Note: Last chapter got a little crazy, didn't it? Hopefully, giving Krystal a backstory like that helps to explain some of her behavior. After all, who wouldn't be damaged from a childhood like that? Before we move on, I have something to say to three reviewers.
Big Bossk Man 92: She definitely has some trauma from her past, which fuels her anger issues. Watching her planet explode didn't help any of it. To put it bluntly, a therapist would bank big in helping her. Stay tuned for more.
UltimateCCC: Yeah, it got pretty rough near the end. At least Fara gave Krystal a hug to help her, as it helped them to become friends. Of course, talking to each other for a little bit didn't hurt. I hope you're ready for what comes next.
Ron: Who wouldn't get angry when their ancestors are insulted? If you want to tell someone off for their ignorance, you should do that. It won't erase their ignorance, but at least you'll get something off your chest. I hope that you like this chapter.
Now that I've done that, it's time for chapter fifteen.
Chapter 15: Getting a License
A few days after Fara's visit to the Great Fox, Star Fox went down to Corneria. Peppy had contacted General Pepper moments prior, explaining why the team was coming down. They had an important errand to run, wanting to go through with it. The team wanted to run it earlier, but the weather was bad on Corneria. It just didn't feel right for them to carry out the errand, as it wasn't the right errand for it. However, now that it was sunny, Star Fox was able to go down to the planet they defended the most.
Before they could land on Corneria, Fox decided to check on Krystal. The cobalt vixen was getting ready for the day, so he wanted to make sure that she was finished. Last time the orange tod saw her, she was brushing her teeth and putting on deodorant. It was only a few minutes ago, but he heard the Cerinian say that she was getting dressed. As much as Fox wanted to tell her that she didn't have to hurry, he knew that the team would be on Corneria at any minute. With that in mind, he wanted for Krystal to be ready.
Walking to Krystal's room, Fox was ready to knock on the door. Before he could, however, the door came open. As soon as that happened, the orange tod saw Krystal dressed in the uniform that Peppy had given to her. She was now dressed in a black and blue outfit, which complimented her cobalt blue fur. In addition to that, the cobalt vixen had on blue knee-high boots, which protected her feet better than the sandals she had on during her time on Sauria. The other accessories she had on included a silver chain belt, two rings on her tail (which was free), beads in her hair, and a silver diadem with a gem in it.
"Hello, Fox." Krystal greeted, having sensed him approaching her room.
"Fits you nicely, doesn't it?" Fox asked.
"It's a little loose, but I'll grow into it." The cobalt vixen said. "But, it's a change from my clothes from Sauria."
"Good to know." The orange tod said.
Krystal walked out of her room, joining her teammates in the main room. It was just in time, too, as Star Fox landed in Corneria City. As soon as they landed, the Great Fox opened up, allowing the team to get out. Before anyone could get out, they decided to let Krystal go first. The cobalt vixen did, after all, want to travel to the city one day, so her teammates wanted her to see it. After all, the only times she could see it and learn the information she wanted to know were in the books she had back on Cerinia.
Upon getting a glimpse of Corneria City, Krystal smiled. Now that she was looking at the city, she was eager to meet those who Star Fox had described to her. Even if certain individuals weren't on the planet, the cobalt vixen figured that she would run into them another time. She walked out of the Great Fox, wanting to get a better look at Corneria City. By doing so, she could see more buildings and people walking down the street. In addition to that, she could hear and smell stuff that she couldn't during her training.
"Ready for this?" Falco asked.
"Yes." Krystal said.
Star Fox walked out of the Great Fox, going onto the street. In order to prevent the team from getting separated, Fox had everyone stay together. They wandered down the sidewalk, going in the direction that led to the Cornerian Military Base. Once they got there, the team would introduce Krystal to their allies. If General Pepper was at the base as well, then the Cerinian would meet him as well. All Fox was hoping for was that today wouldn't end in disaster.
After a few minutes of walking, Star Fox found themselves at the fence surrounding the Cornerian Military Base. Peppy went up to the entrance, letting the guard at the front know who was visiting. The entrance to the gate came open, allowing Star Fox to walk in. By going through the entrance, Krystal could see the machinery that the armies on Corneria used. The cobalt vixen didn't just see spaceships, but also armored trucks. It was like standing back at the pilot class on Cerinia, but different.
"This place is rather small for a military base." Krystal said.
