Disclaimer: Star Fox is owned by Nintendo (and Rare in the case of some characters), so please support the official releases. The following is just a piece of not-for-profit fiction for all fans of the games and the characters.

Author's Note: This story is a more or less free-standing sequel taking over where Kursed Beyond Redemption finished. I am trying to write this, so that it can be read by itself, for those who are not keen on reading about Kursed. But it will of course contain major spoilers about KBR. It is an exploration of the future after SF Command, while drawing inspiration from the past and the game that was made into SF Adventures - Dinosaur Planet.

Commitments

15 ALW (After Lylat Wars)

Krystal checked her reflection in the mirror for the umpteenth time.

She had brushed her hair, tail and facial fur for ages. She adjusted the beads in her bangs yet again, making sure they stayed out of her eyes. Her old tiara with the ruby red gemstone had been polished to a shine it hadn't seen in years, and then placed on her forehead. Her hair, which had grown out to slightly below her shoulders, had been trimmed just a little bit to remove some split ends, and freshly dyed in a cerulean blue to hide the last of the purple. Butterflies were performing a frantic dance in her stomach. It wasn't like her to be this nervous.

There was a rapp on the door to her room.

"Come in!"

With a muted whoosh the door slid open and revealed a pink feline in an azure dress.

"Oh, Katt, you look amazing!"

"I thought I'd match your fur." Katt Monroe turned the whole way around as she stepped into the room, her dress and pink tail swirling around her. "Honestly, it feels weird though. I can't remember when I wore a dress last, and I've never been a bride's maid before."

"Thank you so much for doing this."

"Anything for you, my friend."

"How do I look?" Krystal stood up and showed off her own dress.

She still had not recovered from her amnesia, and remembered very little from those nineteen years of her life before the adventures on Sauria. Therefore, she had no idea what a typical Cerinian wedding dress looked like, or if they even wore dresses or married for that matter, but she had done the best she could. She'd had a simple white sleeveless dress made, embroidered with geometric patterns from her staff and that minimal tribal gear she had worn when she was found on Sauria. It showed off the white tattoos on her upper arms, and she also wore elegant tail bands and a pair of sandals, which were newly made but fashioned after her old footwear. The golden bracers might seem at odds with the rest of the outfit, being items of a warrior rather than a bride, but she wore them for a reason.

"You look more stunning than any person should have the right to." Katt smiled wryly. "I guess I don't like it when everyone's not looking at me."

Krystal stood up, flattened out some invisible wrinkles in her dress, and checked her reflection again. The outfit had a narrow waist, and certainly did little to hide her curves. "This is killing me. I just want something simple, yet I'm afraid it won't be perfect."

"And it's perfectly normal to be nervous on your big day." Katt was the definition of calm and coolness as always.

"Miss Krystal," said a synthetic voice through the room's loudspeakers. "I am sorry to interrupt. It is nearly time. May I enquire about your progress?"

"I think I'm as ready as I ever can be."

"Affirmative. I understand today is very important for you. I aim to please at my best abilities."

"Thank you, ROB," Krystal answered the ship's resident android, who she also considered a longtime friend. "Okay, Katt, let's do this."

"You need to do his fist pump as well," quipped Katt.

They both laughed. Krystal was very thankful that her old friend was there. Katt was great at diffusing situations, whether it be with humour or blasters. They stepped out of the room and walked down the corridors of the Great Fox II, which had been decorated with flowers and garlands. ROB was waiting for them at the wide open air lock, and handed them a big bouquet each. Then the two women stepped out into the sunshine. Krystal looked at Katt as they walked down the ramp, covered with a red carpet to mark the occasion. The feline's pelt was shimmering in the light.

"How did you get such a wonderful complexion?" Krystal asked.

"I'll tell you, this metallic fur dye is bloody expensive. You owe me big time."

"I'll repay you when it's your and Falco's turn to tie the knot."

"As if that's gonna happen." Katt snorted. "The only way is if I force him to the altar by pointing a blaster in his back."

