VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE: This story is part of my other series, "Star Fox: Sons of Legends" and takes place in the same universe. PLEASE READ THAT FIRST OR DON'T READ THIS AT ALL! This story will make no sense without the context of my other series.
I'M BACK EVERYBODY!
So, it's been one heck of a school year, and to start the Summer off, here's a little short story I made. This was supposed to be posted on June second, my REAL birthday, but that didn't happen sense I was gone for a week in a place with literally no wifi, so I guess this is my late Birthday special. Anyway, please enjoy!
UPDATE:
CHAPTER ONE OF PART THREE IS COMING OUT THIS WEDNESDAY!
I'm SO SORRY it's taken me this long. Once again, I was busy last week all week, and the editing took a lot longer than anticipated, but it's coming soon, I promise. Thank you all SO MUCH for being patient. I really don't want to delay it for any longer.
Also, I noticed that in Part Two, Falco called Admiral Perry the "Guardian Phoenix of Falconia" I'm not sure how I ended up getting that wrong, but it's supposed to be Katina, not Falconia (I don't even think Falconia is a real place in the Star Fox universe). Anyway, just correcting that typo because it makes no sense AT ALL. It'll be corrected on Wednesday when I post the next chapter.
Without further delay, here's my short story, "A Birthday to Remember"
A Birthday to Remember
It was 7:00 in the morning. The McCloud household slept soundlessly in their beds as the minutes ticked by. An hour before this time, the father would usually be getting out of his bed to get ready for work, but today was a special day. He already called for the day off, so instead he slept in with his wife, snuggled up in her warm embrace.
In the boy's room, Leon's mind wandered through a dream. He flew through the air on board an Arwing, feeling freer than everyone else in the universe. His ship spun through the clouds and danced in the sky like a ballerina at the ball. He made loop after loop, leaving clouds behind him that almost looked as if he were trying to spell something out.
Just then, Leon's dream was abruptly ended by the sound of a high pitched voice, and the feeling of something jumping on his bed.
"Leon! Leon! Leon! Leon! Leon!" he heard, feeling his bed move with each word.
Leon immediately recognized the voice, and he groaned squinting his eyes in protest to waking up.
"What…" Leon mumbled as he covered his face with his pillow.
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" the voice cried again.
The lupine groaned again and turned around in his bed so his face was pressed against the mattress.
"Go away Marcus…" Leon mumbled.
"C'mon, you've got to wake up!" Marcus whined with impatience as he got really close to Leon's head, "Please?"
Leon sighed and sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes and nose. He looked at Marcus through tired, squinted eyes. The blue furred vulpine had a large grin on his face, and his tail wagged with excitement.
"Why are you waking me up?" Leon asked as rubbed his forehead.
Marcus giggled and closed his eyes.
"It's my Birthday Leon!" Marcus said with a cheering voice.
Leon was now thirteen years old, and Marcus was turning ten today. The children had grown some in the last two years that they'd been together, and while Marcus had gotten a little taller, nothing else about the vulpine had really changed, including his high pitched voice.
Leon blinked a few times and looked at Marcus more fully.
"Oh yeah, that's right," Leon said as he nodded and yawned, "Well, Happy Birthday."
Marcus hugged Leon tightly, and the lupine smiled weakly as he hugged him back.
"So, did you get me something?" Marcus asked as he looked at Leon with joy dancing in his eyes.
"Uh, yeah I did," Leon said, scratching his head as his mind continued to wake up, "It wasn't much, but I think you'll like it."
"Awesome! Can I see it now?"
"Not right now," Leon said with a laugh as he stood up from his bed and stretched his back, "We'll wait until you open up your other gifts."
"Oh, okay," Marcus said with a small taste of disappointment, but it quickly went away as his face brightened up again and he said, "Let's go wake up Mom and Dad!"
"Whoa, whoa, slow down cowboy," Leon said as he grabbed the vulpine's shoulder before he could leave, "Let's let them sleep in, okay? Dad doesn't usually get the day off."
"Aw, but can we please wake them up?" Marcus whined as he looked at his brother with a pleading face.
"I've got a better idea," Leon said with a smile, "Why don't we start cooking breakfast so we can surprise them? I'm sure they'll really appreciate it,"
Marcus smiled again and nodded, unconditionally agreeing with the plan.
"Yeah! That's actually sounds really fun," Marcus said, and then he began running to the kitchen, yelling, "I'll start the ovens!"
"Wait for me," Leon said as he stumbled through the house like a zombie.
Leon smiled to himself and chuckled, shaking his head. He honestly had no idea how Marcus managed to get this excited on his birthday. It was as if the little pup got a sudden boost of energy on this day, and he seemed filled with unlimited endurance. When Leon reached the kitchen, Marcus was already pulling out breakfast foods from the fridge and setting them down on the counter at a fast rate.
"Can you check the pantry for pancake mix and syrup?" Marcus asked as he pulled out a gallon of orange juice, "Also, can you get bread while you're at it?"
Leon nodded and opened the pantry. He pulled out a loaf of bread and a bottle of syrup, but there was no sign of any pancake mix.
"I don't think we have any more," Leon said as he set the bread and syrup down on the counter, "Mom must have used it all up on Sunday."
"That's fine," Marcus said, "We can still use the syrup and bread for Mom's special toast recipe."
"Do we have butter and milk?" Leon asked.
"Yeah, we've got a ton,"
Leon nodded, and the two began their work. Surprisingly enough, the boys could actually cook fairly well. When they began camping more and more often, Krystal decided to teach them how to prepare food in the wild. In their sessions, she also taught them how to cook at the house, which was something the boys ended up really enjoying (mostly because they liked the idea that they could cook their own food). After dozens of camping trips and training session, the boys had picked up all of the basics, along with a few of Krystal's special recipes. Among their favorite breakfast ones was the "Special Toast" recipe.
