Chapter 36: Father and Son
Fox stayed his ground in the middle of the room as James slowly made his way over to him, his boots stomping against the ground was the only sound made as his legs moved back and forth kicking out his long trench coat.
James stopped once he was several feet away from Fox and then turned on his heel to face him, his eyes covered by his dark sunglasses. Fox said nothing but continued to look his biological father over.
James was the first to speak." You found me." He said raising his arms up." Isn't that what you always wanted?"
"I'm not here to discuss that anymore." Fox replied." I'm not here to fight you."
"That's what I'm here to discuss." Said James as he clapped his hands together creating a 'CLAP' sound that echoed around the room." So tell me son." He said placing emphasis on the word." Wha-"
"I'm not your son." Fox quickly spoke up.
"Yes you are." Said James extending his hand and pointing at Fox." The resemblance is unmistakable. You are my son."
"No." Fox said again." I'm not your son, you are not my father. Your not even James McCloud, the real James McCloud would never do what you have done!"
"Are you upset because I busted up your little friend?" asked James casually." It's no big deal, he just needs some ice is all."
"And you think its okay?" asked Fox." To act that way?" Fox was taught by Peppy to believe in others whether good or bad, and to never consider himself someone's better. Fox knew the definition of Good and Evil and he lived his life on the fine line of protecting the principals he held so dear. He had always considered himself an honest, good man yet here his father stood before him the exact opposite. A man who deserted his own family.
"I fight to survive." Retorted James." I am no stranger to pain. I've survived all my life through hardships you couldn't imagine. This." He said as he put his arms up motioning to the place around them." This not the end of the world."
James' life had been different from his sons, he had no direction in life and when his wife was pregnant with his son he had to provide for them somehow. So he squared the lylat system looking for and job that would pay, then he met Shang Tsung and his life changed forever. He changed into a new man, the hollow form of his old self dead inside the shell of a new person. Since then he became a colder person and he did a lot of things his son would found revolting.
Silence overtook them and James stood back silently triumphant hoping his words reached his sons ears. James thought back to Shao Khan and how he spoke of his deceased daughters.
"Let me ask you something." said James pointing to Fox." Wouldn't you do anything for your family?" Fox cocked his head and looked at James. But he made no reply and just stared at him." To see them survive prosper, carry on, what would you do?" When it seemed Fox wouldn't answer he continued. "I would have done anything, and that's what I was doing!" said James. He pasued for a moment before continuing. After being saved by Andross by Shang Tsung James continued to roam the Lylat System in search of any jobs, anything to help him support his family. The days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years." I returned to Corneria one night and I learned what had happened. I heard about your mother." Fox ducked his head for a moment as his eyes started to swell with tears." I thought my family was lost forever. In that moment I would have traded anything to get your mother back." He himself paused as he and Fox had a moment of silence for a fallen loved one." And I heard you were staying with Peppy. I at least knew you were safe.
"Everything that I am." Fox replied." I owe nothing to you."
Just then James jumped across the area between them and threw a punch. But Fox quickly countered and grabbed onto James' fist and then dodged around him, causing James to fall to the ground.
"I already told you." Said Fox." I don't want to fight." But then James quickly kicked up his legs in an attempt to knock Fox to the ground, but Fox jumped up dodging him. Then James jumped back on his feet.
Then he swung his fist around only for Fox to put up his arm and block. James swung again, only to be blocked once more. But then next time he swung he connected hitting Fox with an uppercut to the chin. Fox was stunned and James quickly jumped up and kicked him in the chest, sending Fox onto the ground on his back.
"Come on." Said James as he stood before Fox. He lay there on the ground whipping the blood from his mouth away." Don't tell me Peppy didn't teach you how to fight." Fox stood back, not letting the trash talk get to him. James then pressed his attack and jumped at Fox once more.
He jumped forward and threw a punch. But Fox put up both his arms and blocked as James began to hammer punch after punch at Fox. But then when James threw one punch Fox reached out and caught his fist. Then Fox gripped James' arm and quickly side-stepped him. Still gripping him Fox swung him forward and across the room.
James fell over and rolled on the ground but quickly regained himself, shooting himself onto one knee resting on the ground.
"I have to say I'm disappointed." Said James as he stood back up.
"I didn't come here to fight you." Said Fox again.
"I thought will all your talk of fighting for good you'd put up more of a fight." Continued James." Let me tell you something else, something Peppy didn't teach you. There is no good and evil. You, me, everyone we're all the same."
Meanwhile Falco, Krystal and Rouge were making their way around the fortress. At this moment they found themselves going along a long corridor.
"You think this is a good enough place to start planting?" asked Rouge. The group stopped and began looking around.
"There." Said Krystal pointing to the pillars. "We can put them along there."