Krystal laughed out loud. "Welp, that's one wedding I'd definitely like to see."

She took in the scene as they walked on lush grass towards a small group of people. Slippy and Amanda-pregnant again-were there with their three tadpoles, as were Krystal's friends from her brief Army days; Fay the boisterous spaniel and Miyu the feisty Lynx. Peppy's daughter Lucy, who Krystal saw as the sister she never had, was there as well with her husband and their baby. General Peppy Hare was not present in person, what with being joint chief of staff for the Cornerian Army and the CDF not leaving enough free room in his schedule, but he was attending via subspace hologram.

A brindle dog played the traditional Papetoon wedding march on violin as they made their way to the makeshift podium where Fox and his best man Falco were waiting. Krystal had been walking through Corneria's art district, Buskerville, where she among the other street musicians had come across the mutt and found him amazing. She had been adamant about wanting to give the poor guy a chance, and he in turn had of course jumped at the opportunity of a space flight and decent paycheque. They wanted their ceremony to be a small affair with just their closest friends ... plus hundreds of wedding crashing dinosaurs of course. They were on Sauria after all. The wedding was held by the river just outside the Walled City, its pyramids providing a majestic and mystical backdrop.

"Those are two fine-looking men, aren't they," said Katt as they got closer. Falco was beaming, wearing a white shirt and light grey slacks, which did not distract from his vibrant blue plumage. Fox was wearing khaki trousers and a white shirt with a discrete floral pattern, complemented by a frangipani tacked to his shirt pocket. Krystal wasn't used to seeing him in anything else than his flight suit or jeans, but the smart casual attire really suited him. Even though he was several years older now, he looked every inch the man she had fallen in love with. It was as if Katt had read her mind.

"About bloody time you two got settled. You certainly went the hard way about it."

A shiver ran up Krystal's spine as she recalled the events which had led to him forcing her off Star Fox, and their subsequent fallout after the Aparoid Invasion. She spent a brief stint in the Cornerian Army honing her piloting skills, and had then joined Star Wolf and betrayed Fox during the Anglar Wars. After leaving Lylat, sick and tired of people calling her a traitor, she never thought she would come back again, and least of all together with Fox. She had believed the bridges had been burnt, but he had tracked her down, although only after Corneria had fallen into the hands of the Protectors of Cerinia and their malicious leader. Together-as well as with crucial inside help-they had put an end to the Cerinian Crisis, and found each other again in the process. Even though she had said and showed that she had lost her telepathic powers, people were still wary of her kind.

That was one of the reasons she had been adamant that the wedding had to be away from Corneria. Sauria made sense. They both had fond memories of the planet, where Krystal had first arrived from Cerinia. And of course there was the little fact that King Tricky still wanted them to honeymoon here.

"I'm guessing you'll be tying the knot in more ways than one today," whispered Katt and completely derailed Krystal's train of thought.

"Oh, behave," she hissed in reply but the feline had a point. Fox had a confident smile on his muzzle and his gaze firmly locked onto his soon to be wife. The clothes hugged his well trained frame nicely, but she couldn't wait for the garments to come off.

Tonight they would.

She handed Katt her bouquet, waved at the congregation, then turned around to face the celebrant, who of course was none other than the EarthWalker King himself. Just as he drew a breath and opened his mouth to start speaking, Krystal reached up and wrapped her arms around Tricky's neck as best as she could. The dinosaur blushed and stuttered for a moment before regaining his composure.

"Touh wiojkj udt todaqodj...," he started and all interplanetary wedding quests quickly put their translators in their ears. "Dear guests and denizens, we are gathered here-finally I must say-to witness the sacred union of matrimony, blessed by the Krazoa spirits, between Krystal of the Vixon Tribe from Cerinia, and Fox McCloud of Star Fox from Papetoon. These two heroes have, as you all know, saved our planet not once but twice, first when it was falling apart after the SharpClaws stole the Spell Stones..."