"Should we use cinnamon or vanilla?" Marcus asked as he prepared the slices of bread on the cooking sheet.
"They're both really good, so we could do half-n-half," Leon answered, "That would be six for each flavor."
"Yeah, that sounds good," Marcus said with a smile and a nod.
Leon walked over to the stove and looked at his meat options, thinking about which one to choose.
"Do you want sausage, eggs, or bacon for your birthday breakfast?" Leon asked.
"All of them!" Marcus said with glee as he continued to prepare the toast.
"That'll take longer to cook," Leon noted, "At least an extra half hour. Are you sure?"
"Yeah! The toast takes thirty minutes to cook, so we'll just put it in when the meat has that much time left."
"Good idea," Leon said in agreement as he opened up the sausage and bacon packs, "That way the toast won't go cold,"
When the boys were about halfway through their cooking, Fox and Krystal woke up to the smell of something cooking. Fox looked over at the door, and a strange sense of panic settled in his stomach.
"What's that smell?" Fox asked with concern, "Is there something burning?"
"No, that smells like…" Krystal closed her eyes and smelled the air more fully, and then they opened with surprise as she said, "Sizzling bacon!"
"What the heck?" Fox asked with confusion as he sat up in his bed, "Is someone cooking right now?"
Krystal thought for a little bit, and then she smiled warmly and chuckled.
"I think Leon is preparing breakfast," she said, sounding proud.
"You're kidding?" Fox asked with a bright smile, "Do you think he would do that?"
"I'll check up on him," she said, and then she leaned over and kissed her husband, saying, "You stay in bed. You were up all night working."
Fox smiled and nodded lying back down. Krysta; got up from bed and headed down to the kitchen, still clothed in her pajamas. She wasn't surprised to see Leon flipping some sausages over in a pan, but she didn't expect Marcus to be cooking as well.
"Hi Mom!" Marcus said without turning away from his cooking, "Don't worry, we're already making breakfast."
"Oh, honey," Krystal said with concern as she walked next to Marcus, who was standing on a stool to reach the counter, "It's your birthday today! You shouldn't have to do this for us."
"It's okay Mommy, I like cooking," Marcus said with reassurance, and then he looked at her and smiled with his eyes tightly closed, "Can't be work if I enjoy it, right?"
Krystal smiled and let out a chuckle.
"Well, I guess I shouldn't stop you then," she said as she put a hand on his back and looked at his work, "You guys went with my special toast recipe?"
"Yeah, does this look right to you?" he asked as he looked over to her with a slightly worried face, "I don't know if I did the vanilla and cinnamon the right way."
Krystal looked at the pan, purposely making her face seem unimpressed to tease her son. Marcus's ears dropped a little, but then Krystal smiled brightly at him and said,
"It looks great!"
Marcus's ears shot up and he smiled.
"Really?" he asked as his tail began to wag.
"Of course, you did marvelous Marcus!" she said as she rubbed his furry scalp, "I couldn't have done it better myself."
Marcus blushed a little and looked away, smiling. Krystal walked over to Leon, who still had his back turned as he worked on the meat. Krystal pinched his ear a little, and Leon looked back at his mother with slight surprise. She wore a pleasant smile, and Leon let smiled as well when he saw her.
"Dad still asleep?" Leon asked as he turned around and continued cooking.
"He was up late last night, so I thought it would be best to let him sleep in," Krystal answered as she stood next to Leon.
"Sounds good, he won't be as crabby that way," Leon said.
Krystal laughed and nodded in agreement. She then looked at her son with pride and put a paw on his shoulder.
"This was very sweet of you two," she said with a soft voice.
"Nah, it's nothing," Leon said without looking at Krystal, "Marcus woke me up early, so I decided we might as well do something productive while we're up."
Krystal looked back at her younger son, who was still putting on the toppings. She then leaned over to Leon and whispered,
"Has he been in the family room yet?"
"No, I made sure we went the other way," Leon whispered back with a smile.
"Ok, good, so he hasn't seen his presents,"
Marcus noticed his brother and mother's secretive tone and asked,
"What are you guys whispering about?"
"Nothing sweet heart," Krystal answered with a smile, and then she changed the topic and added, "Are you done with the toast yet?"
Marcus forgot about the whispering and nodded.
"Leon, is the meat almost done?" Marcus asked as he lifted the trey of the counter.
"Thirty minutes left. You can put it in now," Leon answered.
Marcus walked over to the oven, and the other two stepped away from the stove so he could put the toast in.
"When will Dad be up?" Marcus asked as he set the time and temperature on the oven.
"I'm sure he'll get out of bed within the next half hour," Krystal answered, "He wouldn't miss your birthday breakfast for the world."
"I wasn't worried or anything," Marcus said, "Just curious."
Marcus and Krystal began setting the table while Leon continued cooking the meat. Twenty minutes later, Fox decided he had slept in enough, and the vulpine crawled out of bed and put some pajama jeans on. When he walked into the kitchen, Marcus immediately ran over and greeted him with a tight embrace.
"Happy birthday kiddo!" Fox said with smile as he hugged his son back.
"Thanks Daddy," Marcus said as he let go of Fox, "Me and Leon got breakfast ready for you guys!"
Fox's smile turned into a look of surprise.
"You mean you helped?" Fox asked.
"Yeah, but it was Leon's idea," Marcus answered.
Fox blinked a couple of times, but then he smiled again and laughed.