"I take it there were larger ones on Cerinia?" Falco asked.
"Yes, but I had only set foot in two of them." The cobalt vixen said. "The first time was when Randorn and Sabre took me on a field trip, while the second time was when I was taking flying lessons."
"So, this is not a new experience for you?" The pheasant asked.
"Falco, give her a break!" Fox said.
Upon stepping into the building, Star Fox began to walk to the back. As they did so, they heard people wolf-whistling and cat-calling at them. While Slippy was confused, Fox, Falco, and Peppy had a feeling they knew why those noises were being made. All of them were directed at Krystal, who looked like she was trying her hardest to ignore to shut them out. She was being addressed by those around her, mainly the soldiers who were showing people around. Fox knew that the cobalt vixen was becoming uncomfortable and frustrated with everything she heard, and didn't doubt that her telepathy was picking up malicious intent from them.
"Hey, baby, what are you doing with those chumps?!" One of the soldiers yelled.
"Looks like Star Fox has a pretty lady with them!" Another soldier said. "Let's hope that she stays, because I want her!"
"Hey girl, want to come to my place later?" A third soldier spoke. "I'll show you a good time, unlike those punks!"
Just ignore them! Krystal strained as she thought to herself. You're here for something, just ignore them!
Upon reaching the training room, Fox escorted Krystal into it. The rest of the team followed them in, happy to be free from the perverts who were shouting things. Now that they were in the training room, Star Fox decided to speak to those in charge. As if on instinct, Slippy went up to the only person in the room. This person was a cheetah with black eyes. He was wearing blue gym clothes and a white jacket, and had a slight muscular build.
"Excuse me," Slippy spoke, "we're here to have our new member go through hand-to-hand combat training."
"And who is your new member?" The cheetah asked.
"She's the blue fox who looks angry." The toad said.
Looking over to the rest of Star Fox, the cheetah saw Krystal standing next to her teammates. Like Slippy had said, the cobalt vixen looked infuriated. Seeing that, the feline carefully approached her. However, the vulpine's expression went from angered to happy. Her telepathy detected that he could be trusted, as he wasn't like the soldiers who were cat-calling her. In fact, the cheetah didn't seem like he wanted to do anything like that.
"Your mood changed." The cheetah said. "Was something bothering you?"
"It was those perverts in the hallway." Krystal said. "If I don't run into them again, I'll be happy."
"Good luck with that." The feline said.
"Trust me, she won't!" Fox said. "Just as long as we're in here, they won't come in!"
The cheetah had a notion that Star Fox would be proven wrong in that, but he didn't want to say it. After all, the team had saved the Lylat System months ago, so he would feel bad for speaking up against them. Instead of saying anything, the feline decided to move on. He had never spoken to the team before, even when the first version was around. Around that time, he was participating in his last tournament, managing to get the runner-up position. The death of James McCloud touched something deep in the cheetah, so he didn't want to say anything about it to them, knowing that they were now led by James' son.
"I should introduce myself to you, shouldn't I?" The cheetah spoke. "My name is Bart Tarplin, and I'm one of the fighting instructors for the CDF."
"Oh, I thought that you looked familiar!" Krystal spoke. "You used to be a boxer!"
"You placed first for fifteen tournaments!" Peppy said.
"And you were one of the few boxing champions on Corneria, next to Michael Hill!" Falco said.
"Considering how you know who I am, I guess that you should introduce yourselves now." Tarplin said.
"We're Star Fox, sir." Fox said. "I'm Fox McCloud, the bird is Falco Lombardi, the guy who got you for us is Slippy Toad, the oldest member of the team is Peppy Hare, and the new girl is Krystal."
"Krystal?" The cheetah was puzzled. "That's a cute name."
"My full name is Krystal Vivian Bodimead." Krystal said. "I was the Princess of Cerinia until it was destroyed by Venom's Army. My job as Princess was to do nothing but look pretty and get married to some random guy, but I HATED IT!"
Tarplin jerked back as Krystal's voice changed. In a matter of seconds, the cobalt vixen went from calm and friendly to angry and violent. He figured that she was still angry about the guys who were hassling her in the hallway. Star Fox assumed the same thing, despite the Cerinian having gotten angry before. Wanting to move on from that, Fox went up to Tarplin, deciding to speak to him. The cheetah didn't seem terribly excited to see the orange tod, but he was willing to talk.