Krystal tuned out as Tricky rambled on and she faced Fox instead. He was doing the same, taking her hands in his. The EarthWalker's voice faded into the distance as she drowned in Fox's eyes, those emerald green windows into his soul, filled with unwavering dedication and flames of love. She completely lost track of time.

Tricky cleared his throat and whispered, "Vows?"

She nodded and they repeated his words, the vows they had prepared for each other.

"I Fox, will take you, Krystal, to my lawful wedded mate, to love and respect, to honour with honesty and an open mind, until death do us part."

"I Krystal, will take you, Fox, to my lawful wedded mate, to love and respect, to give with generosity and guide with a true heart, until death do us part."

There was an awkward silence for a moment, until Fox gave Falco a slight nudge with an elbow. The avian startled and looked confused, until he got the cue. Krystal tried her hardest not to giggle, stealing a glance off Katt, who only rolled her eyes at the bird. Falco reached into a pocket, his feathered fingers fumbling for a moment, before they produced something which he passed to Fox. His right hand took her left, while his left hand held a ring of white gold set with several small emeralds, the same colour as his eyes. The design matched the engagement ring she already wore on her right hand. She could feel the ring slip over her fingertip and then ... nothing.

She shivered with cold as a memory washed over her, and a vision flashed before her eyes. Swinging her staff in battle, she made a fatal mistake, and another razor sharp blade sliced through her wrist, severing her hands completely.

That's why she wore the bracers; to hide the joins between her arms and the bionic prosthetics, over which she was wearing thin gloves with fake fur. She looked down at the mechanical limbs, which were a marvel made with Cerinian technology, strong and with pressure sensors, but the sense of touch just wasn't the same. She looked back up at Fox, and saw concern in his eyes, so she gave him the slightest of nods to show that she was okay.

Katt passed Krystal a ring-a heavier set gold ring with engravings in platinum, geometrical patterns copied from her staff, the one that he could handle so well-and she put it on Fox's ring finger.

"I now declare you husband and wife." The EarthWalker used his most booming voice, to make sure everyone heard. "So that you may have many children."

"Good one, Tricky!" She pretended to glare angrily at him, as the audience burst into laughter. But he wasn't wrong. Something inside her longed for a kit-at least one.

"You may kiss."

Even though she missed the feeling of touching him, and letting her fingers run through his fur, her lips could more than make up for it. Since she was the same height as him, neither of them had to bend. They just leaned forward and their muzzles met naturally, their lips touching gently, like it was the very first time. Then their mouths moulded together, lips parting to let tongues touch each other, savouring the familiar taste. His fingers ran through her hair, and she put her hands on his chest, as they increased the pressure, both all too eager to have more.

When they finally came up for air, she glanced from left to right. Tricky was blushing, while the mouths of Amanda and Slippy's tadpoles were hanging open. 'Whoops, that might've been a bedroom kiss.'

Fox and herself were both blushing a bit too, but their friends only cheered and clapped their hands, those of them who weren't busy snapping photos with phones and communicators. Katt handed Krystal her bouquet. "Time for another Cornerian tradition."

The vixen turned her back towards the guests and tossed the flowers backwards over her head. They flew high up in the air, but it looked as if she might have overdone it, as they sailed over her friend's heads towards a group of sticky-beak LightFoot dinosaurs. At the last fraction of a second, there was a flurry of yellow fur as a short lynx with pointy ears leapt high into the air and caught the bouquet in one hand.

"Got it!" She triumphantly held her catch over her head.

A white dog squealed and literally bounced on the spot, her floppy years flapping up and down in rhythm. "Oh Miyu, that means it's your turn next."

"Bah, you know I don't believe in that sort of stuff, Fay." The feline grinned at her friend, but the smile fell from her face when she heard several gasps and everyone looked her way. "What?"

Realising they were looking at something behind her, she turned around herself. The LightFoots scattered, revealing two figures walking up towards the congregation. They might have traded their flight suits for tuxedos, but there was no doubt who the pair was; the green stone-faced chameleon, and the grey canine with an eye patch and a white mohawk.