"Never thought you would actually want to cook on your birthday Marcus," Fox said as he walked over to Leon and inspected his cooking. His eyes widened when he saw Leon cooking three different types of meat.
"Wow, that's a bit much Leon,"
Leon saw his Father's expression, and he let out a nervous laugh.
"Uh, yeah, Marcus wanted me to do all three," Leon said with embarrassment.
"It's not a problem, but we'll sure have a lot of leftovers," Fox said as he grabbed the spatula out of Leon's hand, "I'll finish this."
"Do you want me to brew some coffee?" Leon asked.
"Sure, and make a whole pot while you're at it," Fox answered as he flipped the sausages, "I'm sure Krystal will want some as well."
Leon grabbed some beans out of the refrigerator and put them in the coffee machine. By the time the coffee finished brewing, the meat and toast were done. Leon offered to serve everyone, so the rest of the family sat down at the table.
"Did you ever decide where you wanted to go Marcus?" Fox asked as Leon put sausage and bacon on his plate.
Marcus thought for a few seconds and looked away nervously. He knew where he wanted to go, but he sensed his parents wouldn't be in approval since it was located too far away. Taking a deep breath, Marcus asked,
"Can we go to the Flight Academy today?"
Fox's eyes dropped a little, and he sighed with a smile.
"Had a good feeling you were gonna ask that," Fox said as he picked up his fork and began cutting the sausage on his plate, "Marcus, I would love to take you, but it's a three hour drive from here."
Marcus wanted his family to be happy today, so complaining wasn't at the top of his priority list. Instead, he just nodded in understanding.
"I know. It's okay if we don't go," Marcus said as Leon walked over to him with the toast trey, "Falco told me yesterday when I made the suggestion to him. Said I should wait until I graduate."
"Cinnamon or vanilla?" Leon asked.
"One of each please," Marcus answered.
Leon nodded and put the toast on his brother's plate. When he walked over to Krystal, he thought of somewhere else his Brother could go. His ears perked up as an idea came into his mind.
"Aren't I going to a flight school in Ucara this fall?" Leon asked, "Maybe we could go there instead."
"It's a one room building. There wouldn't be anything interesting there," Krystal noted as she shook her head, and then she looked up at Leon and said, "Cinnamon please."
"Well, there's got to be something around here," Leon said as he put a peace of cinnamon toast on Krystal's plate.
Just then, someone knocked at the front door. Everyone looked over at the door with surprise.
"Who would be knocking at 8:00 in the morning?" Fox asked as he got up from his chair to answer the door, "Did we ask for anyone to come over?"
"Not at this time," Krystal answered.
Fox opened the door, and the friendly face of a blue feathered avian greeted him. He had a long, pole-shaped gift wrapped underneath his wing. Fox smiled with pleasant surprise.
"You're here a lot earlier than expected," Fox said as he moved away from the door.
"Hope I'm not intruding," Falco said with a smile as he walked in.
"No, not at all," Fox said with reassurance.
Everyone in the kitchen gave Falco a warm welcome, and Marcus beamed with excitement when he saw the gift.
"Is that mine?" Marcus asked as his tail wagged.
"Can you guess?" Falco answered with sarcasm as he smugly smiled at Marcus.
Marcus's smile disappeared as he titled his head.
"Wait…is this some sort of weird training method or something?" Marcus asked, "I don't know if that's a trick question or not."
"You're very oblivious to sarcasm Marcus," Falco said with a smile, and then he walked over to the vulpine and handed him the gift, "Happy birthday, my young apprentice."
"Wow, thanks Falco!" Marcus said as he looked at the wrapped gift.
"Wait a minute," Fox quickly said before Marcus could begin tearing off the paper, "Let's wait until we open the others."
Marcus sighed, and handed the gift back to Falco without protest.
"I forget that was a strict rule in this family," Falco said with a laugh.
"Put it in the family room," Krystal said, and as he walked away she called out, "And come join us when you're done! We have plenty to eat."
When Falco walked back into the kitchen, Leon had already made him a plate. Fox lead a prayer, and then everyone besides Falco began eating. Falco poured himself a cup of coffee before sitting down.
"Falco, do you know of any place we could go today?" Leon asked as he took a bite of his toast.
"Having trouble coming up with a plan?" Falco asked as he sipped his coffee.
"It's just…well, we went camping last year, and I don't really want to do that again," Marcus said, but then he smiled and added, "But it's okay if we do! I mean, I won't be upset or anything."
"Maybe you wouldn't, but I would," Leon said with a small laugh, "We go camping almost every month."
"I agree, we shouldn't waste your birthday on that," Krystal said as she sipped her orange juice.
"We thought about the Flight Academy," Fox said as he took a bite of his eggs, "but I think it's way too far away."
Falco put a wing underneath his chin, thinking about a place to go. He then remembered reading about a big event and said,
"You know, the Plains Fair will be up for another three days or so," Falco said with a smile, "And it's only an hour drive from here."
Fox looked at Falco with surprise.
"The Plains Fair is up?" Fox asked with excitement
"Has been for four days now," Falco answered as he took a bite of his toast, "Read about it yesterday in the paper."
"Of course, it's June!" Krystal said with excitement, "Oh, honey that would be a great place to go for his birthday!"
"I forgot all about it," Fox said with a laugh.
Marcus looked back and forth between his parents with confusion.
"What's the Plains Fair?" Marcus asked.
"It's a fair that takes place every June in the plains, right next to the forest surrounding Ucara," Krystal answered, "Marcus, you would love it!"
"Really?" Marcus asked with an excited smile, "What's a fair like?"
