Stage. Sector Z

Fighters: Kirby, Fox

Rules: 2 Lives Classic Mode

"Hey,Kirby… What's your reason for fighting?"

Kirby never expected Fox to ask that question. Heck, he never expected this Fox to stop at all! He had been fighting for quite a while, after all, and all the times he had fought against him, he never even bothered to raise that question. What made this occasion so different then?

He didn't have to wait long for the answer though, as Fox answered right away:

"I feel weird about this. Like, apparently it's been a year since I've been fighting in this crazy event, but I don't remember anything. I can only remember my reason for fighting… and the pain of having lost many times. Oh, sorry, I forgot to translate! Uhh, let's see… Poyo poyo…"

"Poyo poyo poyo poyo, poyo poyo poyo poyo poyo poyo" ("Save your efforts, I can perfectly understand you.") Kirby replied. Fox was visibly happy to hear that. "Well, that makes it a lot easier for me, hahaha!"

Kirby was slowly beginning to like Fox. He was just his preferred type of person; relaxed, friendly, and very smart, yet serious and determined when needed to act. He had leader qualities too, which made him more reliable than anyone else. But even then, he still couldn't think of him as his friend. He had to keep his feelings for himself, or else his guard would be clear and he would probably get manipulated. He couldn't afford making any friends now…could he?

Actually, who the heck decided that? He wanted to consider the others his friends, darn it! Why shouldn't he do it?! This wasn't a lonely mission anymore, Mario taught him that. It was time for him to open up already. The situation prompted an explanation too, so Kirby began explaining to Fox. What follows is a full translation of what the puffball said, as there are way too many Poyos for reading.

(What happens is that after the moment you can't continue, either because of giving up or because you don't have any more points, you die. However, the voice will resurrect you with absolutely no memories of any previous experience you may have gained on the past. The only memory you'll have recollection of is your 'reason for fighting' as it's the fighter's driving force. We're lucky to be living beings, since our hearts and bodies can remember what our minds can't; hence why you can do all your moves right now and know how to perfectly do combos and stuff. The reason why I remember is because of experience, made from countless losses, and deduction; I'm far smarter than I look, you know. The voice only stopped me because I worked alone in the past, but now I have an ally.)

Fox's mind was still processing all of that information.

Not only this has happened before, but all of the people out there were in danger, and the combatants were struggling to keep true to their labor as ambassadors of entire worlds…and he couldn't do a thing to help them. Kirby was probably a calm creature before all of this happened, and to have a home stolen…

The reason behind his cold shouldering at the beginning was clear. Fox sat down and began recalling all that happened, in a sorrowful voice: "It's alright, I understand now…"

"Where I come from, there is an intergalactic battle force that goes across the galaxy helping the planets in need. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm a talking fox, so forget that. Anyway, I'm a member of this team. We are called Star Fox, and we travel around in these flying spaceships called Arwings, which also serve for battle. We're a four man team: Slippy Toad, the tech, Falco Lombardi, my pilot rival, Peppy Hare, who was a member of the team before we were in, and I who speaks, Fox McCloud. My father, James McCloud, was the ex-leader, but he died in a mission… that's why I acted so hostile when you joked with our names."

Kirby then lowered his head as he felt guilty for making these jokes. He bowed down to show his apology, with a sad and long "Poyo…" silently muttered as an addition. Fox walked to him, grabbed his shoulder, and then, decided to finally break the ice.

"Listen, Kirby. I can understand the fact that you want to try and be alone. However, you don't have to. The sole fact that you have been winning a lot of fights is admirable, truly."

"HOWEVER!"

"That DOESN'T mean you have to keep doing it! If this is the moment everything changes, then SO BE IT! If I am the only version of me who tries to help you, then SO BE IT! Why do you carry all you pain and grief for this world by yourself?! You don't have to do that! YOU DON'T! YOU CAN BE MORE THAN A LONE FIGHTER! DO YOU KNOW WHY?! BECAUSE…"

"YOU

ARE

NOT

ALONE!"

Tears were rolling down Kirby's eyes. All he wanted to hear, all he wanted to believe, were these same words that Fox was uttering right now. Kirby felt like he was finally saved, by none other than a person he used to bash before. He was saved…by Fox McCloud.

And to top it off, the brave McCloud Jr. finished his speech with an equally strong statement:

"KIRBY, IF YOU WANT, WE CAN FIGHT THEM OFF TOGETHER! SO, NOW, PLEASE… LET ME BE YOUR FRIE—"

Shots rained down from the sky, a nearby Arwing perpetrating them. As Fox was blasted away and soaring through the sky, he had but one thought: He had to make it back. Kirby was waiting there, waiting for him. He was falling, so he needed to act quickly. The battlefield was just above him, so with a simple Fire Fox he could get up there. There were no problems at all.

Except for the fact that the Great Fox was about to fire—

"GAME!"