STAR FOX: DESOLACE

by Snake of the Rose

Distress

"You never cease to amaze me."

The words gently echoed against Fox's mind, recalling earlier on the Great Fox's bridge. The StarFox Team had just finished a very important mission: recieving useless image-documents of General Pepper's hearing on the Aparoid invasion that had been settled more than 6 months ago. None of the crew needed to hear it. They had all been there, fighting not only for the safety of the Lylat System, but for the sake of their own lives. Heart-wrenching sacrifices had been made on the front lines of the apparition, not only of the Star Fox team but of the entire Lylatian Army. Soldier after soldier uselessly plunging into the dark hands of deception as the Aparoids ripped through them, as well as the even amount of valiance of Peppy and ROB, who committed acts of great servitude twice, to be exact, saving the lives of the seemingly ungrateful General Pepper, and the entire solar system. Quite frankly, thinking about it pissed Fox off.

Fox was late docking his Arwing in the hangar bay, and everyone else had gone inside to relax. As Fox jumped out of the cockpit, he didn't realize that Krystal had waited for him, wanting to talk to him. She walked up behind Fox and gently tapped his shoulder. Fox spun quickly, surprised, and accidentally bumped into her and knocked her off her feet. But before she hit the ground, Fox's reflexes allowed him to swoop down and sweep her up, unharmed. Her eyes were wide for a moment as the adrenaline wore off, and then they relaxed when she found his gaze.

"Sorry about that," Fox told her.

She shook her head. "It's fine." She narrowed her eyes at him suddenly, much like she did when she was serious. "You're stressed."

Fox let her down gently and began to walk away, in a huff. Krystal kept up, and walked next to him. "I am not," he stated.

"Fox, I know when you're lying to me."

"I'm not lying," he grumped.

"Yes you are. I can tell, because you scrounge your forehead up on that little knot and you get nervous."

Fox stopped short to look at her, irritated. "Krystal. I'm fine." He lied.

She put her hands on her hips and gave him a look. "You act like I can't sense your emotions."

Fox looked away with a sneer, and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Fine. You got me."

Krystal straightened back up and looked at him. "Talk to me. I know it always makes you feel better."

Fox looked downward with a sigh. Krystal put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently, making Fox look up again.

"It's just...I..." Fox's words failed him, but he didn't need to speak. He looked down at Krystal, who was looking at him worriedly. Fox was worried about something, and Krystal knew it.

She looked straight into his eyes, looking through his mind to clarify what was ailing him. She continued to look at him even after she found the answer, just to have that sense of security back, at least for a moment...

"Fox..." she whispered.

Fox said nothing as he put his arms around her, looking over her shoulder, her head laying against his chest, her eyes closed. The gesture was awkward, but Krystal settled into his arms snugly.

"You never cease to amaze me..."

They both looked at each other after saying the same phrase.

- Two Hours Later, Star Fox Command Room -

Fox sat comfortably in his command chair, leaning on his fist, quite bored. He typed random letters and codes into his computer, not even bothering doing anything constructive. There had been absolutely no action since the Aparoid Invasion. The only trips they ever had to make were for refueling, restocking,

"Or for useless junk like this!" Fox slammed the image-documents on the ground, crossing his arms.

Peppy and Slippy looked at him strangely, and Falco managed to pop his wet, feathery head out of the washroom door with a look as well.

"'Ey, what gives?" Falco asked.

Fox sat back, and gave them a scowl.

"Fox?" asked Slippy.

Fox swiveled his chair around, so the others faced the back of it. Peppy gruntled something and went back to reading his book.

Falco stepped out of the washroom, only clothed by boxers and the towel he was drying his head with. "What's the matter, Foxie?" Falco whipped his chair with the towel.

"Knock it off," Fox turned back around slowly. "You guys can't honestly act this innocent. Haven't you noticed?"

Slippy looked around for what Fox was talking about. "New windows?"

Fox sighed angrily. "We've had absolutely nothing to deal with for the past six months!"

Falco slipped a muscle-shirt on. "So? More vacation for us. That's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah, if you like more debt to keep up with!" Fox shot. "No missions means no money. No money means no Star Fox."

Peppy slipped off his spectacles and turned towards Fox. "We know, we all understand that," he explained. "But you have to realize that the solar system is still recovering from the Aparoids, had it been six months or not."

Fox leaned back. "That should be more then enough time," he muttered.