"It's like an amusement park, only more custom and localized," Leon answered, liking the idea, "I've never been to one before, but it sounds really fun."
"Cool, we should go then!" Marcus said as he looked at his Father, "Can we please go there today?"
"Absolutely!" Fox answered with a nod, "One hour drive isn't that bad. How much are the tickets Falco?"
"Admission is free, but you've got to pay for food, rides, and shows."
"Well then, we'll leave in about two hours," Fox said as he got up from his chair with an empty plate, "save your appetites. The fair has a lot of great food."
When everyone finished, they quickly cleaned the kitchen and went into the family room. As tradition in the McCloud household, the birthday child always opened up their gifts after breakfast. Because he preferred quantity over quality with his presents, Marcus always scored the motherlode at his birthday. Excitement overwhelmed the little pup when he saw all of his booty wrapped in colorful wrapping paper and organized neatly around the coffee table.
While Marcus could unwrap all of his gifts in under a minute, there's another family tradition that kept him from doing so. Each present would be unwrapped, and then the receiver would have a picture taken with it. Marcus would usually loathe such a time-consuming process, but on his birthday it was different. The child loved to savor every moment of surprise, excitement, and anticipation (not to mention thanking the giver of each gift).
Marcus counted up his loot as the plundering came to a close. Coloring pencils, a coloring spiral notebook, a model Arwing set, some plastic Katinian husky and bulldog action figures, candy, new hiking boots, new winter and summer clothes and three comic books. Only two gifts to go: one from Falco, and the other from his brother.
"Feels kind of heavy," Marcus said as he picked up the pole-shaped gift, and then he smiled as his tail wagged excitedly, "That's always a good sign!"
"Open it up," Falco said with a prideful smile and posture, "Had a good feeling about this one when I picked it out."
Without further delay, Marcus quickly unwrapped the oddly shaped present.
"Whoa," he said with a baffled expression.
Marcus rubbed his paw across the smooth surface of the steel staff. His hand reached the center where a rubber handle cushioned the weapon. A large grin spread across his face as he gripped the handle with both hands.
"Dang, that thing looks awesome!" Leon said with a smile as his brother stood up from the carpet, examining the weapon.
Neither parent, however, looked very pleased with the gift.
"Falco," Krystal said with a surprised and nervous voice, "Is that what I think it is?"
"A Stun Staff," Falco answered with a prideful nod, "One of the officers down at the station was kind enough to get me one, and with clearance and everything! Had such a hard time trying to get it, I thought I'd have to steal it."
Fox let out a small, nervous laugh.
"Uh, well um, that's very thoughtful of you Falco!" Fox said as he scratched the back of his head, "But, that things a…well it's um…"
"It's a weapon!" Krystal finished for him, almost sounding hysterical, "Falco, did you get Marcus a weapon for his Birthday? He's turning ten, not eighteen!"
"A Stun Staff?" Marcus asked, looking even more excited than before, "That's so awesome! How do I turn in on Falco?"
"Don't even think about it!" Krystal said sternly, "My child is not going to have a weapon of his own."
"Okay, okay, now give me a second to explain everything," Falco said as he put a wing up to Krystal and her son, "Yes, it's a Stun Staff, but I've already removed the power cell from it, so really it functions as an ordinary staff."
Marcus felt slightly disappointed, but his parents were filled with relief. Marcus's disappointment went away and he smiled again at the weapon.
"Well, it still looks really cool!" Marcus said as his tail wagged, and then he walked over to Falco and tightly hugged the avian, "Thanks a lot Falco,"
"Your welcome," Falco said with an irritated voice as he slightly pushed Marcus away, "Happy Birthday, again."
"Hey, can I see that thing?" Leon asked with a smile.
"Sure!" Marcus said as he walked over to the lupine and handed him the staff.
"It's so well balanced," Leon said as he looked at the weapon, "The design is incredible!"
While Krystal was glad to see Falco took extra precautions, she still felt uneasy about the gift.
"Falco, I know you're training them and everything," Krystal said, trying to sound understanding, "But don't you think this is a little…much? I mean, I've never even seen you use a polearm before, so how can you train Marcus with it?"
"Actually, I was thinking maybe you could do it blueness," Falco said with a smug smile as he crossed his wings, "You used that magic staff of yours all the time, and now you can teach your son how to use it, right?"
"Me?" Krystal said as she blushed and smiled nervously, "Uh, well I've never thought about…"
"Hey, that's a great idea!" Fox said with a smile as he placed a paw on Krystal's shoulder, "You should train him honey. You'd be the perfect person for it."
"Mom, you can teach me how to use this?" Marcus asked with a smile.
Krystal's face turned more scarlet from her husband's compliment, and then she sighed and smiled.
"Oh, alright," she said, "If it means my son can protect himself more, I don't see why not,"
"Yay! Thank you Mommy," Marcus said as he tightly hugged her, and she laughed as she hugged him back.
"Well, guess that leaves one more present," Fox said with a smile as he crossed his arms and looked at his older son, "Leon, where's your gift?"
Everyone looked over to the black-furred lupine, and he cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head.
"Yeah, uh, about that. Is it okay if I wait until tonight?" Leon asked with a small smile.
Fox and the others stopped smiling.
"I know we're big on tradition, but mine is…well, it's kind of special, so I was wondering if we could make an exception for it."
A couple of seconds passed, and then Fox smiled again.
"Alright, if that's what you want," he said with a nod.
"Yeah, I'm okay with that," Marcus said in agreement, "Just means I have one more present to open!"
