Lylat: StarFox Chronicles

General Pepper made a riding inspection of the academy's finest students, all who had completed the first stage of basic training.  Out of the class of twenty-five were two cadets who stood out significantly.  Bill Grey. Fox McCloud. When the general looked into the eyes of Bill Grey, he saw a mirror of himself, highly ambitious, always in the fray and never afraid to face danger. Then the general moved to the lucent steel blue eyes of Fox McCloud and was the eerie likeness to a man who had dedicated his entire life to the air guard.  Surely enough, James McCloud's kid had made quite an impression in his pack, was a natural born leader, keen and coolheaded. In flight simulation and actual time in the field, he completed each assignment, hardly breaking a sweat. One thing the general was sure of--Fox would one day become known as a legend in his own time.

Lylat: Level Three

            "Something wrong, Miss?"

            Her hands trembled. She thought people were looking at her, whispering about her. Her father begged her to come back home, to leave everything else behind.

            "Fifty, four, and five." said the clerk.

            The young female smiled politely then clamped the change in her shaking hand, threw it all into her purse, then walked out of the store to her car with its engine still running, got in and quickly sped away and raced out to the first intersection where she barely missed running a red light. She then barreled ahead, punching the accelerator to the floor while at the same time catching the end of a bulletin coming over the radio.

            .....a great loss...and not to mention how difficult a task it will be to replace the extremely talented young pilot. We'll all miss him and despite these last few days of his rampant self-demise, we'll never forget his courage and valor which led to the greatest defeat of an enemy in the history of Corneria....

            Peelings of burnt rubber scarred the road's surface as the car came to a screeching halt.

            She was surrounded.

            There would be no struggle. They were taking her in, and she knew she should have never tried getting away.

*****

Turn Of A Century

            Nothing spectacular had happened in so many years. But at least the planet was a very peaceful place, worthy of life and perfect for raising children.

            James McCloud had one. He'd never planned on another until the day he and his wife discovered a small bundle upon their front doorstep. She was a healthy young vulpine with ice-blue eyes and curly red locks, giggling each time she was snuggled. The McCloud's named her Rita Vixy,(Vixy being the name of Mrs. McCloud), and they had planned to raise her together, along with their son, just a few days older than the child. Then came the death of James McCloud's wife.

            The infant would grow into a beautiful and smart young girl--a little pint-sized sprite filled with energy, that's what she was. One thing James was thankful for was that she at least wasn't outgrowing his own flesh and blood, his only son. Those two kids became tightly bonded over the years, with Fox always looking out for the well-being of the girl he considered as a sister, and Rita always looking to him for guidance and protection. Then came a time when she didn't need him so much to defend her, after joining a martial arts class--the same one as her brother--at school. It was in that class where Rita excelled quickly, almost faster than Fox, and became well-known by the other students as a girl who "could kick butt with the best of 'em."

            During this time, Rita also made a very close friend with another girl who eventually struck up a friendship with Fox as well. Her name was Fara Phoenix, the daughter of a wealthy businessman, and a fine young girl; like Rita, she learned quickly and once she did, had no trouble holding her own. It wasn't at all surprising to learn that Fox soon took a very strong liking to her, a girl so much like his slain mother that it was scary.

            Years after martial arts school, the three of them found themselves together again, as Fox and Rita attended the same high school as Fara, and it was there where Fox realized she was much more than just another girl, perhaps his girl...perhaps they would be like his mother and father,

            "I've just got this strange feeling," he told Rita one day as they returned home from their first week at the new school. "I feel a flame inside of me whenever she's around."

            "Wow.That's cryptic. You mean that in a good way or bad?"

            Fox looked at her with a pleasant smile. "Good...very good."

            Rita seemed a little bemused. "I don't even know why you're telling me this."

            He didn't blink before saying, "There are some things that you can tell a girl that you can't tell the guys."

            From that day on Fox couldn't have stayed away from Fara if his life had depended on it. He had no idea back then, that one day he'd spend the last moments of his youth in her arms.