The following morning, Fox flew to Fichina to work on Krystal's test. Targets were placed on both sides of the planned route, all programmed to "fire" at Krystal whenever she was in range. If the weather reports were accurate, visibility would be reduced on the planned day. Fox was happy she had the foresight to purchase some land for cold weather training purposes. With the final target in place, the two mile course was finished. Fox returned to her Arwing and was back at the Great Fox shortly before nine in the morning.
"Where were you?" Krystal asked as Fox entered the recreation room.
"Preparing your test." Fox replied, "It should be challenging with all the planning I put into it."
"It better be challenging." Krystal told her teasingly, "I would be insulted if you made it too easy. So, what's the plan for today?"
"Lucy wants to know if she and a few friends can visit." Fara told Fox.
"They can as long as they're not associated with Katt." Fox told her, "That cat hangs out with the weirdest people. I think you and possibly Falco were the only normal 'friends' of hers."
"They're not." Fara assured Fox, "I made sure to ask her."
Fara pushed a few buttons on her communicator, informing Lucy Fox gave her permission.
"They'll be here around 1." Fara informed Fox.
"That should give me enough time to finish Krystal's test." Fox said as she went on the computer. Fara followed Krystal into the kitchen as the blue vixen grabbed a snack.
"So, what's the deal?" Fara asked Krystal, "Is there a set date for the test? What happens afterward?"
"I think Fox has a date in mind." Krystal answered, "She hasn't told me yet and I haven't pried. After the test, we'll finish our courtship with a ceremony followed by a visit to various planets. We'll unlock out chastity belts to engage in our 'wifely duties', as one of the books I've read put it."
"So Fox locked herself up too?" Fara asked.
"And gave me the key." Krystal replied, holding up a key attached to a necklace she made, "It certainly made things easier. Now we don't have to worry about breaking the promise no matter how frisky we get."
"I'd imagine it wouldn't be too fun." Fara told her, "Knowing you're so close, yet not knowing how close. Wanting to do so much with Fox."
"And wishing I didn't make that promise." Krystal added with a sigh, "It wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't usually so close to the source of my temptation. Before I met her, I went my whole life without these feelings of desire. After that glorious night we had together, it's like I finally learned what I was missing. Once I got that taste, no pun intended, I knew I'd need more. I developed a strong will, but everything has its limits. I'd almost hate to say it, but the only thing really keeping me from going insane is knowing she's going through something similar."
"Do you need a break from Fox?" Fara asked.
"No." Krystal calmly replied, "Cerinians are no stranger to chastity during the courtship process. It makes the couple even more eager to complete the long ritual and is viewed as a sign of strong wills."
"Is this a sex thing for you?" Fara asked Krystal. Krystal sensed what Fara meant and answered her with a smirk. Fara didn't know if that was a confirmation or if Krystal merely found the question amusing and was merely toying with her. In either case, Fara had a feeling Krystal found keeping it a 'secret' too amusing to give her a real answer. Krystal had a few questions for Fara too, but had a feeling such questions would put their friendship at risk. There were just some things you didn't ask until you really got to know someone and Krystal was glad Fara wasn't Cerinian.
Still, they were ideas enjoyable to entertain in her head and she sensed Fox would agree if she wasn't so 'proper' or shy or something. Krystal hated it when she knew she knew the right word, but the word chose that specific time to remain elusive and wouldn't reveal itself until long after it would have been relevant.
"What's on your mind, Krystal?" Fara asked, noticing the blue vixen seemed to be a little lost in thought.
"Just some questions I really shouldn't ask." Krystal replied.
"You can ask me anything." Fara assured her, "I've been around Katt for quite some time. There really isn't anything shocking or disgusting that I haven't been asked or heard someone else be asked dozens of times."
"Still, I shouldn't ask." Krystal insisted, "I'm not Katt. I have standards. There are some questions that should remain unasked until I know you on a really personal level."
"We're practically best friends." Fara reminded Krystal, "The only thing higher than that is 'significant other'... and family, I guess. I've been asked my weight, my age, how I prefer to engage in certain acts, et cetera."
"Some things are just way too personal to ask." Krystal said, sensing Fara felt a little insulted, "Besides, some ideas are most fun when they're just ideas kept to oneself. I haven't even asked Fox this question concerning you and I know so much about her. I mean, I know the answer she'd give if she was comfortable giving the honest answer, but I know she'd keep denying it to her dying breath."
"Fine." Fara sighed, smirking as she wondered what Krystal's question was. She had some ideas, but found herself agreeing with Krystal that some ideas are best left unspoken. Though she knew she wouldn't even need to ask the vixen. If Krystal wanted, she could 'hear' the ideas without the fennec even opening her mouth.
