Falco paused at the door to the room with several holding cells. His heart pulsed with pain and a feeling he hadn't felt since being back with his family. He felt fear once more, and for once he was listening to it.

His lover looked to him as she tilted her head, sensing there was something wrong with the strong-willed male falcon. She rubbed his arm softly as she spoke, "You don't have to be here if you don't want to be."

"It's not that," was all he said as he pushed into the room. Forcing himself to stand in front of the holding cell, his eyes meant the covered face of the female that had caused him such pain over the years. From the beginnings with Kat up until now with Foxy and the torture she placed upon him.

The cloth covering the female's face hid the damage down by the young fennec vixen, but her eyes still shown through. The hatred radiating from those orbs sent a pulse of rage within Falco's veins. He gave a low growl like sound, "Why are you here?"

Fox, Krystal, and Foxy all looked to the male falcon-surprised by his sudden change in attitude. Since he'd been back, he'd shown a kinder side being glad to be alive and home once more. But suddenly, he was back to his rookie ways-hot headed and stoking his temper.

The female spoke in a calm manner, her voice sounding robotic over its normal hunting, raptor one, "I am here to apologize for the pain I have caused. I am aware that I was lied to in-"

"Save it."

The female flicked her ears back, giving a low growl that came out in a high-pitch squeal. She was trying her damnest to be nice and he wanted to be an ass about it. She raised her hands, resulting in Fox pulling a hand-gun from his side. The female looked to him as she gave a slight smirk under the cloth, "Kill me. It'd do me a favor."

Fox paused at that, watching as the female removed the cloth. At once they show the machinery that allowed her the gift of speech. A metal device was placed over her throat that connected to a metal mouth piece planted within her lower jaw-much like an artificial tongue. Her speech was back but within her eye-sockets was nothing but an abyss. It seemed as if she was torturing herself, but in the time since her eyes had been taken from her-her other senses had heightened. Her ears were like radar now, giving her a picture of those within the room without having to see them.

"You have every right to judge me, but in the same sense I have right to judge you Falco Lombardi. You have taken my sight and speech if only for a while. But you have given me several weapons within my own self. I thank you for that."

Falco went to speak when Foxy spoke up, "Laydia, you have no right being here. You are wicked and cruel in your ways. When I took your sight and speech it was meant for a reason. You have no right to rub it as if it is a gift."

Laydia just gave a smirk, "You have much to learn little vixen, much to learn indeed."

Falco watched as his hand instinctively grabbed Foxy's side in a protective manner. He knew Laydia and knew the things she was capable of even being lame in sight. His emerald orbs never leaving the female hybrid, "You have spoken and we have listened. Leave."

The female hybrid gave a sickening chuckle, "I am far from done but I have done what I set out to do. I have gained what was promised to a close friend."

She meant to say more but she knew her time here was finished. She looked to the little toad standing next to the purple hued vixen, "You, toad, I am ready to leave."

Slippy gave a low ribbet in annoyance, "FROG!"

Laydia did not mince words, "You pathetic tadpole! I AM ready to leave!"

Slippy ducked behind the female, violet hued vixen as his body shook. Laydia smiled as that action reminded her of her CloudRunners back on her flights. How she longed for those days, but in due time. She was sure of that.

Krystal narrowed her eyes as she walked over to the controls. Her eyes ran over the board as she hit several switches, having the holding cell move over to one of the doors. She flipped another switch as the holding cell tipped on its side, before moving towards the door.

The whole time Laydia stood calmly, not even bothering to pay any of them anymore attention. She was done with them, at least for now. There would come another time in life when she'd be back. Her new found friend would make sure of that, of that she was certain. Just as she was to be kicked out back into the awaiting Arwing, she turned as she gave a smugged wave, "Make no mistake Falco, I will be back. Your old friend has words to mince with you."

With that she was gone back into the Arwing. A CloudRunner started it up from the holding dock and took off into the abyss of their space home. When the door closed once more, everyone turned to look at Falco. He seemed to be in another world as those very words: Your old friend has words to mince with you, cycled through his mind. She couldn't possibly being speaking of Kat could she?

"Falco are you alright?"

At the sound of his lover's voice, he was snapped back into reality, "Huh? Oh yeah. Yeah I'm alright Foxy."

The fennec vixen cocked one of her long, fluffy ears not believing him in the slightest. But before she could get a word in edge wise, Falco spoke up once more, "I'm gonna go lay down for a bit."

He disappeared out of the room then and quickly down the hall back towards his room. Krystal came over to Foxy then as she hugged her friend to her, "He'll talk when he's ready Foxy. I'm sure Laydia just messed with his mind."

Foxy just nodded, not sure what to believe now. It seemed as if Falco was far away from her, even if he was right there with her. She lowered her ears, moving away from Krystal, "I'm gonna go work out."

She left then, leaving the two foxes with the little frog in the room. The two foxes looked to each other before looking down to their amphibian friend. All three shook their heads and sighed, "It's gonna be a long day."

In Falco's room he laid on the bed, looking up at the ceiling as a picture frame laid on his chest. He picked it up as he looked directly to it. The picture was of his old girl, Kat, though he only held on it as a friendship thing. There was no feelings for Kat, hadn't been since Foxy came into his life. He just felt as if suddenly everything he'd known about Kat was a lie. How she could possibly be working for Laydia, left a bad taste in his mouth. He placed the frame back in the drawer of his nightstand before laying there, Has it been that long for me to not know you anymore Kat? Is this the last chance you spoke of?

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Disclaimer:
I do not own Star Fox or any of the characters within the game series.
They respectively belong to their original creators and designers.

Well ya'll this is the final chapter. I hope you have enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I may write a sequel to this story but I'm not sure yet as some of the things found within the chapters of this story were memories replayed from "New Member" by Jackswerewolf. I'll have to talk to her before I attempt a sequel to this one. But if enough readers ask it of me, I may go ahead and write a sequel.

Please read and review!
I'd love to hear what you have thought of this story.

Foxy McCoy belongs to Jackswerewolf
Falco's Dragon Form belongs and was created by XenomorphicDragon

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