Chapter 17: Memory Tears
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Fox stared at the floor of his cell thinking about what had happened the past few hours, or
the past few days he should say. Every time they tried to gain an upper hand in this
struggle it was though it was slapped right out of their reach. I couldn't protect Zoness
thought Fox to himself, I couldn't protect Macbeth, hell I couldn't even keep Dordon
Prole alive 24 hours after meeting him. I'm failing at this and the cards aren't in our favor
anymore.
The ride on the shuttle to Pepper's capital ship was silent. No words spoken when they
were sitting next to each other, hands bound, the General staring at them with happiness
as though he had just caught a large prize. There was no point in thinking about it
anymore. Reminiscing had become painful.
Glancing around the bleak cell, he noticed it was immaculate, completely clean, the walls
a dim gray. He was sitting on a bench that extended from the wall like a lonely stub with
nothing else to do but watch the prisoners from below. It was a quaintly small room,
about the size of a regular washroom. There was one visible door, no windows. Wolf was
sitting on the bench across from him, staring hopelessly at the steel floor. Pepper had
decided to put them in the same cell together as they journeyed on his capital ship back to
Corneria. He was fascinated by their recent friendship, it intrigued him, sparked his
curiosity.
"What happens now?" Wolf raised his head up to look at Fox.
"Now?"
"Yea, now. We're captured Fox, all four populated planets of Lylat are under Pepper's
power, Corneria, Katina, Zoness, Macbeth, two of which we failed to protect." He stared
at Fox with the same dismal hopelessness that he had held towards the cold floor earlier.
"Why are we alive?" he added. "What does he want with us?"
Fox couldn't find where to look as his eyes wandered about. It was a good question, he
was up to something, Pepper, so heartless and so cold, he had been specifically pursuing
them for so long. Now that he has them, why doesn't he fulfill his desires and kill them?
He continued in thought as he sat there.
"He could just be stalling before he kills us." He leaned into the wall for comfort and
contemplation.
Wolf glared at him for a moment before burying his face into his paws in silence.
*********************************************************
Katt and Falco rushed across the bridge towards the platform that held the Great Fox.
They frantically glanced behind them again and again as several hovercars chased them
with sirens blaring. They were Pepper's death police, and they were coming for them.
They had to get off Macbeth as soon as possible.
"Katt keep up! They're coming!" Falco grabbed her arm and yanked her forward to keep
in pace.
"Falco I can't run anymore!" she screamed in exasperation. They were only meters away
from the platform.
"You gotta! We're almost there!" Laser blasts sparked around the two as the cars rushed
towards them.
"I thought if Fox and Wolf turned themselves over, Pepper would let us live!" She
collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.
"You believed that shit?!" Without delay, he picked her up and paced as fast as his boots
could carry him towards the Great Fox, lasers ricocheting around them. He scampered up
the ramp into the ship, dodging more fire as he went.
"Get us out of here Rob!" The robot swerved towards the console and flew across several
buttons with his hands, pressing them as he went along in a furious dance that even an
android would call frantic. The sound of pinging lasers resounded from outside. They
were hitting the hull of this ship fruitlessly, but they would soon break inside. They were
frenetic, the death police. They were loyal, astute, murderous without question. They had
to get out now.
"Engaging launch sequence, please stand by." Rob sat down in the chair and strapped
himself in as Falco did the same after helping Katt into a seat.
Rising off the ground lazily, the Great Fox glided over the terrain with the hovercars in
hot pursuit. They rose higher and higher until the pursuing vehicles could no longer
follow. Finally with a roar of the afterburners the Great Fox blasted off into space leaving
behind the planet...they hopelessly could not defend...Macbeth.
*********************************************************
"Knock Knock!" Pepper threw open the door with a loud bang waking Wolf and Fox up
from their benches.
"Sorry to interrupt the sleepover, I'm so rude these days!" He swiftly grabbed Wolf
pulling him off the bench by his arm. Pepper's grip was insanely strong as Wolf easily
took notice with an open mouth expression of pain.
"Where are you taking him?!" Fox bolted up into a defensive position as the General
paused.
"Oh, don't worry I assure your little mutt friend will be ok for the time being. There's
something special waiting for him."
"Fox...I'm scared." The General yanked Wolf out the door, slamming it shut quickly after
disappearing through the doorway.
Pepper literally dragged him down the hallway. For a man in his fifties he is quite strong
thought Wolf as he winced in pain from the tightening grip.
