000
"So...you and Fox used to train together?"
"Yep."
Katt flinched at the harsh tone Fara responded with, grateful that there was still a bathroom door between the two of them. For the past hour the pink feline had been doing her best to remain calm and act casual about the whole situation, trying to make small talk as she 'worked' on the lock to the door.
Krystal and Fox may have left without her, although she doesn't knowthat but has prolly guessed by now...but I still wouldn't put it past her to take off after them. I'll just do my best to keep her 'occupied' until they return. I just hope Krystal realizes her opportunity before its too late.
"Who would you say was the better pilot then? Him or you?"
An annoyed sigh came from the other side of the door but Katt ignored it. By now she was sure Fara knew what they had done, or at least had an idea of some sorts, but she should have seen it coming. After doing what she did to Krystal, to play dirty like that, she should have expected turnabout to be fair play.
"Fox was always the better pilot," Fara finally responded, a hint of admiration in her tone, "He was the best at everything though, that's one of the reasons I fell for him. He was just perfect."
Please, you only fell for him because of his fame. I'm still a mercenary, I know the story behind the great Fox McCloud too.
"I know I could never seem to beat him in the simulator," Katt replied, wanting to get away from the personal side of the conversation.
A stuck up laugh came from the brown vixen, "Of course you couldn't. You wouldn't even get a shot off before he blasted you out of space."
The pink cat bit her lip, pressuring the fighting side of her to stay calm and hold back the snappy retort that would worsen her relationship with the fox. Instead she returned her attention to the lock, having not done anything of importance for the last thirty minutes rather than poke the paper clip against the back tumbler to give Fara the impression she was actually making progress. The truth was, had Katt really been trying to get Fara out, they would've been done within five minutes. But of course that wasn't the goal.
Just keep stalling.
"Anyways," she continued, deciding not to respond to Fara's insult, "What made you want to pay Fox a visit after all these years?"
"Oh just a couple of things," Fara replied, studying the ceiling tiles now, "My father plays a big role in the Cornerian Military as well as Papetoon's and he lets me know how Fox and his team are doing from time to time. Just a few weeks ago he ran into Fox and found out how bad a shape he was in financially."
"Yeah," Katt answered, still poking at the lock, "Credits aren't as easy to come by in the middle of a war."
"True," the vixen responded, climbing up onto the sink now and pressing up on the ceiling tile by the door. "And of course when my father offered him some assistance Fox declined. It's just like him to do something like that thought," she ended dreamily.
"Charity isn't something a lot of people like accepting."
"Also true," Fara answered again, poking her head through the open square and looking around, "That's why I'm here. I came back to visit and help out. I want to thank Fox for all the things he has done for me over the years."
Katt frowned. Something wasn't right about that. But before she could give it any more thought the ceiling tile above her was popped out of place, giving her only a seconds heads up before Fara landed beside her, a satisfied smirk on her face.
"And I'm going to repay him every way I know how."
000
"Where first?"
The two foxes stood alongside each other, just past the exit of the Cornerian International Airport where they had left their Arwings. Fox had wanted to hail a cab or rent a car for them so she wouldn't have to walk but she insisted she'd rather stretch her legs and enjoy the beautiful day, giving him a smile before walking ahead and leaving him red faced.
"It's just past ten," he replied, looking down and admiring her body from behind, "We've got plenty of time to get everything and get back to the airport before sunset."
She slowed her pace until they were side by side, now only a block away from Corneria's famous 'Strip' full of stores, restaurants, casinos, hotels, bars, and many many more tourist attractions that went on for nearly five miles. If there was ever a chance the two of them would hook up, this magnificent city might just be the place it happened in.
"Well, when you said supplies were you talking about food or what?"
"Yeah," he answered, taking a deep breath as the breeze carried her scent across his path, "Just some stuff to hold us over for a few weeks, maybe some new clothes too. That okay?"
She smiled and shook her head, "You don't have to get my approval Fox."
He grinned and looked ahead, "Sure I do," he replied "Yours and Katt's both."
The two shared a laugh and continued down the decently crowded street. So far everything was going good, no stupid mistakes, no conversations about Fara, and most importantly no sign of Fara. Apparently Katt's childish prank had worked because now, instead of three foxes walking down the street, there were only two, and she had every intention of making the most out of their alone time.
"Well that's nice to know," she replied with a laugh, stepping closer to him.
"W-what about you?" he asked nervously, blushing from the closeness the vixen presented, "Where did you need to go?"
It was at that point that she realized she had no idea how to answer him. Sure, earlier that morning she had told him she needed to get a few things on Corneria, but that was only because she knew he was going there as well. But now that they were here she had to think of something...
Clothes! Just find a store and try on some clothes! That should work.
She looked on further down the street until she finally saw a place that would work. "I really only needed to go to one place," she responded calmly, "There's a few clothes I'd like to get at the Navy and Finch store."
