Ajax awoke from his long slumber after hearing a knock on the door, feeling something warm laying across his chest. Looking down, he saw that it was Miyu sleeping peacefully on his chest, a content smile on her face. Hearing the knock again, he decided to answer.
"Who is it?"
"It's Krystal. We've arrived at Corneria, and there are huge crowds of people wanting to see all of us!"
He groaned, not wanting to be a part of Pepper's celebration. If there was one things he was tired of, it was doing... anything. All he wanted to do was lay in bed with Miyu all day. He felt as though he deserved it, especially since he had helped end a war that wasn't even his own.
"No thanks. I'll just stay in here."
Apparently, Krystal wasn't going to have that shit, as she swung the unlocked door open and rapidly approached Ajax.
"No, you aren't. Get up, both of you." Krystal ordered.
When Ajax shooed her away, she pulled off the blanket and shook Miyu awake. When Miyu opened her eyes, she covered herself up and pushed Krystal away.
"What the hell are you doing in here, Krystal?"
"I want you to get up. Fox informed me that there is a celebration for us going on across Corneria, and I don't want any of us to miss it."
Miyu immediately shot up out of bed, quickly throwing on a shirt and heading to the door.
"That's all you have to say! Come on, Ajax! We have fans that want to see us!" Miyu said excitedly before running out the door after putting her shorts on.
Ajax let out a sigh and got out of bed, putting his armor on before heading out the door. He then looked back at Miyu's flask and grabbed it, placing it in his quantum storage unit. He headed to the common area where everyone, including the Cornerians they rescued, were getting ready, Krystal in tow, and spotted Miyu in the kitchen. Heading over to her, he saw that she was making breakfast with her parents.
"Can you believe it, honey? A celebration for our little girl and her friends!" Akari said with a massive grin on her face.
Kido shook his head as he flipped an egg onto his plate.
"Hardly. I remember her as my baby girl, so it's hard to believe she's a hero of the Lylat!" he said.
Kido then spotted Ajax and smiled up at him, wrapping Ajax in a friendly hug, complete with a hard pat on the back.
"Ajax! How are you doing?"
Ajax gave a smile of his own to Kido, looking over to Miyu and letting out a sigh of content.
"I'm doing fantastic, Mister Lynx. It feels good to have helped end something as terrible as a war."
Kido chuckled and released Ajax, turning around and making another plate of eggs and toast, which he handed to Ajax.
"That's good to hear. Here you go, Ajax. Oh, and you can call me Kido. We're all friends, right?"
Ajax nodded, taking the plate from Kido and following the lynx into the common area to a couch, Falco reading a magazine as he ate. Falco gave a small wave to Ajax and Kido as they sat down, receiving a wave in turn. Miyu and Akari followed the men, taking a seat near them. Ajax went to take a bite of his breakfast when his suit informed him of an incoming message. Looking at his holo-pad, Ajax could see he had received a message from Krieg.
"Ajax, large crowds are gathered in the city. Reason?"
He quickly typed out an answer, letting Krieg know the good news.
"A celebration for ending the war."
Sending the message, Ajax went to take a bite of his food when Akari tapped him on the shoulder. Shoveling the bite in his mouth, he turned to Akari and motioned for her to continue.
"I just wanted to know about before. You asked Miyu to follow you and then we didn't see you again for the night."
Ajax swallowed and glanced over to Miyu, who just shrugged. He could see Krystal watching him from the kitchen, giving him a semi-glare. Ajax rolled his eyes at Krystal, turning back to Akari with his answer.
"Well, I thought about your question, and with some, ah, 'encouragement' from Krystal, I can say that yes, I am not only interested in Miyu, but... I'm her significant other."
Immediately, Akari wrapped her arms around him and squealed, and Kido looked incredibly relieved.
"Finally! I've been waiting to hear that for so long! I knew my girl would find someone eventually. And just look at who it was! A big, handsome hero of the Lylat, fitting only for our own beautiful hero."
Ajax smiled, seeing Miyu give a smile of her own. Looking at Krystal, he could see her nod her head in approval.
'As if I needed her approval anyway.' Ajax thought.
Though, it was because of her that he had actually gotten with Miyu. Perhaps he should thank her...
Ajax finished his breakfast quickly and headed over to Krystal, who was a bit confused as Ajax approached.
"Yes, Ajax?"
He smiled at the blue Vixen and gave her a quick hug, patting her on the back.
"I just wanted to say thank you for being so stubborn. If it weren't for you, I would have made a decision I would have regretted."
Krystal was stunned, not believing that Ajax would actually thank her. She did not feel as though she really deserved a "thanks", but she would accept it.
"Not a problem. Anything for my friends."
Ajax released Krystal and turned to leave the kitchen, seeing Fox poke his head into the common area for a moment.
"Hey everyone! We'll be landing in the dock in just a moment, so be ready. These people really want to see all of you, so let's get out there and celebrate with 'em!"
That sounded good to Ajax. It was nice to have been part of the end of a war, even if it wasn't a victory for the Union. He knew that the war had been coming to an end, but he also suspected the Confederacy had something else up their sleeve. Judging by the weapon that sent them to the Lylat in the first place, that was exactly the case. He doubted humanity would ever know peace. War was something humans did best.
They had perfected it. They were molded by it. They lived for it. When there was no war, there was talk of war. If there was no talk of war, then there was tension that led to war. Humanity could not know peace, even when they claimed to be in the search for it.
It was the reality of Ajax's world. But he wasn't in the realm of humanity any longer. Perhaps... he could know peace. True peace.
"Are you alright, Ajax?"
Turning around, Ajax saw Eva standing behind him. She held a look of concern on her face, and was wearing the fur pelts she had first been seen with.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just can't believe I'm seeing the end of a war, y'know?"
Eva nodded her head, wrapping herself tighter in the pelts.
"I understand. Even on my home planet, the war affected us. Fortunately, we were mostly self-sustaining, but there were still those that had to join the fight to survive."
This came as no surprise to Ajax, who had seen a few Spliced fight during his time in the army. During his second deployment, he had sat next to a canine Spliced on the dropship they had arrived in. The man had come from the planet Nikada, a sparsely populated world in the Milky Way's side systems. The man survived the battle, but Ajax did not know his fate, as Ajax was soon deployed elsewhere.
"Yeah... At least we'll finally see some peace, right? You probably deserve it the most. You're a kind person, and had a streak of bad luck."
Eva smiled, breaking eye contact in embarrassment.
"Thank you, Ajax. I'm glad I have had the pleasure of meeting all of you, especially because you saved me."