"Is there any way that Krystal can have some training in hand-to-hand combat here?" Fox asked.
"She looks perfectly capable of throwing a punch to me." Tarplin said.
"She is, but we just want her to gain a few additional combat skills." The orange tod said.
"It's up to her if she wants to practice with me." The cheetah said.
"Do you want to practice with him, Krystal?" The vulpine asked.
"Sure, but I can't promise that I'll hold still." Krystal said.
For the next fifty minutes, Krystal sparred with Tarplin as her teammates watched. The cheetah threw punch after punch, utilizing his experience as a boxer. Krystal did her best to dodge each punch, only managing to get hit in her arms and chest. She refrained from using her telepathy, wanting to make the fight fair. After dodging a majority of the punches that were thrown at her, the cobalt threw a few punches of her own. Tarplin was hit in the face by the first punch, but blocked the other two.
Now that he was sparring with her, Tarplin was impressed by how Krystal was doing. The cobalt vixen had great speed and agility, and she had a strong will. While her physical strength wasn't as strong as the opponents he had fought in the past, Tarplin still got hurt from her punches. The cheetah was ready to throw another punch, but the Cerinian was quick to punch him before that. She wiped sweat off her brow, then got ready to punch again. Tarplin only chuckled, obliging by Krystal's determination.
With the sparring causing them to grow exhausted, Krystal and Tarplin agreed to take a break. That was until the door came open. After that, one of the CDF's soldiers came into the room. He happened to be a gray hound with brown eyes, but his helmet had a visor dark enough to block them. Star Fox smiled as they saw him, knowing the soldier well. Due to having her telepathy off, Krystal decided to be polite and let the soldier introduce himself.
"Hey, Fox, when did you get here?" The gray hound spoke.
"We got here an hour ago." Fox said. "We were about to head out, but that was until you got here."
"Sorry for keeping you, guys, but I'm here to tell you that they're starting the pilot test now." The soldier said.
Just as the soldier had finished speaking, he saw Krystal standing near Tarplin. The cobalt vixen had a friendly smile, showing that she wasn't a threat. However, something about her seemed odd to the gray hound. In fact, blue fur aside, the vulpine had an aura around her that signaled that she was a creature that looked familiar, but he couldn't place it.
"If you're perplexed by me, don't worry, I'm not an enemy." Krystal spoke.
Upon hearing that, the gray hound was taken aback. Somehow, Krystal knew what was on his mind. That was enough to remind the soldier of a planet that was destroyed months ago. He couldn't remember the name, but he knew that certain individuals from it had psychic abilities such as telepathy or clairvoyance. Along with that, it had mages and wizards who the citizens visited for answers, or in case they wanted to learn magic. It didn't take long for him to realize that Krystal was from that planet. But, how did she survive the destruction of her home planet?
"Sorry if my telepathy rooted through your brain." Krystal said. "I swear, I just can't control it sometimes!"
"You're fine, Miss, I'm just wondering why you're here." The gray hound said.
"I'm here to get my pilot license." The cobalt vixen said. "I've flown before, but that was back on Cerinia."
"Cerinia?" The soldier said. "Now I know why you looked familiar! I've read about you somewhere before, but I never paid attention to what was going on. What's your name, ma'am?"
"My name is Krystal Vivian Bodimead." The vulpine said. "I was the Princess of Cerinia until the planet's destruction."
"Bill Grey, your majesty." The canine said, shaking her hand.
"You don't have to address me like that." The Cerinian said. "I'm not a Princess anymore, Mr. Grey."
Fox came up to Bill, wanting to cut in on the conversation.
"Did you come by yourself, Bill?" He asked.
"No, a few of the boys are out in the hall." Bill said. "Steve's waiting by the training field, and Fay's hanging out in the hall. By the way, did you notice how everyone was talking about a girl that they saw?"
"Yeah, that was because they saw Krystal." Fox said. "Hopefully, we don't encounter them again."
"If we do, I'll punch them in their stupid faces!" Krystal said.
"Good to know!" Bill said. "Now, c'mon, the tests are about to start!"
Before Star Fox left with Bill, they turned back to Tarplin. They promised him that they would see him when they came to the base. Krystal even said that she would visit in case she wanted to spar or train to improve her combat skills. Once that was out of the way, the team followed their ally down the hallway, taking the direction that led to the training field. While doing so, there was no sign of the soldiers who were harassing Krystal, which meant that they were in the clear. That was until they heard an excited, high-pitched voice scream.
