Fox fondled the tiny piece of paper in his pocket, standing in the rain. He held an umbrella over Krystal's head. He didn't want to stand underneath it. He wanted to be soaking wet, he didn't care what happened right now. He only focused on the three wooden caskets that we being carried up the grassy hill to the six foot deep holes he was standing next to.

His speech had failed. Cyalinth was enslaved.

He remembered a time when he and Falco raided imperial ships with motorcycles. How he missed those times, when it was just him and Falco against the world, with no sense of duty or honor. All that was there was the sense of adventure, the unknowing, the idea of having no clue what would happen next and being perfectly okay with it.

His eyes then shifted to Slippy's casket, which was truly empty and only symbolic. The real Slippy was lost somewhere in the void of space. Memories began to surface of pre-school, of the day he first met the short, dorky little amphibian who would later become one of the most loyal people he knew.

The third and final casket contained the remains of Peppy Hare, who had died very shortly after getting back to Corneria. Fox thought he may miss Peppy the most in the long run. Peppy was practically Fox's father. He acted just like him. It seemed fitting that he should be buried alongside him.

The team would be buried in a secluded area of the Cornerian National Cemetery, which had been bought by Fox when his father had died. All Star Fox members would be buried there; himself, Krystal, and all who came after.

Fox didn't care to pay attention to what the religious leader was saying. He just stood there, his eyes shifting from casket to casket, watching the last pieces of his old self in their final moments. Fox's expression stayed stagnant when the caskets were lowered into the graves, and the others had all left.

He judged that it must have been about midnight when he finally left, with Krystal still at his side. At least she was still there.

Krystal headed to the car, but Fox began walking in another direction.

"Fox? Where are you going?"

"I've got a promise to keep. Go back to my house. I'll be home in a matter of days. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. It just slipped my mind." He said, hands in his pocket. Krystal nodded in understanding, and drove off after giving Fox a warm smile.

Fox began walking to his Arwing. He was free from his old life, from war and pain, but he didn't feel free. The pain remained, and would remain for years to come. Perhaps Akiba had been correct. Maybe those who denied others freedom didn't deserve it for themselves. Or maybe they could never be truly be free.

And it's over! I would like to thank all of you for your support on this story, and I look forward to reading your full reviews and hearing your future feedback! I hope you enjoyed reading Insanity Pulse as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thank you all!

-ThatWinchieGuy