Chapter 3

Well here is the third chapter to this story. Well I hope to make the story live up to its from the shadows suffix. Let me know what you think and apologies for any grammatical errors. This entire chapter has been typed on my phone.

3 months later

"Well here we are. Home sweet home," Felicia spoke as she opened the door to a rather unassuming looking house in a quiet neighborhood outside of Corneria city.

Krystal peaked over the vixen's shoulder looking at the interior of the house. From what she could see, a sitting area lay to the left side seperated by a large wooden cabinet that held odds and ends one would need when stepping out, while a wall and door hid whatever was to the left. While to the world it looked unassuming to her her latent telepathy could pick up hints of residual emotions. Joy, love and sorrow.

"Its quite homely," she commented.

Over the past three months she had been working with the rest of the team and Lucy to get integrated into the Cornerian way of life including using the tech and understanding the mannerism and lingo. She had made great leaps, in part due to her gift, but she still didn't understand everything. Today Felicia had brought her out to the city, taken her shopping - though neither bought anything - and now brought her here for what she said was a get together.

"Huh, it's cleaner than I thought it would be. I haven't come here in months now," the orange vixen spoke as she marshalled the blue vixen inside.

Both were dressed very casually - Felicia in a sundress that came down to below her knees and leather open flats paired with a large floppy straw hat and sun glasses to hide her identity. Krystal meanwhile wore a red t-shirt paired with a pair of white capris and open toed sandals.

Krystal's eyes continued to dart around the house's interior. Everything was neat and tidy and had a distinct welcoming feeling to it. Her eyes glanced over the seating area. Two large single seats, a sofa and a love seat sat around a low decorative wood centre table on three sides with a fireplace on the fourth. Her eyes drifted to the photos atop the fireplace, her peaked curiosity driving her closer to it.

The frame in the centre held a handsome male fox in a tuxedo standing over a seated vixen in a flowing white dress. She would have almost thought it to be Felicia had she not noticed the eyes - a soft blue to the latter's vibrant green - and a slightly lighter orange coat.

"Are these your parents?" she questioned attracting the orange vixen's attention who had meanwhile atepped through the door way on the right of the main door and into a spacious kitchen.

"Yes, James and Vixy. This was taken on the day they got married," Felicia replied as she walked up to the blue vixen."Dad told me it had taken him a lot of self control and threats from mom to get into that suit," she spoke with a slight chuckle though the underlying sad undertone wasn't missed by the other vixen.

Krystal slowly reached out and placed her hand on the orange vixen's shoulder, a guesture that earned her a slight amile and nod from the latter.

Krystal then turned her attention back to the photographs, her eyes landing on one with Felicia surrounded by a group of girls, all of them in similar overalls. Felicia noticing the other vixen staring at the photo chuckled, " that's from our last day in the flight academy, the same one you will be joining next month. You'll be meeting the lot in a few hours."

Krystal smiled at that, she loved to make friends and she could find out more about not just the team but about the vixen leader as well. Felicia had become her friend but the blue vixen, ever since the encounter with Wolf, wouldn't dent that she felt a little more for the vixen than friendship but she couldn't quite place the feeling right.

It was at that time the door bell rang out breaking the blue vixen from her thoughts. She turned towards the door as Felicia went over to answer the door.

Her eyes watched as a fennec fox a head shorter than Felicia, dressed in a pencil skirt, button up blouse and formal coat, walked in being promptly pulled into a hug by the latter.

"Big ears... it's so good to see you."

The fennec let out an irritated growl, " how many times do I have to tell you people to not call me that," before letting out a slight sigh and hugging the vixen back.

"It's good to see you too, bubble butt."

Felicia felt heat rise to her cheeks as her ears folded back.

Chuckling at embarrassing the vixen, the fennec pulled way from the hug and turned toward Krystal.

"Wow, she's a looker. You planning to invite her to bed?" she questioned.

Krystal felt herself blush slightly while Felicia seemed to turn even redder.

