Chapter Eight

The Fire Temple and Krystal's Inner Flame

General Scales is growing impatient waiting on Krystal as he dons his Link disguise and walks into her room.

"Link, you are back," Krystal looks if she is actually eager to see him.

"Why hello to you to Krystal. Have you thought about our discussion?"

"Yes I have and I don't want these feelings in my head anymore. Can your machine take out my thoughts of anger and hatred for Fox and just keep the ones that remind me just how much I love him?"

"What??" Scales was hoping of the exact opposite but he quickly gets an idea that would satisfy his evil intentions, "Yes as a matter of fact it can. When would you like us to do that for you?"

Krystal is so blinded on the feeling of falling for Fox all over again that she fails to read his intentions, "Now would be perfect."

"Right this way Krystal."

Krystal follows him out of the cell and he leads her down many corridors.

"This is a giant castle. Who's is it? Princess Zelda's?"

"I confess there never was a bounty on your head nor was there one on Zelda's and this is not her castle."

Krystal stops dead in her tracks and pulls out her staff, "Then why bring me here and put me in a cell."

Scales turns his head towards Krystal, "I heard about you in Star Fox and to see you hurt was just not right and I wanted to help you that is all whether it was to hate Fox more and get your revenge I would have helped with that as well."

Krystal slides her staff back in her bag, "I love Fox very much and I know we have had our fights recently but maybe its just as much my fault as it is his and I want to forget it all and hopefully he will take me back. He already asked me before and I was to angry at him to listen."

"Come with me."

They continue walking until she comes across a room that is connected to a balcony but more important it has a chair with straps and wires that makes it look like an electric chair but instead the wires are connected to a top of the art machine that Krystal couldn't make heads or tails about.

"The view is beautiful," Krystal walks towards the edge of the balcony, "I am guessing that machine will take the evil thoughts out of my head."

"Yes, Krystal let me know when you are ready."

Krystal takes a deep breath and lets it out, "Don't worry Fox, I will soon be with you again." Krystal turns back towards Scales, "I am ready."

Scales lifts his hand up in motion towards the chair as Krystal makes her way and sits down gently as Scales helps her into the machine.

Scales begins to strap her arms down, "Don't be alarmed Krystal, it is for safety purposes."

Krystal starts to shake, ever since the crystal incident being confined to a small area makes her uneasy, the reason the cell wasn't as bad is because she could still move around.

"Easy, Krystal."

Krystal closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, "Will this hurt? And are you sure it will take out the hateful memories."

"No it will not hurt, I don't think. But unfortunately, it is your love feelings for Fox that will be destroyed.

Krystal's eyes open wide, "What? Why?"

Scales' evil smile starts to show behind Link's disguise, "And your hatred for Fox will be magnified so we can use you to destroy him."

"NO! LET ME GO! WHO ARE YOU? WHY DO YOU WANT THIS TO HAPPEN?"

"Do you really want to know?" Scales pushes the button on his belt revealing his true form.

"SCALES! YOU ARE ALIVE?"

"Yes Krystal," Scales walks towards the helpless vixen, "and now it is time for my revenge."

Krystal wiggles and tries to lift her hands and escape but it no use as tears quickly start going down her face.

"Please, Scales. I beg you don't do this to me."

Scales puts his green hand on Krystal's chin, "Don't worry my dear you will love working for me."

Krystal wiggles and squirms even more but it is no use, there is nothing she can do to escape.

Scales slowly walks over to activate the machine.

Once he finally gets there, Krystal looks at him with the saddest eyes she could possibly have, wishing there was a heart somewhere in that giant monster, "Please Scales don't do this to me."

"I thought your name wasn't Krystal anymore. I thought it was only………Kursed!" Scales hits the switch and the machine activates.

"NO!" Krystal starts to cry as her mind is altered and the memories of how Fox rescued her on Sauria, and her love for Fox is buried deep in her mind. As the Fox's betrayal and kicking her out of Star Fox and the lies he told her about Fox setting a bounty on her are exploited and Scales takes out her feelings of love and compassion for Fox and replaces it with hatred and lust for revenge.

The once beautiful Krystal has indeed become Kursed.

-

Meanwhile Leon and Panther were sitting by the lake, Wolf had instructed them to wait for him while he went to search for food and supplies.

"Why do we have to stay behind?" Leon grumbles.

"Be patient, he wants to see if this planet could give us a new hidaway. After all General Peppy basically kicked us out of the Lylat System."

"Aw who cares you oversized cat. At least we would see some action shooting down those Cornerian fighters."

"If you want action take us on for size," Falco says as he, Katt and Slippy swooped down around them.

"Where is Fox?" Slippy as well as Katt points their blasters at Panther while Leon is in Falco's line of sight.

"Hmph, when I said action I was hoping a real challenge, instead I get the big blue bird," Leon pulls his blaster and a dagger out."

