Chapter 2: Fox is gone

The stadium lights of the Colosseum housing the G-Zero 8-track shine bright over the race track as all racers enter in the last lap. A standard indoors circuit. This is only at nighttime. The outside tracks are usually on the Papetoon tundra or at Ragged Ridge Area. The inside tracks are illumanited by blue plasma, acting as crash barriers. More like 'Crash and Burn', since anyone who's is dumb enough to step into it, will be turned to ashes. The crowd goes wild as Falcon and Dyam cross the finish line as first and second, followed by the rest a few seconds later. The flag for second last lap is hung after the last racer crosses the finish line. The Starwolf team have taken their seats already and are just as thrilled. There are sitting as close to the track as Wolf was prepared to pay, so somewhere in the middle. Krystal looks around the stadium. She sees a large pole in the middle of the track with big screens showing everything. From advertisements, to random info about the racers currently on track. At the top, the lap count is given.

*79 out of 80, displayed as 79-80* is what she reads in orange letters.

Every chair is colored blue and black, probably to promote the 'Rising stars' since their G-Diffuser color is the same. Their G-Zero Racers have the form on an Arwing, however they look sleeker and rotund than an Arwing. Dyam has customized it with a painted diamond on right below the cockpit and has the blue G-Diffusers. Falcon made his G-Diffusers even sleeker and attached same feather-claws, similar to his Sky Claw, to end. Except for the black color, nothing more stands out.

*Transmission*

Hey Dyam. Ready to lose?

You mean that I become second? Sure.

You know the drill.

*sigh* As if Rye didn't hammer on that enough already.

Quit your complaining and focus on the road yeah? At a thousand km/h, you don't have time to blink.

Nice one. Started taking lessons by Panther after that Lylat Cruise?

*Transmission break-in*

Will you guys shut the fuck up and let me through if you are not planning on winning?

How the hell are y... *notices the guy from the rear mirror* You look familiar... Sargasso Space Zone!

What!?

Remember? It's that guy that broke in to our comms at the Sargasso Space Zone. He said that he was gonna skin us!

Really? Well... in that case...

*Transmission*

Both ships' G-Diffusers begin to extract as they glow white-hot in the face of the primate. Thinking that he's going to be burned by the sun (notch to 'skinned'), he's completely frozen before Falcon and Dyam blast off into the last corner before the finish line, where the Starwolf team is sitting. As the anchored primate regains control of his racer too late, he crashes into the closed-off side of the road, completely annihilating him and his racer. Krystal has managed to clear her mind a bit as she focuses more on the race. Thinking that Dyam is Fox. Pfff... sure.

'Enjoying the race Krystal?' asks Panther.

She nods. 'I do Panther. It clears my mind.'

'Ah yes. The adrenaline you get when those racers pass by is immense. I'm glad I'm here with you my dear.'

'*giggle* Thanks Panther. I'm sorry for calling you a jerk back there.' she apologizes.

'I don't mind. You weren't completely there. I forgive you for that.'

*You forgive me for expressing myself? Are you kidding me? There he goes again!* she thinks as her smile turns into an angry look. 'Excuse me?'

'Hm?' notices Panther.

'I said "Excuse me!". You forgive me for expressing myself? Like I'm not allowed to?'

'Of course you are. It's just that you weren't there. That's all Krystal.' ends Panther.

'You really are a jerk Panther! Seriously!' she states as he rises from her chair and walks up the stairs towards the exit.

'Krys. Wait!' shouts Panther after her, but she ignores it as the racers pass by for the last time. With a deep sigh, Panther sits back down on his chair.

'You fucked it up again?' comments Wolf cynical.

'Shut it Wolf. I... I just don't know what it is with her... One moment she is completely with me and the next moment: *snaps his fingers* she is on planet Fox. I have no idea what is going on.' claims Panther. 'Goddammit. *places his paws against his face* I'm such a fool.'

*Maybe that's because you have no compassion for my situation Panther.* thinks Krystal, standing at the entry to the tribune. Using her mind reading ability when the mental barriers are down, she heard everything Panther thought. Not a single apology crossed his mind. Only... 'Why me?' She closes the door to the tribune and walks through the empty ring. Advertisements shown on TV show the D&F brand related products while food stands open up their windows. She can hear the cheering of the audience and the enthusiastic commentator over her own thought. They were empty any way. She walks down the stairs with a stale expression on her face. When she steps outside, she can hear the commentator scream out:

*And we have a winner: F *stretched out* aaaaaaaLCON LOMBARDI! *audience goes wild* And as second... his loyal companion and good friend: DYAM! The third... uuhh... do we actually care!?*

Hearing the name Dyam again, reminds her of her sudden freezing at the red tent the afternoon before. Her mind clears up as she looks back at the stadium. She regrets everything she said to Panther. About him being a jerk. Of course she was unstable, emotionally speaking, but she shouldn't have overreacted. Maybe she shouldn't have overreacted on someone else too...

