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Rye, or the voice, has given Starwolf its task: take care of Dyam when the time comes. Sahara, or Krystal in this case, is planning something similar, but it will turn out somewhat different.
Chapter 14: Dyam is gone!
'That was some conversation eh?' comments Leon as he closes the door behind Wolf and Panther.
'Hunh?' mumbles Wolf absent. 'Oh... yeah. We'll find a way.' he waves off with his left paw. His right is holding the Gut Shot they acquired from Rye. He holds the stock against his shoulder, pointing the short barrel upwards. Panther is carrying the shells that Rye gave extra, just in case.
Everything seem to be smooth sailing, until a small red eye leans around a wall close by the door of Rye's office. *It's time to show them that I'm not kidding. And what better way to show it... to the guys Rye replaced me for!* he grumbles inaudible.
Walking down the hallway, the three notice that all of the sudden all the lights go out. The emergency generator boots up but needs to charge, giving the hallway leading away from Rye's room, a red gleam. It's eerie for Wolf and Leon, but it reminds Panther of good times on 'The Strip' in El Arenal on Zoness, a touristic attraction for the common youth, were there are no limitations. His reaction to Wolf's throw of the Gut Shot to him is lightening fast, although he barely catches it. He breaks open the barrel, puts a shell in it, 'fixes' it, pulls the hammer back, flips up the leaf sight on the back of the barrel plus a front spike on the front of the barrel and aims around him. Both Wolf and Leon are slightly squatted and armed, able to jump away at anytime.
'What exactly are we looking for?' wonders Panther, closing eye for a clearer sight between the iron sight of the weapon.
'No idea. *looks ahead, further on in the hallway were he sees that the lights are still on* But it seems we are its target.' concludes Wolf as he activates the extra aim assistance features on his blue mechanical eye.
*Hmmm... they are armed. A direct approach will mean my instant death. *looks over to his giant, rectangular bag* And I can't her yet. *looks at what lays next to the bag* He was half of the plan. Well, it is sufficient. *grabs it, pulls it towards him and prepares to throw it as he peeks one last time* They'll know I'm around!*
With a scream, he tosses the thing that looks like a rag towards the Starwolf team before he runs away in the other direction, away from it. Leon hears the scream first and is therefore the first to react. The rag slams on the ground and stops right before Leon's feet. All the members gather around it as the lights are turned back on; the emergency generator finally works. To their horror, it's not a rag. It is actually Scarecrow, the missing racer. And just like Terminator said: 'I torched him'. A small flames are still burning around the scarecrow suit. Rips within the costume, reveal that it's actually a red vulpine pretending to be a living scarecrow. He has a tag around his neck, which is punctured by an iron spike through the middle. The tag reads: 'Terminated', with the spike going through the hole in the 'a'. Leon snaps the chain and holds the tag in his hand, before moving it closer to Wolf's face. After carefully reading it all, he simply shrugs.
'A warning huh? Pfff... sure. My ass is more threating than that.' mocks Wolf.
'We might wanna watch our backs more often though.' says Panther. 'The route we are currently taking is full of competition.' He lowers the Gut Shot and unloads it.
'Wow.' stops Wolf. 'Stop right there. YOU... are on that route. Not Leon and me. We're not involved. Your Krystal, not ours. You take the blame when shit goes to hell, understood?'
'Grrr... sure.' admits Panther grumbling.
Wolf nods in acceptance as he leads the group towards the hallway that was still enlightened. He stops by Dyam's door as he turns towards Leon and Panther.
'Okay. I'm gonna prepare some shit. Just like Rye said, we can use our imagination. In this case... mine! I'm sorry but yours *points at Panther* is too weak and yours *looks at Leon with an odd expression on his face* uuuhh... I don't know what is going inside your head. *turns to the both of them* So we play it safe. No bullshit. Now begone, if wanna you quote Rye. You're excused.' ends Wolf as Panther puts the Gut Shot in his backpack and walks away with Leon. Wolf leans against the wall, on the left of the door. He bows his head and crosses his arms, thinking about what he's gonna say to Dyam. The moment a light bulb lights up in his brain, he turns off the extra features in his mechanical since they are getting more annoying than helpful. He turns towards the door, knocks two time before opening it. He turns the knob; it isn't locked. When he sets his first step inside, it isn't very inviting. The room is dark and an empty bottle of absinthe is thrown towards him.
'I'M ALL OUT! *slams his fist on the table* grrr... *very restrained and soft* it ain't gonna benefit my position. No absinthe means he can doom up anytime soon... *notices Wolf from the corner of his eye as he turns on the light* Who the fuck are you?'
'That you don't remember me... glarg?' chokes Wolf as Dyam has flown towards him and wrapped his hands around Wolf's neck. Wolf falls down on the ground, hurting his back pretty badly as Dyam stands over him, still squeezing his throat tight. Placing his left paw on the Adam's apple with a fierce pressure, he makes a fist out of his right paw. Although it is restrained at first, even the passenger inside of him likes to return a beating to for once.
