Chapter 2:

Escaped

I hope I'm not too late thought James as he found a parking spot between a motorcycle and the bar itself. He exited his car and headed towards the entrance to Fighter's Ring. As he entered, he couldn't help but cough slightly at the barrage of smoke he inhaled the moment he stepped in. He took a few more steps in, looking for his friends when a pink vixen walked towards him and placed her hand on his chest, looking deep into his eyes. Oh come on..not now.

"Hey there, handsome." the fox said to him seductively. "How about me and you take one of the private quarters down at my room and spend some..quality time?" as she said this, her tail was brushing against his side, and her index finger was trailing along his chest.

James sighed heavily, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I don't mean to be rude, but I'm a married man." He softly moved her out of his way, hearing a pigs snort over the crowd of drinkers who were talking quite loudly. How in the world he can be so loud is beyond my understanding... he thought, laughing to himself. He made his way over to the far right corner from the entrance. There, a single, round table was there with a very familiar, friendly face: Peppy Hare. He was just about as old as he was, and was a great pilot. He was in it for the peace. I can't stand people living in terror because of the evil of the worlds, and thus he had asked to join his Team.

He smiled at the rabbit, knowing his trust in him was well deserved. He turned his attention to the pink pig sitting next to him, yelling about how his drink wasn't filled with enough booz. He shook his head, knowing that Pigma Dengar was a valuable asset to the team...but he lacked morals. He was in it just for the money. he didn't care how the mission was solved. He was an excellent pilot though, and he had to keep him as long as him and Peppy wanted to survive an onslaught of enemies at once.

James sat down in-between the two on the other side of the table. Peppy smiled at his closest friend and beamed up "Hello, James! A little late, aren't we?" he questioned, jokingly.

He laughed at the comment, explaining what had happened a few minutes before arriving here. The rabbit laughed at the story, finding it quite amusing that James would be pulled over. The dog must've been new to the force. That or half-blind because his car had in giant letters "Star Fox".

Pigma turned his attention over at the fuss Peppy was making, just now realizing James had shown up. Feh. It was bad enough when one goody-two-shoes was here. Now the whole gang is. As long as the pay is good though, I have no reason to complain "James!" he shrieked with an oink. "Where've you been!? The babes here today are somethin' else! I could have sworn I saw this pink fox just around your age. That would have been a looker." He reached over the table and "lightly" punched his arm.

James rubbed where he had punched. Thanks goign to leave a bruise.. he had thought to himself, smiling along with the joke. The team knew he was married. HAPPILY married at that. Which reminded him! he had nearly forgotten about the great news! "Hey guys, I just came from the hospital a couple blocks down and I-"

"I SAID I WANTED MORE BOOZ!! I BETTER GET SOME HERE QUICK OR I'M GUNNA GET TICKED!' pigma said with a squeal.

Peppy cleared his throat, signaling for his friend to continue. "You were saying, James?"

He shook his head, thinking that Pigma was quite the pushover and he hated it. Why couldn't Pigma be gratefull about the world around him instead the number of zeros on his paycheck. he sighed, looking back to peppy. "I had just came from the hospital a couple blocks down from here and I am now the proud father to a Fox McCloud." he said with a smile.

Peppy clapped his hands happily. I havn't seen him this happy since the time he had asked Vixy to marry him and she said yes. Man it's good to see him in high spirits all the time. "Well congradulations! Do you think he'll be able to follow in your tracks?" he said with a soft chuckle.

James smiled brightly and said "If he decided to go into the academy, I think the McCloud blood would course through his viens stronger than even my own. Who knows. Maybe he'll even be able to join Team Star Fox one day." he laughed after he said this, Peppy joining along.

Peppy stopped his laughter though, looking away from his friend. "James...did you happen to hear about Dr. Andross?" He looked up twords him, waiting for an answer.

James himself looked right at Peppy, his laughter dieing quicker than Peppy's. "Yes. And good ridance. We lost over 50 Cornerians to his explosion AFTER General Pepper told him to destroy all of the mad work he was experimenting with. He's a power hungry ape, and he needed to go somewhere where he couldn't hurt anyone anymore."

Peppy cleared his thoat, trying to not make the conversation awkward. "Well, it's just a rumor, but word has it that he's excaped. Pepper hasn't talked to us about it, so maybe it's not true, but everyone I know at the station was talking about it. They had even asked me to go and check, but i don't have the funds to go and do that by myself. And there's no reward in doing it, do I'd end up getting stuck there. I was just trying to figure it out. I can't help but wonder though..."

James tiltied his sunglasses down alittle, looking over them twords Peppy. "Wonder what?"

He sighed, leaning in closer to him. "What if the rumors are true? I mean, if Andross had the ability to excape the prisons of Venom, who is to say he isn't making his way back here....for Vixy...?"

James placed his sunglasses back up-right, leaning back into his chair, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. "If that were to happen...I'd set a bounty on his head..then kill him. He is not just a threat to me, Vixy, or even Fox, but to all the Lylat System. And I know as well as Pepper does that we are the tem to get the job done."

Peppy leaned back into his chair as well, looking up at the cieling fan above them turn slowly clockwise. "I guess you're right. I'm just worried about you and Vixy. That's all."

He stood up, a smirk on his face. "If it came down to it, we would stop him before he even made it halfway across the galaxy. Let alone get to my family." He turned around, leaving to go check up on his son. "I'll see you guys later." He waved as he walked off.

Peppy looked over at Pigma, now 100% satisfied witht he 10 bottles of Vodka he had in front of him. "What do you think, Pigma?"

The pig jsut looked up from his drink, lauged a hearty laugh and said "Who cares? If Andross was good enough to excape from the Venom prison, then Pepper should throw out a pretty big sum of money for his head. As long as that's the case, then more power to him!" As he said this he raied a half empty bottle in the air as if to say cheers, then passed out.

Peppy sighed, standing up. "Pigma...I hope one day you'll see past the number of didgets on your paycheck and start seeing the thousands you save every mission." He shook his head, walking off.

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Far away, on the other side of the galaxy.

"Lord Andross, what do you think we should do now?" said a shadowed figure, bowing obediantly at the foot of his master.

"We build my empire. Continue my work. And then...we head for Corneria to seek my revenge on both Pepper...and James..." said the deep and dark voice, echoing throughout the now deserted prison.

"As you wish, my Lord." the figure said, back away from Andross into the darkness.

"Soon James...everything you cared for....everyone you have saved...will be under my command....and Vixy....beautiful...Vixy....will be my bride." he laughed madly, raising his hands into the sky triumphantly