Ajax didn't need thanks. Ivan had been the one to save her, and had been captured or even killed because of it. Ajax would likely have never found Eva. But even if he had, it was the right thing to do. He did not do what he did because he expected some kind of payment or compensation for his efforts. He did it because he had made it his duty to protect those who were innocent and could not defend themselves.
"It was no problem. It was the just the right thing to do."
Fox came back into the common area, getting everyone's attention.
"Alright, everyone. We've landed, so get out there and enjoy yourselves. That's an order." Fox joked.
Miyu shot up from her seat, putting away her plate before rushing to the door.
"Let's go, Ajax! I wanna have some fun."
Ajax followed Miyu out the door and headed to exit the ship, everyone else on the ship following him out with Fox escorting Oikonny in restraints. When Ajax stepped out of the Great Fox, he could hear the sounds of cheering as well as music. He could see that he was, in fact, in a ship dock of some kind, with large crowds surrounding it. He saw the Crimson Tide had landed in the space next to the Great Fox, and the other humans were leaving the ship.
The Rangers were not wearing their helmets, and Luke looked as though he had gotten a proper shave, as well as a better haircut. Ajax could also see that Sergeant Raicher was fairly dark-skinned with a full beard and buzz-cut, having a small burn scar on his cheek. Milo was observing his surroundings, taking in the city while Damien laughed as he told a story.
"-and so I told the toad dude to stay there while I went to deactivate the turret, which I now know was left on by Janine, and was about to turn the thing off when Eva pointed out the escaping transports. So, naturally, I blasted the fuckers out of the sky!"
Janine looked a bit embarrassed as Damien told about her mistake, but still laughed. When she saw Ajax, she waved to him and received a wave in return. She headed over to Ajax, a large smile adorning her features.
"Hey there! Krieg told us you said that this is some kind of celebration. How cool is this?" she asked, motioning to the crowds.
"Pretty cool, I suppose. It's nice to see the end of a war."
Janine nodded her head. The group headed to exit the dock to meet the crowds, Fox leading the way. When they made their way through the security, the guards immediately moving to let them through, the crowd cheered loudly. Standing at the front was General Pepper himself, the troops accompanying him taking Oikonny off of Fox's hands. The General approached Fox as Oikonny was taken away, presumably to prison.
"Fox McCloud! It's finally over thanks to you and your team. And all these people are here to thank you for it!"
Fox chuckled and shook Pepper's hand, turning to look back at Ajax.
"I can't take all the credit. Without the humans, this likely would have taken much longer. Without them, that massive ship of Oikonny's would have given Venom an advantage."
Pepper nodded his head and released Fox's hand before making his way over to the humans, who gave a respectful salute to Pepper.
"Thank you as well. Fox is right. This celebration is for you as well, and the people can't wait to thank you for your service. This war may not have been your own, but you are certainly heroes to the Cornerian people. We are indebted to you."
Ajax stepped forward looking down at Pepper with a smile.
"No thanks is necessary. We were merely paying back our debt to the Star Fox team. And based on what information I've gathered, it's clear that we were doing the right thing."
Pepper chuckled, holding his hand out for Ajax to shake.
"Either way, thank you. Please, enjoy yourselves today. You've earned it."
Ajax nodded his head, parting ways after shaking Pepper's hand. Meeting up with the others, Ajax waved to some of the people in the crowd. Then he heard a voice that he thought was a bit familiar.
"People of Corneria! Let's hear it for our heroes!"
Ajax looked around to see that there was someone on top of a small stage with a microphone of some kind. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was the panther woman that he signed the guitar of in Don's shop. The people cheered, and the Star Fox team and humans just smiled and waved. The rescued Cornerians headed to some CDF soldiers, who offered to bring them to their families.
It made Ajax smile to see that the soldiers would get to see their families again. They were lucky to have found them, and the soldiers were lucky to have been alive.
"Hey Ajax! Come on up here!"
Ajax froze. The woman was asking him to go up there with her. With a sigh, he shrugged his shoulders and went up with her. Once he was up, she put her arm around Ajax and spoke once again to the crowd.
"You all know Ajax, right?" she asked, the crowd cheering in response. "Well so do I! Good to see you again, Ajax! Now, all I wanted to ask was, do you have anything you want to tell the people?"
He thought for a moment, not entirely sure what he wanted to say. As the microphone was held to him to speak, he decided to just say what was on his mind.
"Of course. I've said it many times to my friends, but I want to say it again. I just can't believe that I'm finally seeing the end of a war. Back home, we do not know peace. But now, I look forward to a peaceful existence with the wonderful people of the Lylat. And should my services ever be required, I will always be there for those that need them. Thank you, Corneria."
With that, Ajax stepped down and met up with Miyu again, who was signing things for some fans. Miyu spotted him and rapidly approached him, clearly excited about something.
"I can't believe it! You know Luna Parks?"
Ajax just shrugged.
"I suppose I do. I met her at Don's shop, where I signed her guitar."
Miyu squealed, much to Ajax's surprise.
"What?" Ajax asked, legitimately confused.
"Well, she's only the most popular musician in the Lylat! Just by going to Don's shop, Don got a ton of attention that made her store successful! The fact that you know her is so cool! You gotta help me meet her!"
Ajax sighed, but supposed that he could do that. Nodding his head, he made his way back to Luna, who had picked up her unusual Cornerian guitar and was setting up an amplifier when she saw both Ajax and Miyu approaching her. She stopped what she was doing and smiled widely at the couple, leaning down to speak with them.
"Hey again. And is that... Miyu Lynx!? Wow! It's so great to finally meet you! Now I've met two of my heroes!"
Ajax wondered what Miyu was thinking at the moment.
Holy shit! She said I'm her hero! This is so fucking cool!
To her credit, she was incredibly calm and collected on the outside.
"Believe me, Luna... can I call you Luna?" Miyu asked, receiving a nod. "Well, I'm quite the fan of your work. That being said, I just had to meet you."
Luna smiled, flipping on her amplifier.
"Believe me, the pleasure is mine. Oh, and Ajax? If you ever get the chance..." Luna paused and blew a kiss at him before winking. "I'd like to... get to know you better."
Miyu froze for a moment, but quickly fixed the situation.
"Oh, sorry Luna, but he's taken." Miyu said, grabbing Ajax's hand.
This time, Luna froze. However, she quickly recovered and smiled at the two.
"I understand. Congrats, Miyu! You scored a good one." she said with a laugh. "Guess I'll have to find another."
