Note: Seeing as I messed up and wound up having to turn my intended chapter four into chapter three, I had to come up with a new idea. Before we move on, I might as well say something to a recent reviewer.
Ron: Thanks, I hope that you like the rest of the story.
Now that I've said that, here's the new chapter four!
Chapter 4: Hitting the Stage
Slippy moaned as a terrible pain surged through his arm. The pain in question was a knife wound that the toad had received a day ago. Said wound was inflicted upon him by Simon Zimmerman. The gray tod stabbed the amphibian in the shoulder out of spite, showing sadism as well, relishing hurting Star Fox while they were bound. The vulpine would have done worse had Louis Frog not stepped in. The yellow frog, despite being in charge of kidnappings and executions in his service to the Mauricio Family, provided care to Slippy, stitching up the knife wound. The toad would have felt grateful, if not for the fact that Louis was a member of the criminal organization that kidnapped him and his teammates.
"You feelin' okay, Slip?" A familiar voice asked. It was Miyu. The lynx was tied to a chair, with her fingers tied separately. In addition to that, she had a scar on her cheek, more than likely inflicted by Simon Zimmerman as well.
"Other than the fact that I got stabbed, yes." Slippy answered.
"Don't worry, someone will come for us." Fay said. Like Slippy and Miyu, she was tied to a chair. However, unlike Miyu, the poodle's fingers weren't tied separately. In fact, her hands were tied behind her back.
"Get real, Fay, our captors have hundreds, if not thousands, of henchmen at their command." Miyu stated.
"And we could have beaten them all," Slippy said, "but someone must have seen our strategy before we could even utilize it."
"Even if that's so," Fay ventured, "we have to stand brave in the face of our captors."
Simon came into the room, followed by Louis Frog. The business suit-wearing amphibian looked at the three Star Fox members.
"So, how are all of you doing today?" He asked.
"Not good," Miyu said, "thanks to you and your associates."
"Is that so?" Simon mockingly asked.
"Yeah, we're only waiting for our allies to come and beat all of you up!" Slippy said as he struggled to break free of the ropes that bound him.
"Oh please," the gray vulpine chuckled, "you're only fooling yourself by thinking that, Slippy Toad."
"Not to mention that you'll be executed before anyone comes for you and your teammates." Louis said. "I hope that you and the boys like concrete shoes."
"What will you do to us?" Fay asked, gesturing towards Miyu as well.
"We've gotten a special punishment for you and the other girls." The yellow frog said.
"You won't get away with it!" Fay spat at their captors.
Simon then stomped on Fay's feet. In response, the poodle let out a scream as the gray tod chuckled.
"You creep, you'll pay for that!" Miyu shouted.
"I doubt it." Simon said.
Louis and Simon then walked out of the room, leaving Slippy, Fay and Miyu by themselves. However, Louis came back, dragging something with him.
"By the way," he spoke, "here's someone to keep you company. Antonio pounded him when he came back from the game."
To the horror of the three, Louis threw Falco into the room. The pheasant was completely unconscious, but he was still breathing. Despite that, he was beaten and bruised in various areas of his body. In addition to that, the avian's left arm looked broken. The moment Louis threw Falco into the room, he walked off, closing the door on his way out.
"Falco ..." Slippy felt like crying.
"No." Miyu was in utter shock. She knew that Falco was a cocky guy, but no one, not even the avian when he was at his worst, deserved anything like what happened to him. What made it worse was that the pheasant looked like he was going to die any moment.
"Falco, please don't die!" Fay whimpered.
However, Falco opened his eyes, looking up at the others. Groaning, the pheasant held his broken arm and sat up.
"You're okay!" Slippy said out of relief.
"Barely," Falco moaned, "I take it that Simon made himself comfortable with you?"
"I think he broke my toes." Fay said.
"And he stabbed me in the shoulder." Slippy stated.
"Don't worry," Falco said, "he's gonna get his! I might have a broken arm, but that creep made a fatal mistake by not tying me up!"
"Falco," Miyu sighed, "it's hopeless. Even if we were free, the organization would catch us and put us under tighter security."
"I still don't understand," the pheasant said, "how the hell did they manage to overwhelm and snatch us?"
Hearing an odd noise, Slippy began to look around for its location. That was when he saw a camera looking down at him and his comrades.
"Hey, didn't Krystal say something about video cameras when we went on the mission?" Slippy asked.
"She did." Falco said. "Dammit, we should have went with her stealth mission strategy!"
"And we should have used those auto-hack darts on the cameras!" Fay said, looking down in shame.