"I.. she.. wha..," Felicia stuttered out only causing the fennec to break into laughter before extending her hand to the blue vixen.

"Fara Phoenix, so nice to finally meet you face to face Krystal, Fox has told me a lot about you."

"She has?"

"Of course she has, all her mission reports come to me as well as I help finance the teams machines. So I got to hear about you both from the report and debriefing and also from informal talks."

Any further conversation was interrupted as a spaniel and lynx walked in the still open front door.

"You really need to be careful. You don't know what type of wierd people can just walk in," the lynx spoke with a grin while the spaniel seemed to launch herself at Fox, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Foxy, it's so great to see you," the spaniel chearily spoke smothering the vixen's head into her chest and holding on not noticing the vixen flail around in her grip.

Concerned, Krystal turned towards Fara and whispered, " Shouldn't we do something?"

"Don't worry she'll be fine. It's something you will have to get used to when you befriend Fay. She's sometimes like a child on a sugar rush in an adult's body," Fara replied as she smiled and looked.

Krystal eyes drifted over the two ladies, the spaniel was dressed in regular jeans and a loose t-shirt while the lynx was showing a lot more fur in a pair of yoga pants that came up to her knees and a sleeveless top that stopped an inch above the waistline of the shorts.

Thankfully, the lynx came to Felicia's rescue.

"Fay, she needs to be able to breathe," the lynx spoke shaking her head at the spaniel's childish attitude.

Eyes widening, Fay instantly let go letting out a string of hurried apologies as the vixen sucked in deep breaths.

"It's... huf huf... okay," the vixen puffed out.

The lynx meanwhile turned to the spectators, " Sup Fara, looking good," before turning and eyeing the blue vixen up and down, " hey hot stuff, the name's Miyu, professional mercenary, got any boyfriend or girlfriend I should be mindful of?"

"Miyu!!!" Fay yelled out before turning to the vixen. "I'm so sorry about her, she lacks an oral filter at times and can be too forward..."

"... not to mention that she is an open bi that enjoys the more adventurous activities," Fara interjected.

"Hey, big ears, it's not my fault you are a prude. I just like to appreciate what's in front of me at times," Miyu spoke before grinning and pulling the fennec into a quick hug.

Fay meanwhile turned her attention back to the blue vixen, " You must be Krystal. Me and Miyu heard about you over the news. Oh my, you have to tell me how do you manage your figure like that and the hair products you use. You're just gorgeous."

Krystal's blush came back full force. "I just do my everyday warmup and meditation. Also I don't know about any hair products, Fay right."

"Yup," the spaniel chearily spoke almost hopping on the spot before she turned to the house's owner.

"So are we having that party?"

"Yes we are, though we are still a few people short. Also how does take away pizza sound? There's nothing at home currently," Felicia replied shutting the front door, getting a round of yups and ya sure.

Felicia proceeded to pull her phone from her pocket only for Fara to snatch it away.

"Oh no you don't. I still owe you from before so this time it's on me," Fara spoke, her own phone already to her ear.

"Yes Cynthia, please place and order of 5.. no 6 large house special pizzas from Antonio's place and have it delivered to the Reynard house in the suburbs... Yes pay from my private account," Fara finished her conversation over the phone before putting it away. Looking up, she found everyone giving her a deadpan stare.

"You really called you secretary to order the pizzas for you?" Miyu quipped, running her hand over the ears.

"Yeah, so? It's just gives us more time to chat."

Felicia felt a smile tug on her face, "come on Miyu, you know Fara. She can't even remeber to carry her purse with her if not for her secretary. She's probably go for a meeting in her PJs if someone didn't pick out her clothes."

"Hey, that was one time... ONE TIME! And for your information I pick out my own clothes."

"After video calling your secretary to help decide," Miyu piled in, her grin turning wider.

Fara just huffed in reply, muttering under her breath as she moved to use one of the individual chairs in the sitting room.

Krystal though could tell that it was all an act as the three other girls giggled at the fennec. These girls acted almost like pseudo sisters than friends.