"You guys are here?! I've missed you so much, I could just cry!"
Turning around, Fox, Falco, and Slippy saw a white spaniel running towards them. She had blue eyes, and was dressed in a black and light blue outfit, a white jacket, pink gloves, and boots. The canine had a red handkerchief around her neck and a red bow on the top of her head. Krystal's telepathy was triggered by her presence, telling her that she was friendly. However, given how the spaniel was acting, the cobalt vixen didn't need telepathy to see that. It was even punctuated by how she was hugging the guys.
"Relax, Fay, we're only here to watch the pilot tests!" Fox said.
"But it's been so long since we've spoken, and I really wanted to see you again!" Fay, the spaniel spoke.
"We know, but could you stop hugging us so that we can get out to the fields?" Falco asked.
Fay reluctantly let go of them, letting out a disappointed sigh. However, she then caught a glimpse of Krystal. Seeing the cobalt vixen was enough to surprise her, almost knocking her down. The spaniel kept her balance, only letting out a yelp. Fox put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. This caused Fay to look at him in response.
"Who is that girl?" Fay asked.
"You don't have to worry about me, I'm friendly!" Krystal spoke. "I'm Krystal Bodimead, former Princess of Cerinia and Star Fox's newest member."
"Are you really friendly?" The spaniel asked.
"She is, just as long as you don't make her mad." Falco said.
"Noted!" The canine said.
With that out of the way, Star Fox went out to the fields with Bill and Fay. Once they were outside, the team saw that there was a line for those who were ready to get their piloting license. In addition to that, there was a large crowd watching the tests. A Cornerian Fighter was up in the sky, being flown by one of the individuals taking the test. Krystal watched in awe, admiring the event in front of her. The pilot-in-training was flying so well, not making a single mistake.
As soon as the trainee landed, he got out of the Fighter. This caused the person in charge of the test to call over whoever was next in line. Knowing where she needed to go, Krystal got in the back of the line. Luckily, the line wasn't big, so the cobalt vixen saw that it wouldn't be long until her turn. While waiting, a few more individuals got behind the vulpine. These individuals were a retriever, a terrier, and a bloodhound.
"Hey, girlie, what are you doing in line?" The Bloodhound spoke.
"I'm just here to take the test and get my license." Krystal said.
"You must be crazy or something, because women can't become pilots!" The Retriever snorted.
"Sure they can!" The cobalt vixen said. "Anyone can become a pilot!"
"Not girls, though!" The Bloodhound said. "Girls suck at flying!"
Krystal only rolled her eyes at their words. The guys who were behind her were clearly those kinds of guys. She had already dealt with men like this back on Cerinia, so she didn't want to here. Knowing that she couldn't attack anyone in public, no matter how much they deserved it, the cobalt vixen remained calm. However, this didn't stop the people behind her from making their remarks.
"Why don't you go home and bake a cake or something?" The Terrier spoke.
"Yeah, you'd be better as a baker than a pilot!" The Retriever chuckled.
"Leave all the piloting stuff to the men, lady!" The Bloodhound said.
"As I said before: anyone can become a pilot." Krystal said, trying to restrain herself. "If you don't like the idea of a woman becoming a pilot, tough."
"Will you knock it off back there?" The individual in front of her, a shorthair, spoke.
"Sorry, sir, I was just trying to tell off the guys behind me!" The cobalt vixen said.
"I guess it's not your fault." The Shorthair said. "After all, women say all sorts of crazy things."
Krystal let out a sigh of disgust. She thought that, in the very least, there would be someone on her side. Her telepathy was barely picking up anyone who didn't think like the idiots around her. The cobalt vixen then sensed a few more individuals approaching the line. Much to her dismay, they weren't her teammates. Rather, they were the soldiers in the hallway who were hassling the vulpine.
"Hey, babe, I didn't know that you were out here!" One of the soldiers said.
"You're going to become a pilot?" Another soldier spoke. "You're too pretty to become a pilot, honey bunch!"
"Why don't you just become a homemaker?" A third soldier spoke. "You won't be stressed!"
"Better yet, you should be a dancer!" A fourth soldier spoke. "With breasts like yours, everyone's gonna want to see you!"