After Krystal took one last photo, the family began getting ready for the fair. Everyone besides Falco showered and got dressed into some summer clothes (Falco had already done both of those things before he arrived). When they were finished, the group climbed into Falco's car and began their trip.
After an hour of driving through the forest and countryside, the Plains Fair came into sight. Excitement engulfed Marcus when he saw the titan sized rollercoasters and theme park rides come into view. Three or four steel and wooden coasters scraped the sky at their peaks. The furious wagging of Marcus's tail told him this was gonna be a lot more fun than camping.
Since the fair always had loads of tourists, Falco had a difficult time finding a parking spot. When he finally did find one, the group had no trouble entering the fair. No entry fee meant no long lines or malfunctioning ticket booths. The entry square had a large fountain placed in its center, and the group decided to settle down there to come up with a plan.
"Let's split up into groups," Fox said, "Falco, you take the boys for now, and we'll switch after lunch. It's already 11:00, so why don't we meet up at the food court at 1:00?"
"Sure, no problem," Falco said with a nod, and then he turned to the boys and spoke with a commanders voice, saying, "Well, where to men?"
"Can we go to one of the roller coasters first?" Marcus said as he bounced on his feet, "I think there's one really close by!"
Falco looked at Leon for approval. Judging by the speed of his wagging tail, Falco decided the lupine was in total agreement with the plan.
"Alright then, let's move soldiers!" Falco said with a playful smile.
The three ran off in the direction of the roller coaster, leaving Fox and Krystal alone.
"Let's check the show times," Krystal said with a smile as she grabbed her husband's paw, "The boys need to see at least one."
"I'm still trying to think of one they would enjoy," Fox said with a small laugh as the couple began walking, "Don't you think they'd get bored?"
"It doesn't have to be a musical or play," Krystal replied thoughtfully, "Maybe we could go to a battle reenactment, or a mock fighting tournament. I'm sure they would really enjoy something like that, don't you?"
"Those sound promising," Fox answered with a nod, and then he smiled brightly as an idea came to him, "You know, if we stay late enough, we could see the firework show."
Krystal laughed.
"If we stay long enough? I thought that was already a part of the plan."
Roller coasters had never scarred Marcus. With a dream to become an Arwing pilot, he couldn't be afraid of any fast-moving vehicle, including roller coaster cars. The blue vulpine's heart pounded in his chest as the car suspended up the incline. He breathed deeply as he gripped the handle in front of him with a smile plastered on his face. As the car reached the top, he let go of the handle and through his arms up in the air.
The car plummeted down the slope, blowing Marcus's fur back. The vulpine laughed with joy as the coaster spun him up and down, making twists and turns that created G-Forces so strong, he couldn't move his head. When the car came back to the station, his head felt dizzy. He shook it with a smile, and looked over at his brother sitting next to him. Leon looked back at him, and the brothers laughed.
"Again?" Marcus said as the ride came to a stop.
"How about a different one?" Leon asked as he and his brother got out when their safety latches released, "We've only got two hours, and these lines take forever to get through."
The brother's exited the platform through a staircase. Falco was waiting at the bottom with his wings crossed.
"So, was it fun?" the avian asked with a smile.
"Extremely fun," Marcus replied, "Falco, you should ride the next one with us!"
"Yeah, you'd love it!" Leon added.
Falco sighed and shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, I doubt it beats flying an Arwing, but I guess I'll try it out,"
"Okay, awesome!" Marcus said as he clapped his hands together.
"Which ride should we try next?" Leon asked.
While Falco's group looked for another ride, Fox looked through an assortment of jewelry at one of the fair's many market stalls. He picked up a blue and red diamond laced necklace with care. He examined the stones, feeling each gem with his paw.
"That there's a rare piece," the old weasel salesman said, "Came all the way from Aquas, if you can believe it."
"Oh, I believe it alright," Fox said with a smile, "I've seen these kinds of diamonds before on the planet."
"Aye, they're hard to come by," the weasel said with a nod, "Got a girl with you?"
"More than that," Fox said with a small laugh as he showed the weasel his ring finger.
"Ah, a married man!" the weasel said with pleasant surprise, "Well, this a perfect gift for, say, an anniversary, if that be the occasion."
"Actually, it's my son's Birthday today," Fox said as he set the necklace down, "It just caught my eye."
"Well, it's on sale for the rest of the day if you be interested," the weasel said with a persuasive sales voice, "Two hundred and fifty credits, a very fine deal for what I'm sure is a very fine lady."
Fox smiled and nodded.
"Oh, you have no idea," he said, "Do you mind holding this for me until the end of the day? I'm still unsure if I want to buy it or not."
"Tell you what," the weasel said with a smile, "You come back here before the fair closes, and I'll throw in a pair of ear rings for free. You're the first person to believe me about the origins of the necklace, so, needless to say, I've had a hard time selling it off."
"You got a deal," Fox said as he shook hands with the weasel, "Thanks a lot."
Fox turned around and walked back to his wife. Krystal was looking at some landscape paintings in an art stall, and Fox joined her.
"So, did you finish exploring?" Krystal asked without looking away from the painting.
"For now, but I may come back," Fox said as he put a hand underneath his chin, closely examining the frame.
Krystal looked away from the painting and pulled out an information pamphlet from her pocket. She opened it up to the "Todays Events" page and showed it to her husband.
"I thought number four sounded interesting," she said with a smile.
Fox grabbed the pamphlet and scrolled down the list. His eyes widened a little when he reached the fourth event.
"The Duels of Steel?" Fox said with a questioning voice.
"Read the description," Krystal said, sounding a little more excited.
