Chapter 4:
Fox slowly dragged his feet towards the supply bay aboard the Great Fox. He did not know what the time was – nor did he care. In space, night and day were not discernable; it was always dark. He opened the fridge. The hinges creaked as he tugged the large metal doors open, and the frigid air hissed as drifts of cold mist rolled out. He pulled beer cans out of their pockets on the door. Fox was usually not the one to drink. No, he always had piloting in mind. It did not matter if Falco or Peppy wasted themselves, but for Fox it's a different story. He had to keep sober all the time in case they somehow had an urgent mission. Fox was the leader – the best pilot Corneria has to offer, and he always had to prepare for unexpected encounters. He always had piloting in his mind, but not this time. The realizations that struck him brought back all the memories of his bitter orphanage; a childhood of suffering packed into those brief moments above Venom - the loss of his father relived. Fox felt like he had to loosen up before depression suffocates him. Grabbing a few beers, he retreated to the head of the Great Fox once again.
"Rob, just… just float on, past Venom…to wherever," Fox said in a dispirited tone as he walked down the hallway and into the dark room.
"Affirmative," the robotic voice rang back hollowly, as if reflecting his mood.
He fell back into his dreary seat and popped a can, sipping the alcohol that slowly diluted his blood, along with his painful memories. Was this how Wolf O'Donnell felt? He remembered Wolf being his closest friend and roommate in the days of the Academy, when they were all mere cadets. Yes, he remembered. Wolf was the All-Cornerian – the model cadet that all the officers and instructors praised. He bore a distinctive likeness to Fox. He had skill, he had strength, he had intelligence, he had friends, he had looks – heck, he had everything. But it all changed that day, when Fox returned to his dorm to find Wolf gone, and all his belongings missing. A large graffiti was sprayed across the glass windows at the front of the Academy, the blood-crimson words burning with hatred:
"You will pay. You will all pay. You and your Corneria."
-Wolf O'Donnell
He received the news that night. Wolf's father had been executed by the Cornerian government. His father had ties with the pirates that infested the borders of the Lylat System at that time. Wolf felt shocked and betrayed; he was innocent. The Corneria that he grew up in killed his father and tore apart his perfect life. Fox's friend was orphaned from that moment on – and swore to avenge his father. They were both avengers, but assumed different stances and inevitably came into conflict. Their years of friendship were over, but now at least Fox understood how Wolf felt when he left. He popped a few more cans of beer and slowly felt the effects of the alcohol. At last, Fox gradually began to drift out of consciousness.
He dreamed, this time not of the past, but of something and somewhere else. He dreamed of his father.
"Fox," the voice called, and his father's face began to come into focus, but was still blurry from an ethereal mist that hung about him. Bright light fell from the sky, and shadows of soft tufts of clouds drifted by. The surroundings glowed in heavenly warmth. They were somewhere Fox couldn't recognize. Grass carpeted the ground, and verdant hills rolled across the landscape. He could see the ocean, gleaming and rippling in an alluring azure. Was it Corneria? No, something was different…
"You don't need me anymore, Fox. You can take care of yourself."
"…Father?" Fox called back at him.
"Look, you have grown … you have grown so much since I left," James McCloud smiled warmly. "You're no longer a child anymore."
Fox could not help but smile back.
"Go back home, son. Return to Corneria… she needs you, team Starfox needs you… and Corneria needs you," he said softly, slowly turning around with his hands tucked behind his back. James looked to the skies, still wearing a faint smile. His dark sunglasses glared under the sun. Fox was bewildered. "She…?" Before he could ask, his father had vanished from the lush fields. Fox was left standing alone. His usually hard and intelligent eyes softened. He saw his Arwing in the distance, lying softly on the ground. A gentle, soothing breeze blew by, its refreshing touch caressing his face. He closed his eyes. A few blades of grass drifted past.
Fox awoke from his dreams, suddenly finding himself back in his seat, slightly confused and slightly comforted. Though his eyes still conveyed his silent sorrow, a phantom of a smile tugged at the corners of his muzzle.
1 "Father…"
At last, Fox heaved a gentle sigh.
