Author's Notes: Two chapters in one week, not bad. It's FILLER TIME! It's been a while since I've done a real filler and I don't really like doing them, but it is necessary to progress the story to the next level. This is probably the shortest chapter in the whole story as well. Don't worry though. Krystal's story arc truly begins in the next chapter.

Chapter 20

The Teams

While Krystal was doing the adjustments to her new and improved satellite teleport system in the Solomon's lab, everyone around had just been staring at her. Mostly in disbelief. Fox was hanging around the place as well, but from out of sight. It was morning and she had already explained her plan to everyone else after her little stunt at what was supposed to be Light's body burning. Thankfully, his body was back in cold storage, safe from harm. From what she told them, it did seem very possible, but they still didn't completely buy it. "Hey, Princess," Nat called out. "Are you absolutely certain that this will work?" That was the one question on everyone's mind.

"In theory, yes, I believe it'll work." Krystal laid down her tools and walked over to the other end of her work table and picked up Light's laptop. "Light was using this to make one of his games, as a pet project of his. So this will be the world we transport to. It'll be easy."

"We're still not sure about this," Alex repeated for Nat.

"I am," she simply stated.

An exasperated sigh resonated throughout the room. "So, who's going with you," Chris asked. Immediately, a shiver ran down Nat and Alex's spines. That was the one question they did NOT want to ask. They already knew the answer to it.

"You guys of course."

Alex spoke up for himself there. "Sorry, I'd love to go with you, but Allistor already asked me to go with him to get that armor Morganna mentioned before."

Krystal only looked at him for second before turning to Light's uncle. "Really? You never mentioned that to me."

Allistor shrugged his shoulders. "I know. I was upset at the time and completely forgot about telling you. I only just remembered this morning when I bumped into Alex on the way over here."

Krystal brushed off her surprise and looked pointedly back at Alex. "Well, looks like you're off the hook. But you two are still not off the hook."

Nat and Chris thought to themselves for a moment before conceding. "Fine, we'll go." Nat stated through a groan.

Chris was right behind him in saying, "We'll do this for Light."

"Alright," Krystal started. "Do I have any more volunteers to go with me?"

Krystal's brother stepped and pulled out his staff. "You can count on me." Even though Krystal had already stated that, in all likelihood, there was no danger to be had. She thought she could have done the job all on her own, but she wanted her and Light's friends to join her as well, like in the good old days. Krystal nodded to Sabre and smiled. That smile quickly twisted into a frown when a certain voice called out.

"I'll go." After spending a whole day hiding from everyone's accusing eyes, Fox showed himself with a new determined look about him. There were still a few hard looks focused on him, but he stood steadfast.

Krystal hissed angrily at the new presence in the room. "What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay away from me?" Fox turned his eyes to the floor. There was just no way he could look into her eyes. They were too filled with hate for him. Still, he stood his ground and urged further on.

"For what I've done, I don't deserve to stand in the same room as you. I know that." Tears visibly fell from his face and he sobbed for a second. "But I want to make it up to you. I want to make it up to Light. Please, let me come with you and help. I know I might not be able to do much, but please… Let me have a chance to make things right. If you let me do this, I promise to stay out of your lives for as long as I live."

Krystal was stunned speechless at his sudden burst of confidence. She was about to scream out her 'no,' but she felt a hand lightly grasp her shoulder. Krystal turned slightly to see Lindsey at her side. "Please, let him go. I'm sick and tired of all of this hate. Please, just give him a chance. It wasn't entirely his fault, after all." Krystal didn't know what to say. Lindsey had been something of a surrogate mother to her from the very beginning. She respected the older woman like so, and that made it all the more harder to refuse Fox's request.

The vulpine princess's mental wall wore down and she sighed in defeat. "Very well." She then approached Fox and looked venomously into his now risen eyes. "Lets just get one thing straight though. You can come, but if you become a liability, I'll send you right back here. So do as I say and don't touch anything! Understand?" Fox nodded, still a little saddened at the treatment he had brought on himself, but at least he was given a second chance to right his wrongs. Although there were still some hard feelings in the room, most of everyone was proud to see that Krystal was trying to be a little more forgiving. "Alright, then in that case, go get your things and get ready."

"Right," Fox exclaimed as he ran out the door to the Great Fox to get his gear.

Once he was gone, Krystal turned to everyone else. "How does a test of my new portable teleporting system sound?"

"So that machine is already up and ready?" Peppy asked. Krystal nodded.