"Let's see…" Fox said as he cleared his throat and read, "The Duels of Steel is a tournament of might. In these mock battles, trained and experienced fighters will battle each other with the armor and weapons of old."
Fox smiled to himself.
"Not bad," he said.
"Keep reading!" Krystal said as her tail wagged, "It gets even better."
"At the very end, there will also be a demonstration of new and improved versions of the weapons of old," Fox read, "Indeed, the olden days may be gone, but their spirit of war lives on in the new and advanced technology of the Lylat Military."
"It's perfect for them!" Krystal said excitedly, "A mock battle and a weapons demonstration?"
"Sounds right up their ally," Fox said with a nod as he continued to read the pamphlet, "Looks like it starts at 6:00."
"Food's aloud inside, so I guess they expect people to eat their dinner during the event."
"Then I guess it's dinner and a show tonight!" Fox said with a smile as he handed the pamphlet back to Krystal, "Glad you caught that."
"So am I," Krystal said as she put the pamphlet in her pocket, then she looked up at her husband with a smile and said, "Any shops you want to visit? I read there's an exotic coffee stall we can check out."
"Guess there's no question then," Fox said as he grabbed his wife's paw.
"No, there really isn't," she said with a laugh, "To the caffeine shop!"
For the next few hours, Fox and Krystal continued to shop while Falco and the boys rode every single roller coaster in the fair. At lunch time, the group met up in the food court and sat down to eat. Marcus ordered from one of the seafood stalls, getting a basket of fried fish.
With his first bite, Marcus realized his Father wasn't lying about the fair having great food. The crab, shrimp, lobster, and catfish were all cooked and prepared to the highest quality. There were seasonings Marcus had never even tasted before, adding sweet and spicy kicks to his delicious meal. His brother had a stuffed pizza, his parents ordered pasta, and Falco got a bacon cheeseburger with chili cheese fries. While all the food looked and smelled amazing, Marcus was thoroughly convinced he had the best meal.
"Fox and I were looking through the show options today," Krystal said as she addressed her sons, "We think we found something you two would like."
"A show?" Leon said as he swallowed some of his food, "What kind of show?"
"Don't worry, it's nothing boring," Fox said as he took a bite of his pasta, "It's a mock tournament."
"What's that?" Marcus asked after taking a drink of his cola.
"Well, it's sort of like a fake battle," Fox explained, "Fighters will use old weapons and armor to duel each other in an arena. The weapons will be blunted of course, but besides that, the fight should look real."
"Hold on a minute," Leon said as he wiped his face with a napkin, "Old weapons as in swords and shields? That kind of thing?"
"Plus older looking suits of armor," Fox said with a nod, "They'll also be a weapons demonstration at the end with newer versions of the weapons and armor."
"Hey, that actually sounds really cool!" Marcus said with a smile, "I didn't think the fair would have something like that!"
"Fair has all sorts of shows," Falco said, and then he turned to Fox and Krystal and added, "When does it start?"
"Dinner time, 6:00," Krystal answered, "We can bring food into the stands."
"Then that gives us four hours," Falco said as he checked his watch, "What do we plan to do until then?"
"Me and Krystal can take the boys," Fox said, "Falco, you can do something on your-
"Honey, I can take the boys myself," Krystal said with a smile, "You should go spend some time with Falco."
Fox looked over to Krystal with surprise.
"Really?" he said with a small smile.
"When was the last time you guys hung out?" Krystal asked, "I can handle the boys just fine on my own, you know that."
Fox thought about it for a moment, and then he looked over at Falco, seeing what he thought.
"Hey, it's your wife's idea, not mine," Falco said with a huff, "Do what you want man."
Fox smiled. He had known Falco for a very long time, and that sort of responsive always meant, "We should hang out". Fox looked over at Krystal and nodded.
About two hours later, Fox and Falco were walking down one of the less crowded markets, chatting with each other. The two got caught up on each other's daily lives and jobs, but it took Fox a while to ask Falco something he was very curious. Fox looked over to his friend and smiled.
"By the way," Fox began, "How's Katt?"
Falco smiled and chuckled.
"Doing fine, actually," Falco responded.
There was another silence and then Fox asked,
"And the baby?"
"Kicking like a soccer player," Falco answered with a small laugh, "Doctor said she's due in five weeks now."
"Do you have a picture?"
Falco stopped walking and began messing with his cellular watch. After a few seconds, he showed it to his friend. Fox looked at the screen and saw Falco and his pink-furred cat wife hugging each other while looking at the camera. Falco had a wing on his wife's pregnant belly.
"Oh man," Fox said with a laugh, "If it isn't little Falco junior!"
"Like I would be cruel enough to give my son such a ridiculous name," Falco said with a smile and a huff as he turned off the screen.
"So it's a boy then?" Fox asked with a smile.
"Sure is," Falco replied with a nod, "We don't have a name yet, but we're working on it."
"I got to say, even though I've known for a while now, it's weird thinking you're going to be a father," Fox said, still smiling.
"Yeah, well, now you know how I felt," Falco replied with a low-eyed smile, "When Krystal told me she was pregnant, it felt like the whole world was about to change. Thinking my oldest friend Fox McCloud was gonna be a Daddy soon was the most mind boggling thing ever."
"World has changed Falco," Fox replied.
Fox looked away and stopped smiling. Something was still bothering him, and he felt like now would be a good time to speak up on it.
"You sure you still don't want to tell my boys you're married?" Fox asked.
"Not yet," Falco responded as he shook his head, "No reason to. The only thing I need to be for them right now is their teacher, nothing more. I'll surprise them someday, but for now, I need you and Krystal to continue keeping it a secret, okay?"
Fox smiled and nodded.
