Chapter 10
Fox walked out of the changing rooms, and saw Krystal, over by the towels, waiting for him. She was wearing a dark blue bikini that matched beautifully with her fur. It reminded him a lot of her Cerinian clothing. He himself was wearing dark green swimming trunks that matched with his emerald eyes. Krystal looked over at him, her mouth in a big grin, usual for her. He grinned back. "You ready to get wet?" he asked, playfully, a mischevious sparkle, gleaming in his eyes.
"Well, let's see, I have my bathing suit on, and I brought my towel with me. Hmm... I'm not really sure, Fox. What do you think?" Krystal asked, pretending think it over.
"I think, you're going in either way," Fox said, before scooping Krstal up in his arms. Krystal yelped in surprise as she felt Fox's strong arms lift her up from the ground. "What's the matter? Scared that the water will be cold?" Fox teased, as he walked over to the water.
"Of course, Fox. How did you know?" Krystal answered, sarcastically.
"I guess I have talent," Fox said, shrugging as he played along with Krystal. He was now wading in the crystal clear water of the Cornerian seashore. He shivered, as the water was freezing.
"Talent, eh? I really didn't notice," Krystal said, sticking her tongue out at Fox. Fox feigned a look of hurt.
"And after I carried you all the way out here, into the cold sea. You know, you're not the lightest person, either," he said. Krystal suddenly seemed to get the meaning of Fox's statement.
"No, Fox, you know I didn't mean it," Krystal said, in a pleading sort of way. Fox shivered, and stopped in the water, now below his waist.
"I know you didn't mean it, but my arms are a little tired," Fox said, he trying to hide a small smile. "Besides, it's my turn to get back at you."
"No... Fox, ple-," she stopped in mid sentence, before yelping as she felt the water engulf her in coldness. She swam back up, quickly, feeling her furry head break through the surface. Looking up, she saw Fox laughing, and she couldn't help, but laugh a lilttle too.
"You..." she said before jumping up, and tackling Fox, pushing him into the water. After a few moments, he came up, spluttering, and gasping for air. Krystal smiled and tried to look innocent as Fox shivered again.
"'Note to self:'," Fox said, pretending to be writing something down in a notebook that was really his palm. "'Never bring Krystal to beach when water is freezing'," he continued. "'Or there may be a possibility of cold, wet fur.' Wait, lemme correct that," he said pretending to scribble something out. "'Or there is a one hundred percent possibility of cold, wet fur.' Yeah, that looks better," Fox said. Krystal covered her mouth with her paws, trying to contain her giggles.
"What?" Fox asked, pretending to look completely clueless.
"Nothing, nothing," Krystal said, shivering in the water. "You know, the water is a bit cold," Krystal said. "Don't you think, Fox?" Krystal asked.
"Yeah," Fox said in reply to Krystal's question. "Let's get out before we make ourselves sick," he said, already starting for the shore. Krystal followed quickly behind him.
"I'll pay," said Falco handing forty credits to the waitress who grabbed them greedily and walked away while counting them.
"Thanks...,'' said Katt awkwardly.
Falco smirked. "You're paying next time," he said while standing up, then after waiting for Katt to stand up, he walked out of the restaurant, she following him. "Where do you wanna go next?" Falco asked, continuing to walk down the street, filled with the many other civilains.
"I don't know, wherever you wanna go Falco, since you paid for the food," Katt said, walking next to Falco.
"You know, I really don't know where I wanna go," Falco said, smiling despite the awkward situation they were in. Katt shrugged, and kept walking.
"Help... help...!" Katt turned around and she saw a tiger running towards Falco and her. Panicked, he started yelling at Falco. "Mr. Lombardi! Wait... please help!" the tiger yelled falling on his knees in front of Falco.
"What is it?" Falco asked, looking down at the tiger who was sobbing on his knees and wringing his hands. A few civilains that had been walking past them stopped to watch the scene that was unfolding in front of them.
"My daughter!" he gasped sobbing. "They've taken her! They took her! Oh creator please have mercy!" he yelled before passing out. Loud whispering broke out around the threesome.
"What the hell?" said Katt looking at the tiger on the ground in front of them. Falco started pushing his way through the crowd, going in the direction the tiger had come from. "Where are we going?" Katt asked, following.
"To help the poor guy of course," said Falco, not much to the surprise of Katt.
"Now that was relaxing," said Fox, climbing onto his gleaming red motorcycle.
"Yeah," said Krystal climbing on behind Fox. "Do you think we'll be able to solve the mystery now that we're all rested up?" asked Krystal playfully.