Fox slowly dragged his feet towards the supply bay aboard the Great Fox. He did not know what the time was – nor did he care. In space, night and day were not discernable; it was always dark. He opened the fridge. The hinges creaked as he tugged the large metal doors open, and the frigid air hissed as drifts of cold mist rolled out. He pulled beer cans out of their pockets on the door. Fox was usually not the one to drink. No, he always had piloting in mind. It did not matter if Falco or Peppy wasted themselves, but for Fox it's a different story. He had to keep sober all the time in case they somehow had an urgent mission. Fox was the leader – the best pilot Corneria has to offer, and he always had to prepare for unexpected encounters. He always had piloting in his mind, but not this time. The realizations that struck him brought back all the memories of his bitter orphanage; a childhood of suffering packed into those brief moments above Venom - the loss of his father relived. Fox felt like he had to loosen up before depression suffocates him. Grabbing a few beers, he retreated to the head of the Great Fox once again.
"Rob, just… just float on, past Venom…to wherever," Fox said in a dispirited tone as he walked down the hallway and into the dark room.
"Affirmative," the robotic voice rang back hollowly, as if reflecting his mood.
He fell back into his dreary seat and popped a can, sipping the alcohol that slowly diluted his blood, along with his painful memories. Was this how Wolf O'Donnell felt? He remembered Wolf being his closest friend and roommate in the days of the Academy, when they were all mere cadets. Yes, he remembered. Wolf was the All-Cornerian – the model cadet that all the officers and instructors praised. He bore a distinctive likeness to Fox. He had skill, he had strength, he had intelligence, he had friends, he had looks – heck, he had everything. But it all changed that day, when Fox returned to his dorm to find Wolf gone, and all his belongings missing. A large graffiti was sprayed across the glass windows at the front of the Academy, the blood-crimson words burning with hatred:
"You will pay. You will all pay. You and your Corneria."
-Wolf O'Donnell
He received the news that night. Wolf's father had been executed by the Cornerian government. His father had ties with the pirates that infested the borders of the Lylat System at that time. Wolf felt shocked and betrayed; he was innocent. The Corneria that he grew up in killed his father and tore apart his perfect life. Fox's friend was orphaned from that moment on – and swore to avenge his father. They were both avengers, but assumed different stances and inevitably came into conflict. Their years of friendship were over, but now at least Fox understood how Wolf felt when he left. He popped a few more cans of beer and slowly felt the effects of the alcohol. At last, Fox gradually began to drift out of consciousness.
He dreamed, this time not of the past, but of something and somewhere else. He dreamed of his father.
"Fox," the voice called, and his father's face began to come into focus, but was still blurry from an ethereal mist that hung about him. Bright light fell from the sky, and shadows of soft tufts of clouds drifted by. The surroundings glowed in heavenly warmth. They were somewhere Fox couldn't recognize. Grass carpeted the ground, and verdant hills rolled across the landscape. He could see the ocean, gleaming and rippling in an alluring azure. Was it Corneria? No, something was different…
"You don't need me anymore, Fox. You can take care of yourself."
"…Father?" Fox called back at him.
"Look, you have grown … you have grown so much since I left," James McCloud smiled warmly. "You're no longer a child anymore."
Fox could not help but smile back.
"Go back home, son. Return to Corneria… she needs you, team Starfox needs you… and Corneria needs you," he said softly, slowly turning around with his hands tucked behind his back. James looked to the skies, still wearing a faint smile. His dark sunglasses glared under the sun. Fox was bewildered. "She…?" Before he could ask, his father had vanished from the lush fields. Fox was left standing alone. His usually hard and intelligent eyes softened. He saw his Arwing in the distance, lying softly on the ground. A gentle, soothing breeze blew by, its refreshing touch caressing his face. He closed his eyes. A few blades of grass drifted past.
Fox awoke from his dreams, suddenly finding himself back in his seat, slightly confused and slightly comforted. Though his eyes still conveyed his silent sorrow, a phantom of a smile tugged at the corners of his muzzle.
1 "Father…"
At last, Fox heaved a gentle sigh.