AUTHOR'S NOTE: I hope you guys are enjoying yourselves; I know I am. Essentially, each of these stories are connected in some way, almost like mirror images. So, in the last story, you saw one of the earliest, most vital moments in Wolf's young life, thus you will see in this story a peek into a major event in Fox's young life. It also marks the beginnings of our subtle exploration into the rise of Andross. Enjoy.
-A Day At The Park-
The endless lanes of glittering skycar traffic shot in between the clean silvery towers of Corneria City like a grid of veins, running to and fro throughout the complex metropolis. The sky was a pure, natural blue, with barely a cloud in the sky, the pale orange rays of Corneria's sun warming the planet comfortably.
Corneria was a planet that could be captured by the idea of having one's cake and eating it. Home to more than 85% of the Lylat System, many of the oceans were drained to make room for skyscrapers that grew ever higher into the sky. When Cornerians wanted more greenery and nature to be preserved, a mandate was made for rooftop parks on many of Corneria City's large buildings.
One of the largest, well-designed parks was the Geffen Financial Park, located atop the massive Geffen Financial Building. The park was home to an extensive playground and numerous trees that almost blocked out the sights of Corneria City, surrounded by durasteel fence to prevent any of the patrons from falling almost a mile from the rooftop.
In the park, sitting upon a metal park bench was a lithe, attractive female fox of her late twenties. Clothed in simple yet elegant white robes, Vixy Renard-McCloud stared off in the distance, a relaxed expression on her face and her green eyes filled with serene contentment. The sunlight peeking through the treetops caught the deep, orangey red color of her fur perfectly. She was attractive enough that whenever she went out alone in public, it wasn't uncommon for multiple suitors to attempt to pick her up. It was only by showing her silver wedding ring with the bright green stone that she ever got them to relent.
"Sorry, boys," Vixy would say, "Taken and loving it."
To many of his friends, James McCloud was the luckiest sonofabitch in Lylat for this express reason.
Sitting next to Vixy was a plump green female frog in a pink sundress. In her lap was a holodisplay, projecting the latest news headlines of the Galactic Star Journal, one of the prime news outlets of the Lylat System. As Beatrix Toad's bulbous eyes scanned the news readout, she blinked several times, which, with eyes as big as Beatrix's, almost always attracted a person's awkward attention.
"Did you hear this, V?" Beatrix inquired, "They're giving Andross permission to set up a colony on Venom."
"I thought he was exiled there. How's it a punishment if they let him run the place?" Vixy replied, barely interested.
"I know," Beatrix's high, sweet voice said, "When the Montgomery Experiment went wrong, I was terrified for poor Beltino."
"He was the Space Dynamics liaison to Andross' labs then, wasn't he?" Vixy inquired.
"Yes, before they promoted him to head of R&D he oversaw the funding for Andross' research from Space Dynamics," Beatrix explained, "But when that antimatter bomb went off, I thought the worst. Andross had located himself along with Beltino out of the blast radius though; because they say he knew how likely it was to blow up. Then after the bomb took out the Auburn District there were those Pepper Hearings and they found out that Andross had been working on those illegal cloning experiments and whatnot--"
"I know what happened, Bea," Vixy interjected gently, "I read all about it. I even had my class write essays on scientific ethics about it. God, there was even a friend of mine that was tenured at Montgomery University, and he died in the explosion along with the rest of the Auburn district."
"I'm sorry, V. Just listen to me prattle on," Beatrix sighed, looking upwards.
Vixy smiled. Being a rich, contented housewife, Beatrix lived on an appetite of gossip and talk. Occasionally, it was too much for Vixy, especially after days teaching, to listen to Beatrix's almost vacuous oratory. At the same time, though, Vixy had to love Beatrix. She was just so snide, sometimes. You could tell that, even though she was a housewife, she had more than enough smarts under the occasional bubbliness to handle herself in any workplace.
"So, why are they letting him run Venom?" Vixy inquired.
"It's not like there's anything really valuable there. The place is a toxic rock," Beatrix shrugged, "And the Army doesn't have any interest in the place either, so, for one, nobody really sees that its giving Andross any type of reward. He's got to figure out some way to tame that dump of a planet, anyway."
"Bea," Vixy said playfully, "You're doing it again."