"Yes even though it is 3 against 2 you are simply outmatched," Panther pulls out his blaster and a whip.

"Your move, lizard breath," Falco is prepared for whatever Leon may be planning with his dagger.

Right before Star Fox and Star Wolf could settle their deferrences several skeleton like zombies wielding swords and shields appeared out of the ground.

"What are these things?" Falco turned his attention to the weird creatures.

The creatures started going after the Star Fox team.

"Whoa, get these guys off me," Slippy starts whining.

"Slippy, shut up and use your blaster," Falco starts shooting these creatures but there is too many along with Star Wolf.

Katt ducks and barely misses one of their swords aiming right for her head. Slippy starts running for his Arwing to in his mind get a bigger gun.

Falco uses his agility and kicks a sword out of one's hand who was charging for him and picks it up, "This might come in handy."

Falco starts swinging his new sword at the creatures. However when it seems that they are surrounding both Falco and Katt. Slippy runs back with a machine gun and starts to keep them at bay while Falco and Katt retreat back to their Arwings.

"Let's go guys we need to get more information on this planet," Falco jumps in his Arwing as does Slippy and Katt and they fire them up and retreats.

The creatures now turn to Leon and Panther.

"Are you impressed boys?" A black figure appears in front of them in the shadows.

"Quite impressed," Wolf appears in the distance.

"Well I would like to stretch out my hand in friendship to you and your boys. For I am in need of your services."

-

Fox emerged from the roof of the temple and he was back up on the dry surface of Lake Hylia.

"Yes I am out of there," the blue medallion glowed around his neck. "Now I need to get to my Arwing and contact the Great Fox."

Once getting to his Arwing, Fox waits little time and turns on his communication array and sends a call to the Great Fox, "Great Fox, this is Fox McCloud. Do you copy?"

"Fox, It is Amanda I am glad to hear from you."

"Amanda, that is great tell me what is going on."

Amanda proceeded to tell her about the battle at the volcano.

"That guy you fought is the one who captured Krystal."

"That's terrible, Fox. He jumped into the volcano but the weird thing is his suit turned red before he jumped in."

"He must have a heat resistant tunic. Look do you know much about energy readings?"

"Not as much as Peppy or Slippy but I can try."

"Good I am transmitting a scan of this Medallion that I have. It was giving to me by the princess of the Zoras at the Water Temple and I figure that just due to the name of the temple that there has to be more."

"Well Fox you are right I scanned the energy with the computer map of the area and it is glowing in 6 locations. One as you know at the lake, one in the forest, one in the desert, one near a grand castle, one in a graveyard beneath the Kakriko Village you orignally sent us and the last is…..inside the Volcano."

"That has got to be where he was going. Fox out."

"No, Fox wait…. Too late he is gone."

"Arwing fire up all heat defenses, we are taking this thing to the fire temple."

-

Link emerged from the lava near the Fire Temple in a small crevace. Link walks towards the door of the Temple and there is a gold statue of him standing over a fallen serpent-like dragon, Volvagia. "That takes me back."

"Link my old friend how may I help you."

Link turns around and his old friend Daurnia the leader of the Gorons and keeper of this Fire Temple stands strong.

"Daurnia, it has been too long, but I hate to say it I need the Fire Medallion. Zelda is in trouble and this time a new threat has approached Hyrule and I may need the strength of the Gorons if the time would come."

"You know we would stand and fight if we need to and as for the Medallion, walk with me I'll lead you to the throne room and give it to you."

"Thank you my old friend."

-

At Death Mountain, Fox has flown into the summit of the volcano, figuring it is the fastest route to the Fire Temple.

"Watch out, Link. Here I come."

-

At Ganon's Castle, Ganondorf and Scales are standing on the top balcony looking over Hyrule.

"Scales, our plans are fulfilling just fine. I made a deal of that wretched Wolf O'Donnell at your request."

"Trust me, Ganon. He despises Fox almost as much as me and giving him a reward like freedom to wreck havoc as soon as we rule the universe is just icing on his cake. Trust me he will keep the Star Fox team on their toes."

"Even still, I am glad we have two new mercenaries at our disposal."

The Dark Link comes and stands next to Ganondorf. While a figure all in black with a cape and a staff in hand comes next to Scales. The figure pulls the hood off of her head revealing her long blue hair and green eyes that have now a red hint to them.

"My dear," Scales looks down at the transformed Krystal. "What is your name?"

A low growl comes out of what used to be the sweet kindhearted Krystal, "Kursed."

Writer's Note: Sorry it took me so long to post a new chapter my new job sometimes makes me unable to write but I now have fresh ideas and more time to write and I am a writer of all Zelda and Star Fox fans if you have fresh ideas on what Link and Fox should do next or where you think it should go I want to hear it let your imagination run with it. That's what makes it FanFiction.