"I swear, I don't know what to do with you people anymore, I try to make a better world
for everyone and you have to try and mess it all up." The General threw open another
door to a dimly lit room, there was nothing in it except a medical table in the center with
a light shining brightly on it. Wolf struggled when it caught his eye, trying his hardest not
to go through the doorway but Pepper shoved him in with brute force.
"You know, when I had to eliminate Fox, I realized I needed a new mercenary. You can't
always count on your army alone to carry out your duties." He smiled at Wolf.
"What are you talking about?!" He jerked around under Pepper's grip, who was still
edging him towards the bed.
"You can show yourself my friend, no need to hide now!" Grinning wildly he let go of
Wolf shoving him into the wall.
Rotating around after recovering from the toss, something very peculiar caught his eye. A
shimmering outline appeared in front of him, softly at first yet becoming clearer as the
seconds passed but it was definitely walking towards him. It was a figure, green, tall...chameleon.
"No!" Wolf screamed in vexation as his eyes laid upon Leon.
"Yes!" shouted Pepper. "You remember your old friend don't you?! You see, he works
for me now. Isn't that nice?!" His words became the words of a madman, deranged,
gleefully smiling at the thought of evil and pain.
"Wolf...I have waited for this moment for such a long time." Leon put his hands on him,
turning him around slowly, almost gently. Wolf couldn't fight him, he merely submitted
in defeat as he felt his arms being held behind his back by cold scaly hands. He lowered
his head as his old comrade paced him towards the table.
"I'll leave you two alone for now." Pepper marched towards the door, pausing after
several steps. "Keep him alive for now, is that understood Mr. Powalski?" The door shut
swiftly with a thud.
"Leon, please...don't do this." Wolf shook his head as he was laid out on the table.
"We're friends, comrades, we fought so many years side by side. You can't do this to
me!"
The chameleon sniffed the air lightly, his movements were gently smooth, as he caressed
Wolf's forehead. "Ah my old friend, but you have betrayed me, fighting alongside with
Fox. I'm very disappointed in you."
"But you're fighting for Pepper!" Wolf slapped Leon's hand away, receiving a swift jab
to the face in response.
Dazed and helpless, he tried to hold up his paws in defense but Leon leaped on top of him,
forcing his arms down to the side of the table, quickly clamping them with the metal
cuffs on the sides.
"I'm going to enjoy this. Of all the people I've ever hurt, of all the people I've ever
sucked the pain out of, you Wolf, I shall enjoy."
In a flashing moment, Leon produced a large knife, its blade glinting under the light. He
was still mounted on top of Wolf, staring down at him with a smile as he wrapped his
scaly green tail around the lupine's neck.
"No Leon..." He gasped for air as he felt the green cord tighten, "Please...don't do this..."
Leon leisurely unzipped Wolf's jacket, holding the knife between his lips as though
savoring every moment of his victim's fear. He pulled the jacket open further, and with a
punctual movement he tore open the black shirt, exposing Wolf's frantically heaving
chest. He was terrified, he knew what his old comrade used to do to people. He had heard
the screams of pain, he knew the tormenting terror that could be instilled.
"Please...I beg you Leon..."
But it was too late, he was already gingerly wedging the knife across his chest inciting a
vicious howl of pain from him. Blood quickly stained the soft white fur on his chest
making Leon's eyes widen. The chameleon quickly lowered his head pressing his lips to the
crimson fuzz, licking it tenderly with his tongue.
"God, you sick bastard!" shouted Wolf in agony.
"You taste so much better than I thought you would." Leon tightened his tail around his
victim's neck so he could no longer cry in pain.
*********************************************************
Slippy opened his eyes, his head throbbing in fatigue as he did so. The slightest
movement instilled a lightning bolt of gut wrenching pain as he struggled to look around
his surroundings. He tried to remember what had happened before he blacked out. He
was working on the Corodus laser, recovering after it had first fired, and then
something...happened. Falling rock, ash, it was all a blur. Peeking around the room, it
was dark, sparking wires hung from the ceiling lazily, the walls appeared scorched, the
window of the control room that originally overlooked the cave was blown in, but outside
the glass everything was filled with collapsed rock and soot. The massive weapon he had
cherished before, no longer visible.
"What happened?" He rolled over from under his desk, getting up and greeting a shooting pain
in his leg with a shout of distress. A large metal pipe was perfectly impaled through his thigh.