*This is for that message that ruined me in the first place Furball!* insults Fox as he and Dyam agree on something for the first time. Together, they smash into Wolf's mechanical eye before Dyam lets go of Wolf. He's knocked out, but at least alive since he starts to reclaims his breath slowly.
'Surprise motherfucker!' adds Dyam insult to injury. 'Don't expect me to recognize ugly ass dudes like you! Especially when I'm all out of energy asshole!' states Dyam before he spits on Wolf's face before walking over him. 'Excuse me. I've an appointment.' says Fox all of the sudden while Dyam is kicked out the controls. Fox laughs in himself as he grabs a note out of his pocket, saying to be at storage number 429 at 19:00. He checks his wristpad, displaying 17:12. He starts to laugh in himself again as he places his hands on the back of his head, happy to breath in the fresh air. Him, not Dyam.
Storage 429, 18:57
'Is everything ready?'
'Yup, everything is ready. Thrilled?'
'Well of course Ryan. Shouldn't you be?'
'A little. Being a little nervous is actually very healthy you know...'
'Sure sure. *pushing him away* Just get up there and make sure that everything will be directed well.'
'But of course your highness. *makes an overdone bow* Anything else to grace your majesty?'
'*giggle followed by a royal toned, snobbery voice, playing along with Ryan* No... it's okay. You are excused.'
'*another bow as he walks backwards that way* Yes your majesty.'
'Haha... you know that I appreciate everything you've done for me, right Ryan?'
'Of course Sahara. *climbs up the ladder on the wall* You just focus on surprised the living hell out of your boyfriend.'
*outside*
He takes a last look at the note he got. He reads it out loud for himself.
'Meet me at Storage 429 *starts to look around impatiently* Well? Anyone?' he complains. No wonder he complains. The sunny weather turned into pouring rain with whirlwind occasionally hitting the scene and Fox head on. For a distance, it's actually remarkable to see the raindrops form waves, distinguishable from the normal drops. However, even with wearing a thick winter coat with (fake) dead collar, that isn't enough to deceive the rotten feeling of standing in the rain, all alone and waiting for someone. Like a gift from heaven, the enormous garage door opens, much to Fox's relieve. Dyam wasn't dooming up, on the contrary; he's just glad that the door opens. It doesn't matter what's inside; he needs a dry place. The door opens only so far but Fox can easily walk under it. It falls down the moment Fox stands in the storage and utter darkness surrounds him.
'Well... at least I'm dry.' comments Fox awkward, to lighten the situation a little. He takes off his coat and throws it away.
*He's here! Hit it!* he hears someone whispering from somewhere in front of him.
'Hey... who is there?' shouts Fox before he's blinded by fierce lights coming from in front of him. He protects his eyes from it by holding his paws before it.
*Everything is still working. Initiating the projection... are you ready?*
*I'am!*
*Then jump!* hears Fox as the lights go out again. 'Who is supposed to jump!? What is this for sick joke!?' he shouts before a holographic projection of a small, double-edged vector graphed cube appears in front of him. He comes closer to it and touches it. This causes it to expand to a massive size, only to be held back by the walls and ceiling of the storage. What wasn't black yet, sure becomes black now; from the the edges, black seems to drop down from. Before Fox even realizes it, he's is standing an a wide open grass field with the star-infested night as a backdrop. Some dew on the grass sparkles in the moonlight. A cool breeze sweeps through the open field, flattening it. It blows from behind him, meaning that the directly in front of him is standing upright. With the difference clear, the upstanding grass seem to figure as a path. Everything seems so real, but he knows it's just a projection. He is eager to know more about this all, so he follows the path while he looks around. The path stops the moment the wind subsides, stopping Fox in his tracks. The sky, the environment... all seem to be very familiar.
*How is this possible? *looks up in the sky and can't believe his eyes* No... it can't be! That gleaming star... it's power and light. *sees the small black dot* No frickin' way!* thinks Fox as something inside him starts to crumble. But he couldn't be happier with both as the black dot comes bigger by the second. Finally, after just a half minute, Fox can distinguish the black dot with it's actual form: The Cloud Runner. Although it is in a different color scheme and it misses the 'head', it still looks very similar. As the Cloud Runner lands before him, everything in his body does the exact same thing:
I would experience feelings... that would exceed any poets capabilities. My heart would sing the purest love song of all. My face would speak ten thousand volumes of the most popular and wheedling love romans...
His eyes see the gates of heaven open before him as the cockpit opens. Dramatic, white smoke comes gliding over the main full of the Cloud Runner as the Queen arises from it.
Her beautiful white face would turn to me. Her ocean deep turquoise blue eyes, where anyone unworthy of her beauty would be honored to drown in. Her smile... the warmth and kindness could make a dying star shine again.
With only her the tips of her toes touching the square patterns on the wing of the ship as he moves closer to Fox, see really seem to float. Every square lights up underneath her feet. She is dressed in heavenly white, glittering silk dress while her hair hangs loose around her head and shoulders. Gravity doesn't seem to affect her as she gradually touches the ground, her eyes looking right into his. He stands there frozen, while inside everything burns. She moves closer to Fox, who feels the wall that stood between him and Dyam, explode. Pulverized, shattered; nothing is left of it. As two equals inside one body, they face each other. In this case, Fox clearly has the upper hand when Krystal comes very close. It ends in a kiss, becoming more passionate by the second.