Fox's eyes narrowed, and Krystal had to hurry after him, as he quickly made his way through the crowd with confident strides. "Wolf. Leon. Funny, I can't remember inviting the two of you."

Falco joined Fox's side, staring down the lizard with hatred in his eyes. Krystal could feel the tension building. Even though Star Wolf had helped with ending the Cerinian Crisis, she knew that Fox hadn't forgotten Star Wolf's-and her own-betrayal during the Anglar Blitz. While the hatchets were buried for the moment, there was no love lost between the two mercenary captains. She had to defuse the situation. "I did!"

"What?" Fox stared at her in disbelief.

"They are important to me. Please, hear me out." His brow furrowed and his mouth was hanging open, but he didn't make any verbal objection. "Star Fox, you and me, our break-up, Star Wolf, becoming Kursed, and even Hope..." She caught herself and felt a little guilty, but Fox's expression didn't change. He must have thought that the last thing she said was just a word. That was one thing he didn't know yet. "Every person and every step along the way, even the ones leading me down the wrong path, has led me to where I am today, on the happiest day of my life. How could I possibly have done anything differently?"

He relaxed and looked at her with those big emerald eyes, the corners of his mouth curling upwards ever so slightly.

"You have a wise mate," Wolf chimed in. "I'd hang on to her if I was you."

"Oh, I intend to." But his mood darkened again and he slowly turned towards the larger canine. "But even if you were invited, why would you actually come?"

Just then the busker started the music, and Wolf quickly took Krystal's hands. "To dance with the bride, of course."

And he swept her away from the stunned Fox, confidently leading the way to the tune of a cheerful waltz-one, two, three steps-around the grassy field. With one hand in hers and one on her hip, her other hand on his shoulder, they danced from side to side, forwards and backwards, slowly around in a circle. With his back held straight, me moved in perfect rhythm to the music, and all she had to do was to follow his lead.

"I didn't know you could dance." She was surprised but impressed.

"I have my hidden talents."

Over his shoulder she could see Amanda and a rather clumsy Slippy joining in, as well as Lucy and her husband, while Fay was pulling Miyu around in something that vaguely resembled a dance. A couple of amused HighTops dinosaurs stooped over the dancers, and bent their necks to watch the spectacle closely.

"I noticed that Panther isn't with you."

"Yeah, and he hates missing out," said Wolf with a brief hint of sarcasm, before he got serious. "You know, he really did love you. Still does."

Krystal recalled her stint as pilot in Star Wolf at the time of the Anglar Wars, and her short and rocky romance with Panther Caroso. At the time, she didn't believe that he was sincere, or maybe she had distrusted men in general after what went down with Fox. "How's his recovery?"

"Slow, but he'll get better." The lupine shook his head. "I've spoken to him a couple of times, and the fool is adamant he'd do it again if he had to."

She knew what he meant. Panther had nearly made the ultimate sacrifice to save Krystal and Fox. A memory of his mangled Black Rose drifting through space above the Cerinian starship flashed in front of her eyes. The music stopped and so did their dance.

"Mark my words, Krystal, where you lead, men will follow."

Fox stood gobsmacked as Wolf waltzed away with Krystal, but then he turned his attention to Falco and Leon, who were staring each other down. He was concerned that the Papetoonean standoff might turn into a fistfight, so he stepped in between.

"How do you have the guts to show up?" Falco hissed. "After what Wolf did to Krystal."

Fox knew what the avian was referring to. After the end of the Cerinian Crisis, General O'Hare had organised a ceremony to celebrate the heroes. At the end of it, the wolf had given Krystal a scare. Fox could remember her frightened yelp clearly, as well as his own disappointment at some scattered laughs from the audience.

"Well, it kinda worked out in the end," he said. "I doubt that he meant to, but he did help showing that she's not telepathic anymore. One less reason for people not to trust her."