"Even if we did, they still would have caught us." Miyu said. "The Mauricios and the Zimmermans have more than enough men employed."
"And what about the Army?" Falco spoke. "General Pepper has to have sent someone after our captors. Fox did tell Bill to take Krystal to the General's tower when she took that dart for him."
"We can only hope for the best." Fay said. "Chances are, Krystal and the Army might have to work their way through the mobsters and enforcers that work for our kidnappers."
"Let's just hope that you're right about that, Fay." Slippy said.
Meanwhile, the Cornerian Knights were practicing hand-to-hand combat with Steve as General Pepper watched on. Sitting next to the General was Lucy, who looked worried.
"They're really good at this." Pepper spoke.
"Let's hope so." Lucy said. "I hope that they're able to save the others, including my dad. I don't want any of my friends to get executed by gangsters!"
"Don't worry, Lucy, Star Fox will be saved." The hound dog put his hand on her shoulder. "They'll be saved before you can even say 'daddy'."
"Where is Bill?" The hare asked.
"He went to eavesdrop with Krystal." He said. "Before they left, she told him to grab some auto-hack darts and a sniper that can shoot them."
"Odd." She said.
Steve came up to General Pepper and Lucy, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"So, how are they doing?" The General asked.
"Well, the only one I'm having trouble with is Prowl." Steve answered. "He's doing well, but he gets really aggressive when he fights, showing no mercy. As for the others, I have no problem with them."
"Good to know." Lucy said.
"Didn't think that the group would become your Plan B, General." The lupine looked at the hound dog.
"Don't think that you're still in the clear," Pepper said, "you've still got much to do in order to redeem yourself for all the stuff you've done, including working with Maria Fairweather."
"At least she's working with us, now." Lucy said. "Even if she's not easy to get along with."
Bill and Krystal walked into the room. This caught the eye of General Pepper, who approached them.
"Did you get any information?" He asked.
"Yes," Bill said, "Giorno is going to send some of his henchmen, including a group of hit men, down to the theatre in order to take out a performer. Krystal and I remained out of sight, with her shooting auto-hack darts at the cameras with the sniper, destroying them."
"Oh," Pepper spoke, "I forgot that the Mauricio Family sets up cameras in order to find potential threats!"
"If only the others listened to me when we went to fight them." Krystal said.
"You didn't go to free the others?" Lucy asked.
"I wanted to," the cobalt vixen said, "but Bill told me to stand down."
"It's not a good idea to head directly down to the hideout of the mob, even if they have no way of knowing you're there." Bill said. "Besides, they have a LOT of goons at their beck and call."
"We should get down to the theatre." Collin said.
"Yes," Flora said, "we need to stop those hit men from killing the performer."
"Go ahead and head to the theatre, guys." Steve told them.
"I'll follow them in a bit, I'm going to speak with Lucy." Bill said.
"Do that, I'm going with them." Krystal said as she followed the Cornerian Knights out of the room. General Pepper and Steve left the room as well, allowing Bill to speak with Lucy.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Not really," Lucy said, "given how papa has been taken captive by the mob."
"Don't worry, we'll save ole Peppy." Bill told her.
"I can only imagine how Sabre and Panther would react to hearing that Fara and Miyu have been taken hostage." The hare said.
"Not well, I imagine." The gray hound said.
"Mind if I come with you guys?" She asked.
"It might be a bad idea, but okay." He said.
"Great, let's go!"
Lucy and Bill ran out of the room, heading to the Cornerian Army garage.
Upon arriving at the theatre, the Cornerian Knights entered the building through the door that led to backstage. After that, they found themselves walking down the hallway that led to the stage. Krystal used her telepathy to look for any of the gangsters that were planning to kill the performer for the evening. As she did so, the Knights spoke with each other.
"Who do you think the guy we're saving is?" Miriam asked.
"My guezz iz zat it'z Rizotto DiCaprio." Pierre surmised.
"The magician?" Prowl spoke. "I highly doubt that the enemy wants to kill him."
"Who wants to kill who now?" A black cat stepped out of one of the rooms. He was wearing a silver, velvet suit and tie. This feline just so happened to be Risotto DiCaprio.
"Hi Mr. DiCaprio." Krystal greeted, still using her telepathy.
"Good to see you, Krystal." Risotto said.
"You know each other?" Collin asked.
"Yes," Krystal said, "I've assisted Mr. DiCaprio a few times on stage. Katt's done so as well."
"What are you doing here anyway?" Risotto asked. "Who are the kids?"
