A/N: I've actually been thinking alot about this story lately, not sure why. But, here's chapter ten all, hope you enjoy it as much as i did writing it. I'll have chapter 11 done asap, in hopes of making up for the chapters of the stories i've missed though. Thanks for all the support through this troubling time all...
The footsteps in the darkness ~ SkullFox
-Chapter 10-
-Knowing-
Lament's eye fluttered open as he sat up, the operation was a success and there was only one doctor he knew of that could do it on the black market, then again the Link itself was black market. A new and improved eye to replace the one he'd lost; he slowly looked about to see the blurred image of the white clad animal that had conducted the surgery, as well as the blue vixen that stood nearby. The vixen helped him to his feet before turning toward the doctor; Lament was certain she was thanking him but, the aesthetics were still in his system and he could not properly make out her words. Hanging onto Kursed, Lament found himself trudging a short way through the streets before he was released onto the bed of a shall motel room…
"Well what happens now?" Kursed asked, "you seem pretty certain that Shears is watching your bank accounts so he can pinpoint you."
Lament lightly nodded, "We'll have to look up a job, something very low profile, small…something here in town."
Kursed sighed, "I noticed a bounty board outside that doctor friend of yours's place. I'll go check there, most people around here know me well enough to know better than messing with me."
Lament half chuckled, "Yeah, just be careful okay. There are a lot of weird mother fuckers in this city."
Kursed chuckled, "There's a weirder one in this room," She replied causing him to smile, "by the way, why would you wait until now to have that eye replaced?"
Lament shook his head, "S'not that easy. Tests had to be run, diagnostics, scans…same thing that has to be done with all Links. Difference is that your optic nerves are a lot more complicated than others…it's taken some time for Doc to put the data together and get the procedure underway. My only problem at this point will be learning the Link's finger points."
Kursed nodded, "Alright. I'm going to that bounty board I should be back in just a few minutes okay?"
Lament nodded, "Yeah, just be careful. If something does manage to happen to you, I'm gonna have to kill someone and we'll have to look for a new place to hide." He chuckled.
The vixen walked toward the door swaying her hips unknowingly as, over the years, she'd developed a rather enticing way of walking, "Don't worry about me. I'll be discrete." She chuckled leaving the half sedated fox alone.
"If that's discrete, my last name's Oinkeny…"
Kursed made her way back to the Doc's office; she was curious why it was he was simply called Doc in the area, as it seemed to be used as a name not a profession, but, that was far from her reason for leaving the motel. She lowered her head in thought as she walked through the dark, dimly lit streets of Undercity; rather her thoughts were of how she could tell Lament who she really was. He clearly didn't seem to notice, then again, as she recalled the last time she saw her reflection in a mirror, she wouldn't have recognized herself, much the less expected him to. She wondered why it was that she seemed to always be thinking about the animal that broke her heart all those years back; often asking herself if the things she'd said to Fox back then had been justified. They weren't, at least not to her, nothing he could have done could have forced him to deserve the sort of treatment that she'd given him. Shaking off her thoughts the vixen looked about the area; the streets here were always dark, and dank, carrying the smell of stagnant water and undisposed garbage. It wasn't uncommon in Undercity to catch the smell of rotting flesh as well, most of the time a mugging would go unnoticed for ages, and even after was mostly ignored. Most of the buildings in Undercity were much smaller than other skyscrapers, nothing in this place ever reached more than five stories, and it was constantly humid…
The vixen shook the sweat from her head as she looked over the message board in front of her. She was actually amazed that they still used a bulletin board and tacks. Most places had a small Holo-screen that displayed small representations of bounty posters. Several things stuck out; a rat wanted for laundering money, that was nothing new the rats from Rittera, hell that seemed to be all they knew…money. A ferret who's poster looked a little suspicious. He looked like he was still a young teenager, and on top of that, his picture looked as though he was scared half to death. His light green eyes seemed to beg any looking at the image for help, and his crime was a bit unusual…
"Little young for Capital Murder isn't he?" She asked herself folding up the poster and stuffing it into her pocket, "well if there's more behind his crime that they're not realizing maybe there'll be a bigger reward."