Sensing the nature of Fara's ideas, Krystal quickly finished her snack and left the kitchen. She knew the ideas were... personal and wanted to give the fennec some privacy. Fara watched Krystal leave and sighed in relief. Sometimes one's train of thought can be hard to control. Still, it would be fun to at least wonder to oneself what Krystal would have asked. Not wanting Krystal to accidentally sense her thoughts, Fara grabbed a pencil and a notebook from the recreation room and headed for her Arwing. The vacuum of space should provide enough privacy.
While Fara wrote down her ideas in the privacy of her ship, Fox finished programming the drones for Krystal's test. Each would hide in specific areas and behave in specific ways to push Krystal's dogfighting skills to the limit. Well, as close to the limit as their limited ai could allow. Still, it would be challenging to anyone that didn't pay attention at all times. With the ai programmed, Fox saved and turned off the computer.
"What's up with Fara?" Fox asked Krystal.
"Fara found out I had a question too personal to ask." Krystal replied, "I think she's going to write down what she thinks I was going to ask without us accidentally sensing her ideas."
"Was it a question concerning her specifically?" Fox asked, "Was it too personal or too embarrassingly stupid?"
"Too personal." Krystal answered, "And concerning her and the two of us."
Fox had an idea of what Krystal might have asked. If she was right, that question would have been too embarrassing to ask. Or at least too embarrassing for Fox to ask. Though Fox wouldn't have expected Krystal to have found it embarrassing. Maybe Krystal adapted well enough to Lylatian culture to understand what Lylatians would have found too personal. Or maybe those weeks on Cerinia weren't enough to properly pick up the culture... or was it months?
A few hours passed and Lucy finally arrived with her friends. Following the bunny were Fay, Miyu, and Panther.
"Nice of you to visit." Fox told the group, "Sorry about the claustrophobic rooms. There's only so much habitable room you can have on a ship."
"It's fine." Panther assured her.
"Still bigger than my apartment." Lucy added.
"Why is Fara outside?" Panther asked.
"She found out there was a question Krystal had for her that Krystal found too personal to ask." Fox replied, "If I had to guess, I'd say she's writing down ideas of what the question was."
"Leon would have had some ideas." Panther observed, "And he'd probably guess right."
"So, does Krystal have her own room?" Fay asked.
"She sleeps with Fox." Falco answered, "Krystal insisted, I think."
"Good thing she has that belt on." Fay said, "The temptation would have been too great."
"We both have belts." Krystal told her, "It was an idea we both had separately."
"Enough about what Krystal and I do in our 'alone time'." Fox told the group, "You're getting as bad as Falco."
"What's up with the suits?" Panther asked, "Are they new battle armor?"
"Mine is experimental battle armor." Krystal replied, "I think Fox's experimental suit mainly 'interfaces' with things. Whatever it does, it can't come off until it's done 'interfacing' with Fox or something. It could take a week or longer."
"How does it work?" Panther asked, curious.
"I have no idea." Fox answered honestly, "I'd ask, but I'd probably just get a bunch of technobabble. Just wish the heels weren't so high."
"You know you love them." Krystal told her teasingly, "Especially with that suit. Almost as much as you love mine."
Fox blushed for a moment, but was thankful no one seemed to notice.
A moment later, Fara walked in and returned the pencil and notebook, having pulled out the page with the potential questions and secured it in her jacket pocket.
"What did I miss?" Fara asked, hoping she didn't miss too much.
"They found out you wanted Krystal to ask you a question, they found out Fox is wearing a chastity belt too, and they talked about Fox's suit." Falco answered.
"So, I didn't miss much." Fara said, sighing in relief.
"So, what's new with Star Wolf?" Falco asked Panther.
"Not much." the cat answered, "Leon wants to know if the foxes kiss again. He... he has a thing for... 'romance'."
"Sounds like a tamer version of Katt's idea of 'romance'." Falco said, laughing, "I'm not sure if she'd make him worse or if he wouldn't be able to stand her."
"It doesn't sound like a bad idea." Krystal thought out loud, "It's not like our belts would let us escalate things too far."
"We're entertaining guests." Fox pointed out.
"Then entertain us." Miyu told her jokingly.
"You'll get that kind of entertainment at our wedding." Fox pointed out.
"Why not give them a preview?" Krystal asked.
Fox blushed, which she noticed was unfortunately noticed by everyone. Her body ached for the vixen's and she began to doubt she could maintain control over herself.
"We can kiss when our guests are gone." Fox told Krystal, "We'll have all night."
"Come on, Foxy." Fara teased, "You didn't seem to mind at the party."
"I'll say." Panther said with a laugh, "We almost needed a crowbar to pry you apart for you to catch your breath."
Fox sighed, realizing she'd probably never live that party down. Just how bored were they that they needed the she and Krystal to kiss?