"I'm trying to get to the point, if you'd just stop interrupting," Beatrix teased.
"If only we had some pillows to fight with. We'd be just like a pair of teenagers," Vixy remarked.
"Now who's getting off-topic?" Beatrix inquired sardonically, and then continued, "The second reason is that there's all of those ape protests going on. They don't like the speciesism that goes on in the Army and at all of the good jobs. The apes say they want civil rights protection, and Parliament isn't willing to give it to them yet. And they see Andross as a kind of hero. They think he's a rebel leader or something."
"And they want their own colony that they can go to and not be bothered or segregated. I'm sure Parliament is thrilled," Vixy said with a roll of her eyes.
"Oh, yes. I'm pretty sure they don't want to go to a civil rights vote for apes, at least not now, so I think that the idea of all the apes leaving Corneria and going to Venom sounds appealing to them," Beatrix added, returning her gaze to the readout.
"So they're giving a criminal control over a world so they don't have to deal with the apes," Vixy growled, "Colonel Pepper must be going nuts."
"It says here that he's the biggest critic. He says that if Andross becomes Proprietor of a colony, he'll be able to start up his own industries on Venom and gather investors," Beatrix read.
"Of course he is. He was James' commanding officer in the Army, and James talks to him all the time, what with him and Peppy trying to set up that freelance group of theirs," Vixy fumed, "Pepper's the only one that seems to see how letting someone like Andross control an economy and a population might be a bad idea."
"Well…" Beatrix thought out loud, "That's a cheery thought."
"Bea," Vixy asked, her voice quivering slightly, "Where are the boys?"
Beatrix paused for a moment and scanned her view of the park, seeing neither a fox cub nor a young frog.
"I'm sure they're fine," Beatrix dismissed, "They're always getting into trouble. With Fox I have no doubt that's the case."
"Bea, which one would you say ranks higher on the 'causing trouble' meter:" Vixy retorted, "My son climbing trees and jumping off rooftops, or your son blowing up my kitchen with his toy chemistry set?"
Beatrix was silent for a moment.
"It was only once…" she finally said meekly.
Out of the corner of her eye, Vixy saw a black and white pylat bird flutter out of the treetops and settle onto the duracrete footpath that led deep into the park.
The bird gracefully spread its fan of black tail feathers and meticulously began to preen its silky-smooth white plumage. It cooed softly as it began to step forward, its head bobbing up and down as it moved on its tiny feet along the path. The pylat bird then raised its head and began to whistle a chirping, melodic call that echoed throughout the trees.
Vixy was about to turn her head and continue scanning the park for Fox, when something flashed through the air and struck the bird in the head, turning its soothing mating call into a squawk of panic as it was thrown backwards in a poof of lost feathers.
Vixy's eyes went wide in surprise as the pylat bird took off, giving off a shrill cry of alarm, then she followed the direction that the projectile had come from, looking up into a tree across the path.
Straddling a thick tree limb, a slingshot in hand was a young Fox McCloud, grinning deviously.
Beatrix's huge mouth fell open in a gasp while Vixy gave Fox a disapproving look.
"That was not funny, Fox!" Beatrix cried as the smile on the cub's face only grew larger, "Where did you get that slingshot?!"
"Slippy made it for me!" Fox declared happily.
"I rest my case," Vixy sneered.
"I traded my Zombie Chaos toys for it," Fox giggled, rocking back and forth on the tree limb, grinning from ear to ear as he shook the slingshot like a maraca.
From around the tree trunk came a pudgy green frog in a white shirt, blue overalls and a red baseball cap mounted between his huge eyes. In each amphibian hand was a figurine of a bulldog, both reanimated members of the living dead.
"Look, mommy," Slippy Toad called, then began to grind one action figure's head against the other, "Gonna eat your brains and gain your knowledge!!"
Vixy laughed a little, putting her hand over her nose, as Beatrix looked horrorstruck.
"Wonderful," Beatrix exasperated, "They're three years old and already delinquents."
"Whatsa 'linquent?" Fox piped from his treetop perch.
"Its when you're too cute to punish even though you really deserve it," Vixy smiled up at her son.
"Gotta catch me to punish me," Fox insisted, reaching into his pocket as he rocked on the tree limb.
"Well, I'm just going to have to climb right up that tree, then, won't I, little guy?" Vixy goaded, standing up from the bench.