"We're the Cornerian Knights, Mr. DiCaprio." Jethro introduced himself.
"And Krystal's working with us to bring down the Mauricio Family and the Zimmerman Brothers." Flora added.
"But our mission is to protect the performer for the evening from gangsters who are out to kill him." Shelly said.
"It's not me." Risotto said. "They've picked someone else for now."
"Well, in that case, we thank you for your time." Flora said as she continued walking.
"I'll talk to you later." Krystal said as she walked off, still using her telepathy.
"Don't break a leg during your next show." Prowl said, saying the kindest words he could think of.
The Cornerian Knights continued walking to the stage, with each of them looking around for any threat. As they did so, Krystal could sense the enemy.
"Did you find them?" Collin asked.
"Yes," Krystal said, "the gangsters out to kill the performer are in the audience. No one else has arrived, so we can defeat those goons. But wait, Bill and Lucy are coming."
"Hope they're happy with the fact they might get themselves killed." Prowl said.
"They can handle themselves in a battle." The cobalt vixen said.
"Besides, we need all the help we can get." Flora said.
"Halt!" A voice rang out.
Everyone stopped in their tracks and turned around. At the stage piano, there was a robin wearing a concert jacket, dress pants and dress shoes. He had blue eyes and sat in a position that many pianists of the past would sit in.
"So, you're the ones who helped to capture Yusef Ivanovich?" The robin spoke. "The General must be running low on ideas if he has to have a member of Star Fox team up with some rookies."
"We're not just rookies," Miriam spoke, "we're the Cornerian Knights."
"Why don't you tell us who you are, hot shot?" Prowl scoffed.
"My name is Alexander Richard Peterson," the avian introduced himself, "and I will be performing on stage tonight. I plan on becoming better at the piano, which is why I'm doing so. I wish to be like Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman. Other idols of mine include Elton John and Little Richard."
"Well, your life will come to an abrupt end if you perform tonight." Collin said.
"We've been sent to prevent your death." Shelly said. "There are gangsters waiting to kill you."
"Music haters, eh?" Alexander asked.
"They're just mobsters who kill anyone they feel like killing." Prowl said. "C'mon, we're getting you off the stage."
"I guess that rules are wasted on a delinquent like you, Prowl Granger." The robin said.
In response to that comment, Prowl threw a roundhouse kick at Alexander. However, the robin caught the snow leopard's leg.
"Nice catch." Prowl said.
"I have taken martial arts before," Alexander said, "so I know how to defend myself from attackers. I can tell that you have taken martial arts as well, seeing as your kick could have easily broken my arm."
"Considering how you said that rules were wasted on guys like me, I can tell that we have different Battle experience." The snow leopard said. "I, for one, kick the crap out of anyone who talks trash."
"You're not nice, are you?" The robin asked.
"Look," the feline said, "no one ever said that I was a nice guy. In fact, I've fought more people than I have helped. I burnt down a barn in order to prove that I was cool, only to end up in jail. However, I'm here, working on becoming a respected member of society alongside my team, the Cornerian Knights, and our current mission is taking down the Mauricio Family and the Zimmerman Brothers and saving most of the members of Star Fox."
"Prowl, get down!" Krystal warned.
All of a sudden, blasters went off. In response, everyone (including Alexander) took cover, waiting for their attackers to cease fire. Once it stopped, Prowl and Jethro got up, took out their blasters, and began to fire at the gangsters outside of the stage. However, a few of them entered the stage and began to fight with the others. Krystal, Flora and Collin shot the henchmen's blasters out of their hands with their own, beginning to fend them off in hand-to-hand combat. As for Alexander, he grabbed one of the attackers, a dove, and punched him in the head, knocking him out.
However, one of the gangsters picked up his blaster. Before he could fire it at anyone, Krystal got something out of her backpack. It was her staff, which caught the gangsters by surprise. The cobalt vixen fired blasts from her staff, killing the mobster before he could shoot at her. Before the others could react, Flora and Collin shot them in their heads. As for Pierre and Shelly, they joined Prowl and Jethro in firing at the gangsters that were firing from the crowd. Unbeknownst to them, two more of the henchmen were walking onto the stage. However, they caught the eye of Krystal, who was ready to blast them with her staff. Before she could, the two criminals were taken down with a single hit.
"Where did that come from?" Flora asked.
"Up here!"
Turning around, the group saw Bill and Lucy at the entrance to the stage. The two came down to them, occasionally looking for another gangster. Luckily, it seemed that Krystal and the Cornerian Knights had dealt with all of them. The only mobster who was still alive was the one Alexander knocked out. When he came to, he saw Prowl pointing a blaster at him.