Her powers had been a closely kept Star Fox secret, but with the arrival of the Protectors of Cerinia, it had become common knowledge what their race was capable of. They had gotten into the minds of Cornerians after all, skilfully manipulating and controlling key people in the defence forces, business and media, to nearly run the planet over completely. Nearly!

"How does one lose an ability like that anyway?" Leon asked.

"I don't know, but a battle with a telepath is as much mental as physical." Fox shivered at the memory of Kamuy and her powers, the Cerinian leader who had come across as such a compassionate, diplomatic and eloquent person ... until she had shown her true self. She had seemed like an older version of Krystal, in more ways than Krystal felt comfortable with. "Is it so strange that a mind can break too?"

The chameleon seemed to ponder the reply, until one his eyes went sideways. Fox followed Leon's gaze towards the tables with finger food, which had been set up to provide the guests with sustenance. Apart from the busker, they had also brought a caterer from Corneria, who was serving up a tasty buffet. The EarthWalkers had provided various local delicacies as well, mostly based on Dumbledang Pods, for the denizens. A couple of CloudRunners were picking up their favourites using their long beaks.

"Now, where should I start?" The lizard's eyes swivelled this way and that, until his long tongue shot out and snatched a drumstick off a plate and returned it into his open mouth. "Mmm... spicy!"

"Hah, that is full-on vegan manufactured chicken." Falco chuckled and picked a slider from another plate. "This pulled pork on the other hand is the real deal." He bit off one half with his sharp beak, and let the morsel slide down into his gullet.

"Plant based, huh? Had me fooled there for a minute." Leon sucked the last of the picante sauce from what looked convincingly like a chicken bone, before his tongue launched for a second drumstick.

Fox helped himself to some sparkling wine. "What's going on with your partner in crime?"

"Señor Caroso?!" Leon licked his fingers, while his face as usual remained expressionless, but maybe the colour of his scales faded ever so slightly. "All I know is that he's part of a cutting edge but top secret medical program. He was in a bad shape after that incident. I wouldn't be surprised if he comes back with metal legs or something."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Falco with his mouth full of food.

"Well..." Fox took a sip from his glass. "I hate to admit it, but I'm very grateful for what he did."

He had an inkling that the 'medical program' involved some Cerinian technology, just like Krystal's hands and his right eye. He had also not escaped unscathed. He had mostly gotten used to his new eye, although some colours seemed somehow synthetic when he used it, and its vision became pixelated in low light.

The music stopped and he turned towards the improvised dance floor. As soon as he spotted his now wife, he rushed over to 'rescue' Krystal from Wolf's clutches. Another song started, this one slow, so Fox pulled her close and she put her arms around his neck. They moved in unison, so close together that their bodies were touching lightly, and their muzzles even more so.

As they danced, they took in the peculiar scene around them, where an odd mix of people made sure to they were amusing themselves. Slippy was skipping around with his tadpoles in tow, while Lucy's husband was running after them with their toddler bunny on his shoulders. Katt, Fay and Miyu were drinking and laughing at each other's stories, getting a little bit tipsy by the looks of it. Even though ROB looked like he was malfunctioning, he was just performing an impromptu robot dance. Falco and Leon were having an animated discussion about something, while Wolf was just kicking back next to them, a big grin on his muzzle. EarthWalkers and CloudRunners were mingling with each other.

"From enemies to friends," said Krystal as if reading his mind.

He thought about everything the two of them had been through. "And from heartbreak to marriage."

She smiled, put a hand behind his neck and pulled him close. For a moment, as their lips met, everything else ceased to matter.

After the dance, there was cake of course, as sweet as could be. Then, Wolf and Leon bid farewell. It was a bizarre but impressive sight, as the two Wolfen fighters flew off into the sunset. Day turned to dusk and dusk turned to night as the party continued, everyone mingling, dancing, eating and drinking without a care in the world.

Krystal spent a long time talking and laughing to the other women, before she returned to her husband's side and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm tired."

