A/N: Reposting this since I'm gradually coming back on FFN.
Off the Radar
It wasn't often that Star Wolf got breaks but when they did, each member jumped on the opportunity to use the time almost immediately. Leon and Wolf vanished fairly early in the morning, leaving Panther and Krystal to their own devices. Krystal had entertained a quiet staycation but Panther had other ideas. And those other ideas ended up spitting the starry-eyed lovers onto Corneria. Specifically, into the heart of the metropolis paradise of Corneria City, which was definitely the place where everyone wanted to be. Everyone except for wanted criminals… which they both were.
"Do you truly think this is a good idea?" Krystal asked for the thousandth time as they walked the streets of Corneria City. For good measure, she grabbed the rim of her visor and brought it down a little closer to her face, as though it would shield her from any prying, curious eyes.
They had shed their Star Wolf jackets for civilian clothing to blend in. Krystal was in a white jean jacket and a cyan sundress, her tattoos carefully covered. Her hair was tied back into a bun and Panther had somehow managed to convince her to not even bring her staff with them when they went planetside. A horrible mistake, the vixen had declared when they arrived, but there was nothing they could do about it now.
Panther had opted for a sporty look, wearing a baseball cap that did little to hide his very distinguishable facial tattoo. He wore a deep crimson polo shirt, white pants, and tennis shoes. The feline looked far less intimating this way, even with his muscles threatening to burst through his sleeves. There was still that edge in his golden eyes that told more observant folk that he would not hesitant to plant a laser between someone's eyes—all with a dashing smile, of course.
"My love," the ebony cat took one of her dainty hands into his. His thumb coursed over it, grazing gently over each lower knuckle as the edges of his mouth curled up into a delighted, sunny smile. "With me, you have nothing to fear."
"It's just—" the vixen began, ears back as she looked to her right.
He knew exactly what she was doing. Amid the crowds of Cornerians, they did not stand out. Not to the average joe, at least. But these were Star Fox's old stomping grounds. While the chances of running into anyone that would recognize them were slim to none (Corneria City was massive, after all), he understood she was concerned. There were always "what ifs" playing in her head when they traveled—he knew because it was written all over her. The way her eyes flitted about. The way her breath seemed to come out in an uneven, quick tempo. Her fingers tangled into the chain of her necklace, but it was involuntary. It's what she did when she was thinking, when she was nervous.
One step and Panther closed the meager distance between them, still holding her hand as his free one moved to the side of her face. His fingers brushed through the fluff of her azure cheek tenderly—so tenderly that the skin beneath prickled pleasantly underneath. Her turquoise eyes fluttered shut for a long blink, comforted by the touch as she always was when he was with her.
"Besides," reassured Panther. "I've been wanting to take you here for a long time."
He could see she was waging war with herself. Fear of being recognized versus her desire to let loose and just go with the flow. When she relented, he could see it took effort for the vixen to smile. But she did smile and she gave his hand a tiny squeeze.
"Lead on, then."
He did not let go of her hand as they walked. Every so often, he would give it a small caress with his thumb as they walked—just so she knew it was fine, that what they were doing was okay even though the rest of the world was sure to scream otherwise if they knew who she was. He had heard some particularly nasty comparisons where the gossipy types had dared to liken her to that scumbag Pigma. Panther would have liked to meet whoever had started that particular comparison. He was not a man who painted his nails but he thought a blood red sheen would look quite nice upon his claws.
But the rumormongers were just that—onlookers that should have held no sway over their lives. Despite how they whispered that she was a traitor worthy of a cold, dark prison cell, he would not see her walk with her head lowered. She was a divine masterpiece and he would have her shine…
Well, maybe she should not shine too brightly, in fear the General was actually watching them.
"You may remember when we were last in Corneria City," the feline began nonchalantly.
"Oh. You mean during the Aparoid Invasion?" Krystal asked.
"Yes," Panther answered. "I spoke of a café that was totaled in the attack."
"I remember," she replied. "Is that where we're headed?"
"They remodeled it," Panther nodded. "It is… not quite the same. But sometimes, things that are not the same are not bad. They can be better."
The feline realized his wording a moment too late. His ears pulled back in a wince, hoping she didn't take that as a poke about her previous career on the Star Fox team. He had not meant for it to be a reference—just a statement. But in her current state, he feared she might have taken offense to what he said.
"I'm excited to give it a try," the vixen replied warmly and the feline breathed a small sigh of relief.