"Fine." Fox sighed, giving Krystal a quick peck to the cheek.
"You call that a kiss?" Falco teased.
"It's all you're going to get from us." Fox shot back. The group feigned disappointment.
"That 'all night' part better have been a promise." Krystal told Fox.
"It's as much of a promise as you want it to be." Fox responded with a wink.
"A promise it is, then." Krystal told her, "A promise you better keep because I see us staying up late tonight."
"So, do you still have that cat girl?" Panther asked Falco.
"I wish I didn't." Falco responded laughingly, "I really wish I didn't."
"A girl like you deserves a woman that doesn't make you uncomfortable." Panther told him, "Or a man. It's none of my business who you're attracted to... or it is, depending on who you're attracted to."
Falco didn't feel like correcting Panther. Why did everyone think he was female? Was it that week he had to dress as a cheerleader? Was it Katt? That feline became weird once she put together that "resistance group" consisting of Lylat's most derranged. Or maybe she had a hidden weirdness the group brought out. All Falco knew was he desperately wanted her out of his head now.
"Because this cat is a single guy that respects boundaries." Panther continued, much to Falco's annoyance, "If you're interested, I know a place with the best coffee."
Should he take Falco up on his offer? How would Panther react if their 'relationship' ever reached the bedroom? It would probably be the only way to get Katt to accept a breakup, assuming it would be a big enough hint to convince her he was serious. For all he knew, she'd probably invite Panther to make the couple into a trio.
Falco watched Fox talk with Krystal, envious of the sanity of their relationship. Sure, Krystal was a little nuts, but she was crazy in a warrior kind of way. She was crazy in the "carve up the enemy's face, but not yours" way. Definitely can trust Krystal with knives. Never date someone that can't be trusted with knives.
"You think the fennec and the bunny will ever get together or are they the only straight ladies here?" Falco asked Panther.
"Leon asked that same question." Panther replied, "He asks... questions when he's bored. He asked a few questions about the foxes on your team... Inappropriate questions. Always with the inappropriate questions and comments. At least he's loyal and trustworthy."
"So, where is this coffee place?" Falco asked.
"Taking me up on my offer?" Panther asked, "Wanting someone saner?"
"I'll go as a friend." Falco replied, "Maybe our teams can hang out again some time?"
"Wolf would like that." Panther told him, "And Leon would love it."
"I'll keep in touch." Falco promised, "You know, your team is alright when you aren't hired by the enemy."
"Likewise."
Hours passed and the guests eventually left. The four Star Fox members ate their dinners and then retired to their rooms. Fara went over the list of potential questions she wrote down, trying to narrow down the possible candidates to pass the time. Falco communicated with Panther, laughing as they exchanged funny stories. Fox and Krystal went to their room, ready to make good on Fox's "promise".
Krystal undressed and the pair sat on their bed, looking into each other's eyes for a few moments before they moved in for a kiss. Fox slowly lost track of time and of her surroundings as Krystal slowly pushed her onto her back and the pair explored each other's mouth with her tongue. Their bodies ached for relief as Krystal's metal chastity belts rubbed against Fox's suit. The need increased until they were ready to tear off their belts with their bare hands.
Krystal was faring better than Fox. Sensing Fox's growing desperation, she barely felt her own need as she seemingly fed off of Fox's growing arousal. She'd probably feel ashamed of essentially treating her mate like prey, but this was the result of what Fox wanted. It would also make Fox think twice about delaying her test.
"K... Krystal?" Fox managed to get out, nearly suffering from her unfulfilled pent up desire.
"A promise is a promise." Krystal pointed out, "I promised you I'd be willing to wait before we had another magical night. You promised me a night of this. We're both getting what we wanted."
"P... please..." Fox got out before they resumed kissing. Krystal was practically pinning her down as Fox squirmed in frustration. Fox was now on the verge of grabbing their keys, but Krystal wasn't going to let her break a promise. If Fox wasn't going to learn to love this, she was in for a long night.
Eventually, Fox gave up and accepted her fate. They both were just keeping their promises. Fox just wished she wasn't so squeamish about sex when she wasn't overcome with desire and hormones. With hormones flooding their bodies, there were so many things she wanted to do with Krystal. Their wedding night could not come soon enough.
Around 2 in the morning, the pair was exhausted. Krystal didn't even bother putting on her undergarments as they crawled into bed and turned off the lights. Krystal began spooning Fox, wanting to feel the orange vixen's warmth on her belly. Fox wondered what Krystal's question was from earlier, wondering what could have made the Cerinian ashamed, embarrassed, or squeamish. Krystal, meanwhile, wanted to forget the question, but the question was eating at her. The problem was Krystal couldn't remember what the question was. All the pair of them knew was that it involved Fara.