*I'm a stubborn dumb bitch, aren't I?* she starts questioning herself. *And all this... *sigh* just because I saw Fox within Dyam. That's it! Enough with the self-pity and doubts! I love Panther! Not Fox! *stomps her head with her fist* Not Fox... not Fox... not Fox... right?*

As if she never thought of that last word, she exhales it, letting it out. 'Whew... now that is gone.' she states. 'But still... I feel sorry for what I've put him up with. Like Peppy said, he was utterly devastated. If seeing him vomit on stage because of his real name alone is any indication... I'm gonna visit him and ask him, hopefully not beg him, for forgiveness. Even after all he put me through, it is true that I had everything. Fox was alone with Falco and a robot. A broken heart before we forget. I had a backup, to say blunt. That's a plan! But where could he be?' she wonders.

She turns her head towards the Colosseum, from who fireworks rise up into the skies and explode in bright colors. She can feel the horde of people rumble out of the Colosseum. It's only drowned by the commentator saying:

*That was all for today folks! As the racers who failed disperse into shame, Dyam and Falcon return to their garages. They are the winners of today! Losers... hit the deck! Buzz off.' ends the commentator as he takes of his suit and hangs it over his chair. He throws his headset in a far corner before putting up some sunglasses. He opens the door behind him and enters a whole different world: the Penthouse!

'His garage! Of course!' remembers Krystal. 'That is right underneath the structure where the commentator was preaching from. That is also the thinest part of the Colosseum, meaning that there must be a ground entrance to both.' reasons Krystal as he starts to run to her right, following the curve of the Colosseum. She ends up near the main entrance. It's enormous and all of it made of glass. A red carpet leads towards it and continues inside. She opens the door and notices that there are no guards standing. The furniture is made up out of wood and yellow painted walls. A leftover radio shaped like a walkie-talkie is transmitting something on the service counter. She picks it up and listens to it.

*Radio*

All available personnel! Repeat, all available personnel! We need some extra help containing the primates in box 7Y. Same as last, but this time they have started to throw things.

*Radio*

'Hmmm... perfect. This means free entrance to the garage and Dyam.' she says to herself as he lays the radio back. She spots a sign saying *When no one is around, enter at own risk!*, a few metal-detectors and baggage controls in between them. Although the detectors are operational, the baggage controls aren't. A sentry gun hanging from the ceiling is activated and authorized to fire when the commando is given. Since no one is here to give that, it's programmed to get rid of anyone standing in the way.

*So that's where that sign is for.* thinks Krystal as she looks up to the sentry gun. She is right below it. Destroying it will give her free passage, but will alert a lot more then just the security. She looks at the machine and sees that its joints aren't meant to bend any further 15 degrees downwards. Maybe just a gamble about that number, but loose wires and part of the packaging is simply gone. Also, it operates on laser and sensor detection. The sensor are glowing red hot underneath the floor. Stepping on it, would trigger the laser. Upon the laser touching a target, the Gatling gun starts to spin around before unleashing it's bullets. All within 4 seconds, in the right situation.

*Slow reactions is something that I'm gonna rub into that machines face!* thinks Krystal as she runs towards the baggage control. She dives right through the hole, stepping on the sensors in the process. Before the laser is even made, Krystal is already at the other end, where the sentry gun has no visual over. As if it was daily business, she walks on. A blue sign hanging from the ceiling informs her that the 'Garage Chambers' are to her left. The third door is the one she is searching for. The diamond on the knob of the door says enough. Carefully, she opens it to hear that the garage door on the other side is closing with an immense roar. Dyam is holding down a button while checking out the time on his wristpad. Krystal uses the cover of that roar to close the door behind her and hide behind a piece of cover. Since it's mostly hauled in shadows, she has no idea what it is. She starts to peek between a gap in her cover.