"You can't climb up here!" Fox insisted.
"Bet you I can," Vixy toyed.
"Betcha caaaan't," Fox crooned, withdrawing his hand from his pocket, holding up a clenched fist.
"What's that in your hands, Fox?" Beatrix said in her best goochie-goochie voice, playing along.
Fox's eyes looked downwards for a moment, and then he started rocking back and forth on the tree limb again, faster than before.
"I'm not gonna tellll you…" Fox giggled.
"Betcha I can guess!" Beatrix serenaded cutely.
"Betcha caaaan't…" Fox beamed.
"It's that gumball I gave you!" Beatrix sang.
"Yep!" Fox chirped, then promptly loaded the gumball into the slingshot pocket, pulled back and fired.
The yellow gumball zipped through the air in a blur, smacking into the bench right beside Beatrix and shattering with an audible snap!
Beatrix let out a distressed, high-pitched shriek and leapt off of the bench, her humungous eyes growing ever larger with dismay.
Both Fox and Slippy burst out laughing, to the extent that Fox dropped his slingshot, which fell on the grass with a slight rustle. Vixy let out a single laugh, and then glared up at Fox, putting on the harshest face that she could manage.
"Uh-oh," Fox croaked.
"That's right, mister," Vixy scolded as Beatrix picked herself up from the ground.
"Bye bye," Fox stammered as he began to climb higher up into the tree.
"Fox McCloud, you get out of that tree right NOW!" Vixy shouted.
A glum look spread over Fox's face as he began to descend, and Vixy walked over and picked up the fallen slingshot, shoving it into her pocket.
Fox hopped down from the lowest branch, shuffling around the tree in his brown shorts and green tee shirt. He looked up at Vixy with a perfect puppy-dog stare, the red scarf around his neck looking like a bow on a birthday present.
Vixy had to admit: he was too cute to be disciplined.
"Are you going to punish me now?" Fox whimpered.
Vixy pulled out the slingshot and promptly broke the thin wishbone-shaped stick, tossing the remains to the ground.
She then leaned down to Fox's level and whispered, "Not if you run fast enough."
A glint appeared in Fox's emerald eyes, and he turned around and took off like a shot.
"Vixy," Beatrix chastised, "You're going to have to punish that cub someday."
"Lighten up, Bea, he's three years old," Vixy retorted, "It's not like he's getting away with murder."
With that, Vixy bounded after her son, watching him run as only a toddler could, his bushy red tail pitching from side to side as he moved.
"I'm gonna get you!" Vixy called stretching her arms outward, "I'm gonna tickle you 'till you die!"
Fox gave off a jovial cry of laughter as he pumped his legs harder, darting between the trees of the park.
Pretty soon, both Fox and Vixy were laughing hard, pursuer and pursued, lost amongst the foliage.
Fox leapt behind a tree and out of view, and Vixy slowed, tiptoeing around the tree. She quietly looked around and saw Fox's tail poking out from under a bush.
"Ooohoohoohoo, where is he?" Vixy snarled in a mockingly scary voice.
She flexed her fingers as she approached, slowly sinking down to the ground.
"Maybe he's right…HERE!" Vixy roared, snatching up Fox's tail and dragging him out from under the bush.
Fox squealed as Vixy exposed him, kicking his feet in futility. With a mock snarl, Vixy began to mercilessly tickle him, convulsing her fingers over Fox's chest and arms rapidly. The red fur of his arms was soft to the touch, the underlying skin warm and alive, a magical quality that gave a warm feeling in Vixy's heart as she continued to make her son laugh. She just couldn't get enough of his giggles, tickling him until tears began to stream down his face. Finally, Vixy relented and sat back, laughing herself breathless. She looked up at the canopy of trees, watching the spots of sunlight seeping through the leaves and the branches, as Fox continued to laugh.
They both ran out of breath at about the same time, glowing at each other as they panted for air.
A rustling in the grass announced the arrival of Beatrix, holding hands with Slippy who was still playing with Fox's Zombie Chaos dolls. As Slippy mashed the two undead freaks together again and again with a distinct clicking sound, Beatrix intoned with a raised eyelid, "Are you done being Mom of the Year?"