"Let's no waste anytime then." Said Falco as he dug into his pockets and began pulled out some C4 and handed it out. Then he ran over and planted it onto one of the pillars, then ran over and planed more on a second. Rouge flew along the ceiling and slipped some C4 in some more tight spaces.
"Why don't you tell me something." continued James as he moved forward towards Fox who stood his ground, stiff as a rock." What will you do after this is all over? What do you plan to do?"
"That's none of your concern." Fox calmly replied.
"You told me you wanted to marry this girl of yours." Fox immidetly shot up, now they were treading on personal ground. James knew how his son thought because he himself thought like that once, so he knew all the right things to say. " That bitch, what was her name-" Fox took immediate offense, not taking kindly to the love of his life spoken of in such manner. His brow thickened and he narrowed his eyes on James.
" What this?" said James acknowledging the change in his son's eyes." You mad about something son?" Then looked him over and noticed the scowl on his face. Now Fox always considered himself a practical and peaceful man by nature, but every man has their limits.
"You wanted a fight." Said Fox." You've got it." A smirk formed on James' face.
Then in the blink of an eye Fox charged forward and James did the same. They clashed, as Fox grabbed James by the torso and then lifted him up and slamming him on the ground. Then Fox sat over him and punched him in the face, then a second time. But James wiggled his leg under Fox and then managed to kick him off.
Fox fell back onto the ground as James got to his feet. Fox looked up and then noticed James standing over him and then swinging his foot down at him. But luckily Fox rolled out of the way and back on his feet.
Then Fox jumped up and kicked James in the back. The older man faltered but did not fall. Fox hit the ground and crouched. Then he lunged forward and tackled James into the wall.
The two slammed into the wall. Fox held onto James despite his struggling. But then James elbowed Fox in the back, but Fox did not release his grip. So then James put both hands together and then slammed down on Fox's back forcing him to fall to his knees.
Then James grabbed Fox by the top of his head and then kneed him in the face. But before Fox could fall back James grabbed him by his shoulder, hoisted him up and slammed him into the wall.
Fox stood there and then James threw a punch at Fox's stomach. But Fox reached out his arm and blocked. Then with his other arm Fox swung up and punched James in the face sending him stumbling back.
Fox distanced himself from the wall and then squared off with James once more. James lunged forward and threw a punch but Fox blocked. Then Fox shot forward with a jab and hit James in the nose.
But then James swung back and punched Fox in the face. Then he punched him again and again in the stomach. But when he went for a third Fox reached down and grabbed his hand. Then Fox shot his head forward and Head-butted James.
The Father stumbled back as the son came forward. Then James swung another punch but Fox ducked under his arm and dodged. Then he swung around behind James and kicked him in the back of his knee. James quickly fell to one knee with a groan. Then Fox kicked him again in the back causing him to fall over.
Fox then ran over and grabbed James by his collar and stood him up. But then in a quick instance James reached up and grabbed Fox's shoulders and then head-butted Fox.
Fox shuddered from the hit and then James head-butted him again causing him to stumble back.
Then James ran forward, jumped up and then kicked Fox across the face. Fox flew across their battleground and landed on his stomach.
He groaned as he propped himself up on his elbows trying to get up. But then James jumped down on top of him, slamming Fox's body against the ground. Fox gritted his teeth but did not yell as James pressed his knee into Fox's back.
"It seems your no stranger to pain either." James commented.
"I've been in worse scraps than this." Fox replied." Luck's always been on my side." His eyes rolled down at his small necklace.
"We'll see." Replied James. Then he grabbed the back of Fox's head and pulled him up. Then he slammed Fox's face down on the ground. Then James slammed his face against the ground again and again. Fox's hand would twitch with ever hit.
Then James slammed Fox's head against the ground once more, this time with the greatest amount of force. This time Fox's hand didn't twitch and instead just went limp. James sat over his son's body and noticed he wasn't moving. Then he slowly got off Fox's body and observed his lifeless body lying there.
James turned on his heel and began walking away. He kept walking until he heard something, then he gave a sideways glance behind him.
There he saw Fox standing there despite the odds. He was now bleeding from his nose, mouth, and a cut above his left eye. The blood ran into his eye blinding him.
"It seems you do know pain." James commented as he faced Fox fully. But Fox said nothing his face covered in blood and bruises.
Then in a quick dahs Fox ran forward and tackled James. He tackled him threw the thin wall and the two began falling down a small slide until they landed on the small balcony.
Meanwhile with Falco, Krystal, and Rouge.
The three had made their exit from the inside of the castle and were now standing on one of its balcony's.
"Well." Said Rouge." We've planted the explosives. Now what?" she and Krystal looked over to Falco.
"Now we blow this place to Kingdom come." Said Falco pulling out the detonator and holding it in his hand.