The girls settled into the seats around the centre table, Fara and Miyu taking the individual seats, Fay and Krystal on the couch and Fox on the love seat.

"So how are you liking Corneria Krystal?" Fay asked.

"Well, it's taking a while to get used it. There are just so many people and so little trees or greenery. I do like it here more, it feels so much less... hurried? rushed?" Krystal replied.

Fara chuckled, " Well that is Corneria city for you. Filled to the brim with people and still expanding. Though I can understand what you mean, the suburbs are much more laid back and relaxed. It's why I also live in the suburbs."

Miyu couldn't help herself but pull the fennec's leg, "Is the Phoenix mansion part of the suburbs? It's like literally a 45 minute drive after exiting the city... ouch... hey."

Fara had reached across and smacked her on the head, "shut it you."

The next half an hour went in casual banter and questions before the door bell rang once again.

"Antonio's Pizza delivery," a voice called out from the front porch.

"Well look alike the food got here before Katt," Felicia spoke standing from her seat and heading for the door whilst pulling a few credits from her purse to tip the delivery guy.

Opening the door, she found herself facing a rather sticky looking canine who wore an ill fitting uniform and had his cap pulled low over his face.

"Thanks," Felicia spoke grabbing the pizzas offered to her before placing it on a high cabinet.

She turned to hand the guy the tip only to find herself be lifted off her feet before a pair of lips crashed into hers as a familiar odor drifted into her nose as she melted into the kiss.

"What the hell?" Fara screeched from her seat as she shot up, her hand drifting to her inner pocket where she kept a taser ready. Miyu too had shot up, eyes lighting up with fury at the bold move from the delivery agent.

However it was the response that came from outside the door that caused both to almost face fault.

" Wolf whistle...If this is how you're tipping delivery guys, I'll bring the pizza next time," a voice spoke as a pink cat with white hair walked in the door.

Felicia meanwhile finally got some semblance of control, managing to push the delivery agent away from her, dislodging his cap in the process.

"Wolf O'Donnell, you got some nerve coming here," Fara growled her taser gun levelled at the Wolf's chest while Miyu and Fay had moved up on either side of her both having retrieved compact blasters, likely from the purse Fay carried. Katt meanwhile seems dto have her hand dug in her pocket likely also holding something, her expression turning serious.

"Yeah, I ain't here to see you," Wolf responded with our a care before he faced Felicia, " we have to talk puppy, this is urgent."

Recognising the serious tone, Felicia quickly tried to control the situation.

"Hold on Fara, let me hear him out. He wouldn't have risked the authorities catching him on Corneria for no reason."

The fennec relaxed slightly though she kept the taser still leveled on the wolf.

"Well he can say it while I fry him Fox," Fara growled out.

What happened next shocked everyone, Felicia stepped between Wolf and the aimed weapons her voice hardening, " put the weapons down in my house. He's not going to cause us any trouble."

She then turned to the Wolf, "what's so urgent that you came here? And please for the love of God tell me that the delivery guy you hijacked is still alive."

"Yeah he is. He's in the car with Leon. Now as to why I'm here. Someone's put a hit on you in the blackmarket. The pay is high enough to attract some nasty bounty hunters and both Pigma and Andrew have gone awol. Don't know who put it but it's there. You need to disappear now. Leon's already tracking incoming parties who landed on Corneria yesterday."

Everyone froze, a blackmarket hit was very serious and with the person ordering the hit being unknown meant it was a high value client as well.

Miyu went to call his bluff on for the wolf to hold up a palm as he pointed to the TV. Fay grabbed the remote to switch it on as the new came on.

"As you can see behind me, an inferno continues to rage at Corneria central over what is being called a likely gas explosion. The entire 40-42 floor is consumed by the inferno as fire fighters are now arriving on the scene. For those in the know the 41st floor is the home of known mercenary and hero Fox McCloud though its not yet clear if she was at home at this time."Everyone started wide eyed at the screen before Wolf spoke up gathering everyone's attention.