'*Gulp* *Gulp* AAAAH!' exhales Dyam forcefully as he crushes the middle of the can of coke before tossing it towards Krystal's cover. In a badass fashion, it stands upright as it hits the top. He snatches a cloth from his right and starts approaching his Arwing. Out of Krystal's sight, right behind his Arwing, he squats down before a wooden chest. With a song in his head, he opens the chest, grabs out his beloved bottle of absinthe and a new shot glass, before walking around the Arwing and humming the song. He stands now with his back towards Krystal, still peeking. Placing the bottle and the glass on the Arwing's right wing, he takes off the top half of his racing suit and throws it behind him. It lands on top of Krystal's cover and blocks the gap.

'Corner... *cough* *haggle* Ahum... ahum... *haggle* Hum... Hum... ahum. Warming up the voice a little... *haggle* *spit* That's better. Cornerian nights. Du-dum-du-dum. Cornerain nights.' sings Dyam, but very out of rhythm and even badly.

'Cornerian nights. Du-dum-du-dum. Cornerian nights.' continues Dyam as he wipes his Arwing clean with the ragged and dirty cloth, which is actually a shirt. The white Starfox logo in the middle is barely visible. 'Ah, my Arwing. The only good memory I took with me from Starfox. Even you have changed my friend.' he states as he cleans a wingtip.

'I can see my own stunning reflection in it. I know I'm awesome...' he remarks as he strokes through his hair.

*I can't stand to hear him like this. He sings badly...* thinks Krystal with her back to her piece of cover, squatted. She places her left paw flat on another piece for extra grip to take a sidestep. This results in the shaking of that piece.

Suddenly, a sound is heard behind him coming from a row of big red tool-cases filled all sorts of equipment as Krystal tried to peek around. *Clunk* Krystal quickly stops her moving and is scared to death, trying to control her breathing.

*Dyam POV* 'Who is there!?' The drawers itself aren't shaking or rattling at all. He focuses on the ground and sees that an empty soda can fell of one of the cases and is now rolling over the floor, making the noise. He shrugs it off and continues cleaning and his singing.

'Du-du-die-dum-te-dum-te-dum... Yegh! Oil all over my hands.' he complains as he walks towards the bathroom, when trying to clean with the shirt didn't work.

'Soap, soap, soap.' he still continues while washing his hands. He looks up in the mirror.

'Hhm... maybe a different look will do the trick. That crew cut, *strokes through it* gotta go. But what kind of style fist with a beautiful man with a chunked ear?' he states cocky.

'So, this is the new you eh?' he hears behind him, in a very familiar British toned voice. He looks behind him, but doesn't see anyone. He has had enough as he dries off his hands, walking towards the door complaining.

'Okay Falcon, stop joking around... *notices her* hey, who are you?' he says as he opens the door seeing Krystal's back in the shadows, stuck in mid-run.

'Hey, one more time: Who are you? I'll call security.' he threatens as he points to a phone on the wall. Krystal stops her running and stands still with her back still at Dyam.

'Already forgot how to fight?' she remarks.

'Wha... who are you!?'

She turns around and reveals herself by stepping into the light. 'Don't you remember me anymore Fox?' she softly asks.

Again, it is like Dyam is punched in the stomach as he is launched back a little. He breaths in and out. *Don't go apeshit all over again Dyam. You are in control, not that bitch. Whoever she is!* he thinks.

'Geh, please... don't ever call me that again. EVER! Period!' states Dyam.

'Why? Can't handle the truth?'

'What truth? Agh, doesn't matter. Just who are you!?'

'I'm Krystal! Like you don't remember that...' he shouts annoyed.

Dyam places two fingers on his goatee beard, thinking...

'The only Krystal I knew, is spelled with a 'K'. And you... haha... are certainly not her.'

'Oh no? Who am I then Oh Great Dyam?' she shouts angered.

'I don't know. Some groupie who smoked too much weed? Hell...' he waves off as he turns around towards his racer.

'I know you could sink deep, but I never thought this deep, Fox.' she says as tears slowly exit her eyes. This time, Dyam is able to take the blow somewhat better than before.

'Well... *breath* so called Crystal, the Krystal with a 'K' might have helped with that...'

'Wh..what do you mean?' asks Krystal while drying her tears. She shouldn't have done that, cause Dyam is on the verge of eruption as turns around...

'*goes completely Angerfist* Maybe because she borrowed his entire life into the ground!' he screams. 'Even dug a hole *pretending to dig a hole*, to make him fall extra deep! A bottomless pit filled with spikes, lava or even Hell itself would be a fucking understatement!' he ends.

'B..but...' stumbles Krystal.