Noticing a look of curiosity and surprise on his face she added, "I've only got five or six outfits, I figure it wouldn't hurt for me to get a few more sets of stuff to wear around the ship. Plus this flight suit doesn't look good on anyone."
"It looks beautiful on you," the vulpine answered instantly, his mind not being fast enough to stop his heart. Immediately he blushed and looked away, shoving his hands in his pockets and biting his lip in embarrassment.
The vixen's face was also red from the comment but she ignored the butterflies in her stomach, instead running her right arm around his left and resting her head on his shoulder as they continued to make their way down the street. Slowly he let out a deep breath, turning his attention back around and breathing in her scent as she leaned against his side. His heart wanted him to go further with this, to take it to another level, but there was something in the back of his mind that continued to hold him back, something that he could almost call guilt but at the same time fear. But no matter how far she looked into his thoughts she continued to come up empty.
"Krystal," he muttered, struggling to find the right words as she looked up at him with a small smile, "Listen...about...her, I just think you should know...I..."
They had stopped walking, the two foxes now facing each other as he caught her gaze, this time refusing to look away despite the nervous feeling that he felt all over his body.
"...I..."
Just say it Fox...I don't care what it is, good or bad, just tell me...
The vulpine sighed and shook his head, waving his hand in dismissal before turning back down the street and resuming their trek, "Just forget it, it's not important."
"Fox, if its about Fara then..."
"No." he replied, this time with more force and determination, "It's nothing. Let's just get you some new clothes."
The vixen bit her lower lip and nodded, wishing she knew the meaning behind those words. But again when she let herself into his mind she found nothing but whiteness. Fox knew her well enough by now to blanket his thoughts when it counted, and apparently now was one of those times.
"Alright."
000
The vulpine sat back in the lounge chair outside the changing room as he waited for the sapphire vixen to reappear. Although he tried desperately not to think about what had happened earlier he couldn't help but replay the scene over and over again, imagining how stupid he looked in front of her.
Everything was great! Why did I do that? I ruined such a perfect moment with her.
He imagined the feeling of her arm wrapped around his own once again, her head on his shoulder as she stayed on his side. He could've walked across the Cornerian desert and not noticed it with the vixen clinging to his side like that. As long as he didn't stop and start to say something stupid, only to refrain at the last second...making himself look even more stupid.
Needless to say the last few minutes of walking up the street to the store were somewhat awkward, but at least they had managed to restart the conversation once the vixen began asking his opinion of certain outfits. Of course he was useless at this for two reasons, one being that he knew nothing of fashion or clothing. Two being that whenever he imagined Krystal wearing anything he always pegged it as 'beautiful.'
Finally the door opened and she poked her head out, "Now I want your honest opinion okay? Don't just say I look good so we can leave or we'll be here even longer."
He rolled his eyes and motioned for her to step out, immediately taken back by the Cerenian's new look. Her flight suit was removed, boots and all, and replaced with something much better. The higher half of her uniform had been replaced with a blue t-shirt that just did reach the vixen's waistline where it met a pair of light blue denim shorts that went almost halfway down to her knees. And in exchange for her boots she now wore a pair of flip flops extremely similar to the ones she had while wearing her tribal uniform.
She was, needless to say, amazing, and the vulpine instantly leaned forward in an attempt to hide any 'obvious' pleasure that might stir in him from seeing her new attire.
Holy shit.
"Well?" she asked, turning around to let him see the backside. "Good or bad? I figured since its July and in the 90's every day I might as well get some summer clothes right?"
The vulpine's gaze ran up every curve of the vixen's body until finally meeting her line of sight. Slowly he nodded, well aware of how stupid he looked right now but not really caring as long as she stood before him.
She looks so damn beautiful, that flight suit was nothing compared to this! Just stop staring you idiot, stop staring at that amazing masterpiece before she thinks your a freak!
"I uh," he cleared his throat and finally looked away, failing epically at hiding the redness on his face, "I like it. And you're right, its perfect for the summer."
She looked at him for a moment more, an amused twinkle in her eye, before smiling and turning back towards the dressing room. "Fine then," she answered, obviously satisfied with the show she had given him, "I'll get them!"
Oh thank god!
"Oh and by the way Fox," she added before closing the door behind her, "I don't think you're a freak."
He clinched his fists, mentally kicking himself as he realized she had heard every single one of his thoughts about how she looked. Way to go...again! No, no just shut up! Stop thinking! Think about nothing!
A giggle came from the door of the changing room and the vulpine sighed before resting his face in his paws, his confidence now reduced to a puddle. If this was a game they were playing then he was losing horribly, even though he was enjoying every second of it. But no matter how hard he wanted to go along with this, no matter how much he wanted to just give in and tell her the truth, he knew he couldn't. Not now at least. Fara was still here, and after today they would be back on GreatFox again.