He understood. Physically she seemed fine, but her body and mind was still recovering from the recent events. "You must be exhausted."

"Not yet." She wrapped her arms around him, hugged him close, buried her muzzle in his neck and whispered in his ear, "And I've been looking forward to the wedding night all day."

They received more congratulations as they took their leave and returned to their quarters on the Great Fox II. It was the first night of the rest of their lives together, and it did not disappoint. On that day, life was perfect.

What could possibly go wrong?

Night was ending and the sky started to show the faint colours of dawn, as the system's central star approached the horizon from underneath. The lupine standing by the window hated the planet. It wasn't just the star's mortal radiation that he feared.

He looked down upon the outlines, which were emerging out of the darkness. There had once been magnificent buildings and lush parks along vibrant streets filled with people, but that was before the disaster. Now the structures were crumbling and the city was dead, as was the whole planet. There were no scavengers and not even microbes could survive, so there was nothing to decay the remains of the life that had flourished. He knew there were millions of bodies down there, slowly drying up and withering away. What scared him the most were the countless spirits that may be floating around and seeking the peace they had not been given.

There had been rescue and burial attempts for sure, but there were too many bodies and it had been too dangerous. Some of the rescue crew had succumbed to the radiation as well.

"Father wanted to see Cerinia one last time." The voice beside him was sombre.

He turned towards the person who had spoken, a wolf in the prime of his life with fur that was various shades of brown. The muscular man was wearing his lightly armoured knight's attire as usual, the dark brown and green colours blending in with the early light of dawn, and you could just make out the sword hilted at his waist.

"One day the city of Animus will rise from the ashes." A grim look was on his face, as he gazed upon the wastelands. "Have faith, Hackles, in the prophecy my father uncovered."

Here we go again, thought Hackles and looked over his shoulder. An old wolf with fur that once had been reddish brown was sitting in a chair, slumped slightly to the side despite the seat belt strapping him in place. His pelt was now mostly grey, covering wrinkled skin that was hanging loosely on his muzzle. His eyes were staring blankly straight ahead, and a drop of saliva drooled from his open maw.

The once great leader, master of magic and skilled warrior, was now just a shadow of his former self, nearing the end of his life. He had completely lost his marbles when The Shield was broken, and The Doom fell upon Cerinia. How anyone could get any coherent information out of the old wizard-let alone a 'prophecy'-was beyond Hackles's belief.

"I wonder if she's still out there." The knight's gaze drifted upwards to the infinity of space beyond. "She must be."

Hackles seriously considered whether the father's insanity had spread to the son. It would be understandable given the trauma he had gone through, and they all had gone through it for that matter, the few of them who had survived. He doubted that his master's sister was one of the survivors, although her remains had never been found. She had vanished that fateful day. It was seven years ago to the day.

He turned his attention to the panels in front of him, touched some controls, and an image of the star appeared on the display, surrounded by various metrics. "Sire, there are strong signs that a flare is imminent. We need to leave before the radiation hits us."

"Very well, my squire. Take us out!"

Hackles still found it slightly odd being referred to as a squire, since he was twenty-five and only a few years younger than the other man, but he accepted it. There were few warriors left, and his master was an especially skilful if somewhat too headstrong knight.

"Yes, Master Sabre."

He sat down in the pilot's seat and ran through the startup sequence, while Sabre checked on his father Randorn before taking his own seat. Displays came to life, engines spooled up, and the spaceship rocked slightly as the landing gear retracted. Banking to turn around, he looked out through the side window and could see the ghostly castle and the tower where they had landed. Then he headed upwards and away from the rising sun, fleeing its mortal rays with haste.

"We must find my sister. She is the key." Sabre had that faraway look in his eyes again. "We must find Krystal."

Author's Note: Please bare with me, since this will be a long story (at least as long as KBR) and progress might be slow. I have much still to plan out, but I have the basic concept, the most important plot points, and (typically me) the ending. Thanks to EquinoxWolf for running their eyes over this chapter.