Falco crossed his arms. "Give it a rest, man! Those lousy Aparoids damn near killed everyone and destroyed everything! You can't expect to things to just suddenly go back to normal just for you after a threat like that!" He threw his towel down to the floor. "Countless innocent people died, and what you're mad about makes it seem like they died in vain! Aren't you at least HAPPY that you 'saved the day' again?!"

Slippy shifted his expression some, trying not to get involved. Falco was tapping his foot angrily, leering at Fox.

Six months before, Falco had witnessed Fox's bravery on the Aparoid homeworld. Fox had ran in without fear or discouragement, and that's what saved them all in the end. Now he was ungrateful, and Falco certainly didn't appreciate it.

Fox sighed. "I...I'm sorry..." He turned around away from everyone again to find Krystal standing before him, her hands on her hips.

"He's right," she said softly.

Fox rose from his chair quietly, looking at Krystal once before heading off to his quarters. Krystal looked down the hallway after him, her worried expression reappearing.

"Hmph. He'll be fine," Falco told them, picking at his beak. "He did this last week. Last time he told me how he was surprised that I hadn't left yet."

Slippy looked towards him. "Uh, Falco, that's what we all thought."

Falco sterned his look, and saw everyone slowly nod. He raised his hands in defeat, and proceeded to walk out of the room. "Say no more! You guys are jerks!"

That relieved some tension, as everyone let out a short laugh.

If only Fox was here for that, too... Krystal thought. She told the others she was going to calm Fox down, and she swore she heard a "Good Luck," come from Fox's room.

Krystal walked down the dark hallway towards Fox's quarters, which were on the very end, across from hers. She approached the door, and as she lifted her hand to knock, she heard Fox.

"Come in..."

The door opened automatically as she walked in slowly. Fox had his arms behind his head, staring up at the metallic ceiling from his bed. The room was dark.

Krystal sat next to him on the bed, not speaking. She wanted to hear what he had to say, and she gave him the look for what she wanted. Fox eyed her, and sighed.

"I know that everyone's uptight about the money too, and I'm the only one getting ass-hurt about it. It drives me nuts, knowing how they can just deal with it, and I have to lay here and rot my brain with thoughts of bad things that I know won't happen," he stated. "I'm paranoid." He rolled on his side, away from Krystal's gaze.

Krystal looked at him solemnly. "Everyone has different feelings about the matter," she told him, placing a hand on his thigh. "But we all take the feelings a different way, as individuals. It's not your fault that you worry more about things then the others. It's just your nature, and it's nothing to beat yourself up with."

Fox stared at the wall, listening to her words rattle his brain. He knew how the others felt, he knew how he felt. He knew he was different. She was speaking the truth. Unfortunately, that was just one thing that Fox couldn't handle right now. Especially with the other situation going on, which had far more sentimental value to Fox...

His mind traveled to that subject. Fox didn't want to do anything that disrupt what he had with that right now, it was far too precious too him, even if he couldn't admit it. He was afraid...afraid to do anything about it. He was throwing it all away, just by not saying those words and relieving himself of his mental torture.

"I'm a...coward..."

He closed his eyes in pain and rolled over on to his back again. He didn't sense Krystal looking at him, he didn't sense that she knew. Fox kept his eyes shut. He felt Krystal's hand leave him, and he felt her shift her weight. For a moment, he thought she had gotten off the bed, until Fox felt her laying against him, her hand stroking his face. He was caught in surprise, and didn't think quick enough to act, he only felt. He only felt her gentle touch, her warm physique, and the soft lips that met his lips slowly. He felt the pain leave him as he opened his glistening eyes to see her remarkable face upon him, her eyes closed as she kissed him. Fox slowly wrapped his arms around her, and for that stretch of time,

He was invincible.

Their lips parted slowly, still brushing one another's slightly. Fox gazed up at her with half-open eyes, her returning look the same.

"Krystal..."

Fox's body suddenly left with hers as they were slammed against the ceiling from a violent tumble of the ship, back down on the bed, and off onto the floor.

Fox moaned as he felt blood trickle off his forehead. "Krystal, are you okay?!"

Krystal only nodded, still in shock.

Fox yelled to get some attention. "What's going on out there? Team, report!"

The door flew open suddenly as Falco zipped past the door and slipped in haste. He landed strung out in the hallway, aflutter.

"We're under attack!"