"Fox, we need to go now. The only reason they didn't come here is that this place is in your mother's name but I can't say how safe it will be here."

Miyu quickly interjected, grabbing said vixen and bringing her behind the back, "how do we know this ain't a ploy to off her yourself? She isn't going anywhere, not with someone like you."

Felicia quietly extracted herself from the lynx's grip as she let out a low sigh, " It's ok Miyu, he won't do anything to me. We can trust him and Leon."

Miyu turned to face the vixen, "How can you be so sure of that. He's lowlife who would stab anyone in the back the minute he got an incentive."

Felicia sighed as she reached into her sundress, extricating the necklace she wore and the engagement ring on it. The only way to ease the situation was to let them know the truth even if it would mean possibly ending her friendship.

"He can't, because he promised my dad on his final mission that he would look out for me. He's also my fiance," she spoke holding up the ring on the necklace, the shockwave from the admission causing everyone to lower their weapons.

"Wh..What?" Fay squeaked out eyes round as dinner plates as she stared at the ring and then to Wolf who held up his right hand displaying an identical ring.

"Wha.. when?... how?" Fara stuttered out.

Felicia sighed, "We've been together for over a decade now. We were never enemies nor did we hate each other. I'm sorry I lied to all of you for all this time. But you wouldn't understand."

It was Katt however who seemed to break out of the shock, " so the goody two shoes and the bad boy, sounds cliche but I figured there was something going on between you two."

Eyes turned to the pink cat in shock. "What? I'd find it hard to believe that someone who could keep up with James McCloud in a simulator would let someone tag him in an actual dog fight never mind miss clear shots at his opponent. He was clearly pulling his shots on her during the Lylat wars. I thought there was something going on. Just didn't expect it to be this deep."

Wolf nodded to the pink cat before turning to the vixen he went to speak he paused, his ears perking slightly.

*Wolf we need to move now. Someone just tagged the house on the dark web. Get Fox, grab what you can and get her out now* Leon's voice rang through his comm.

"Shit! We need to clear out now, this location has been compromised. We need to go and go now. Miyu, Fay get Ms Phoenix out the back and back to her residence. Katt get miss blue to the Great Fox and prep for launch. Tell ROB situation red two alpha four zero seven Romeo. Now move, the last thing we need more casualties," Wolf ordered.

Krystal and Miyu however stood defiant.

"I still don't trust you buster. She's coming with me or we're not going anywhere," Miyu interjected, muscles tightening.

Wolf growled before he shoved his hand into his pocket.

Miyu readied for a fight only for Wolf to bring out a comm device out of his pocket amd toss it to her.

"Catch, it's encrypted and can reach me on my comm. Contact me in 2 days and I'll patch you into Felicia. Right now I need her alive and hidden untill I figure out what's going on," Wolf said before turning to Krystal. "What do you want blue?"

"I want to come with. She saved my life, I owe her a life debt I can't fulfill that being here."

Wolf resisted the urge to palm his face as his comm rang again.

*Wolf now!* Leon growled.

"Fine grab those pictures above the fire place and get in the car outside. Felicia grab what you can from upstairs, we need to go now. Katt, can I trust you with getting to the Great Fox?"

"Sure thing Wolfy, you can count on the Katt. I'll do ya one better infact. I'll dig my channels to see what I get on this mystery person," Katt replied.

Wolf felt his eyebrow twitch at being called Wolfy but he gave a curt nod.

Within minute, an Antonio's Pizza delivery car raced down the streets of Corneria towards heading towards a satellite town of the main city - an establishment now run by shadier aspects of the society. Meanwhile a lynx, spaniel and fennec fox slowly made their way towards the Phoenix mansion in a borrowed vehicle, while a pink cat charged through traffic on a sportbike headed for the Cat's Paw at Corneria's space port.

Within the hour the leader of the Star Fox team would disappear into the shadows along with the blue vixen, both being presumed dead in the events that would unfold in the coming hours.