Vixy gave a thoughtful look, as if she was debating it in her head, eventually responding with, "Ehhh…for now."
"Enough to pick up lunch for all of us?" Beatrix inquired.
"Saddle me with the grunt work, why don't you?" Vixy scoffed.
"Come on," Beatrix coaxed, "If we're coming back here anyway it's a waste of gas for us both to go. Plus, do you seriously want to pull up to a fly-in with these two in the back seat?"
Vixy looked at Fox, once again giggling gaily on the grass, then at Slippy, relentlessly crushing the zombie dolls together with ever-increasing intensity, then back at Beatrix.
"You…may have a point," Vixy yielded quietly.
"I usually do," Beatrix smiled.
"God, we should have brought Vivian along. She always makes lunch. And it's always awesome," Vixy sighed.
"Coulda, woulda, shoulda," Beatrix dismissed, "Besides, you know Lucy doesn't get along with the boys. She's a girl. Quit stalling."
"Yes, drill sergeant, sir," Vixy grumbled, rising to her feet.
"Where you going, mommy?" Fox inquired, sitting up.
"Getting food, boys," Vixy answered, "Be back in a minute."
"WacArnolds! WacArnolds!" Fox and Slippy demanded in unison.
The two mothers waited for a few moments, staring at each other in a deadpan manner as they waited for their offspring to finish their cries. The chants soon died down, both Fox and Slippy looking up at their mothers expectantly.
"Is WacArnolds good for you?" Vixy sighed.
"I dunno, do the value meals come with a whiskey sour?" Beatrix muttered.
"You're horrible!" Vixy laughed as she began to walk.
"To answer your question, yes," Beatrix smiled.
They walked on to the end of the park, past the trees and up to the durasteel fence lining the roof's edge. Beyond the fence, the expansive, bright skyline of Corneria City stretched as far as the eye could see, with its flowing lanes of air traffic and its shining skyscrapers and it's cloudless blue sky. The boys almost instantly pressed their faces to the fence, captivated by the cityscape as they always were.
"Alright, so, two value meals and two kids meals?" Vixy confirmed as she pressed in the code for the parking crane on the doorway to the landing pad.
"Make sure they both have toys in them or we'll never hear the end of it," Beatrix offered.
"I know," Vixy responded coyly as the hum of hydraulics could be heard.
At that moment, a huge robotic crane appeared from below, a grey Utilica Royale skyvan clenched delicately in its mechanical claw.
"Tell me why it is, again, that James gets to keep the sports car?" Vixy griped, half serious.
"Male inadequacy. They can't have multiple orgasms, so they confine us to a mom-mobile out of spite," Beatrix droned sarcastically.
Vixy smiled back at Beatrix, then silently opened the gate and walked onto the landing pad.
"Be right back, Fox!" Vixy cried as she entered the skyvan.
"Bye, mommy!" Fox called back, but by then his mother had closed the door to the skyvan.
With a rumble and a low growl, the repulsors kicked in and the skyvan lifted off of the pad, then zoomed through the air to merge with the fly-lanes.
"Alright," Slippy's mother huffed, "You boys play Zombie Chaos or something. Fox, if you shoot me again, I'm going to punish you like I would Slippy."
"You're not my mom," Fox retorted.
Slippy's mom pretended to dart forward as if she was about to grab Fox, who promptly jumped back in fear.
"I thought so," Slippy's mom smirked.
Fox and Slippy began to walk back towards the trees, their backs turned to the cityscape.
Because of this, they didn't see the fly-lanes that Vixy Renard-McCloud's Utilica Royale had merged into.
Nor did they see the large space freighter attempting to make a landing atop a neighboring building, only to have it's repulsor engines fail and drop through the sky into the fly-lanes below.
Fox didn't actually see anything bad, at first.
He heard it.
The cracking boom of a distant explosion and the far-off wail of emergency alarms.
They all turned back around to face the skyline, in time enough to see the fires of the sky-cars that the falling space ship had taken out tumbling towards the ground.
Fox stared at the plunging fires and the dropping freighter, not understanding what it meant.
Then he saw the gasping, horrified look on Slippy's mom's face. Beatrix Toad was petrified in a state of hysterical shock, her green skin turning several shades paler.
He then looked back at the fiery wreck.
He still didn't understand why.
But something told him it was bad.