The vixen's body suddenly went stiff as she shook violently for a moment; her legs gave out and her body fell to the floor. Standing over her was a white furred rat, who held a small baton in his hand; it's tip pulsing with an arc of blue electricity. He seemed slightly happy with himself as he looked down on her and smiled…
"Nothing like a normal stun gun is it bitch?" He asked jabbing the thing into her rubs causing her body to flail about the floor a bit before he relented, "temporary paralysis. You know Mojan's little brother's been looking for you for a while now…and I still own you for what you did to my little cousin Garex."
As she looked around she could see a short, stout young wolverine that eyed her for a moment before tearing her shirt open, "Wow…now that's a nice set o' tits." He chuckled gripping one of the soft mounds roughly, "we have any time to play before we hand her ass over? I really wouldn't mind be'n able to say I made this bitch howl."
A young wolf that stood to his life chuckled, "Can't blame you there…" He said, "…whaddaya think Mark?"
The rat chuckled as he stepped forward pressing the tip of the baton to her breast before pulling the trigger causing her body to go into another fit, "I think we've got time. Take her back to the den."
Lament rolled his neck as he stood up; he'd decided to work the sedative out of his system with a bit of light exercises. However, something began to bother him. He knew she wouldn't like him bothering her, or treating her like a child but, with his two swords and his revolver, Lament headed out into the streets. However as he reached the bounty board he slid his sword holster over his shoulder, while he placed the other at his side. Something light on the air caught his sense of smell; he could smell Kursed, but, he could also smell burnt fur. As he looked back to the ground he noticed a small drop of blood, it was very small, possibly from a light cut or something but, the drip was steady. He dipped his finger in the fluid before holding it to his nose…
"Hmmm…clever girl," He said, "must have got the jump on her when she was at the bounty board, and hit her with a taser of some kind. I'd imagine that kind of electrical current would drive her telepathy completely bonkers. This has been a really bad week for me."
With that Lament rushed off in the direction of the blood trial, in some places it seemed to thin out a bit but, it picked back up. The trail led far away from the motel, far off into the streets, and into another sector of the place, Sector 5. This was the place where only the most repugnant insults of life stayed. There were hardly any working lights here, and the people that lived here were deemed parasites…even residents of Undercity itself feared this part of it's own underbelly. The trial became lost for a moment, causing Lament to look about until it picked up again which led him to a small building. It would have easily been overlooked by anyone, spare the fact that it was the only building in that direct area that had any real lights on. Looking through a small crack in the wall of the building, Lament scouted the whole scene. Kursed lay on her back, suspended in mid air by a sort of hammock that only covered the space from her lower back to her shoulders. There was a gag in her mouth that she bit down on tightly. A younger, but, slightly tall wolf stood over her, mashing her breasts together while rubbing himself between them; and at her other end a wolverine's face was lost between her thighs. There was a fury in her eyes that he'd not seen in ages, it was the same look she had every time she'd promised to take his life. It was of course as he stood there that a white furred figure blocked the whole while holding a small communicator to his ear…
"Actually Verne, my boys are having a bit of fun with her right now…" He said, "…don't worry. She killed Mojan right? Well you have my word that she'd be alive when you get here. She'll be one sore piece of ass, but, she'll be alive…" He paused for a moment, "…so there's no change in the price then? More? Beaten too huh? Can't see why not. Every hole we can get into huh? Sure thing…" He said flipping the communicator shut.
As he stood there Kursed looked to the rat disgustedly, only to watch the point of a blade burst through the right side of his chest. He opened his mouth to say something, but, his punctured lung wouldn't allow it. As the wolverine and wolf looked to him, a second length of metal shot from his mouth before they both retracted causing the lip rodent to fall to the ground. The wolf quickly pulled up his pants and rushed for his gun, before he looked back to the wolverine…
"If anyone other than me comes in here…" He said, "…kill the bitch."