"From a safe distance." Said Rouge placing her hand on Falco's, stopping him from doing anything rash and killing everyone.
"Then I'd recommend you fly us to a safe distance." Falco retorted looking down at her with sneer.
"But what about Fox?" asked Krystal." And Naruto and the others?" Falco and Rouge turned and looked at her. But before they could answer they heard a noise.
Coming down the corridor towards them was a small band of tarkatans.
"Oh shit." Groaned Falco. He quickly shoved the detonator into Krystal's hands and reached for his pistol.
He quickly pulled it out and began firing. His aiming wasn't bad, dropping one tarkatan from a shot to the chest and another from a bullet to the stomach. But before he could fire more the tarkatans had gotten very close and were now upon them.
One ran forward and grabbed Falco by his hand and forced his hand up, shooting his bullets in the air. Then the tarkatan pushed Falco back and pressed him against the balcony.
One tarkatan ran up to Krystal and swung it's blades but Krystal dodged and then kicked the tarkatan in the face, sending it stumbling off.
One ran up to Rouge and wrapped it's hands around her throat. She was easily overcome by the larger foe, but she managed to get her foot pressed against the tarkatan's body. Then she kicked him up and over her head, causing him to fall off the balcony and to the ground below.
Falco head-butted the tarkatan holding him back. The tarkatan released him and Falco pointed his gun at him and prepared to fire. But when he squeezed the trigger nothing happened, he was out of bullets. Then suddenly two tarkatans jumped on him but he managed to hold them back.
"YOU TWO!" he yelled pointing to Rouge and Krystal." GET OUT OF HERE!" Now more tarkatans began to jump on him. They couldn't get to the two women because Falco held them back. Falco pushed one and then punched another.
"But what about you?!" asked Rouge.
"Don't worry about me!" Falco replied." Get into the air and then blow this place." Both Krystal and Rouge moved to protest but Falco stopped them." DO IT!" he yelled." We all came here knowing the risks! GO, GO NOW!"
The two women did not argue. Rouge grabbed onto Krystal and then the two took off into the sky, leaving Falco behind with the raging tarkatans.
Meanwhile with Fox and James. The had fallen a small distance from their initial battleground and now on a balcony. But slowly the two began to come to life. Grunting and groaning as they held their sides, rising to their feet.
They stood as best they could, hunched over holding themselves in place. Fox looked across several feet and saw a beaten-up old Fox would looked much like himself. Whatever he had done had formed him into this, he made himself much as Fox had to make himself. And whatever evil made James what he was Fox had to make sure he never became that.
Fox then managed to stand to his full height, ignoring the pain. James was still bent over addressing his wounds.
"You asked me before what I'd do for my family." Said Fox.
"What?" replied James in a cough, spitting some blood out.
"You asked me what I'd do for my family." Said Fox." I never answered. My answer is 'Everything'. I would do anything for them. For my friends who I have made plenty of who have followed me to this island no matter what, For Falco my brother, For Peppy my father, and for Krystal my love. They'd give everything for me so I give everything for them." James' sunglasses fell over his nose and his eyes looked over and observed Fox.
Meanwhile Krystal and Rouge flew along. Krystal holding the detonator in her hands. Falco was gone, their force was scattered and divided. And Krystal wondered who else had given their lives here today, she wondered where Fox was. She turned her head up and looked at Rouge.
"Do it." She said. Krystal nodded her head and then turned her attention to the detonator in her hands.
A massive explosion followed after that, that shook the whole island. The fortress fell by pieces, some large chunks of rocks flying into the air.
But then Krystal's eyes locked onto something else. She looked over and saw a balcony sticking out of the side of the mountain. She could recognize one of them easily, it was Fox.
"DOWN THERE!" Krystal yelled pointing down at where he was." Rogue down there quick!"
"Be careful!" exclaimed Rouge as she tried to focus on flying despite Krystal's movements." I can't concentrate." But then a small rock flew down from the sky and hit Rouge.
She was stunned and let go of Krystal while she flew out of control. Krystal now began falling from the sky and towards the ground. But she was close enough to the balcony Fox was on for him to notice her.
Fox heard her screams and turned around to see Krystal falling. Fox quickly jumped out to try and grab her as she flew past him. Krystal saw him and reached out her hand to try and grab his.
Fox lunged forward his arm extended; Krystal fell with her hand reached out. The two reached for the other with only a brief moment to grab the other's hand or it would result in Krystal's death. But Fox was only off by a few centimeters, he felt Krystal's fingers graze his and then she fell down from his sight to the ground below. Fox continued to lunge forward until he came to the side of the balcony. He expected to see Krystal fall but he saw something different entirely.
There saw Falco hanging onto the side of the shaking mountain, one arm to support himself and with his other arm he held Krystal.
Falco then pulled Krystal up and next to him on the mountain.