When the street the café was on came into sight, he felt his shoulders lax slightly. Although he had reassured his date that they were perfectly safe in their disguises, Panther had kept a sharp eye out in the event someone did identify them. He had packed a small pistol into his shorts just in case one of the dogs got a little too curious. Knowing his luck, he would have told Krystal they were fine and then would have proceeded to waltz right into a Cornerian trap. Wouldn't that have been fun for Wolf and Leon to discover upon their return?
The café was embedded into the side of a large white skyscraper, facing a flower shop across the street. Golden, embellished letters hung over the clear glass door. The sign read "The Star's Landing", with a small shooting star at the end. Panther thought it was quaint and snuck a gander at his date to measure her reaction. She stared upward at the sign with mild intrigue in her eyes. He smiled and opened the door for her, letting out a gush of air conditioning into the summer heat.
"Thank you," the vixen said politely and wandered in. Panther followed closely.
There was a small line to be seated but before long, a hostess showed them to their table. Panther opted for a seat on the back patio, under an olive-green canopy that did wonders to blot out the sun's brightness. The table was made of iron, its surface a delicate, flowery design encircled by artistic swirls. Their seats were both iron as well, but cushioned pleasantly with embroidered pillows. The hostess put two menus in front of them and took her leave.
The duo ordered a pair of iced passionfruit teas, which were presented to them in tall crystalline glasses, topped with umbrellas and decorated with an assortment of berries skewered upon a long toothpick at the top. Panther took his toothpick out and plucked a round blackberry from it.
"It may sound silly but it's almost so pretty that I don't want to drink it," the vixen admitted as she marveled the drink. "I've come to Corneria City often but this is the first time I've seen something so…"
"Extravagant?" Panther asked, his amber eyes moving up and down her. "Mm. I suppose I could say the same."
Krystal's ears went up for a moment and then flitted back at the compliment. Beneath her azure fur, he knew she was blushing. The thought made him smile more. She was cute when she was like this—when she let her guard down, when she wasn't focused on the job or making sure no one saw her.
"This place seems quite pricy," Krystal remarked.
"My dear, we are on Corneria," Panther purred as he propped his chin up with a hand. "Everything here is pricy."
"I've never…" Krystal began but killed the sentence before it could come out.
Panther watched her pick up the menu and start to look it over. One of her fingers toyed with her necklace, but it was in a more relaxed state this time. Her forefinger tangled itself near the gold and teal pendant, resting there before pulling itself out. He felt himself relax more—good, she was starting to treat this less like an infiltration mission and more like a proper date.
"Before the invasion, there used to be a big statue here of two lovers," Panther said as he began to peruse his own menu. "It was destroyed by the aparoids. The owners removed the base and put in more seating. A pity."
"You like statues?" Krystal asked, quirking a brow at him.
"I admire the artistry," Panther's shoulders rolled into a shrug. "And it… reminds me of home."
"Oh," the vixen replied and he heard the sharpness of a bad memory in her voice. He had to be quick to alter the topic.
"If I could, I would learn how to make statues," Panther continued amiably.
"Why can't you?" Krystal asked.
"I do not think Wolf would find it amusing if I were to take weekly lessons from a proper artist," Panther remarked in amusement. "It may pull me away from too many missions."
"Offer to build a statue of him," Krystal shrugged as the corner of her mouth turned up into a tiny, devious smirk.
"Wouldn't that be something?" Panther chuckled and lowered his menu. "I'd rather make one of you."
"Of course," Krystal retorted, trying to stifle a giggle. "But somehow, I doubt the great Lord O'Donnell will be fine with that unless he's first."
Their waiter came back and took their order. After he had left, Panther turned his eyes back to the vixen. He leaned against the backrest of his chair, stretching an arm out over it languidly. Krystal rested her hands in her lap like the polite and dainty flower she was imitating. He knew better.
"Since we are here for the evening, we may as well fill the docket with things to do," Panther pointed out to her. "It will be sunset before long. Perhaps a stroll at the marina as the boats come in?
"Do you think that's safe?" the vixen asked.
"Nothing is ever truly safe, my dear," Panther said simply. "What would you like to do this evening, hm?"
Krystal looked pensive for a moment, tapping her chin with her index finger. He could sense the faintest bit of conflict in her. She mused for a few long seconds before finally answering him.
"I would like to go stargazing," Krystal said to him and the feline cocked his head in curiosity.
"We have spent countless days in the depths of space, surrounded by constellations… and you wish to go stargazing?" Panther asked.
"They're different when you look at them from a planet," Krystal countered gently.
Panther conceded with a nod. "If that is your wish, we will make it happen."
"There's a field to the north of the city that's a good spot. Far enough from the city lights," Krystal continued.