As he walked out of the building there was a light sound; the sound of a blade breaking the air and a rush of liquid striking the ground before the door opened. Lament slowly stepped inside holding a bloody sword in one hand, while his other kept a revolver tracked on the wolverine's head. The young wolverine quickly whipped the pistol in his hand toward Kursed only to have a bullet tear the weapon from his hand. As he slowly backed away he began patting himself down for a weapon, while Lament holstered his gun. The young animal almost looked like he was going to beg before Lament unsheathed his other sword tossing it to him. Kursed watched as the wolverine shot forward swiping and thrusting the weapon at Lament's face. Each blow was blind however, and the fox easily dodged them swaying one blow after the other until a flick of his wrist drove the point of his sword into the animal's left thigh. With a howl of pain, the wolverine thrust his weapon at Lament. In an instant reprisal, Lament snatched the wolverine's wrist, stripping the weapon from his grip, and driving it through his right thigh, leaving him to stagger back against the wall before Lament reached over to Kursed and unfastened the gag that she quickly spit out…
"You okay?" He asked.
"I've been better…" Kursed replied, "…I'm just glad you got here when you did," She said as he untied her hands which had been placed behind her back, "least you didn't give any of them a chance to finish."
As she stood up the vixen reached to Lament's side pulling his revolver; and without warning approached the wolverine laying a single shot into his crotch before tossing the gun back to Lament. As the wolverine slid down into a seated position screaming in agony; Kursed placed a foot on the wound, using her foot as leverage before tearing the swords free of his thighs. Which she then returned to Lament…
"What about him?" Lament asked as he looked to the still screaming wolverine.
Kursed huffed, "Fuck him…"
Lament scoffed, "Fair enough. You sure you're alright?"
"I'll be fine." She said wiping some blood from her lip.
Lament removed his own shirt handing it to her, "You know, I think you're the only person I've ever met that would bit a hole in your own lip to leave a blood trial for me to follow," He said looking to her lip as she slid on his shirt, "that's gonna need some stitches."
"It'll be fine…" The vixen said.
"Yeah, stupid me…" Lament said, "…Cerinians are fast healers. I guess this proves that we've both got enemies everywhere though."
The vixen sighed as she leaned against him, "Listen, I wanna thank you. I was a little lost in thought today or they never would have gotten the drop on me like that."
As they approached the motel Lament sighed, "Look, I've grown pretty fond of having you around. I'm not about to let some stupid bastards have their way just because you're wanted."
As they entered the room, Lament found a place to sit while he cleaned his blades, and Kursed went through their gear gathering up some clothes before tossing Lament his shirt. On her way to the bathroom the vixen froze, "Lament…" She asked halfway through the door, "…do you…do you love me?"
The large fox ran a cloth over one of his blades wiping it clean, nodding as he did so, "Yeah," He replied looking to her, "even after I promised myself I'd never love anyone again. I love you…probably more than I deserve to." He said looking to the floor.
"Lament…" The vixen called causing him to look at her smiling face, "…care to join me? Shower can get kind of lonely."
Lament chuckled as he slid his blade into it's scabbard, "What kind of idot would pass on an offer like that?"
Some time Later…
Jamie held up a small LED lamp illuminating the dark area that Sydney had lead her to. The small shack was nothing impressive, but, as the crocodile knelt before the corpse of a young wolf, he developed an uncertain look. The torso of the lupine had been cut through from his left shoulder splaying him in half diagonally. Not caring about the blood Sydney rolled the torso about so he'd have a better look at the wound…
"Something odd?" Jamie asked.
"You could say that," He replied signaling for her to kneel with him, "Look at this…" He said rubbing his finger over a severed bone, "ribs, collarbone, muscle, lung, spine…right through. Clean cut all the way."
As they entered the shack Jamie looked about, "What's the story?"