Having had enough of this, Krystal grumbled. Oh, how the Cerinian wanted to kill the creeps who were hassling her. It was bad enough that she was in the same line with people who were mocking her for wanting to become a pilot, but now the soldiers who were harassing her were outside as well. The cobalt vixen clenched her hands into fists, hoping to punch someone in the face. However, her telepathy was sensing someone approaching the line. It wasn't Bill, but it was another soldier from the CDF.
"Hey! What's going on here?"
The soldiers and the trainees stopped speaking to Krystal when they heard that voice. Standing near them was a red wolf with hazel eyes that looked angry. He was wearing a white jacket, a black uniform, a leather belt, and boots. The lupine was the soldier who Krystal was sensing, but her telepathy was picking up something else from him. As grateful as the cobalt vixen was for him speaking up, she felt suspicious of him as well. Something about him didn't feel right.
"Oh, Mr. Armstrong!" One of the soldiers said. "We were just talking to this pretty little girl!"
"Yeah, and trying to convince her to leave!" The Bloodhound said.
"Why?" The red wolf asked.
"Because she wants to be a pilot!" The Terrier said. "Women shouldn't be pilots, sir!"
"Yeah, being a pilot is a man's job!" The Retriever said.
Mr. Armstrong, the red wolf, ignored them. He turned his attention to Krystal, who looked reproachful of him.
"What is your name, kid?" Mr. Armstrong asked.
"Krystal Bodimead, sir." Krystal introduced herself.
"Captain Steven Armstrong of the CDF." The red wolf said.
"Nice to meet you." The cobalt vixen said, trying to mask her suspicious tone with kindness.
"Captain, are you going to do something or what?!" The Shorthair interrupted.
Steve was silent for a moment, then he punched the Bloodhound, the Terrier, the Retriever, and the Shorthair in their faces. The soldiers gasped at this, having seen a Captain resort to physical violence on the trainees. They thought that he would remove Krystal from the line, but they were wrong. After doing what he did, Steve looked at the soldiers and the trainees.
"The four of you, shut up and leave the girl be!" He spoke to the trainees, turning his attention to the soldiers afterwards. "As for the rest of you, knock it off before I report you to Pepper for sexual harassment!"
The soldiers nodded, walking away from the line. As for the four trainees, they remained silent. While Krystal was glad that they were leaving her alone, she was still distrustful of Steve. Her telepathy was picking up all sorts of bad vibes from the red wolf, making her want to advance up the line as fast as possible. The lupine didn't seem to notice the cobalt vixen's mood. If he did, he apparently didn't care.
"I'm not done with you yet." Steve said. "Who are you, and why are you wearing that outfit?"
"As I have said to you before, my name is Krystal Bodimead." Krystal said. "I'm a trainee on her way to get a license. I'm also Star Fox's newest member."
"Star Fox?" The red wolf asked. "You joined up with them?"
"That's right!"
Fox ran up to the line, having wanted to when Krystal was being harassed. Now that Steve was near the cobalt vixen, he felt more of an urge to be by her side. While the orange tod was aware of the red wolf's position as a Captain, he knew that the latter was rumored to have done questionable actions in the past. With that in mind, whatever the lupine wanted Krystal for couldn't have been anything good. Chances are, Steve could just as easily turn her against the team. Fox didn't want that to happen, among other things.
"McCloud." Steve spoke.
"Armstrong." Fox said, his voice dripping with venom. "Krystal's only here to get her license, so back off."
"Good grief, weren't Phoenix, Spaniel, and Lynx enough for you?" The red wolf asked. "Why did you get another member?"
"I joined them months after we saved Sauria together." Krystal said. "I'm not replacing anyone, if that's what you're getting at."
"Look, I appreciate that you want to become a pilot, but you should've come when there wasn't such a huge line." The lupine said.
"We came as early as we could!" Fox growled.
"You've got some nerve speaking to me like that, McCloud!" He yelled. "I dare you to make the first move!"
"Guys, don't fight!" Krystal said. "Captain Armstrong, I respect your authority, but please don't attack Fox! And Fox, calm down, I'm fine! Besides, I think that the line is moving."
After the next person was called for the test, the line moved up. As that happened, Fox went to sit down in the bleachers. He sat between Falco and Slippy, who were eagerly waiting for the next test flight. The instructor read from a book, using a microphone to communicate with the trainee in the Cornerian Fighter. However, while he managed to master each maneuver, he flew at a slow speed. This disqualified him, as he wasn't putting in the effort to show that he could be a pilot.