She was a little disappointed, but Ajax could sense that she was more happy for Miyu than she was disappointed. Waving goodbye to the two, she stood up and started to play a song that Ajax thought was... alright. Miyu, however, absolutely loved the song. They rejoined their group, Miyu bobbing her head to the song that Luna played. It was almost like rock, but not exactly. It was hard to pinpoint the genre, but it was certainly unique.
Luke spotted Ajax and approached him, a concerned look on his face.
"Laskaris, I'm not quite sure what we're supposed to do here. This isn't exactly something we can just jump right into."
Ajax thought about what the Ranger said, and realized he was right. They didn't know the culture, nor did they know anything about the world at all. Ajax just shrugged, not knowing what to say. They were Rangers, so they would manage to survive a celebration. Hopefully.
Hearing a noise from behind him, Ajax turned around to see the news crew that had interviewed them before. The reporter gave a friendly smile and approached Ajax while the crew set up.
"Hello, Mister Laskaris. It's good to see you once again. We were just wondering if you would like to be interviewed?"
Ajax nodded his head, preparing his speaking voice, which was a clearer and less accented way of speaking.
"Of course. I'd be willing to answer any questions you might have."
"Excellent! All right, we'll be on in just a moment, so I hope you're ready."
Ajax nodded once again, waiting for the reporter to ask the questions. She looked to the camera and got a thumbs up from the feline cameraman. Letting out a deep sigh, the reporter got a large smile on her face and spoke to the camera.
"Good morning, Corneria City. We're downtown, where the people of Corneria are celebrating the end of the Lylat War. With us right now are the humans, the mysterious giants that helped us defeat Venom. Now, there are many questions to ask, but the best to start with is a simple one. Ajax Laskaris, how are you today?"
Ajax leaned in to be heard by the microphone the reporter held and looked into the camera.
"I'm doing just fine. I'm not sure if you heard when I was onstage with Miss Parks, but I'm mostly just glad to have been part of the end of a war."
The reporter looked back to the camera to speak, her smile never leaving her face.
"That's fantastic! Of course, there are many other questions that we have for you, if you don't mind. First, who are these new faces we see?"
Ajax turned around to the Rangers, who were standing nearby, as well as to Eva before turning back to the camera.
"The other humans are Rangers we found stranded on Fortuna, and a teenager named Damien. Because of the Rangers, Venom had difficulty gathering a large attack force. The other is Eva, a hybrid that we rescued. They're all fantastic people."
The reporter nodded, genuinely interested in the new people. However, she still had a job to do. Looking at a sheet of paper, she was about to ask the next question when she noticed something.
"I bet that they are. But I have noticed that your friend Ivan is not present. Why is that?"
Ajax was not expecting that question. What was he going to say? He supposed a half-truth couldn't hurt.
"Ivan is... missing in action. He disappeared during our mission to Fichina."
The entire news team gasped in shock. They sincerely felt bad for Ajax, as they knew that Ivan was Ajax's friend.
"I... I'm so sorry to hear that. We all hope that he is able to be found."
Then, Milo stepped forward, making himself heard.
"May I?" When he received a nod, he continued. "Hello, people of this system. I am Milo Ulvarrson, older brother to Ivan Ulvarrson. And Ivan, if you can somehow hear me, I want you to come back safe. To the others watching, I only ask that if he is... no longer with us, that you remember his sacrifice. Thank you."
The reporter nodded her head.
"Of course. The sacrifices that you have all made for us will not be forgotten."
There was a moment of silence as Milo bowed his head and left. Once Milo was gone, the reporter turned to Ajax once more to ask the next question.
"If you don't mind, we have another question for you. This question comes from quite a few people on social media. Recently, you were seen in Corneria City alone with Miyu Lynx. Many are wondering just what that was about."
Ajax turned to Miyu and saw her just give a small nod, so he turned back to the reporter with a smile.
"At the time, she was just showing me around the city. But since then,we've decided to become something... more. Sorry ladies, but I'm taken." Ajax said with a wink at the camera.
The reporter chuckled, looking back to the camera.
"Well I'm sure there will be many who are disappointed to hear that. Our next question is, what made you join our side of the war?"
"Easy. The Star Fox team rescued us on our stranded ship, so we repaid them by joining their missions. After doing research of our own on the Venomians, we saw similarities to our much-hated enemies back home, so we continued to fight for what we believed to be the right side."
Nodding, the reporter looked at her notes and let out a small sigh.
"Our final question is... will you ever go back home?"
Ajax shook his head, a sad look on his face.
"No. Even if we wanted to, we couldn't. We are not just from another system, or another galaxy. We're from an entirely different dimension. Surely, if we were from this dimension, our people would have colonized the rest of your galaxy by now."
Confused, the reporter asked another question.
"What do you mean, exactly?"
"The colonizing? Well, humans spread very quickly. It wouldn't take long to colonize this galaxy. Chances are, you'll get lucky and be allowed to keep your own worlds. However, there are some groups that may not allow such a thing."
The Confederacy certainly wouldn't. If you weren't Confederate, all their talks of 'freedom for all' suddenly go out the window.
"I see. Well, we're certainly fortunate that it was you who arrived, though I'm terribly sorry that you... cannot return home."
"Don't be sorry. We have had time to grieve and accept our situation. Because of that, we will gladly serve the Lylat again."
The reporter smiled wide and turned to the camera once more.
"Glad to hear it! Well, we don't want to keep you too long, so that's all for now. Thank you for your time, Mister Laskaris."
Ajax nodded his head and headed off with Miyu, who led the way to the rest of the group. Luna had begun playing a new song that Ajax liked a bit better than the last, and Miyu enjoyed it more as well. He thought it was cute how she bobbed her head to the song, and he himself found it to be a bit catchy. As they got closer to their friends, Ajax sensed someone approaching their location very fast. But he already knew who it was, so he just let them approach.
Then, Don tackled the unsuspecting Miyu, who immediately threw a punch at the young canine.
"Ow, fuck!"
"Don? Oh! I'm so sorry!"
Maybe he should have interfered.
"Nah, it's fine. Glad to see you again, Miyu!"
Nevermind?
Don helped Miyu up and received a more playful punch in the arm as she talked to Miyu about her day. Ajax didn't pay any mind to what she was saying, as it wasn't all that interesting. Instead, he payed more attention to Luna. He thought that Eva looked like her a bit, as they were both black panthers, at least somewhat. Looking around, he saw that Eva was busy hiding from the crowd as best she could. She was very timid, and he kind of felt bad for her. She had been dragged out to the celebration she wasn't actually ready for.
