Krystal Fans. HOWEVER. I'm going to give Fox and Krystal a very good group of romantic chapters, later in the story when we get to that part…
I sure do ramble a lot don't I? Hey, anyone here read my Castlevania or Sly Cooper stories? Woot.
Yeah, I tie all my Reflections Stories together… as well as I can.
Now, if I can just figure out, and then explain what a Hyper Twinkie is, I think we'll be in good shape! But, if you're trying to figure out what a gravity dump is… forget it… I don't even WANT to tackle THAT one. Booyah!
If you read this whole author's note, let me know… because you'll be my NEW hero!
-Kit