Then what? Would the two of them just pretend like this didn't happen? Would they forget all that had occurred here today and just go on with their daily lives? What would Fara think if she saw this? Would she feel the same way about him if she knew?
I don't know if she still loves me or not, and I don't know if I still love her, but if I'm ever going to figure out the answers to those questions I cant be doing this with Krystal. Or can I? Is it Krystal I should be focusing on? I mean...she's just so god damn beautiful, there's no way in hell a goddess such as herself could really have feelings for me is there?
"I don't know," he mumbled, looking up at the mirror across from him. "I know Fara used to love me, but that didn't work out then. I don't want to be alone for the rest of my life, I want someone by my side."
I love Krystal, damn do I love her. But I just cant see her feeling the same way about me. Would I rather stay friends with her for the rest of my life, or risk telling her how I feel and end up rejected, never to see her again?
The thought of Krystal leaving him, of never seeing her beautiful smile again, it made his stomach turn over and he felt like he could vomit. He didn't want to lose her, and they were great friends, but to risk going any further than that...if she said no, would it have been worth it?
The sapphire fox reappeared with the clothes over her arm, her flight suit back on once again as she made her way over to where he sat.
"Okay, I've got a few more things here as well so I'd say I'm ready,"
He nodded and stood, following her to the counter where she paid for the clothes and made her way to the door. He began to follow but managed to only go a few feet before the cashier caught his attention by dinging the bell by the register.
"She forget her receipt," the poodle said, ripping it off the printer and handing it to the vulpine.
He nodded his thanks, grabbing it and jogging outside until he caught up with her, looking it over to see how much she had spent.
"Damn," he exclaimed softly, catching her attention, "All that cost you over 500 credits?" his eyes went down the paper even further until it showed her current account balance.
Only 75 credits? Is that all she has?
"Krystal, you spent just about all you had saved up back there! Why didn't you tell me you were running so low on money?" he asked, looking at the vixen who, for once, turned away first.
"It's no big deal," she replied softly, "I don't have any huge use for Cornerian money anyways."
"But that doesn't make sense," he responded, still walking by her side down the still slightly crowded street, "You get a base pay of 1000 credits every month like the rest of us...w-what, what do you spend it all on?"
"Nothing," she replied, "I put it in the bank."
"Apparently not your bank!"
"I never said my bank."
The vulpine stopped walking, the vixen following suit as she turned to face the perplexed fox.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean a third of is does go into my account, I receive 300 or so credits every month," she answered, looking up as she calculated the math in her head.
"But where's the rest go?" he asked, determined to figure out who or what the vixen had been giving her pay to. "Who gets the 700 credits that you earned?"
She bit her lip and turned away, sliding the bag of clothes she had purchased up her arm and onto her shoulder. She hadn't wanted him to find out, knowing he wouldn't like it one bit, but also knowing she wouldn't be able to do it unless it was behind his back. In her mind there was nothing wrong with it, and to be honest she was getting along just fine with the 300 credits she was left with, but she knew that eventually he would notice it, one way or the other.
"C'mon Krystal? Who are you giving all your pay to?"
"You." she replied softly, still looking the other direction.
"W-what? Me? Why?" he asked, placing his hand on her shoulder now and pulling her around to face him.
She couldn't help but smile and shrug, "I don't know, I just know you need it more than we do. Your paycheck is always spent the day you get it on repairs and and supplies, while everyone else keeps theirs for themselves. But I never really go out to eat or buy fancy things like everyone else...I...I'm happy just being on the ship with you. And 300 credits is more than enough to do that right?"
His hands still rested on her shoulders as the words sank in and his mind worked to process all the information before him.
She's been giving her credits to me all this time...just because she thinks I spend all I get on the ship every time we get paid. That's why she doesn't enjoy a lot of the things Katt and Falco do...she cant afford them.
"You...You're not mad are you?" she asked, looking at the ground, "Please don't be..."
Not allowing her to finish, he pulled her tight, wrapping his arms around her and resting his head on her shoulder.
"I can't believe you," he mumbled, "I just cant believe...someone as perfect as you really exists."
"F-Fox...
"Yes I'm mad," he continued softly, "I'll never forgive you for doing this to yourself. You deserve so much more than 300 credits...hell you deserve more than 1000 credits." He pulled away just far enough to see her face to face before adding, "How long have you been doing this?"
She met his gaze, ignoring the blush that ran across her own and replied, "Just a couple weeks,"
"Krystal...
"Okay, a few months. But Fox its no big deal I...
Before she could finish the vulpine swept her off her feet and continued down the street carrying the vixen in his arms.
"Fox what are you doing!" she asked, surprise and laughter in her tone.
The vulpine, a look of determination mixed with wistfulness on his face, replied, "I'm going to repay you for what you did for me, any way I know how."
000