Sydney looked around, examining it inch by inch; clues were everywhere, holes where two blades had come through the wall, a small pistol with a bullet hole in it's handle, a bondage swing with a nearby ball gag. It took him a few moments before he stood up and took off his hat rubbing his scaly scalp before turning to Jamie…
"Kay…'ere's what happen…" He said, "…these two blokes, Kursed and Lament. Hurt'n real bad, Shears has a squeeze on they're accounts. They need money and they need it fast. Female leave the place they were staying long enough to check that bounty board we passed; but, when she don't come back…Lament gets really fuck'n twitchy. He comes, finds the blood that led him 'ere just like it did me…" He said looking to the gear, "…blokes were having a little fun with the sheila. That's when this bastard 'ere…" He said kicking the dead rat lightly, "…gets it in the back through that wall…" He said pointing to the wall with the blade holes in it, "…this one says behind to watch the girl…" He said pointing to the wolverine, "…that poor bastard outside never sees it coming, gets his as soon as the door closes. This part 'ere is what confuses me though…" He said looking to the wolverine, "…steps in…" He said pointing his finger like a gun, "…bang. Take's the bloke's weapon out of his hand, most likely threaten'n to shoot the girl…stabs the fuck in both legs…blows his sack off….just leaves him to bleed out."
The vixen looked everything over, "No it does make sense. Revenge, he's in love with her. They were either raping her, or about to." She said, "anything else?"
"
Sydney shook his head, "Nah…no tracks," He said placing his hat back on his head, "if I had to say so I'd say Lament's had Black Ops train'n. Viper most likely. No tracks, no clues, no hesitation. Just dead then gone. Our best bet is to find out whether or not they took a poster from that bounty board," He said, "till then we're flying blind. Right now we just go find another bounty board and compare what jobs are on which."
Jamie sighed, "Where to then?"
Sydney sighed, "Most of the jobs that are posted down 'ere are from up there…" He said pointing up, "…so first we're gonna go and get me a burger then we're gonna find us a bounty board. Then we'll find our target. Sound good to you?"
Jamie chuckled, "I am a little hungry…and who's to say we won't just find them wherever we stop?"
Sydney shook his head as they left the room, the bodies would be long rotten and half eaten by vermin and such before the authorities or anyone else, would ever notice the scene…
Lament sat in the lobby of another motel, this time a bit further form Sector 5; they couldn't risk staying in one place, or one room for too long. One night seemed like enough, and after a short process the two found themselves in their new room. It was much larger than their last room, and the beds were much better and softer than the last place. It was as he sat there that he examined the two blades he carried; they reminded him of a time before all the drinking, before everything became such a blur that he couldn't see anymore. He remembered what it was like to be the envy of every person he passed, not the subject of their slings and arrows. Turning his attention to the vixen that lay beside him, he began to study her face. The way she slept however, she did not look like the Kursed that he knew. She was sleeping on her side, the side of her muzzle that housed the long jagged scar was placed onto the blankets, and her long hair was caught under her resting body. It was as he brushed back a bit of her hair from her face that he couldn't help but utter a single word…
"Krystal…" The word barely fell from his lips.
The vixen's eyes fluttered a bit but, she did not wake, instead she rolled over in her sleep uttering a single word as well, "Fox…"
***Flashback***
"Fox please…" A young teary eyed vixen begged.
A much younger Fox McCloud turned away from her, "I've been distracted by you too many times Krystal. It's already nearly cost me and Falco our lives. This is a war and I can't let you endanger anyone else."
Krystal reached out to him, "But Fox…I love you."
Fox hesitated to reply as he simply stood there gently pulling his shoulder away from here…
"Fox?" Krystal said, "If you want me to leave that badly turn around, look me in the eye, and tell me seriously that you don't love me…"
Fox instantly shot about meeting her young blue eyes with a steely expression, "I don't love you Krystal, and you're a danger to everyone on this team. So you should leave before someone gets hurt…."
***End Flashback***
Lament shot upright so quickly and suddenly that the bed itself didn't move in a way that would wake the sleeping vixen, and he quickly turned before backing into the wall. It couldn't be, not after everything they'd been through. Why hadn't she said anything? Clearly she knew, how could she not? His breathing grew so erratic that the was forced to grip his chest, it felt like his entire life to this point had been nothing but one elaborate setup. All this time his story and her's had coincided so well that he had only mistaken it for a chance, after all he was so used to strange things happening to him that he didn't even notice. It was as he looked on her that he simply couldn't take the stress of what he was feeling and rushed out the door…
The tall building he found to sit on was only a small bit larger than the motel in which they were currently staying. He'd always found that high places set his mind at ease for some reason, but, right now there was no solace to what his young mind was going through. He still couldn't believe it; there was a good chance that it was all in his head but, he knew better. There was no telling how long he was sitting there before he heard the sound of very light footsteps behind him, causing him to look to the nearly blank surface of the ceiling above him where small white spots dotted the space above them…
"When they first built Undercity there was this artist…don't remember his name," He said, "painted the entire ceiling of this place to look like the sky."