Thirty minutes passed, and Krystal was in front of the line. Star Fox watched as the person in charge let her in, seeing that it was her turn. While watching, the team heard some banter between two people. Knowing those voices, Peppy turned his head. Not only did he see Fay, but he saw a lynx with blue eyes who was dressed in a white jacket, light blue handkerchief, purple and black outfit, boots, and pink gloves. This feline happened to be another former member of Star Fox: Miyu Lynx.
"Say, Miyu, I didn't know that you would be here!" Peppy greeted.
"Yeah, I didn't want to come, but Fay convinced me." Miyu said.
"Why don't you come sit down, guys?" Fox asked, having noticed them.
Fay and Miyu obliged, taking their seats next to Peppy. Miyu let out an annoyed sigh, as if something had ticked her off.
"Oh boy," she spoke, "the tests have been pretty boring so far."
"I wouldn't say so." Slippy said. "The trainee who was flying when we got outside was doing okay."
"But the other trainees weren't so good." Fay stated. "I saw one nearly crash in the field!"
"Let's just hope that Krystal does okay on hers." Fox said.
"Krystal?" Miyu asked. "Who's Krystal?"
"She's the girl we came with." Falco said. "You'll get a chance to meet her if she doesn't crash."
Hopping into the Cornerian Fighter, Krystal started it up. She put on the headphones, knowing that the instructor would be giving her directions through them. The cobalt vixen took off, ready for the first part of the test. As the vulpine lifted the Fighter into the air, she became confident. This, combined with how eager she was, made her ready to start. The headphones rang with static, followed by a voice.
"Excuse me, Miss, can you hear me?" The Instructor's voice came out of the headphones.
"Loud and clear!" Krystal said. "Also, my name's Krystal Bodimead, sir!"
"Are you ready to begin the test, Miss Bodimead?" He asked.
"Born ready!" The cobalt vixen said.
"First off, can you increase the speed on the Fighter?"
Krystal complied, kicking up the ship's speed. She went as fast as she could, flying around the fields.
"Very good, Miss." The Instructor spoke. "Now, decrease the speed, if you can."
Slowing down, Krystal flew at the rate of speed she began with. As she did this, she saw something hit the windshield. The cobalt vixen's telepathy detected that it was trash thrown by one of the trainees who were hassling her. Ignoring this, she waited for the next instructions.
"Now, I want you to do the following maneuvers: barrel roll and somersault." The Instructor's voice came out of the headphones. "Can you do this, ma'am?"
"Of course I can!" Krystal said. "I've been practicing with my team!"
Without hesitation, Krystal did a barrel roll. The Cornerian Fighter spun in the air, almost like a rock rolling down a hill. After that, the cobalt vixen did a somersault. This caused the ship to fly farther up into the air and fly back down, stopping when it was closer to the ground. Once the two maneuvers were taken care of, the Cerinian was ready for the next part of the test. However, her telepathy was picking up bad feelings from the crowd.
Ugh, that girl should not be in that ship!
Another female pilot? What is this world coming to?
What a joke! That girl is too pretty to be a pilot!
Krystal growled, wanting to stop the Fighter, get out of it, and punch the people who had such ignorant beliefs. However, knowing that she would fail if she stopped, the cobalt vixen remained in the air. She wanted to say something to the crowd, but she couldn't due to being in the ship. An idea formed in the vulpine's head, to the point where she was eager to carry it out. The moment the Instructor spoke to her again, she would surprise him. She only hoped that he would let her do it.
"Ma'am, are you alright?" The Instructor asked.
"I'm fine, sir!" Krystal said. "However, I have something to say! If possible, I want you to redirect my words to the crowd by sending them through your microphone!"
"In that case, I'm going to point it at the crowd and let them hear you." He said.
After a little bit, Krystal could hear static and interference. Once it was gone, the cobalt vixen knew that she was free to speak. Clearing her throat, she decided to address the crowd.
"Hello, everyone!" Krystal spoke. "My name is Krystal Bodimead, and I am Star Fox's newest member! I have come here today to get my pilot's license, but there are some people among you who don't want me to! The people in question claim that I cannot become a pilot because I am a woman, or that I am too pretty to become a pilot! Here's what I have to say to them: Shut up!"
