Chapter 35: Resolution

Back in the Great Fox's lounge, Wolf was listing intently as Coby wrapped up his story.

"I've never told anyone else about Manco or Canister Gang," Coby mumbled as he picked loose lent off of his hat, "not even Marcus or Leon. I don't really know why, but every time I wanted to tell them, it felt…wrong, like I would be giving away a precious secret."

"It feels sacred to you," Wolf nodded, "I understand that feeling."

Coby looked at Wolf with worried eyes.

"So, you won't-?

"I won't tell anyone," Wolf yawned, "but I'm still curious. Was that the last time you saw Manco?"

Coby sighed and nodded.

"He never even contacted me. Never called, never sent messages, nothing. For the last nine years, I didn't even know if he and his crew were still alive."

Wolf huffed and grimaced.

"Are you kidding me? Every one of those smuggling wretches is a legendary fighter. Of course they're alive."

Coby looked up at Wolf.

"Yep, all of them," Wolf continued, "Met them on Golbekia a few months ago."

Coby smiled and sighed heavily with relief. The raccoon chuckled.

"Well, I guess I already knew that in a way. Still though, it's nice to know they're okay."

Wolf narrowed his eyes and looked at Coby with suspicion. Manco saw something in the boy, but Wolf couldn't figure out what it was. To him, Coby looked like nothing but a hot-headed, trigger happy amateur. Nothing seemed particularly interesting or unique about him. Wolf didn't see why Manco would bother to save the boy and give him hope.

"Then again," Wolf thought to himself, "You always had sharper eyes, didn't you?"

"I made myself a promise the day he left," Coby put his hat back on, "I promised that I would go out into space and find Manco and his crew."

Wolf laughed out loud.

"That's easier said than done," Wolf looked at Coby with doubt, "Manco's in the Outskirts. You'll never survive long enough to see him."

"I don't care if he's in the deepest pit of hell," Coby laughed, "I'll do whatever it takes to see him again. If I have to get stronger, I will. If I have to risk my life, well, I'm already doing that, so it wouldn't be much of a change."

"I see," Wolf made a humming sound, "You've got determination kid. I'll give you that. However, actions speak louder than words. You and your crew are gonna have to prove yourselves a lot more before you're ready for the Outskirts."

The sound of the door opening interrupted Coby and Wolf's conversation. Coby turned around, and Wolf leaned in his chair to look around the raccoon. Leon stood at the doorway with his hands in his pockets. Coby looked surprised, but Wolf hardly reacted.

"Coby, I need you to leave," Leon demanded.

Coby looked back at Wolf with concern. The lupine looked at him with his good eye and nodded slightly. Coby sighed and got up from his chair.

"Please don't do anything stupid," Coby whispered to Leon as he walked past him through the exit.

The door closed, and Leon walked over to the table with a relaxed posture. He sat opposite from Wolf, not looking him in the eye.

Neither man spoke at first. Wolf put a hand underneath his chin and studied his son, while Leon looked down at the table, occasionally glancing up at his father. After a few minutes, Wolf sighed through his nose and crossed his arms.

"So what, are you just gonna pretend I don't exist like last time?" Wolf asked.

Leon didn't respond. He continued to look at the table.

"If you don't want to talk, don't waste your time. You'd be better off-

"Who's my Mother?" Leon interrupted as he looked up at his father, "Where has she been this whole time?"

Wolf's eye narrowed a little.

"Is that really all you want to know?"

"I'm just here to ask questions," Leon replied with a casual voice, "I'm not here to fight you. I'm not here to yell and argue with you. I just want to know some things every child deserves to know."

Wolf blinked at his son and sat up straight in his chair.

"A long time ago, in the Outskirts of the Lylat Federation, My crew and I unintentionally made enemies with a very powerful Golbekian warlord. Outmatched and chased at every corner, we knew we had to get help. Luckily for us, we learned that the warlord had other enemies. A small patch of rebel fighters challenged the tyrant on his own world. We made an alliance with these rebels and began fighting the warlord together."

"What does this have to do with my mother?" Leon asked.

"Everything, actually. Her name was Alyssa. She was a military commander for the rebel army."

Leon's mouth opened slightly.

"My mother led a rebel army?"

Wolf nodded. A small grin spread across his muzzle.

"She was both a ruthless fighter and a gifted leader. Like any warrior, I admired her skill in combat and her tactical mind. However, there was something else about her as well. She was very kind and merciful, never showing signs of cold-blooded hatred or lust for revenge. I've never seen someone with all those traits combined. It was…interesting."