He didn't have to ask her how she knew that.
"We will go there, then," Panther smiled.
Their food was soon delivered. Panther ordered an open-faced sandwich with an over-easy egg garnished with herbs on top and each slice of sourdough bread slathered in guacamole. Krystal's order was a fancily made flatbread with a variety of cheeses, onions, and herbs. The waiter also slid a fruit platter between them, each slice cut to perfection, grilled, and skewered.
The two ate, conversation dwindling as they enjoyed their food. He watched as the sky shifted gradually, the sun started to dip closer to the distant western horizon. It was a shame they could not spend the full day on Corneria. Since they had to travel quite a ways from their mothership in a borrowed (read: stolen) vessel, it had taken longer than the feline had anticipated. He would have loved to have brought the vixen here for lunch but it was more like an early dinner at this point.
"That was delicious!" Krystal exclaimed when they were done and Panther beamed at her.
"I am glad you enjoyed it," the feline said, sliding his credit card atop the ticket.
The waiter ran his card and soon enough both Krystal and Panther were on the Cornerian streets once more, this time under a late afternoon sun looking to retire for the day. Hand-in-hand, they walked to the marina with Panther careful to avoid any police they saw on the streets out of fear of being recognized. It was a careful waltz but one he was familiar with—familiar to the point where it came natural to him, where he could do it and maintain a pleasant conversation with his girlfriend.
The marina came into sight, the sunlight glistening off of the crest of each wave. Boats were still coming in from their voyages, sails painted a thousand different hues and designed in countless ways. They reminded Panther of a rainbow across the brimming water. He and Krystal stopped near one of the piers to observe the magnificent sight, leaning against the metal railing.
"You enjoy swimming, I recall," Panther remarked, deviously glancing towards the water.
"We are not swimming in there," Krystal shook her head.
"Oh?" the feline inquired, wrapping a firm hand around her waist and giving her a slight nudge towards the water. The vixen gripped the railing, which was positioned in a way she could definitely not fall through, and with a playful smirk, looked at her boyfriend.
"If I go in, I'll make sure to drag you with me," she challenged.
"I would love to see you try," dared the feline with a laugh and she grabbed his wrist.
They gently wrestled with each other, making sure to be tender enough not to accidentally inflict an injury. Krystal laughed as Panther ended up wrapping both arms around her in a bear hug, nuzzling against the back of her head with a soft chuckle. He held her for a while after that as they looked out across the ocean, to a horizon that felt forever away and yet not. Still embracing each other, they watched the sun dip below the horizon and the blanket of night begin to spread.
They decided to go to the field Krystal had spoken of earlier before twilight had passed. Wandering back to the disreputable hanger they had stashed their ships at, Panther slid the guard at the door a few bucks and the two of them made their way to the ship they had taken planetside. It was a civilian craft they had affectionately called "the Shadow" and it was small and rickety—not made for long-distance travel but Wolf had gotten it modified enough so that it wasn't an entire heap of scrap metal. Panther recalled thinking it was silly that their leader had even wanted a vehicle like this but it made sneaking around Corneria quite easy. Panther couldn't imagine what would have happened if he had approached in his Black Rose.
He let Krystal pilot the Shadow out of the hanger. Panther sat in the co-pilot seat, watching the vixen steer them over Corneria City, where the night lights were starting to flicker on one-by-one. He could have stayed in that city forever, he told himself, but he would have been a fool to think Krystal was cut from the same cloth. She was a girl of the forest, one who felt the most home next to a running brook or in the shade of a tree. He respected that.
The Shadow touched down in a meadow not long after, and night had fully taken its hold over Corneria. When Panther walked off the landing ramp just slightly ahead of Krystal, he could see that they had landed in a field relatively untouched by civilization, encircled by a forest of dark pines and cedars. The faintest whiff of water was in the air—there was a pond nearby but that didn't capture his attention for long.
Fireflies danced amid the sway of the long grass that comprised the field. They twinkled like land-born stars, illuminating a soft white-gold. The pulsed their light in a steady, slow tempo, like a heartbeat that was at ease. A cold but refreshing night breeze passed over the meadow and Panther inhaled its aroma in with closed amber eyes.
Krystal and Panther both descended the ramp fully, the grass having grown past the height of their knees. The black-furred feline waded through with some level of caution but Krystal seemed to bound ahead without a care in the world. There was glee in her steps at first, her turquoise eyes beaming with a sense of magic and wonder. But he noticed her gait alter the further she wandered into the field. Panther paused, observing wordlessly.
