Hello there, dear readers. I'm glad that you're coming back to read this; after all, your thoughts, opinions, and support do matter a great deal to me.

I don't really have much to say about this chapter...I personally feel that it's better than the first chapter, and it's longer as well, so that's good. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it.

Two

"Yes," he responded, slightly startled. "How do you know my name?"

Damn it, I thought to myself. How could I make such an amateur mistake? Struggling to regain my composure, I attempted to play it off as a joke.

"A better question would be who doesn't know your name," I laughed.

"I suppose you've got a point there," he shrugged. My ploy had worked.

"Of course I do," I continued, although it was unnecessary. "You're Fox McCloud: hero of the galaxy, slayer of Andross, savior of the Lylat System!"

I could feel an internal conflict brewing within me; Krystal and Kursed were coming to blows.

Krystal believed every word she said; in fact, she was still in love with him. She wanted to fall into his arms and embrace him. Indeed, she could barely comprehend what she saw in front of her; could it really be Fox McCloud sitting in front of her? Should she reveal herself to him? Would he care? Would he take her back? Would they finally be reunited after what seemed like an eternity? Would they finally be able to have the future they always wanted? It was a world of possibilities that lay in front of her, and she wanted to explore them as soon as possible.

In contrast, Kursed immediately regretted making such insincere (not to mention repulsive) statements; after all, how could she possibly be glorifying this man? Isn't this the same man who broke her heart, effectively leaving her for dead? Why should she lionize this man after all the pain and misery he put her through? No, Fox McCloud is none of those things; he is no better than dirt.

"Well, I've never been called a savior before," he replied, "but thank you. I'll take that as a compliment." I smiled back.

"Not a problem, hon," I said. What the hell am I doing? I thought. "So, what brings you to this dark, abandoned corner of the Lylat System?" An excellent question; during our relationship, Fox generally did not stray very far from Corneria unless it involved a mission of some sort. Why the sudden change?

"Oh, nothing really," he stated before taking a large drink. "Just some personal business, that's all."

Personal business? Since when do you have time for a personal life?

"Unrelated to Star Fox?" I posed. He sighed and turned towards me.

"To be honest with you," he began, "I'm actually taking a little sabbatical from that. It's very tiresome and stressful, you know? Besides, I hate getting recognized every where I go as the Star Fox…I do have a life outside of my business."

Yeah, right, I thought. You love it. You being in the limelight, you love having everyone recognize you, you love being the hero and you know it.

"Well, I can sympathize with that," I lied. On the contrary, nothing could be farther from the truth. "I, too, would grow disenchanted with an 'all-work-and-no-play' lifestyle." He laughed and turned away once again.

"So what might this 'personal business' be about?" I inquired. He shrugged once more and took another drink.

"I'm just looking for someone, that's all," he answered nervously. I leaned towards him.

"You don't want to tell me?" I frowned in mock disappointment. Apparently, he didn't realize it was a joke; he fidgeted anxiously, seemingly uncomfortable with my prodding.

"Just an old friend of mine," he evaded. "No one special." I was somewhat puzzled at his behavior; normally, Fox was calm, cool, collected, perhaps even cocky at times. Sure, he got nervous around girls, but this was different…he appeared nervous, perturbed, agitated almost, as if something were nagging at him. "I don't really want to talk about her."

I knew it, I thought to myself. He was looking for me. No, he wasn't looking for me…he was looking for Krystal.

"Ah, so it's a woman," I said. He nodded his head.

"Hence my melancholic, evasive demeanor," he replied sarcastically. Taking on a serious tone, he reiterated his previous statement: "I'm not really in the mood to discuss her, if you don't mind. You were the only person here who looked remotely like her, so I'm pretty much just getting my fill before heading out again."

"Oh, absolutely I understand," I agreed with him. "I just think you might feel better if you do." Realizing that this was a perfect time to leave, I stood up and began heading towards the door. Yet for some bizarre, inexplicable reason, I moved back towards Fox and placed my hand on his shoulder.

"I might be able to help you out, too," I informed him. "I know a lot of people…perhaps even your girlfriend here. Just letting you know." With that, I headed back towards the door. Grabbing the handle, my escape was abruptly halted by a hand being placed on the door. I turned around and discovered the hand to be no other than Fox's.

"You said you might know her?" he asked. I found myself regretting my remarks to him; clearly, that was Krystal who said them, not Kursed.

"Well, I might," I confirmed, "but you're gonna have to tell me about her before I can help you." He sighed and looked downward; he appeared very reluctant.

"OK," he agreed. I smiled at him, pointing him in the direction of a booth. I signaled to the waiter for a pitcher of beer before sitting down. He sat directly opposite of me, the light shining down on him, giving his fur a very radiant hue, rendering him rather handsome…of course, he always was, but his appearance was even more gorgeous now.

No, don't think of him like that…

"So, then," I initiated, "tell me a little bit about her." He cleared his throat and slouched against the back of the seat.

"Well, I'm looking for this woman," he started. "She's a vixen." I chuckled.

"A real looker, huh?"

"Well, yes, she is," he confirmed, "but what I meant was that she's a fox…you know, like you."

Don't try putting Krystal and I in the same class, I thought. Krystal was weak and easily manipulated; she is not like me in the slightest. Krystal is dead.

"I see," I said. "Does she have a name?" With that, Fox nervously fidgeted in his seat for a moment.

"Krystal," he replied.

"And why is Krystal so important?" I asked. Unlike these other inquiries, this question was actually important and very relevant; what prompted this change of heart? Why, all of a sudden, was he frantically searching for me? Did he want me back?

"There are a lot of reasons why she's so important to me," he divulged. "But it's a long, complicated story."

"Well, I've got time," I told him. "Tell me about you and her." His eyes widened.

"You mean," he gulped, "like, everything?" I chuckled.

"Well, sure. I've got plenty of time." I was actually quite intrigued at this prospect; it would be rather interesting to know how Fox viewed and remembered our relationship, whether it was a blessing or a hindrance.

"Well, all right," he sighed. "I'll tell you about everything, but I gotta warn you, this is gonna take a long time."

"As I stated before," I reiterated, "I have plenty of time." He sighed once more.

"All right…well, here goes nothing."

The story that followed was an adventure beyond my wildest comprehension. No…that night was the real adventure. All the events that transpired, all the sights and sounds…many things changed that night…including myself.

And with that, I bid you all adieu.