There is a box in a room

It needs to stay locked

Never touch it

Or you will end us all


Wolf stared down at his hands resting in his lap from where he sat on his temporary bed. He looked up to the small window on the far side of the room and saw the bright blue sky of Katina shining through his window, and squinting his eyes at the light, he got up, walking over and shutting the blinds. Sleeping seemed to be a common occurrence for him lately, much to his chagrin. He took off his leather duster and threw it on the desk, sniffing his black tank top. He couldn't smell anything other than his natural musk, so he shrugged, letting it be.

A soft knock on his door startled him. Wolf hesitated next to the bed, hand reaching for the covers, but he sighed, dropping it. "Come in," he called, sitting on the bed and facing the doorway.

It was Krystal who entered, Wolf noticed with his eyes narrowed and arms crossed. "What do you want?" He inquired.

She shrugged, not moving past the doorway. "I just want to talk with you for a few minutes," she murmured with a gentle look on her face. Wolf dropped his head, motioning for her to come in.

"About?" He questioned, glaring at her. He wasn't sure if he could trust her actions despite the comforting attitude; she was too good a friend to Fox and too loyal for him to be sure.

"I just wanted to make sure that you're alright," Krystal replied, leaning on the wall across from Wolf. Her smile was kind, but something about her eyes unnerved him. It was like they were searching for something deep within him.

"I'm fine," he stated, trying to look anywhere but her eyes. He bit his lip and flexed his hands as he tried to keep his blood from boiling.

"It sure didn't seem like you were fine, from the way you left the bridge earlier," Krystal probed further. He shifted in his seat, things starting to connect in his head.

Wolf growled, his claws biting into his palms. "You and your team don't exactly like me, but I guess you've forgotten that, haven't you? They didn't take my opinion into account, so why should I care?"

Krystal sighed, crossing her arms. "I think you're just scared. You're terrified of going back to Corneria and dealing with the fallout of what happened. You-"

"Get out," Wolf spat out, touching his forehead as his eyes widened. How could he have been so stupid?

"What?" She asked, looking down at her feet and taking a step away from him. He could feel his blood boiling.

"Get the hell out of my head! Get out of my room!" Wolf snarled, jumping from his seat. Krystal flinched, meeting his fiery gaze for a second before she looked away, starting out of the room.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she left. Wolf scoffed at her.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are," he shot back as the door closed. He growled, falling onto the bed. He stared up at the metal ceiling, feeling violated to his core.

"Who does she think she is, trying to read everyone's thoughts without their consent?" He asked himself, grabbing a pillow and hugging it to his chest. It was just… wrong. The one place where he was supposed to feel safest to be was ripped apart, and shown bare to anyone who looked.

Wolf thumbed at a few scars that pockmarked his wrist and forearm as he stared at the ceiling. "My secrets are for me to keep."

He slowly sat back up, staring at the spot where Krystal had tried her version of interrogating him. He snorted as he set his bare feet on the chilly metal floor and got up. He swallowed, and he felt his tongue stick to his throat. He coughed into his elbow, and decided it was as good a time as any to see if there was something to drink in the kitchen… wherever that was.

Wolf left the room, his claws clacking on the metal floor quite obnoxiously, and he turned down the hall to the elevator. He was relieved that the ship was so empty now, but the stench of so many unwashed people still hadn't quite aired out of the cramped hallways. He wrinkled his nose as he reached the door.

When Wolf entered, he looked at the button panel with a small degree of panic, trying to find a mess, a kitchen… anything. Eventually, he settled on the "recreational deck" on one of the lower floors, deciding that was as good a place as any to find a drink. He picked at his cracked claws on the ride, grimacing at how much dirt and grime had gotten underneath them; he really needed a manicure.

The elevator deposited him in a room that finally contrasted from the blank, militaristic halls of the rest of the Great Fox, much to his surprise. Multicolored swathes of carpet were laid out all over the floor, and a large couch was set in front of a flat screen television that took up a good fourth of the far wall.

Wolf ignored the rest, focusing instead on the refrigerator and cupboard next to a dining table. He walked over to it and opened the door, poking his head inside the chilly interior.

After a moment of moving some bad-smelling frozen food and soda around, Wolf grinned, finding a six pack of beer in the back corner of the fridge. He reached in and grabbed a bottle. He licked his chops, his tail wagging.

Looking down at the bottle, his gut caught his attention, which was protruding out a bit and visible for all to see through his tank top. He frowned, setting the beer back into the fridge, his hand hesitating and shaking as it went. Wolf sighed, grabbing a can of soda instead as he shut the door.

He turned around to find Bill leaning on the table with a grin. Wolf scowled at him as he opened the soda. He wrinkled his nose, noting that Bill reeked of sweat and some sort of earthy cologne that poorly masked the stench.

"Watching your weight, dude?" Bill snickered, sitting down on a chair. Wolf did the same, taking a sip of his drink.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping the refugees?" He shot back, setting the soda on the table with a loud thunk.

"Everyone else is out except me and Krystal," Bill replied with a shrug, resting his arms on the table. He gazed at Wolf with his head cocked. "What are you so pissy about?"

Wolf rolled his eyes, taking another drink of his soda. "What am I not pissy about?" He remarked as he rested his chin on his hand. He yawned, leaning back in his chair.

Bill chuckled a bit. "Dude, I'm talking about right now. You look more upset than earlier," he pointed out, and Wolf just looked away.