She stopped, head lowering for a moment. Her small, triangular ears peeled back and he could tell from the way her hands moved to her collarbone that she was toying with her necklace again. A flattened frown crossed his muzzle and Panther decided to pursue her into the heart of the field. Soft yet bitter tendrils of remorse emanated from her. He could see it in the way her shoulders began to sag, the way her head bowed, and in the heaviness of her exhales.
"What is it?" he asked her quietly upon his approach, because to speak loudly here in such a gorgeous place felt somewhat like a sin. The question was, of course, redundant. He knew this place likely held memories for her. Memories of that family that had rejected her, kicking her to the curb when she had no home to go to. Memories of Fox.
"It's just…" the vixen began but stopped. She sighed, her hands dropping from her necklace to her sides. "I just thought if I came here, it would be different."
His ears went back. Should he have stopped this from happening? Panther feared for a moment that he had made a mistake in letting her take him here. Yet, he considered that perhaps this was necessary. Maybe she needed to revisit these places in order to let them go.
The vixen was silent for a long while, her arms moving around herself in a small hug as she looked out across the windswept meadow. As the grass bent and bowed in a dance conducted by the wind, Panther reached out and a put a hand on her shoulder. He could think of nothing to erase that sort of ache. There were no words to mend those types of injuries, he knew. All he could do was be there for her.
She shifted and he watched her carefully.
"'Sometimes things that are not the same are not bad. They can be better,'" the vixen whispered contemplatively, lifting her head and turning to look at the feline. "You're right."
Panther's ears perked up.
Krystal reached out and took his hands into hers. "I spend so many days thinking about how things used to be. I don't want… to spend my days living in the past. I did that so much after… after Cerinia…"
Her eyes lowered for a moment. One of his hands broke free from her grasp and slid under her chin, stroking along her jawline.
"It's hard," the vixen confessed quietly. "Sometimes, I get scared that you think I'm always comparing you to him…"
"I know," he whispered. She had never needed to tell him that. He had known. He had always known. "But you never need to worry about that."
She looked up at him as his thumb ran over her azure and white cheek.
"I want to let it all go," Krystal confessed. "But sometimes, I get scared that all of what happened before is who I am."
"It is not," Panther said quietly, his other hand moving to the other side of her face. In his heart, he felt if he could just hold her and shelter her, then perhaps all of her worries would go away. It wasn't true but he wished it could be so simple.
"I'm sorry. You took me to Corneria for a date and now I'm ruining it," the vixen laughed bitterly and the feline shook his head.
"No," Panther reassured her. "It is not ruined. The night is young and this place you have decided to take me to is perhaps the second-most beautiful thing on the planet. Can you guess what is the most beautiful?"
Krystal smiled softly, looking away.
"I am glad you brought me here. It is… exquisite," Panther continued, looking out at the fireflies around them. "Perhaps, yes, you had memories here from before. But why don't we focus on making more memories here together?"
If he could convince her that not everything about her was broken, that she could reclaim the parts of herself she wanted to throw away… maybe she would be satisfied with herself. Maybe she would be happier with herself. Maybe she could move on.
His left hand slid down her spine, resting at her hip. His other hand moved to hers. The first sway was gentle but not so subtle that Krystal didn't realize what he was doing. She followed his lead with the second sway, one hand moving to his shoulder and the other hand locking her fingers into his. With the third, they were dancing, slowly and yet passionately as the crescent moon made its appearance in the night sky.
They danced to a rhythm only they knew. The long grass yielded to their footsteps and the background music was a chorus of crickets and the distant bubble of water from a nearby creek filtering into a pond. Krystal moved with grace that left his heart nearly bursting with pride and joy—knowing she was his, knowing he was hers, and knowing that nothing could disturb this moment.
"Beautiful," the feline said breathlessly, watching her twirl as the stars danced overhead and the fireflies glowed around them.
As their dance began to slow, Panther bent down and kissed her. It was light, tender at first, but then he felt her lean into it. That's how she was, he knew—hungry for affection, longing to be held, desiring nothing more than to be known. Tiny scars from traumas before but they would work past them together.
"If you ever need to talk to me… I am always willing to listen," he said gently to her after their lips had parted. Tenderly, he rested his forehead against hers, looking into her bright eyes.
"I know," she whispered, one of her hands sliding up to his cheek. "Thank you, Panther."
They kissed again in that secret meadow where only the fireflies could see them. Arms around each other, they looked up at the starry heaven above. The trees blotted out the city lights, making it easier to see the constellations. A sweet serenity filled the air as they gazed at the sky together—the sort of serenity that made Panther wish the night could never end.