"If that's the way you guys wanna do it, I won't sabotage your plan."
"Thanks a lot," Falco said, and then he and Fox continued walking.
While Fox and Falco spent time together, Krystal took the boys around the fair. Marcus and Leon got to pick out a couple of things at the market, but she didn't want to spend their entire time shopping. She decided to take them to some of the prize-winning games. Marcus and Leon tried their precision skills at the shooting range, but after three unsuccessful games, they decided to give up.
"Forget it," Leon said with a sigh as he placed the BB gun back in its slot, "This game's rigged."
"Yeah, this is a waste of time," Marcus said.
He was about to put his gun down, but then he heard a male voice behind him say,
"Can I see the BB gun?"
Marcus looked behind him and saw a raccoon wearing a black cowboy hat with a brown duster. He pointed to Marcus's gun and said,
"The gun, can I see it?"
"Oh, uh, sure," Marcus said with a smile as he handed the BB gun to the raccoon, "Nice hat by the way."
The raccoon ignored his compliment and cocked the lever of the weapon.
"Excuse me, but it'll cost you five units to play," the badger cashier said, "You got money?"
"Right here," the raccoon said as he handed the badger coins, "So, what are the rules?"
"You got five shots," the badger said, holding up five fingers, "Two hits will get you a small prize, three will get you a medium prize, and five will give you a jumbo prize."
"Just five hits?" the raccoon said with an unimpressed voice, "That's too easy."
The badger huffed and crossed his arms.
"Well, dead-eye, I'll let you know that nobody has ever gotten five hits…ever, so don't think you'll win that easy."
"Marcus," Leon said as he walked over to his brother, "Let's go, this game's broken."
"Wait a minute!" Marcus said, holding a finger up to his brother, "I want to see this guy."
Leon sighed and looked over at the raccoon.
"I'll make you a bet," the raccoon continued, and he laid twenty more units in coins on the cashier's desk, "I'll hit all five in under five seconds, and you give me an extra jumbo prize and my money back."
The cashier laughed.
"Sorry punk, but we can't make bets like that with customers…especially snobs like you, so I suggest you-
The raccoon laid twenty more units on the table. The badger's eyes widened and he smiled slyly at the boy.
"Alright kid, you got a bet," the badger said as he pulled out a timer and set it on the table, "You go when the time starts."
The raccoon waited with his BB gun in both hands. Both boys were now watching the confident gambler with fierce intensity. The badgers hand went over the timer and he pressed the go button. As soon as the time started, the raccoon quickly aimed his weapon and shot all five targets, reloading at a lighting fast rate. As soon as he was done, he quickly pressed the stop button on the timer.
"Four seconds," the raccoon said with triumphant, yet also reserved pride, "Looks like I win. Pay up,"
The other boys and the badger gawped at the broken bottles.
"I'll take the green stuffed dragon and the BB rifle at the top," the raccoon said as he looked up, "Oh, I'll also have my money back."
"W-wait a minute!" the badger said frantically, "I can't just give you two jumbo prizes and your money back! Do you realize how much trouble I'd get in?"
"Not my problem," the raccoon said, and then he pulled a recorder out of his duster pocket and said, "But I think you'd be in much more trouble if your boss knew you gambled with other customers, don't you?"
"Why you little…" the badger mumbled with fire in his eyes.
"You honor the bet, and I erase the recording," the raccoon said with a smile, "Sounds like a fair deal to me."
The badger grumbled and swore under his breathe before giving in to the raccoon's demands. He pulled the stuffed dragon and BB gun down from the ceiling, and also gave the boy his money back.
"Pleasuring doing business with you," the raccoon said with a sarcastic tone as he pressed the erase button on his recorder.
The brother's watched the raccoon walk away with his winnings.
"Guess the game wasn't rigged," Leon said.
"Looks that way," Marcus said, and then he smiled and added, "I like his hat!"
"Same here," Leon said, and then the two boys started walking away, "Let's go find Mom."
As the day went on, the two groups continued to enjoy the many amusements of the Plains Fair. When 6:00 started closing in, they all met up back at the arena where the "Duels of Steel" would be performed. The group decided to order food sides and snacks instead of actual meals this time, and then they took their seats in the stands with five hundred other people.
While Marcus had enjoyed the rides, food, and games of the fair, nothing compared to the mock tournament. Initially, he worried that the entire even would be incredible acted out and choreographed, but it turned out to be nothing like that. The fighters slashed and attacked on their own accord, looking like actual warriors instead of payed actors. Obviously, there was no blood, but that didn't keep the crowd from the edge of their seats. Every member of the audience would cheer on the member they wanted to win while booing the other. The excitement and tension reached its peak at the center of the fight, and the crowd would erupt with applause and cheers whenever a fighter won. Even Fox and Krystal got drawn into the energy of the event, and they stood up to cheer like everyone else.
Marcus and Leon, true to their competitive behavior, placed bets on the fighter they wanted to win. There were five duels total, and by the time the final battle came, both boys were tied with two victories each. The final battle would determine the winner, and both warriors were very evenly matched.
Marcus's warrior, a bare chested Pitbull canine, wore leather armor over his arms and legs, along with metal boots and gloves. On top of his head he wore a metal cap with horns. He gripped a large, two handed sword that must have been five feet in length. Marcus could only imagine how heavy the weapon weighed. The warrior was known as "The Barbarian".
Leon's warrior, a fully armored komodo dragon, wore metal plates over his entire body. His helmet covered his entire head, and the design of the headwear made him look like an actual dragon from the old fairy tales Krystal had always told him about. In his hands he gripped a shield and sword, and both his armor and shield wore painted blood read. The warrior was known as "The Dragon Warrior".