While Miyu talked to Don, he headed over to Eva to check on her. She was in the middle of the Rangers, who were all talking about data they gathered about Corneria. Ajax waved his hand to signal Eva to come over to him, so she did. Once she reached him, Ajax spoke to her in a soft tone.
"You look pretty stressed out, Eva. Are you alright? Do you want to go back to the ship?"
Eva shook her head at the last question, looking up at Ajax.
"I'm fine. Just... a little nervous. But I plan on staying at the celebration. I would hate to be alone for something like this, and I want everyone to enjoy themselves rather than just keep checking on me."
Ajax nodded and pat Eva on the shoulder, smiling at her.
"Well that's good to hear. Let's follow Fox. I'm sure he has plans."
Everyone in the group had the same idea, as they all followed Fox as he made his way through the crowds, people parting to let the group through. Every once in a while, someone would get one of them to sign something, or take a picture with them. Luna continued her song, but winked at Don, prompting Don to wave at the musician.
"Y'know, she's my favorite customer."
Ajax chuckled as Don waved enthusiastically at the musician. As he was focused on Miyu and Don, a pair of canine women got his attention, waving their hands wildly in his direction.
"Hey, Ajax! Why don't you come 'offer us your services', eh?" one of them asked.
Ajax was confused at first, but quickly realized what they meant and put his hand up, shaking his head.
"Sorry, ladies. But that'll be a no."
The women looked at each other, smiling and giggling as the second one spoke up.
"Will these change your mind?"
Before Ajax could react, the two lifted their shirts, flashing their breasts at Ajax, the man attempting to keep eye contact rather than stare at their exposed chests. Miyu was a bit upset at first, but calmed down as she remembered that they did not know of her relationship with Ajax. She made her way over to Ajax, who was still trying to explain to the adamant women that he wasn't interested.
"I'm flattered, but I already have someone."
"Oh yeah? Well is she willing to... join us, maybe?"
Miyu froze in her tracks, processing their question. Did they really ask something like that? Why would she do that when she wanted a serious relationship?
"No. It's not something I'd be willing to be a part of."
With a smirk, Miyu wrapped her arm around Ajax. More than anything, she was glad that he was willing to be so loyal. The women were certainly attractive, and Miyu thought that if she were a guy that she would have taken the offer. Maybe.
"Wait, you're with Miyu Lynx? Damn! Sorry Miyu!" one of the women said with a laugh.
"Yeah, he's with me. And don't bother apologizing. It's not a big deal."
They looked a bit embarrassed, but nodded.
"Man, I owe Dana money now! She always wins our bets. But thanks for not being mad. Anyway, best wishes, you two! You're my heroes!" the other woman said.
Miyu smirked at the two women as they backed down, leaving Ajax and Miyu alone. With that situation out of the way, the pair continued to follow after the rest of the group. Don waited up for them, as did Fay, who had grabbed a bag of food from a nearby vendor. Fay passed out the wrapped items of food while Miyu stared up at Ajax.
"Hey... they had some nice tits, right?" Miyu asked Ajax as a joke.
Rather than become uncomfortable, the man laughed a hearty laugh. Miyu was a bit surprised, as were the others, but Ajax continued to laugh for a short while longer before regaining his composure.
"That's pretty funny. I s'pose they were alright, but there's somethin' you should know."
Miyu raised an eyebrow, wondering what it was that he would say.
"I'm definitely more of an ass man."
It was everyone else's turn to laugh, as they were not expecting that from Ajax. Fay almost dropped the bag of food, and Don doubled over as she laughed. Ajax just smiled a bit awkwardly while Miyu chuckled, pulling him close.
"Good choice. But I wasn't expecting that out of you. What's up with that, eh?"
Ajax held Miyu as he walked, looking down at her with a toothy smile.
"I figured that I don't need to be so damn uptight anymore. I can finally enjoy myself a bit."
Miyu nodded while the others regained their composure. Fox had led them almost entirely through the crowd, many people following them and asking to take pictures with them, or sign something, or a few other... requests. One canine woman approached Julian with a marker. Julian took the marker, but did not know where he was supposed to sign.
"Sign the chest of my shirt! Just your name is fine."
Julian was a bit hesitant, but shrugged his shoulders and did as asked. The woman hugged Julian tight, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading off.
"Thanks a ton!"
With a sigh, Julian turned to Krieg, who was busy keeping his distance from the people.
"Y'know, I'm starting to feel... uncomfortable."
Krieg chuckled and socked Julian in the arm lightly.
"Oh, shut up. It's not that bad, man."
"That's because you're not-"
Ajax was going to break up the argument before it started. He got between the two, glancing at both of them before speaking.
"Both of you need to act civilized for once. Don't start that shit or I'll have to kill both of you." Ajax joked.
The two other men rolled their eyes, and Miyu chuckled. They had almost made their way through the crowd, though some still followed, and were making their way down the block. It was not quite clear where Fox was going, but Ajax didn't want to intrude his thoughts. Instead, he just followed patiently, occasionally addressing a Cornerian that wanted to meet him.
Then, Fox turned around to the group following him and did a double take, a confused look on his face.
"Why are you all still following me? I'm going to Fara's place. You all go have fun!"
The group froze in place, before Peppy kept walking and shrugging.
"Well I'll be heading elsewhere anyway. See you all later." he said with a wave.
Fox gave his own parting words before leaving as well. The rest of the group was a bit confused as to what they were to do, but Ajax decided to act as the group leader. He turned to the group, preparing his speaking voice as the others looked to him.
"Alright, listen up. Star Fox team, you are free to do what you wish. If you have nothing to do, you can follow me. The humans, you will go and answer whatever questions that people may have for you. If anyone has any questions or concerns, come find me. It won't be hard. Now, go."
Miyu stuck to his side while Falco, Slippy, and Fay headed off. Fay passed out the bag of food first, hugging Miyu before moving on. Krystal also stayed by Ajax, and Eva looked confused.
"Um, what do I do?"
Ajax forgot that she wasn't technically human.
"You'll be with the humans, as we come from the same universe."
Julian's hand then frantically waved at Ajax.
"What if we get... y'know..."
Ajax knew he was referring to the Cornerians that were being getting a bit too friendly.
"Just politely ask them to stop. Easy."
Julian looked like he was about to speak, but then closed his mouth. With that, the group gave their affirmations and went about their business, the humans and Eva spreading out in the crowd of excited Cornerians. Krystal and Miyu followed Ajax, though he didn't know why Krystal followed him. He supposed that it didn't really matter, and continued on his way. Then, he remembered Miyu's parents, who he could not find.