"Good." Sighed Fox." Your both safe." The two looked up at him.
They looked up and saw the roof above the balcony beginning to crumble above him. Some pieces began to fall off and fall towards him.
"FOX LOOK OUT!" yelled Krystal. Fox turned his head around and saw some large rocks falling towards him. But then before they hit someone jumped in his way and blocked it, Fox was surprised when he looked up and saw who was there.
There was James McCloud standing above Fox, using himself as a shield, holding up the mountain while it crumbled around him. Fox looked up in shock while James looked back casually while in mild pain. Fox was at a true loss for words.
"Don't worry about me." Grunted James while he held the roof up." Save your friends."
Fox wasted none of the little time he had and swung back around to Krystal and Falco. He used one arm for Falco and one for Krystal, then he tried to pull the two up only with little luck. James stood there and grunted while the mountain continued to fall.
Fox tried to muster all his strength and pull his loved ones to safety. But then when he tried to pull them something happened.
Krystal began to slip, nearly falling out of Fox's grip. She shrieked as her body was now hovering over the long fall below. Fox tried to reassure his grip on her but had trouble doing so because he held onto Falco with his other arm. Fox kept trying to reassure his grip on Krystal but it just kept getting weaker with her continuing to slip.
But Fox's grip on Falco was firm showing no signs of problems. Falco noticed this as he darted his head from Fox to Krystal. Fox was too focused on pulling Krystal to safety that he didn't notice Falco. But Falco knew what had to be done.
"Foxxy." Said Falco's voice surprisingly calm. Fox for once took his eyes off Krystal and over to Falco who smiled casually at him. The two made eye contact and starred into the other's eyes. They knew what the other was thinking, but to Fox it wasn't an option. "I'll be alright." Falco said. Fox shook his head in disbelief as he tried to hand onto them both, tears forming in his eyes. Fox's grip on Falco was still tight but it got weaker on Krystal, to the point where she may fall. The mountain continued to crumble around them and James fell to his knees trying to keep the mountains from falling on them.
Krystal now slipped out of Fox's grip and began to fall. In an instant Fox darted both his head and his other arm over to Krystal. Falco however shot back and began falling off the mountain. Fox managed to grab onto her and stop her from falling. But at a price. While he held Krystal there he could look past her and see Falco falling down, far down into the great unknown.
But there was little time to mourn his loss, the mountain continued to crumble. So Fox hoisted Krystal up and onto the crumbling balcony with him.
He looked over and saw despite James was holding the falling mountain they couldn't get away. They were trapped between the crumbling mountain and the fall below.
"Look!" said Krystal as he pointed to the sky. Fox looked up and saw Rouge hovering above them. The bat saw them and began flying over." We're saved." Said Krystal.
But Fox turned his attention away from her and walked over to kneel before James, becoming eye level with him.
When Fox knelt down James's sunglasses fell onto his nose. Fox now looked into two bright blue eyes much like his own.
It was strange, here was a man he was just fighting to the deal with, who he claimed couldn't be his father because he saw so evil, yet here he was saving Fox from certain death and allowing him to save his friends.
Fox wanted to say 'Thank You' but couldn't find his voice for some reason.
"You've done well boy." James panted. Fox reached forward to try and help James out from the rocks that crushed him."No." James said softly but sternly." No, no, it's no use. I am broken." He said. Fox repositioned himself several inches away from James.
"I-" began Fox.
"Don't say anything." Said James." Get out of here quickly."
"I want you to meet Krystal." Said Fox pointing over his shoulder at the blue vixen." She's my girl." Then Fox stood up and next to her." Krystal this is James, my father."
Krystal looked from Fox and then to James. This was a strange time for an introduction. But she managed to say 'Pleasure to meet you."
"Pleasure's…..mine." James grunted as the weight began to become more than he could hold.
Rouge was flying down now, ready to swoop down and grab the two. But before he could leave Fox had to do one last thing.
He kneeled down before James once more. Then Fox took his 'Good-Luck' necklace off his neck and put it around James'.
"I hope luck fairs you as much as it has me." He said. Then Fox backed off. Then James and Fox looked at each other. "Goodbye." Said Fox. Then Rouge swooped down and grabbed the two and took off into the sky.
"Goodbye." Said James softly after they'd flown off. Then he collapsed under the weight the rocks began to fall and cover his body.
Rouge flew up and into the air holding Fox and Krystal in her arms. This time she was able to avoid falling rocks and fly to a safer zone.
Fox turned his head back and noticed the mountain erupted behind him and then began crumbling. There was a sadness written on his face when he looked back.
"Rouge." Said Krystal to the bat." Did you find Falco?" Rouge glance over to Fox and then faced Krystal again.
"No." she replied. Fox only shut his eyes and bit his lip. Then a lone tear broke free and ran down his face.