Both fighters were incredibly experienced, and their superiority to all the other fighters in the arena showed in the length of their battle. The Barbarian came swinging in at The Dragon Warrior with all of his might, striking left and right and keeping the reptile on the defense. The crowd started cheering his name and people began standing up, including Marcus.
"Just keep attacking!" Marcus yelled over the cheers of the crowd, "Don't give him a chance to strike back!"
Leon intensely watched the scene. The two-handed sword made for a great offensive weapon, and The Barbarian knew how to use it. However, The Dragon Warrior wasn't panicking, and seemed very calm with the situation.
Suddenly, The Dragon Warriors sword got knocked clean out of his hand, and the crowd cheered loudly. The Barbarian lifted his sword to deliver the killing blow, and Leon gritted his teeth and leaned back, but The Dragon Warrior countered the attack and slammed his shield into the Pitbull's exposed chest. The Barbarian lost his balance and stumbled back words without completely falling over, but it was just enough time for The Dragon Warrior to pick up his sword and begin his attack.
Leon smiled as The Dragon Warrior began his relentless counterattack on The Barbarian. He knew in his mind that the fight was already over. All this time, The Barbarian had been making the attacks, but now the tables had turned. The two-handed sword was great for attack, but terrible for defense, while the sword and shield combo was balanced in both fields. It took only thirty seconds for The Dragon Warrior to defeat his foe. He blocked one of The Barbarian's parries with his shield before driving his sword across the Pitbull's neck. The Pitbull fell over on his back, indicating what would be an instant death. The crowd stood up and roared with applause.
"No!" Marcus yelled as he grabbed his head with both of his hands, "He was so close!"
After helping The Barbarian back up to his feet, the Dragon Warrior lifted his sword and shield up and cheered with the crowd. Everyone except Marcus clapped for the warrior. The Barbarian put his hands on his hips and panted as he shook his head, upset with his loss. The Dragon Warrior lifted up his helmet and patted The Barbarian on the shoulder and the two shook hands with acknowledging nods.
"Well, at least he's a good sport about it," Krystal said loudly as she continued to clap.
The rabbit announcer came onto the field, and The Barbarian walked over to him and shook hands before picking up his two-handed sword and walking out.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer said through the mic, "I present to you, our final champion of "The Duels of Steel", The Dragon Warrior!"
The crown cheered and clapped one more time, and the Komodo dragon waved.
"Thank you for participating in this duel," the announcer said to the reptile, and then he turned to the audience and said, "And thank you all for coming here today! We will begin the weapons demonstration shortly, but until then, let's give one more round of applause for our friend here before he exits the arena!"
The crowd cheered and clapped again, and the Dragon Warrior waved one last time before leaving the field.
"Now then, let's move onto the weapon demonstrations!" the rabbit yelled.
While the demonstrations weren't as fun as the duels, they were still entertaining and educative. The testers used a Stun Staff, a Reflector Shield, and a Plasma Sword, all weapons that could be seen as newer versions of archaic weapons. When the event finally ended, it was already 8:00 at night.
"This is perfect," Fox said as he checked his watch, "The firework show starts in an hour, so that gives us plenty of time to get popcorn and drinks. That is, if you guys can still eat."
"Are you kidding?" Marcus said with a smile, "I saved plenty of room!"
"I can't say the same," Leon said, "I'm stuffed."
"We'll get individual buckets and drinks for those who want them," Fox said, "But we should hurry. The line for the food will be long, and I want to get some comfortable seats before it starts."
An hour later, the group was settled out on the plains field with several other people. The fireworks were some of the most beautiful things Marcus had ever seen in his life. The vulpine was mesmerized by all the different colors and shapes the explosions made. He smiled and leaned back on his arms with his brother right next to him.
Krystal laid her head down on Fox's lap as the two watched the bright and colorful display. In the middle of the show, Fox reached into his pocket and pulled out the same necklace he had bought at the jewelry stand. He handed it to Krystal, and she smiled and chuckled as she grabbed the necklace.
"I thought you were getting me something at the place," she said as she looked at the necklace.
"Couldn't resists," Fox said with a smile, "It may be Marcus's Birthday, but that doesn't mean I can't get my beautiful wife some gifts as well."
Krystal looked up at him, smiling. Fox reached a hand underneath her head and lifted it up as he lowered his own. They both closed their eyes as they kissed,
"I love you," Fox whispered with a smile.
"I know you do," she said as she placed a hand behind his head and kissed him again.
Marcus and Leon smiled as they looked up at the firework display. Leon sat up more straight and said,
"You know Marcus, I haven't given you your gift yet,"
Marcus sat up straight and grabbed his knees with his hands. Leon reached into his pocket and pulled out a small locket.
"It's not much, but I think you'll like it," Leon said as he handed the locket to Marcus.
Marcus opened up the locket, and a familiar tune played. The picture was of him and Leon, and Marcus recognized it as the first time they went camping with their parents and Falco, last year on this very day.
"This was my last Birthday," Marcus said with a low voice.
"I didn't get you anything last year, so I thought this might make up for it. You know, like I started the gift that day and finished giving it today."
Marcus looked over at Leon, and the lupine chuckled nervously.
"I know that's stupid but…I thought it was kind of cool,"
Marcus smiled and hugged his brother, closing his eyes.
"No, this is the best gift I've gotten today," he whispered.
Leon smiled as he felt his heart melt. He closed his eyes and hugged his brother back, resting his head on top of his brother's head.
"Happy Birthday Marcus," Leon whispered back, "I love you."
THE END