"Lament?" Kursed said with a bit of worry in her voice, "What are you doing up here?"
"I've always been able to think better when I'm off the ground," He replied before looking back to her, "I'm sorry…"
The vixen approached him, "Oh Lament don't go blaming yourself for that, it wasn't the first time anyone's tried that sort of thing with me."
Lament looked at her, not with the eyes of the animal she now knew, but with the eyes of the animal that had saved her life all those years ago on Sauria…
"I'm so, sorry. For everything…" He said turning his head and looking down off the tower, "…I should never have pushed you away like that," He running his forearm over his eyes, "I…I just didn't know any other way. I never should have said anything like that…I just still can't believe that it's been you this whole time."
The vixen smiled as she knelt beside him wrapping her arms around him, "Fox…I wanted to tell you, but, I just didn't want you to think I'd been avoiding it. I was just afraid of what you'd have said." She said tightening her grip around his neck, "when I came back looking for you, I heard that Lament killed you, I was furious. I swore that I'd kill him…but…"
The fox shook his head, "Fox McCloud and Lament can't coexist," He said, " If people were to learn who I really am, it would ruin everything. I can't explain what it is about being Lament….but, when I was at the end of my rope, and didn't want to live anymore…being Lament, it gave me reason again. That old man was right…if you hold out long enough, Lament will make everything right again." He said embracing her tightly, "and I swear…I'll never let you go again."
They would loose track of the time that they spent there in each other's arms, after what seemed like ages they were together. Problems would arise that neither of them were ready to face, but, together they would either rise against them, or die together, they was it was always meant to be…
Falco stepped out of his small ship, it had been a bit of a convenience as Creed proved to know some things about ship maintenance. It turned out that the massive young fox was once a pilot before the loss of his arms…luckily for him the military project that he'd signed for so graciously replaced them. It was as the large fox stepped out of the ship that Falco noticed the frayed and tattered ends and seams of the trenchcoat that he wore…
"Creed…" He said, "…small question…"
Creed chuckled, "Lil' sister was a seamstress for a while. When she made the coat for me, she said that there was love in every stitch and that I'd keep me alive whenever I wore it. I was suggested not to wear it when…" He paused, "…the day of the accident. When I woke up, doctors said that some of the seam work came loose in the crash, bound up my arms pretty tightly. Apparently if I hadn't been wearing this coat…I woulda bled to death. Since then it goes where I go." He sighed, "I suppose I'll have it repaired some day, but, only if Lia agrees to do the work for me."
Falco nodded, "Fair enough…" He replied, "…ever been here Creed?"
Creed looked about the hanger, it was filthy, unmaintained, and drab. Vermin of all kinds scurried across the floor, and old oil drums were left leaking all over the place, "Yeah…I know Undercity well enough."
Falco nodded, "Good…cuz we're gonna have to split up. You know what Kursed looks like?"
"Not really, don't fallow the news that often." Creed replied.
"Blue furred vixen, kidna hard to miss," Falco replied, "you see hide or hair of her, call me and I'll come running. I have to talk to her before she manages to realize that we're following her. Cuz if she does she may panic, and either run…or worse, turn and fight."
"Why's that worse?" The large fox asked.
The blue avian chuckled, "Imagine the best martial artist you've ever seen; then imagine for one moment that this fighter can read every move you make before you make it."
Creed's eyes went wide for a moment, "Wow…that's pretty bad."
"Yeah," Falco replied, "just keep your eyes peeled."
The two quickly rushed off in separate directions, hoping that they'd find the two vulpine before they managed to leave the station. Something about the situation rested uneasily on Falco's stomach. Something bad was coming, and when the shit did finally hit the fan, so to speak, he would feel much safer with Fox and Krystal well informed…