"Miyu... where are your parents?"
Miyu pulled out her cellular device and showed it to Ajax, a calming smile on her face.
"They sent me a message saying they were headed home. Don't worry about them. If anything, worry about those Rangers. They look... on edge."
Ajax let out a sigh and went to speak with the Rangers when a very young Cornerian boy approached him, a picture of Ajax in his hand. It was one of the pictures taken by a random Cornerian that made a helmeted Ajax look quite good, and was put in a magazine and on the internet. It was a very nice picture that made Ajax seem photogenic even with a helmet on. The child had a large smile on his face, a pen in his hand. Taking the pen, Ajax signed the lower right corner of the picture.
"Thanks, mister! Can you sign this one too?"
The boy pulled out another picture of Ajax that was clearly another amateur picture of him next to Miyu. This time, he wasn't wearing a helmet, and had a charming smile adorning his features. Smiling, Ajax signed that picture as well. Then, Ajax had an idea.
"Hey, kid. Do you have a phone, or a camera of some kind?"
When the kid nodded, Ajax smiled wide.
"How about we take a picture together? Just you and me."
Seeing the excited look on the child's face, Ajax got down to the child's level as the boy pulled out his phone. With an innocent smile Ajax had not seen in a long time, the boy took a few pictures with Ajax, who though the whole ordeal was a bit surreal. Never had he ever imagined he would be some kind of celebrity, if he could call it that.
Well, he had been somewhat-famous at one point but... he wasn't really proud of why.
With the pictures taken, the child looked at his phone excitedly while Ajax looked around, seeing a woman who looked like the child approaching rapidly.
"There you are! I'm so sorry if he's bothered you at all, Mister Laskaris."
Ajax shook his head and smiled, patting the boy on his back.
"Don't worry about it. He's been respectful, so I'm more than glad to take some time to give him my attention."
The boy rushed over to his mother, showing her the pictures he had taken, as well as the autographs.
"Look, Mama!"
"That's great, honey! And thanks for being patient with my son, Mister Laskaris. It... means a lot, especially since he's been looking up to you and Fox McCloud after his father left. " the woman said while playing with her hair.
Ajax nodded, his smile not leaving his face.
"Not a problem at all. Like I said, I'm more than glad to give my attention to the people of Corneria."
The mother smiled lightly at Ajax, putting her arm around her son.
"Well, thank you. Also... y'know, you don't have to, but... if I could maybe get a picture as well?"
Nodding, Ajax got next to the mother as well, smiling up at her camera. After taking the picture, the woman smiled and hugged Ajax before thanking him and turning to leave, but then turned back around.
"Before I go, I want to know if you'd like to... I dunno... go out sometime...?" she trailed off.
Though it was flattering, Ajax would have to reject her.
"That's very flattering, but I'm sorry to say that I'm taken. But I'm sure you're a lovely woman."
After chuckling to herself, though her expression showed she was a bit disappointed, she started to leave with her son.
"That's a shame. But it was nice to meet you. See you around."
"See ya." Ajax said back with a wave.
With that out of the way, Ajax continued on his way toward the uneasy Rangers. When he reached Luke, the Ranger leaned in to whisper to Ajax.
"I didn't get any word of this from your team. What is going on? Why are you so popular with the locals?"
Ajax chuckled, patting the Lieutenant on the shoulder.
"Did we not tell you? We helped them end a war! You heard right, Holton. We're part of a war's end."
Luke was silent for a moment, but smiled.
"Heh. Funny how that is. Can't be a part of our own victory, but we end up lost in another dimension and become part of theirs. Well... what now?"
Turning back to the crowd, Ajax shrugged.
"Honestly? I dunno. But the best we can do is keep answering their questions, sign their things, take pictures, and try to have fun."
With a simple nod, Luke proceeded to do just that, the other Rangers following along. Ajax let out a sigh, though it went unheard over the sounds of crowds and loud music. Miyu made her way to him, signing some things of her own before reaching the human.
"So... what do you want to do? I think they can take care of that for now, so let's go have some fun."
Ajax shook his head, much to Miyu's disappointment.
"I want to give these people what they want for now. But after that, I promise we'll do what you want."
Satisfied with the answer, Miyu held the man close, content with her life at the moment. She never thought that she would end up where she was, but after leaving the CDF to join Star Fox with Fay, it was bound to happen. Star Fox had a habit of leading exciting missions that made the members of the team famous. But even if she wasn't famous, she would have been just as happy with Ajax and the others.
It was the life she had always wanted.
Ivan watched the live footage of Corneria from the ship's computer, seeing the celebration unfolding. The music was mediocre, but still interesting, and the food looked alright. But what was most interesting was the other humans.
And his brother...
Milo had spoken to him through the news, calling for his return. Ivan was shocked that his brother was not only alive, but with Reaper squad and Star Fox celebrating victory. Could Ivan return? The war was over, so he could still live his life with Monica and not be ordered to fight for the Cornerians, but the humans would also disapprove of his relationship with the pirate. What would they say?
'A pirate? Are you fucking serious?'
'Why would you leave us for someone you knew for a single day?'
'Did you get uglier?'
Well, that last one would be from Julian, so it didn't really count as something important.
As he considered the idea, Monica entered the room wearing her sleep clothes, stretching as she yawned.
"Damn, I'm tired. Watchin' the news?"
Ivan nodded, pointing to the screen after waving her over. Monica came over to Ivan and sat next to him, rubbing his thigh while she watched the screen. When She saw Milo, she smirked and looked over to Ivan, nudging him with her arm and chuckling.
"That guy looks like you, doesn't he?"
Ivan rolled his eyes, pointing his finger from himself to Milo multiple times. Then, Monica's eyes got wide.
"Wait, is he your relative or something? Like, a brother?"
Giving a thumbs up as he watched the screen, Ivan put his arm around Monica's shoulder as she thought hard about something.
"Y'know, why don't you ever talk? You just kinda grunt sometimes at most, and it's kinda... strange. Not in a bad way, but intriguing."
Ivan shrugged at her question. He didn't really have a reason, and just never really talked. He could talk, but he never really had to. Any time he needed to tell his team something, his helmet could send a message for him, or he could just use his hands to signal something.
"Well that sure told me a whole lot." Monica said sarcastically. "Do you just not like talking or something?"
Ivan made a 'so-so' motion with his hand, causing Monica to sigh.