"Just a bad conversation," he murmured, staring at the wall. He grimaced, wondering what else she saw in him. All of his fears and vulnerabilities had just been laid out because he was careless.

"With Krystal, right?" Bill continued, sitting up in his chair and forcing them to make eye contact.

He nodded, his ears drooping. "She was… she was reading my thoughts against my will. It's just not right," he growled.

Bill frowned, drumming his claws on the table. "That is so not cool, dude. They should be trying to trust you," he stated, his eyes narrowing. Wolf allowed a small smile to appear.

"Yeah. Thanks," he said, picking his soda up. He stood up and emptied the can with one long gulp before throwing it in a trash bin next to the cupboard.

Bill set a hand on his arm, and Wolf winced, to which he quickly withdrew it with an apologetic look. "I know Fox and the others might not trust you as much as they could, dude, but I believe in second chances. If you ever need someone to talk to, you know," he murmured with an easy smile.

Wolf nodded, resting a hand on his hip. "I'll take that into consideration."

"So… where are you going?" Bill asked, his head cocked.

"The bridge, probably. I need to talk to Fox when he gets back," he answered, starting to leave the recreational deck without a word of goodbye to Bill. He simply waved behind him, feeling a little bit better than when he'd entered.

The elevator jolted to life once more, and Wolf stared up at the ceiling, studying the fluorescent light that illuminated the small space. If only his dire situation could be brightened as quickly as a room with a light.

Wolf left the lift and came upon the bridge once more, although this time it was completely empty. He walked past the desks and chairs and stood next to the captain's chair, peering out of the huge glass window to see Katina under the midday sun.

The rocky surface of the planet sprawled out as far as the eye could see, with little streams and ponds dotting the mesas and hills, and he also saw a large military base surrounded by a wall. Wolf could make out the group of refugees milling about in front of the largest building of the base, but it was too far away to tell if Fox and the others were there. He shrugged to himself as he sat down on a chair next to the central table. He yawned, relaxing and settling into his seat as he crossed his arms, closing his eye.

Wolf must have dozed off while he waited, most likely too tired to even have a nightmare, for he was jolted awake by the sound of something slamming onto the table. His eye shot open and he looked at Fox, who was standing across from him with a scowl.

"What?" Wolf grumbled, rubbing his eye while he sat up straight. Fox rolled his eyes, motioning for him to stand up. He did so after taking the time to crack his neck, and Fox rested his hands on his hips.

"Krystal was just trying to help you, you know," he stated with a huff.

Wolf gaped at him. "You- you're serious? She crossed a line, and the line after that!" He shouted. He slammed his fists on the table and leaned closer to Fox.

"It's not my fault she was concerned about your reaction to our decision, even when it was democratic!" Fox exclaimed, mimicking Wolf's action.

"She read my damn mind without my say!" Wolf snarled, his claws digging into the otherwise smooth table.

Fox's eyes widened. "She did what?" He asked, his voice dropping to nearly a whisper. Wolf looked at him with a cocked head, his rage temporarily forgotten.

"When we talked, Krystal looked into my mind and she... saw my fears. She was using them to get something out of me," he admitted, eyeing Fox with contempt.

Fox didn't reply, and Wolf frowned. "Did you put her up to that?"

"No, I didn't," Fox answered, his ears drooping. "Sorry for shouting."

Wolf sighed. "I'm just… confused. Why would she do that?"

"Krystal is a selfless person, even if her ways of helping aren't exactly the most morally effective. I need to give her another talk about that," Fox said, mostly to himself. Wolf sat back down, and he did the same.

"I'm sorry I'm not more enthusiastic about going back to a city that's in chaos," Wolf snorted, his scowl returning full force.

"It's the only way we can get answers," Fox pointed out. Wolf looked down at his bare feet, mulling the statement over in his head.

"Look McCloud, you don't know what the hell you're dealing with yet, and I can't even remember my experience. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence in me," Wolf said, sinking into his chair.

"We're all scared, but we still have to go," Fox replied, clasping his hands together. "You still need to find your team."

Wolf cringed, covering his face with his hands. The memory of his dream played out in his mind, Panther's bloody face etched into his memory with that awful smell of smoke. Wolf could feel himself starting to slip off a cliff and into the void, and he held onto the edge before he fell. He took a breath, trying to dispel the thought and focus on anything else. He opened his eye and stared at Fox intently.

"Yeah, I do," he said, voice just as shaky as his hands. Wolf shook his head, getting up from his chair.

"Hey, where are you going?" Fox asked as he turned away. Wolf's head was starting to hurt, and his breathing was starting to pick up.

"Sleep... tell me when we get to Corneria," he murmured, leaving the bridge. Fox said something to him as he walked away, but he was too busy trying not to focus on Panther and Leon to pay attention.

Wolf slammed the button for the barracks when he got in the elevator and slumped against the wall. That dream just kept playing out in his head, and he groaned. The door closed, and the lift started downward while he kept a shaky hand on the wall.

Wolf had to find his team when they returned to Corneria, and then he would be done. Fox would take care of the problem, and he would run away. He clenched his hands into a fist, taking another deep breath.

Anger and determination burned in his chest; he had to do something and help his team… his friends.

Wolf opened his eye as the lift came to a stop. His head still hurt, and Panther's lifeless face wouldn't leave his mind, but he strode into the hallway, making for his room.

He trudged into the room, and this time he locked the door behind him before he sat on his bed. He stared at the wall, grim determination in his eye.

He was going to find his friends.