"You loved her?" Leon asked.

"Love her?" Wolf closed his eye, still grinning, "Not at first, no. It took me a while to grow any thoughts of compassion or desire for her. I was selfish and disinterested, so creating any bonds with anyone, especially a bond of love, was nearly impossible for me. The only people I had ever remotely cared about was my crew, but even then our friendships were kind of shaky."

"But later on… you did fall in love?"

Wolf remembered the exact moment he fell in love with Alyssa. It was the most enlightening and joyful point of his life, like a door to heaven opened before his eyes, and he never even knew it was there. Just the memory of it brought happiness to his heart. However, instead of giving Leon a full account, he only said,

"I did, and that's how you came along later," Wolf opened his eye and looked at Leon.

Leon looked down at the table and sighed,

"Sounds like she was a good woman. I wish I could've met her."

"So do I," Wolf nodded, "And make no mistake, she cared for you more than anything else in this world. She would've loved to see the kind of man you're becoming today."

Leon blushed and chuckled a little. However, his smile went away when he asked,

"How did she die?"

Wolf felt a black memory creep into his mind. His eye glared and his fists tightened so hard, he almost bled his palms with his claws. Like the time memory when he fell in love with Alyssa, the memory when he lost her also never left, and it only brought hatred and malice to his heart when he thought of it. Wolf breathed hard, trying to control his rising anger.

"Bounty Hunters came one night and took her life,"

Leon looked back up at his Father with a hint of pity on his face.

"That must have been hard for you. I'm sorry,"

Wolf glared at Leon, still feeling a little angry. It wasn't against his son, but it was still there. Finally he decided to talk on a more personal matter which he knew Leon was curious about.

"I didn't want my son to grow up on a war torn world," Wolf said, "That's why I left you on Corneria. I had a warlord to fight, and if I stayed with you, I would only threaten your life."

Wolf sat up straight in his chair and starred directly into Leon's eyes.

"Do you hate me for that?"

Leon didn't react to his Father's question. He continued to stare at him with a blank expression, showing no sign of anger or hate. However, there was a look of contemplation in the boy's eyes, as if he was trying to answer the question.

"There were times that I was angry," Leon began, "times when I thought I hated you. The thought that you abandoned me filled me with rage and hatred. The idea that I had the blood of a criminal in my veins disgusted me." Leon looked down at the table again, "But it wasn't all hate. Sometimes I thought I loved you. Some nights I dreamed about you picking me up from the orphanage. I would fantasize about doing anything to make you proud, including murder."

Wolf didn't respond. He had his arms crossed, listening intently.

"But after all this time, over the last eight years of my life, I discovered something,"

Leon looked back up at Wolf with an honest face.

"All of that hatred and love was a mirage. It was nothing but a veil, the illusions of a scared little boy disguising themselves as the one thing he truly desired."

"What was that?" Wolf asked, already knowing the answer.

Leon smiled softly and answered,

"To be loved,"

Leon chuckled and blushed slightly.

"When Fox adopted me, I was given so many things I didn't even know existed," Leon continued, "I was given a loving Mother and a stupid younger brother. Slowly but surely, my thoughts about you began to disappear. They were replaced with real family and real love and memories, so many good memories. In fact I…I don't really remember the first eleven years of my life very well. It's all just a blur."

Leon's smile disappeared.

"Of course, not everything went away. There were certain moments when I was afraid I would have to fight you, but they were rare and widespread. And now that you're here, I don't ever have to worry about that again. Now I know I won't have to fight you. So, to answer your question, no. I don't hate you. I've never hated you. After all, I can't hate someone I barely even know."

Wolf hardly flinched at his son's confession. He only nodded in a formal way.

"I guess that's cleared up then,"

"So, what happens now?" Leon asked.

"Nothing," Wolf answered as he stood up from his chair and stretched his back, "we continue living our lives like we never even met each other. We both know what we want to know, and that's all we need."

"But is that okay?" Leon asked, looking conflicted, "Is it really right for us both to just be separated like that?"

Wolf bellowed with laughter.

"Man, you really do sound like Fox," Wolf struck a smug grin at his son, "Don't think too hard on it. It's pretty obvious that staying apart is the best decision for us both."

Leon blinked and nodded, still looking unsure. Wolf began walking towards the exit until Leon called out,

What did I inherit from my mother?"

Wolf stopped and shot a cryptic smile at Leon over his shoulder.

"Let's just say you've inherited her virtues and fur color. Everything else comes from good old Dad."

With that, Wolf left Leon alone in the room.