"'Course we can! After all, we are the best team of mercenaries around!" said Fox, turning the ignition key. Krystal smiled and hung on as the hover motorcycle lifted about half a foot off the ground.
"Where to now?" Fox asked before backing the motorcycle out of the parking space.
"How about the Cornerian Riverwalk," said Krystal.
"That's a good idea," responded Fox. "But first let's drop off our wet bags so we won't have to deal with them," said Fox. Krystal nodded and Fox smiled, then backed the motorcycle out of the parking spot.
"Where are you?" James asked after Fox had answered his COM unit.
"We're going to the park," replied Fox. "We just stopped by the house, but you weren't there." continued Fox. "Where were you?"
James suddenly looked as though he was a little boy who had just been caught stealing a cookie out of the cookie jar. "Oh... Well, I don't know where to start. You guys have a good time at the park," said James hurriedly before hanging up.
"What the hell is up with him?" Fox said, thinking aloud. "He's been acting so strange ever since he came back," Fox said bitterly.
"Fox, I've been meaning to tell you that I think I know why your father has been acting so weirdly, almost as if he were afraid of you finding something out," said Krystal quietly, almost sadly.
"What is it, Krystal?" Fox said urgently, remembering that she had also been trying to tell him before they had left for the mission on Fortuna.
"It's because-" Krystal was suddently caught off when a black van with blasting rap music from the opposite lane made a quick U-Turn in the middle of both the lanes, causing Fox to brake suddenly.
"Is that guy drunk or what?" Fox yelled over the sound of cars honking.
"Fox look!" Krystal yelled pointing to the sidewalk where a tiger was turning the corner, screaming in panic. "I wonder what happened..." Krystal thought aloud.
"Yeah, me too, but hopefully, we'll find out in a little while," Fox said with a quick grin before releasing his foot from the brake, and stomping on the accelorator. Krystal had only a moments notice to tighten her grip around Fox's waist. Fox swerved in between the traffic that was slowed by the van that was also trying to get through as quickly as possible. In a quick second, the van cut through a couple of lanes to get to the entrance of the highway, and Fox followed through the same path that the van had cut through.
"Are you stupid, Fox?" Krystal yelled over the roar of the motor. "We're on a motorcycle for God's sake! You're gonna get us killed!" Fox didn't answer, but continued to catch up quickly with the van until they were right behind it. "Now what are we gonna do now?" Krystal yelled.
"You know, I hadn't thought of that," Fox answered after a quick moments thought. "I guess we should just follow them until they get to wherever they're going," Fox continued.
"Okay, just keep a bit back or else they might notice we're following," said Krystal, close to Fox's ear, or else it would be impossible for him to hear her because of the blasting music coming from the van.
"You got it," Fox answered. "Holy shit!" he yelled almost right after he had finished the previous statement, and he swerved into the lane to the right of them. Sounds of gun shot rung in Krystal's ears as Fox swerved again, back to the lane behind the van. Cars around them started honking, and some animals braked trying to get out of the highway through 'Exits'.
"Keep low!" Fox yelled to Krystal, still trying to follow the kidnappers, but starting to break so they wouldn't be in the direct path of the lasers from the blaster.
"Are you kidding me?" Krystal yelled. "Someone's gonna get killed!"
"Just keep low!" Fox said again, keeping the van in view.
"Damnit, you're an idiot," Krystal said, partly to herself, but following Fox's directions.
The van didn't try to shoot Fox and Krystal again, and Krystal thought it was because the guys who kidnapped the girl when they made the U-Turn were probably drunk, or on drugs, so they hadn't noticed that they were still following them, even if they weren't that far behind.
Finally after what seemed like forever, the van exited out of the highway, and into a small road that led into the forest. It looked dark and eerie inside, and before entering Fox hesitated slightly, but kept going, and still the animals inside the van didn't shoot at Fox and Krystal. Soon, the van pulled into the driveway of an old run-down looking mansion. It could've been a haunted house.
The animals inside the van, a tall thin rat, a short chubby raccoon, and a muscular looking lion; got out of the van. The lion was holding a small little tiger girl. Fox and Krystal could hear her whimpering in fear.
Fox kept going straight, on the road, since he had no other choice, only at about five miles per hour. The four animals looked as Fox and Krystal drove by. The rat smiled at them, but it was an odd sort of smile.
(AN: I haven't done anything to do this in forever, but, my creative streak is back after these couple of years, so I will continue! I've uploaded what I have of this chapter, just so you guys know I am not dead, and still remember. Once I'm done with the rest of it, I'll state so in my profile, and I'll just delete the chapter, and re-add it.