"Well that tells me nothing. But it doesn't really matter, I guess. I won't force you to do something that you don't want to do. Not anymore, I mean. Y'know, since I kinda, like, kidnapped you in the first place. You aren't still upset about that, are you? I would be, honestly."
He shook his head. He was not mad about that anymore, as he was content where he was at the moment. The reason he was content was because of the freedom that he had. With people like Ajax around, he would always be facing some kind of conflict that he had no choice whether or not he was a part of it. With Monica, he could choose what he did. Yeah, she kidnapped him, and yes, his decision was incredibly hasty, but it was definitely the right choice.
But now that he had this life, would he be able to see his friends again? Would they accept him back? Were they really even his friends? Just because they were his team didn't mean that they really considered a friend.
And then there was his brother. Milo cared about him, but he was also a very judgmental and hateful person. Ivan remembered how Milo used to pressure Ivan into doing things Ivan didn't want to do. Milo forced Ivan to be the man that he wanted. That was why Ivan joined the military. Through his whole life, his entire family pressured him into becoming a soldier, as was family tradition.
"Oh, I should also mention that I got us a new job. Just a standard capture mission. We're looking for some kind of hitman that has been evading the 'CDF' or whatever, and he was last seen around... Titania, I think it was called."
Ivan nodded, stretching before standing up. He made an effort to memorize the planets of the Lylat. Titania was a barren planet with massive ion storms across the surface. A great place to hide. And with minimal traffic to the planet, risk of discovery was incredibly low. Unfortunately for this particular fellow, someone seems to have tipped off authorities.
"I have the coordinates right here. Plug 'em in, and let's get to work. Too bad it's just a capture mission." Monica said, sighing as she handed over a data pad to Ivan.
Heading to the bridge, Ivan sat in the pilot's seat and plugged the coordinates into the ship before activating autopilot. Once he ship began heading toward Titania, he got back out of the seat and followed Monica toward their room. He headed inside, laying down on the bed before Monica joined him. She turned to Ivan, stretching out and looking at the ceiling.
"Hey. I've got some news for you."
Ivan turned over, raising an eyebrow at Monica.
"Are you sure you're ready to hear it?"
Nodding, Ivan grasped Monica's hand and motioned for her to continue.
"Okay..." she started, letting out a sigh, "Ivan, I'm pregnant. I tested, and it came up positive."
Instead of being shocked, Ivan just nodded his head, smiled, and laid back down. Monica was incredibly confused, as she had expected more of a reaction out of the silent man. Though, she wasn't expecting a whole lot out of him. After all, his shown emotional range was quite low. But she had expected... something.
"That's it? No excitement? No anger, or joy, or even surprise?"
Ivan shook his head. It didn't come as a surprise, as that was Monica's goal when they had first "met". She was hoping for a child, and now, unsurprisingly, she was going to have one.
"Well damn. I expected... I dunno... something, at least. After all, this is a big moment for us. Aren't you happy?"
He nodded. Even if his first meeting with Monica was a violent one, and he had nearly killed her. And... he was there against his will at first. But that was in the past. After all, he decided that she was his best option for living a life away from the restrictions of his squad. While he missed them, and he did respect them, they stuck too close to the rule book for his taste. That, and they felt the need to abide by some kind of moral code that was pointless in his eyes.
Well, it helped if you wanted to look like a good guy, but he wasn't entirely concerned with that at the moment.
"That's good, then. At least you're happy. It's just... hard to believe, you know? You were on this ship against your will at first, and now you're here because you want to be. If I hadn't seen you remove that tracker myself, then I would think you were up to something." Monica said with a laugh.
Ivan smiled at that, pulling Monica a bit closer. When he thought about it, it really was a strange situation. He had considered that exact thing moments ago, but hearing it from Monica was interesting. But he had already had plenty of time to consider his situation, so it wasn't anything too crazy to think about.
"But anyway, do you think we should celebrate somehow? I mean, it looks like all of your friends are celebrating with those weird aliens, so why shouldn't we, especially with such good news? What do you think?"
Ivan gave a thumbs up. Their bounty contract could wait. For now, they would have their own celebration. It would be simple, but they could afford to at least have a bit of fun, whatever that may be. He already knew what Monica was looking forward to, but he hoped to possibly do something else. He wasn't quite sure what, but he had one idea in mind. Monica didn't seem like the type to enjoy it, but he could at least try it out.
Monica reached over and rested her head on Ivan's chest. After letting out a sigh, she looked up at Ivan, smiling up at him.
"So, what do you want to do?" she asked, trailing her finger across his chest.
Ivan got up from the bed, Monica eyeing him curiously, though she was a bit irritated that he was no longer lying next to her. Searching for a speaker, Ivan was pleased to find one laying on the floor nearby. Turning it on, he selected one of the many songs available on it, picking one he found to be romantic. When Monica heard the song, she immediately perked up.
"It's been a long time since I heard this song! I remember hearing it while growing up."
Nodding, Ivan approached Monica and took her hand in his. He looked into her eyes and smiled, and Monica realized what he was trying to do.
"Oh... Well, I can try, but I've never been good at dancing. Be patient with me!" she said with a laugh.
Ivan chuckled as well, slowly starting the dance. He made sure to go slow enough for Monica to catch on, which she eventually did. When she figured out how to do it, the two sped up, matching the beat of the song. The song in question was a quite long song, being nearly ten minutes long. But that was good for the two, who planned on dancing for quite a while.
Looking into Monica's eyes, Ivan smiled. Her eyes were captivating, and her touch was gentle, even with her cybernetic arms. He moved his hands from her hands, placing them on her hip and shoulder. With that, he continued the dance, adding in another part to spice things up.
Step, Step, Turn.
Step, Spin, Step.
It was simple, but it was certainly entertaining, and it served as an excellent romantic moment for the two. Monica stared deep into Ivan's eyes, considering their future. She had no doubt that they would live easy lives, and would have no trouble raising their child. With how natural bounty hunting was for the two, and how much money they were paid to do it, things could only go well for them.
At least she hoped. But she could worry about all of that later.
After all, there was still celebrating to do.
Ajax led the group of humans and Cornerians through the crowd, the whole group now excited about the celebration. Even Eva was no longer nervous, as she happily addressed the Cornerians that spoke to her. Mostly, the group had been shopping, meeting the people of Corneria, or just exploring the city. The group had stopped to get food from a stand nearby, Ajax spotting Vivian and Felix passing by. They stopped by to say 'hello', but said they were a bit busy and couldn't stick around, so Ajax let them go on their way.