Upon saying that, Krystal could sense that the crowd was stunned. Her telepathy was a bit overwhelming when it scanned a crowd, so she had to use it to scan a few people at a time. The cobalt vixen could sense that the hostile trainees and creepy soldiers were silent. However, her teammates were calm, giving her support. Knowing that she couldn't keep anyone waiting, the vulpine continued.
"I am saying that because I am perfectly capable of becoming a pilot." Krystal said. "This is mainly because I have had flight lessons on my home planet, Cerinia, and I have been practicing with my teammates. Look, I am not the first female pilot in the Lylat System, as there were female pilots from before I was even born. I am not doing this for any feminist cause, either. I am becoming a pilot in order to prove myself on a mission, or in battle. If no one likes what I'm saying, then you'll just have to deal with it! Now, sir, I am ready to complete the test!"
"Right ahead of you, Miss Bodimead!" The Instructor said. "For the final part of the test, I want you to fly over the fields, using what you know!"
Down in the crowd, Star Fox was watching their newest member fly the Cornerian Fighter like there was no tomorrow. Krystal had already done what she was told, so now she needed to do the final part. They were stunned by her speech, but decided to keep on cheering for her. Fox smiled, knowing that the cobalt vixen would do it. Falco and Slippy were cautious, fearing the ship breaking down while in flight. Peppy carefully observed Krystal's flight, almost hypnotized by it.
Fay and Miyu had no idea what to think. It had been a while since they had seen the team, so hearing that they had a new member was a surprise. However, they were wowed by how well Krystal was doing on the test. Her skills reminded the spaniel and the lynx of Falco's, if not a little different. Fay in particular couldn't help but applaud for the Cerinian. As for Miyu, she was cheering, but felt that there was some room for improvement.
"Well, she didn't mess up." Miyu spoke. "But, I think that she needs to increase the speed on her somersaults."
"She's really tearing through the test, though!" Fay said. "I think that she might be one of the few people who passed it with little effort!"
"We had her practice with us, so she was more than prepared for the test!" Slippy stated.
"Let's just hope that she doesn't crash." Falco said.
Fara walked up to the team, curious as to what they were talking about.
"Hey, guys, what's going on?" She asked.
"Oh, hi Fara, we're just watching Krystal take the test." Fox said.
"I figured that it was her." Fara said. "That speech she gave was pretty empowering."
"Yeah, but I don't think it will save her from the amount of angry letters that will come her way afterwards." Falco said.
"Hey, Fay and I never got angry letters from anyone for joining your team!" Miyu said, practically growling.
"Not that you know of." Fay stated, blushing in embarrassment.
"Relax, guys, Krystal's about done with the test!" Slippy said, trying to maintain positivity in the group.
Putting the argument aside, Star Fox continued to watch Krystal fly the Cornerian Fighter. She was on the final part of it, so she wasn't going to be asked to do anything else. However, the cobalt vixen's results would have to be read once she landed. If she did well, she would get her license as a pilot. But, if she didn't do well, she would not get it. It all depended on how she did.
After another minute of flying, Krystal landed the Fighter in the field. The cobalt vixen hopped out, ready to head back to her teammates. Before she could do that, however, she went to the Instructor, who was writing on a clipboard. He was a hound dog with blue eyes, so it took the vulpine little time to find him. Upon seeing the Cerinian, the Instructor stopped writing, deciding to read her results. He cleared his throat, focusing his eyes on the clipboard.
"Krystal Bodimead," the Instructor spoke, "you have just finished the flight test for today. Do you have anything to say about it?"
"It wasn't all that hard." Krystal said. "The flight experience I had on Cerinia, and the practice I had with my teammates contributed greatly to my results. My only hopes are for if I had passed, and for the next person to succeed."
"Well, you move your vehicle slower when you pull off certain maneuvers, so there's a deduction there." The hound dog said. "Other than that, there's no need for improvement in other fields. That means, among other things, you have passed. Congratulations, Krystal!"
"Thank you, sir!" The cobalt vixen said.
A few minutes later, Krystal was having her license printed. The cobalt vixen already had her picture taken, and had written down the information that the papers had asked for. Once it was done, she took her license, walked out the door, and went out to the fields. The rest of the team was waiting on the vulpine, so she didn't want to keep them waiting. After all, her telepathy was picking up their thoughts. Each of them were filled with happiness, although Falco's was a bit unimpressed.