"Just follow me outside and well test it out real fast before we leave." Everyone followed her out of the ship and outside of the palace to a grassy knoll in front of the gates. Once in the clearing, Krystal turned around to the expecting party and started fiddling around with the gold trapezoid-shaped machine strapped to her wrist. "This shouldn't take me very long, so don't go anywhere." She pressed a few buttons and tuned back to everyone. "See you all in a few minutes." Then, in a blue flash, she was gone.

Krystal had arrived inside her home on Earth. The one she and her family was happily living in before this week of pain started. She felt more hurt in her heart, but not as much as before. The hope she had now had dulled the pain. Without wasting too much time, Krystal entered her and Light's bedroom and after staring longingly at it for only a few seconds, she broke away and went to their closet. She opened it and rummaged around for a short while. It didn't take very long before she finally found what she was looking for.

Her old staff. Krystal picked it up and examined it for the first time in many years. Even after all of this time, it still possessed it same sheen it used to. Sure, it was a little dusty, but it was in almost perfect condition. Krystal knew what she told the others about there not being any danger on this mission, but it didn't hurt to be prepared for the unexpected.

The memories it gave her put tears in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and controlled herself. She wasn't going to cry again.

Krystal strapped the golden, magic staff to her back and started pressing buttons on her wrist teleported to go back to Cerinia. She left the house hoping that the next time she came back; it was with a whole family and not a broken one.

Krystal returned to the group on Cerinia, just as she said she would. They were surprised to see the weapon on her back after it had been in storage for a long time, but found that it truly did suit her. Well, the important thing was that the device on her wrist worked. It was amazing how talented she was with that kind of stuff.

With that successful test out of the way, Krystal and everyone walked back to the Solomon and along the way she waited up for Allistor to catch up to her so she could walk with him side by side. "So, did you get your reading in?"

The man nodded. "I've read through everything I could. I don't know if I can actually replace Joel, but I should be able to operate it decently enough."

"That's good. Speaking of Joel how is he?"

"I'm afraid we don't really know for sure. There's no telling when he'll be in that coma. Thankfully there was no permanent damage caused to his brain or body, so my guess is he'll come out of it any day now." Krystal nodded to show her understanding.

Everyone got back to Solomon and found Fox ready and waiting in Krystal's lab. The Cerinian princess walked up to the table behind him and picked up a back pack. She handed it to him without looking in his direction, but she kept any venom from being present in her voice. "Here. These are our rations for the trip, don't lose them." Fox took it and was glad she was at least trying to trust him again.

Krystal turned around and asked hers and Light's parents. "Will you mind watching over the kids while I'm gone?"

They shook their head. "They'll be safe with us," Mira assured her daughter.

"Then in that case, Allistor, fire up the Azure-Light." Allistor did as he was told while Krystal started preparing her own device. She turned to Nat and Chris who still looked a little hesitant. "Come on, you guys. We won't be gone long and there is nothing to be worried about." 'At least I hope so,' she thought to herself. The two young men hesitated for a moment longer before joining her and Fox in front of the machine.

It didn't take too long for Allistor to get the machine up and running. He smiled in self-satisfaction. Sometimes he amazed even himself. The Azure-Light's familiar glow radiated from its tip and a portal, much like the one that helped Sabre cross over, opened above their heads.

Before anything else, Krystal's attention went back to Allistor to tell him one last thing. "Listen to me." She pointed a finger at a bright red on her teleporter. "We should be back in half a day or a day at the most, so you should start the portal back up at the times I specified in your notes. If we don't make it back by then, then either we missed getting to them in time or something had gone wrong. If something does go wrong or if it takes us more time than I thought to get the medicine, I'll press this button. It'll forcibly activate the Azure-Light by remote and we'll transport back here to this spot. However, it will fry my transporter's circuits." With that said, she and the others with her turned to all those watching them. "Well, wish us luck." And with the press of a button, she and the others disappeared through the portal.

"There they go," Brandon stated absentmindedly.

Leonidas then started moving to the bridge while saying, "And now we have to go plan our own venture. Come CO, we've got much to do."

"Sir," Brandon replied automatically and followed the captain.

Not long after, Randorn, Mira, Tim, and Sarah went to leave the ship and fulfill their promise to Krystal. The kids had been left with a Cerinian nanny to take care of them while the grownups took care of business.

Before Allistor could leave the lab, he heard someone walk up behind him. Allistor found that it was Peppy who was behind him. "What is it Peppy, do you need anything?"

"Yeah, there is. I need you to send me back to Corneria."

"Corneria? What for?"

"Its got something with what that Blitzkrieg guy said before. If he has an army, then we'll need one as well." Allistor realized what he was saying and nodded in complete agreement. There was too much at stake for them to not have any kind back of up. After all, Blitzkrieg wasn't one for making threats. He made promises.