Luke had also found a stand selling alcohol, and was given a free bottle "for his service to Corneria", as the vendor had said. However, the man was disappointed to find that the beverage was much weaker than human alcohol. Even though it was a bit underwhelming, he was still able to enjoy the uniquely flavored drink.
Luna was still up on her stage playing music, and had gained quite the large crowd. Most of the people around were fixated on her, giving the group a bit a freedom to do as they pleased. Taking a bite of the fried food item in his hand, Ajax looked toward one of the many open shops, his eyes falling on a shop selling clothing. He knew that he definitely wouldn't find any clothes in his size, but he could probably find something for Miyu. He headed into the shop, greeting the shopkeeper with a smile.
The shopkeeper returned the friendly smile, but was still a bit nervous around the human. Ajax didn't blame him, as he knew that a giant soldier in advanced armor was a scary thing to have approach you. Even other humans were sometimes afraid around him, but that was usually after they had seen him annihilate Confederate troops, as very few knew who he was.
"What are you looking for, Mister Laskaris? If I'm to be honest, I'm not sure we have much that will fit you, if anything at all." he said.
Miyu entered the door behind Ajax, the human turning to the shopkeeper and chuckling.
"Nah, nothing for me. However, I would like to find something nice for my lady here."
Taking a few seconds to register what he was just told, the shopkeeper slowly nodded.
"Oh... Well then... I think we can find you something!"
Miyu turned to Ajax, a smirk on her face.
"You know, you don't have to get me anything."
"I know."
Instead of arguing, Miyu just chuckled and followed the shopkeeper toward the women's section. As she looked around, Ajax got out his transaction card to make a purchase for whatever item Miyu selected. It didn't take long, as Miyu quickly spotted something she liked. It was a single-sleeve black dress that appeared to come with a pair of open-toed shoes. Grabbing the items, Miyu brought them to the counter and Ajax paid for them, the feline immediately heading into a changing room to put on the dress and shoes.
When she exited, the tight-fitting dress was quite appealing to look at on Miyu's excellent form. Her well toned body and curvy form were the perfect combination, and the dress accentuated that. Overall, Ajax thought it was an excellent choice.
"Wow. You look fantastic, Miyu."
"Thanks. It's more comfortable than it looks too." Miyu said as the two left the shop.
Ajax chose to carry Miyu's other clothes in a bag, every once in a while allowing himself to admire Miyu's form as they went to meet up with the others. Krystal was busy telling off a slightly angry Krieg, but Ajax felt that it wasn't worth finding out why-
"Dammit, Ajax, come tell your companion that it is not acceptable to yell threats at people."
"Hey! The bastard was pissing me off!"
Ajax let out a sigh.
"Krieg, don't make us look bad. But if he deserved it, then pretend I said nothing."
Krystal scoffed.
"Really? You're practically telling him to behave poorly!"
"Not really. Just don't be so uptight."
Krystal wanted to argue, but didn't. Instead, she just huffed and turned to Miyu.
"Nice dress. Looks great on you!"
"Thanks! Ajax bought it for me. Makes me look sexy, doesn't it?"
Krystal laughed and nodded her head. Ajax also had to agree. She was, in fact, quite sexy in the dress. He was quite glad he got it for her, mostly because it made her very happy. But seeing the way it clung to Miyu's curves was nice too. Apparently Don thought it made her look nice as well, as the canine smacked Miyu's backside playfully, eliciting a yelp from the lynx. Holding back a chuckle, Ajax turned to the blue vixen.
"Hey, Krystal." Ajax started. "Have you heard from the others?"
The blue vixen nodded her head.
"Yes, I have. Fay messaged me that she was with her parents, and should be back soon. The others will be with her."
Ajax nodded. Once they were all together, they would likely head home. It was getting late, and the group mostly wanted to relax, so Ajax hoped they came sooner than later. For the time being, however, he decided to just try and enjoy himself. Looking around, he tried to find something to do. He turned to Miyu to see if she had a suggestion.
"Well, while we wait, is there anything we can do to keep ourselves busy around here?"
Miyu thought about it for a moment, and had an idea.
"We can dance!"
"Nope."
Miyu huffed in disappointment, but had another idea.
"How about some good ol' conversation? I'd love to hear about what it was like back in your universe."
As much as it hurt to think about the fact that he couldn't return home, Ajax decided that it might actually be good to talk about his home as a way to get over it.
"Sure thing. I can tell you about life back home a bit more. I've already told you a little bit about it, but I'm sure there're other things you want to know."
Miyu nodded, thinking of the first thing she wanted to know.
"I wanna know about any previous girlfriends you've had."
"One. But I don't really remember her. All I recall was that she was very bland. Not much else."
Miyu was a bit disappointed by that answer, but accepted it. However, she had another question in mind.
"What was the most wild planet you've ever been to? Like, the most freaky, crazy planet you have personally been on."
This was an easy question. Everyone in Reaper Squad could easily answer this question.
"Tesha. Worst planet ever. High gravity, yet it still has massive fauna that are all armed with razor-sharp claws and spines as well as the worst aggression ever. And y'all can't believe how dangerous even the plants are. Plus, it's constantly raining acid that only the freaks of that planet could thrive in. The days are long and hot, and the nights are freezing. It also has an unusual electromagnetic field around it that fucks with electronic equipment. Essentially, if you can think of a bad thing, that planet has it."
Miyu was surprised such a horrible planet existed. Venom was essentially a toxic wasteland for a while, as was Zoness, but they were never that bad.
"Wow... that sounds..."
"Shitty? Yeah. It was horrible. I have footage I can show you later."
"I'm not sure I want to see."
Ajax laughed, the lynx laughing with him. For the next half hour, the two shared life stories, as well as information about their own universes. Ajax learned quite a bit about the history about the Lylat, while Miyu was amazed by the vastness and variety of Ajax's universe. She thought it was simply amazing that a species could control so much.
As they talked, the group noticed a vehicle pull up. The driver-side door opened to reveal a very excited Fay. The other doors opened to reveal the other members of the Star Fox team. Fox hopped out of the hover car, helping Fara out as well. The only one not there was Peppy, who was presumably staying at wherever he went.
"Hey, team! Did everyone have fun?" Fox asked.
The group gave mixed answers, the Rangers mostly staying quiet. Eva gave an excited "Yes!", while everyone else just nodded.
"Great! I know I did. So, you guys, what do you want to do? Any plans?"
"How 'bout we go get some sleep." Ajax suggested.
When everyone else agreed, Fox laughed and nodded his head.