Once she got outside, Krystal saw her teammates standing nearby. Along with them were Fara and Fay, with a lynx standing to the side. The cobalt vixen was told about the feline before, so she wasn't a stranger to her. Her name was Miyu, and she was another former member of Star Fox. She and Fay had joined after Fara had departed, which was before Krystal had joined. With that in mind, the Cerinian had a feeling that their first meeting would be awkward.
"Hey guys!" Krystal greeted.
"Did you get your license?" Peppy asked.
"Yes, and I've got it right here!" The cobalt vixen said, showing them the license.
"We're glad to hear that, Krys." Fox said. "Was there anything that held you back during the test?"
"Not really, aside from the thoughts I picked up from the trainees and the creepy soldiers!" The Cerinian said.
"Yeah, those guys are a headache." Fara spoke.
"They we're starting to get to me, but then I remembered the practice session I had with the team." The vulpine said. "I can't thank the guys enough for giving me an additional push!"
"And us?" Fay asked.
"Yeah, what about us?" Miyu asked.
"Oh, she didn't speak to either of you until today!" Fara said.
"Which reminds me," Krystal spoke, "I want to introduce myself to you, Miss Lynx."
"Alright." Miyu said. "But make it quick, because the fields are going to be closed at any minute."
"My name is Krystal Bodimead." The cobalt vixen said. "I was a Princess of Cerinia from the time of my birth until the planet's destruction. I'm a former resident of Cerinia, a former resident of Sauria, a high school graduate, a new member of Star Fox, and now a licensed pilot."
"I hear that Cerinia was a magical planet." Fay said. "Did you ride unicorns?!"
"Fay, Cerinia wasn't THAT magical!" The vulpine said, trying to keep herself from giggling. "Technology was on it, too. However, it was used to the point where the people were forgetting that it had magic."
Before the team could leave the field, they saw a familiar face coming up to them: Bill. He was joined by Captain Armstrong. The red wolf looked unimpressed, having a stoic expression on his face. While Star Fox was happy to see Bill, they were also cautious of Armstrong. Whatever he was with the gray hound for, it didn't mean anything could. Krystal couldn't detect anything negative from him, but she was still reproachful of him.
"Hello, Bill." Fox greeted.
"Hey, Fox." Bill spoke.
"Bill!" Fay said, acting happy and chipper.
"Keep yourself together, Spaniel, we're not here to talk!" Captain Armstrong said.
"Then why are you here, Steve?" Peppy asked.
"Yeah, spit it out, Armstrong!" Falco hissed.
"Relax, guys, we just came to get Krystal!" Bill said, not wanting a fight to break out.
"Krystal?" Fara asked. "What do you need her for?"
"We told the General about her, and he told us he was interested in speaking to her." Captain Armstrong said.
"We're not sure what really drew him to her." Bill said. "But, the question is: Do you want to see him, Krystal?"
Krystal thought about it for a moment. The offer to meet the General of Corneria in person was tempting, but something was rubbing her the wrong way. Her teammates were showing clear disapproval, with Fox trying to stand in her defense. While the cobalt vixen felt as though she couldn't trust Captain Armstrong, she felt that Bill could be trusted. The Cerinian's telepathy wasn't picking up anything bad from the latter, which meant that he was honest. It was easy to tell who to trust out of the two soldiers.
"I'll go, Krystal spoke, "but don't try any funny stuff!"
"You've got nothing to fear, ma'am!" Bill said.
Captain Armstrong didn't say anything. Rather he led Bill and Krystal to a large ship that was parked near the base. The red wolf was the first to get in, being the pilot. Before Krystal could get in, she looked back to her teammates.
"I'll be back later, guys!" She shouted. "Don't wait up!"
Once that was out of the way, Krystal entered the ship, taking a seat behind Captain Armstrong and Bill. The ship took off, flying away from the base. It flew rather fast, as if it were built to be the fastest spacecraft in the CDF. After a little bit, it landed near the General's HQ. Krystal was in awe, knowing that this was her first time near the tower. There was no time for her to be in awe, however, as the General was expecting her.
Note: I bet that you're happy for Krystal, knowing that she got her license, aren't you? However, it seems as though General Pepper wants to talk to her. Why? What does he want to talk about? Is Krystal in safe hands? Will the meeting be in-private, or will Bill and Captain Armstrong be with them? Until next time guys, this is Newcomer24, signing off. Peace!