"You follow orders, right?" The snow leopard asked.
The gangster nodded.
"Then tell your employers that we'll be coming for them!" Prowl said. "Even if we have to shove past all of their henchmen, we will battle the Mauricio Family and the Zimmerman Brothers, and kill them!"
Prowl then let go of the mobster, letting him run out of the room. After that, the Cornerian Knights received a call from General Pepper.
"Knights, has the mission been completed?" He asked.
"Yes, all of the men sent by the Mauricios are dead." Flora answered.
"Except for one," Collin said, "Prowl told him to send a message to his employers."
"Hopefully that will instill some fear into those mobsters." Prowl stated.
"But ze performer you told uz to protect iz zafe." Pierre said.
"He even took down the guy Prowl sent out." Miriam added.
"Turns out our music-loving friend has proficiency in martial arts." Jethro stated.
"Interesting." Pepper said.
"But I'm not interested in doing anything outside of music for the time being." Alexander spoke.
"Anyway," the General spoke, "report back to the Flight Academy. Oh, and Bill, I need to speak to you."
"Yes sir." Bill said.
Once the call had ended, the Cornerian Knights went back to the Flight Academy as Bill went to speak with the General. As for Krystal, she went back to her apartment. Lucy accompanied her there, agreeing to stay the night with the cobalt vixen. Throughout the night, the two took turns watching out the window, looking out for anyone suspicious. Not once were the girls attacked, so they were okay. However, Krystal and Lucy spoke to each other, planning out strategies and discussing how they would play out. If only General Pepper would approve of the strategies.
Meanwhile, the Mauricio Family and the Zimmerman Brothers were informed about what went down at the theatre. The gangster even revealed the name of the group that impeded the mission: the Cornerian Knights. Once he got done, Giorno told him to get some rest.
"They're the same punks that stopped our mission at the Stadium!" Antonio growled. "That damn leopard, he just kept whaling on me, even as I stopped fighting with him."
"He's an ex-con, no doubt." Louis said.
"That makes a helluva lot of sense!" The gorilla said.
"So that's why you beat the stuffing out of Lombardi." Simon said.
"It's a miracle that he was still breathing when you got done with him." A rabbit said. He was wearing a fedora and dress clothes. He also had red fur and green eyes.
"Oh, shut up, Daniel." Margaret sighed.
"Yeah," Robert stated, "save your snide remarks for the day we execute our captives."
"People," Giorno spoke, "we've got bigger fish to fry. Some of our cameras have been destroyed with hacking devices. In addition to that, these Cornerian Knight creeps are getting the drop on our men. Adding to the fact that Star Fox's allies are working with them, we need to take more drastic measures."
"If you're thinking of fixing the cameras, forget it." Robert said. "We don't need those things when we've got more men."
"Not if the new team kills them as well." Daniel said.
"And if Star Wolf is on their side, we're screwed." Louis added.
A scream rang from outside the room, followed by blood splashing out. It was from the gangster who told everyone about the Cornerian Knights. After the scream died down, an unknown figure stepped into the room. This being was dressed in a fedora, a trench coat, dress pants and boots. Their clothes were covered in blood, with it coming from the gangster they killed.
"You really know how to make an entrance." Simon noted.
"I overheard you speaking about what had happened recently," the figure spoke, having a masculine voice, "so I decided to come in. The guy who gave you all of that information was a bit of a scaredy-cat."
"Did you really have to kill him?" Louis asked.
"Yeah," Daniel said, "he was a good sharpshooter."
"Forget him." The mysterious man said. "I'm the one who brought you all together, not him. In fact, I've got a new order for all of you."
"What is it, Crimson Unit #21?" Giorno asked.
"I want both Robert and Simon to travel to Fichina." Crimson Unit #21 spoke. "As for the rest of you, keep a closer eye on our prisoners. If anyone from the Cornerian Army, or an ally of Star Fox, comes here, either capture them or kill them. If you see the Cornerian Knights around here, leave them be."
"Why?" Daniel asked.
"Because," he said, "one of the members of the team is my son."
Note: Yep, one of the members of the Cornerian Knights is related to this guy. Who could it be? Who do you think is Crimson Unit #21's son? Anyway, I hope that all of you are doing well. I'm starting to feel better, given how the Pandemic is clearing up. It has been tough, but we can overcome any obstacle. Until next time guys, this is Newcomer24, signing off. Peace!