"Okay, we'll do that then. Let's get some rest."
With that, the group eagerly headed to the ships. Janine led the way, practically shoving her way through the crowds. Janine was not someone you wanted to be in the way of when she was tired. While she never lashed out at Ajax, unfortunate mechanics have seen her wrath when they got in her way.
The crowds hardly paid any attention to the leaving group, all focused on Luna Parks, who was fully absorbed in her song. The group felt fortunate, as they were not mobbed by the crowds anymore. Entering the Crimson Tide, Ajax gave a small wave toward the few Cornerians paying attention. Miyu had entered the human ship with Ajax, as she wanted to spend as much time as possible with her new lover.
The humans in the ship all got settled, Eva taking a seat in one of the chairs in the common area. Miyu sat on a couch with Ajax, kicking off her shoes and stretching while Julian started up the ship. As they prepared to leave, a metal clanking sound emanated from the hall leading to the common area. Turning around, Ajax spotted a plant-life-covered ARCA 216 standing in the door frame. The android froze up for a moment when it spotted Miyu, but when it noticed Luke it seemingly calmed down.
"Lieutenant, why is there an alien on this ship? And who's ship is this anyway?" the android said with a slightly tinny robotic male voice.
Luke hopped up from his seat and made his way over to the android, wrapping the robot in a hug.
"Whoa, glad to see ya too, boss."
"216... I'm so glad you're alright. You're lucky that you're able to even function right now."
ARCA 216 looked down at himself, seeing his new energy port, the port glowing a faint red. He then looked back up pointing at Miyu.
"That's something I'll ask about later. But what's up with the cat person?"
With the way the android spoke, Ajax remembered why these machines were so common on the battlefield. They were practically human with their motions, bodies, voices, and personalities. If they were given a face, it would only add to that. This was good to provide a capable soldier or assistance unit that would be able to be a companion to soldiers.
"216, there's a lot you've missed, buddy."
Luke got started on filling in the gaps for ARCA 216, the android taking the information quite well. The dog, Gmork, also entered the room, barking excitedly at 216, who pet the dog softly. Miyu was intrigued by the android, seeing just how advanced it was. R.O.B. was considered advanced in the Lylat, but he was nowhere near as impressive as this machine.
Ajax thought about the android, and then the ship's AI, Skye. She had been shut off for a long time, at her own strategic request, but Ajax felt it was no longer necessary to keep her shut off. It would give them another helping hand, and they would finally get to talk to her again.
Getting up from his spot, Ajax told Miyu he would be right back before making his way out of the room, shaking the hand of ARCA 216 and introducing himself as he passed. He walked to the sector of the ship that had the AI's robotic body, spotting the vessel immediately. It was not nearly as capable as 216, but it was still advanced, though its head was not human-shaped. It also had a feminine shape to it as a way to match the AI's female programming. He switched on the AI, transferring it to the body as it powered up. As soon as it was on, the machine stood up.
"Lieutenant, it's good to see you. I am unsure as to why you found it necessary to activate me, but I suppose I shall hear you out."
Ajax chuckled, patting the AI on the shoulder.
"No reason, really. But I felt that you should be part of our team again. No reason to let you go to waste, right?"
The AI let out a sigh, placing her hand on her robotic face.
"Fine. You know, strategically-"
"Don't be giving me that 'strategically' shit already. You're gonna be part of the team, and you're gonna like it. Anyway, come on. I've got to explain some things to you before you freak out."
As the two walked, Ajax explained the situation to the AI. She seemed to take it well, not too shocked about it.
"Yes, that is quite interesting. But also quite plausible. Please, enlighten me. What do these aliens look like?"
As they entered the common area, Ajax pointed to Miyu. Skye tilted her head, a bit underwhelmed.
"Is that not just another generation of Spliced?"
When Ajax shook his head, Skye shrugged.
"Alright then. Greetings, you all. I am Skye, the AI for Reaper Squad. I look forward to working with all of you."
Skye then sat down next to Miyu, likely to gather information, as that is what she lived for. Ajax went to take a seat on the opposite side of Miyu when Julian came over the PA.
"We're here, you guys. Let's get ourselves some rest. We've earned it. I know I have."
Janine shook her head, as did Krieg.
"Cocky narcissist forever and always, aren't you, Julian?" she said.
Skye laughed, Janine smiling toward the AI.
"Good to see you again, Skye. Did Ajax catch you up?"
The AI nodded, Janine smiling and giving a thumbs-up.
"Great. Now, let's all get out of here."
Suddenly, however, they all remembered something.
"Wait... where are you all going to stay?" Krieg asked. "There isn't enough space in the building for you to sleep, especially with the additional guests staying over."
Luke chuckled a light chuckle.
"We've been living in a jungle for years now. I'm sure we can sleep on the ship and be fine. We'll go inside in the morning."
The group hesitated, but nodded. The androids opted to stay with the Rangers on the ship as well, so they waved to the group before they headed off. The group then left the ship, making their way to the homestead, seeing that the Star Fox team had already went inside. Entering the building, everyone went straight to bed, not bothering to do anything else. The humans were significantly less tired than the Cornerians, but they had still faced quite the overload during the day and were quite tired.
Ajax took off his armor, immediately flopping onto Miyu's bed. The lynx was quickly removing her dress, hanging the dress up in her closet before laying next to Ajax. The feline held him close, a content smile on her face as she started to drift to sleep. Before she was asleep, however, Ajax leaned in and gave her a small kiss on her lips, looking her in her entrancing eyes.
"Goodnight, Miyu. Love ya."
The lynx smiled, kissing Ajax back.
"'Night. I love you too."
I really, truly do.
That thought of Miyu's made Ajax more happy than he had been in a long time. It had been so long since he had been loved, and it didn't help that he had kept pushing people away. But now, he was so glad he let Miyu into his life. She was beautiful to him, and she was a wonderful person. He would be more than glad to live out the rest of his days with her.
"And that's exactly what I'll do" he thought to himself as he drifted to sleep.
Howdy, y'all. Lord Jankey here. Yeah, I know I said I wouldn't make you wait so long, but here we are. And with even less content as well. But life was just being, well... life, so I had to delay for a while. But I try not to make you wait, I promise! Anyway, this was mostly a fluff chapter that got a few characters introduced, as well as allowing our lovely motley crew to transition into a different style of life... for now. What did y'all think? Was it terrible and not at all worth the long-ass wait? Let me know. Anything helps. If you have any questions or concerns, shoot me a message, and I'll get to you ASAP.
Until next time. See ya!