'*suddenly very calm* He made her leave, because of his increasing and eventually overpowering concern for her safety. A sad reaction? Okay! An apology from him to her? What the fuck not, right? *angry again* But nooooo... everything was skipped and thrown in the garbage disposal when she delivered the most childish deathblow in history: JOIN the other team, FUCK his rival in love and PLEASE his rival in teams. Followed by BARFING against HIM, his TEAM and their ENTIRE LIFEWORK! Like Starwolf was that heroic... *sigh* Thanks to her, Starfox and Fox McCloud are dead... FUCKING DEAD you hear me!? *calms himself* Only I remain... and my name is Dyam. Now get lost before I really start calling security.' he ends.

Tears drip onto the dusty concrete floor of the garage. Her knees are shaky and her tail hangs between her legs.

'I...I j-just wanted t-to say that *snivel* I'm sorry...' she stutters.

'For what?' he notices. 'For being here without any sort of permission whatsoever? Apology accepted.'

'No, I mean f-for what I did to you...'

'You mean what 'K' Krystal did to him? Maybe she should be here in person, instead of sending some junkie claiming to be her, in a pink outfit!' he insults. 'K Krystal hates pink!' he ends as he turns to Krystal's eyes.

'Maybe... it's already too late for an apology.' he states compassionless but soft. He sighs deep and returns back to cleaning his racer.

Tears now simply go wherever they please as the heartbroken Krystal just let's them go.

'Know this Dyam: Somewhere inside her, she still loves him...' she says as he simultaneously places her left paw on her heart, bonking out of control.

'He's dead... now leave!' he commands easily as climbs on his Arwing to clean the cockpit.

Heavily crying, she runs out the door she came in, almost running down Falcon coming to see Dyam for a nice talk about the race tomorrow.

'Wow!' yells Falco surprised as he bashed aside by Krystal running away. Falcon looks after her until she disappears around the corner. Outside, the sun has stopped shining and the night has taken over.

'Who was that?' he asks. Dyam jumps off and turns to Falcon, wiping his hands again with the ragged shirt before he throws it away.

He jokingly says: 'Hell, some groupie who had a little to much off *imitates smoking a joint*'

'She seemed pretty decent for a crack whore... what was her name?'

'She claimed to be Krystal.' he says as he grabs a shot-glass on a yet to be cleaned part of his Arwing's wing. It's filled with a absinthe, just because. In one swig, all of it is gone.

'AAARGH! Good stuff.' he states he places the glass back.

'Our Krystal?' replies Falcon a little late.

'*sudden burn in his throat of the absinthe* Ahum... *cough* Yeah, 'our'.'

'The one, who ruined your life with Starfox while you were only trying to protect her?' he verifies.

'Exactemundo mister Falconium.' states Dyam. 'That one indeed!'

'Well, she was crying pretty good. What happened? And don't say 'it' was too big for her. I've heard that excuse countless times.'

Dyam hops on his racer. 'I went complete berserk on her, simply telling her in more numerous and insulting words to go fuck herself, if she was Krystal.'

'Wow, that's hard. Even for your standards...' remarks Falcon. Dyam shrugs again.

'Do you mind? That bitch called me the F-word, three times today already! Three hard punches to the stomach! And then I'm supposed to stay nice!?'

Falcon hops on as well. 'Life is hard bud.' he comforts Dyam.

'*Thanks Falcon. Pep on TV was right. You were my only true friend.* Well, you can certainly say that...' comments Dyam slightly sad.

'Eh, forget about her. And about Krystal too. Harsh stuff, but it only gets harsher the longer you bring it with you. Let it go! She's gone and never coming back. Celebrate it! The further away, the better! Tomorrow, last race, big party and then we're off to Aerosol. Lylat and that whore will be gone, out of your system forever. Recus System, here we come!'

He hops of Dyam's racer. 'Goodnight Dyam. Think about, will ya?' he asks as he walks to the elevator.

'*sigh* You're right. She can suck Panther dick. Goodnight Falcon.'

'That's the spirit! Hold on to that buddy. I'll see you tomorrow.' ends Falcon as the elevator doors close and bring to the penthouse. Dyam remains seated for a few moments, staring through the garage. He grabs the absinthe bottle and pours the glass full again. He places the bottle back on the ground and again gulps everything down in a single swig. The burning feeling returns and blurs his vision. He gets dizzy and nauseous. He starts to heave and vomits all over his hands, trying to cover his mouth.

'Fucking great...' he complains. *Well, at least that's out my system.*

He hops off and walks back to the bathroom. He opens the lid with a clean finger and washes his hands in innocence...