Unknown to them, Ryan shuts down the vector-based simulation and turns on the normal lights while they just continue. Nothing seems to separate the two. Until a loud noise is heard. They look up and as Fox sees what it is, he pushes Krystal away and backs off just one step. Just in time; a heavy steel cable dropped down from the ceiling. It leaves a small crack in the floor.
'Are you okay Krystal?' exhales Fox as he tries to dim the adrenaline. She nods, but looks up with a concerned expression on her face. But that concern turns into something more hilarious; she is facing Ryan's back, as he's is holding on to two other steel cables, that are supposed to hold up the catwalk where he's walking on.
'Old piece of shit!' complains Ryan as he lifts himself up and turns towards the happy couple. 'Sorry you guys. Didn't wanna disrupt anything. *see the two really happy with each other* Hey Sahara... I was wrong. You are Krystal, and that guy is Fox McCloud. I should have known... but I didn't. *grabs two ropes close to him* Krystal. If you will detach those ropes around your arms, then you're home free again.'
Now Fox sees the clear picture. The Cloud Runner was simulated with the use of the projection, the wind was artificial and it is actually Krystal's Desert Strom, not the Cloud Runner. Krystal floated in the air because Ryan regulated that with the ropes. Putting so much effort into just realized Fox's dream, he is overjoyed, but doesn't really show it. He show a small smile as he lets out a tear; Dyam is putting up a fight again.
'Krystal... thank you so much.' says Fox as he holds in more tears while he pulls his face away. But Krystal sees that Fox isn't completely himself as his face shows some twitches. No excuse can cover that up. She places two comforting paws on his shoulders as she turns his face towards hers. With a lovely smile, she says:
'Fox... I don't mind.' she says as they embrace each other. 'I can see right through it. Dyam is messing it all up again... *faces him again* isn't?'
'Yeah...' nods Fox as he dries off the one tear he shed. 'But... not for long. I'm gonna show him that I'm in control. And I already know how. I'm gonna need some extra time.'
'If you need extra time...' interrupts Ryan, still on top of the catwalk. '...you can report that with the commentator. He's the one controlling the tracks, narration and the introduction of all racers. The race is supposed to start around 20:00, but you can delay it to 22:00 max. I'd better hurry. *points at her* And you too. I'll clean up everything here.'
With a last kiss, Fox walks away while Krystal gets back into her Desert Storm. Fox goes back to the hotel, while Krystal enters the Colosseum. Fox opens the door to his room, throws his winter coat on a hook on the wall and sits down on the chair before the mirror. Wolf's absence goes unnoticed. Out of the drawer on the right side of the table, he grabs two things: a razor and an earring. Originally, he wanted to give it to Krystal. It was an angular momentum; he wanted to propose to Krystal, but not the old fashioned way. Claiming that the love between him and Krystal was very special, he wanted to ask her by an earring. Now it is serving a different purpose. A few muscles refuse closing the drawer, as Dyam notices what Fox is trying to do: get rid of everything that made him Dyam. Fox pushes through and breaks Dyam's resistance and closes the drawer. Looking at himself in the mirror, he brings the razor closer to his chin.
The first target: the goatee beard. Again, Dyam resists, harder this time. It is the second battle what Fox wins as the razor prints itself against Fox's skin. The more he shaves away, the further Dyam falls deeper and into disarray, like an AI getting hacked. With a clean chin (fur isn't shaved away), he strokes it and feels himself more and more. Dyam's resistance moves to Fox's face and fingertips, but it's their last stand. The fingertips are the first to fall when Fox touches the golden earring.
*Time for the final blow! And then I'm in control.* thinks Fox as he holds the ring in front of his face, seeing the exact same reflection in the mirror. His feelings deep inside don't reflect what his face shows. The total opposite in fact. He couldn't be happier and self-assured while his face glares at him. It's Dyam's last intimidation before Fox too regains control of those muscles and nerves in that area. Dyam is reduced to what Fox was at first: a dark passenger, in the chains of forgot! With no resistance whatsoever, Fox places the ring over the chuck in his right ear. It stings, but it's worth it.
*This has to do for now. As soon as Krystal and I get out of this mad place and this situation, I'll see a plastic surgeon to repair my ear. *stares himself in the eye in the mirror reflection* Hmmm..* he thinks before giving himself a fist bump in the mirror.
'Welcome back Fox McCloud. Dyam is gone!' states Fox to himself as he cheers like he won the ticket to the G-Zero Master Series. But in this case... the key to redemption, freedom and love.
Thanks to her, G-Zero and Dyam are dead... Only I remain... and my name is Fox McCloud.
Dyam is gone! For good? Maybe, he's still inside. And Wolf remains at large. With the race starting any second now and danger lurking around every corner for Fox, Krystal and Ryan... there doesn't seem to be a way out. Even though friends can be far... no way they are gonna let you perish in that lurking evil! Next chapter: The Race to Destruction