Upon realizing the horrible spectacle of mutilation, he collapsed to the floor grabbing onto
his heat scarred desk for support. He screamed again as the searing metal burned his hands.
He felt the blood beginning to rush away from his head as he fumbled for his PDA in his burned
coat. With his last ounce of strength he pressed the emergency button on the device as everything
faded away. He slipped into the unconscious, resting by his desk as ash danced in the air
currents of the smoke parched room.
*********************************************************
Peppy, Bill and Elena entered the bridge of the Great Fox, grim faced and distraught. The
gray squirrel felt her heart sink as her eyes laid on the dismal looking blue avian and the
petrified feline that were sitting down in front of her.
"This was...a complete...and utter failure." Elena took off her helmet letting her striking
platinum hair down.
Falco quickly got up. "There is no time for remising on the situation, right now we need
to figure out what we need to do and how to do it."
"Where are Fox and Wolf?" questioned Bill stiffly with Elena standing at his side.
Everyone in the room stared at the two bleakly. No one wanted to speak up about what
had happened. It hurt too much to even think about it. Simply saying it out loud would
only add to the hopelessness of the situation.
"No...they couldn't be..." began Peppy with trepidation.
"Captured," snapped Falco, "They're just as much dead to us now."
Everyone winced at the word.
"What about Nicholas Ivanfox?"
"Dead." Katt recoiled as she uttered the remark She remembered how violent his demise
was. She had seen people die before, but none as swift and gruesome as his. It only made
her feel a pang of hatred towards Pepper. Nicholas might have deserved it, but the
sickness of his murder was at the General's hand.
"He betrayed us. He gave Pepper the Corodus' location, that's why he knew exactly
where to strike." Falco folded his arms, looking at the floor as though regretting that he
was unable to stop him when he did.
Rob, scratched his head absently as one of his randomized algorithms usually told him to
do. The mannerism meant to make him appear more organic in movement, but was often
futile as no one cared.
"Where is Slippy," he began. "My proton packs are at 33% power. They will need to be
recharged soon."
Katt glared at Falco, "He was in the Corodus control center when Pepper attacked..." Her
voice drifted off as she realized the finality of it all. He had been directly under where
Pepper's weapon had hit, there was no chance he could have survived. Everyone merely
lowered their heads in silence. She sobbed weakly as everything seemed to be falling apart.
A small beeping sound from Peppy's belt broke the stillness. Everyone stared at him as
he pulled out his PDA and opened it, quickly silencing the bleeps.
"It's a distress signal, it's coming from a team issued PDA...on Macbeth."
"Slippy? We have to go back! This means he's alive!" Bill, put on his pilot's helmet,
readying himself.
"It would be suicide to rescue him," began Katt, "Pepper's death police are already on
Macbeth. They'll kill us if we go down there."
Falco gritted his beak in determination "Then we'll just have to avoid them."
*********************************************************
Fox woke up with a start as the door to his cell blew open with Wolf being tossed in. He
collapsed to his hands and knees as the door slammed shut and the sound of clicking
boots resounded down the hallway outside.
"Wolf!" Fox leaped up and knelt down next to him. "What did they do to you?!" He
quickly scanned his body. He was covered in skin deep scratches, his face bruised and
ears bloody. The white fur on his chest was stained with the reddish-brown tint of dried
blood.
"Le...Leon," he choked hoarsely, mustering the strength to keep his head up.
Fox swiftly took off his jacket putting it around Wolf to comfort him. He tore off a piece
of his shirt and dabbed his friend's wounds where they appeared the worst. But they were
everywhere. His arms, chest, and shoulders, all scarred with tract marks from a knife. His
blind eye was a sickly purple as his good one was merely half open from the stinging
pain all over his body.
"Leon? He's working for Pepper?"
Wolf nodded as he wheezed a weak cough.
"God, here lie down." He lowered him to the floor, laying him down on his back. He
placed the jacket under Wolf like a blanket.
Fox's eyes widened as he noticed strange marks on his neck, as though someone had
been choking him. How could anyone do this to someone thought Fox as he groomed
Wolf's fur gently with his paw. Why did someone who has already had so much hurt and
pain in his life deserve this?
"Tell me about your mother Fox..." He coughed another weak gasp as he laid there.
He continued to dab the piece of cloth around the wounds on Wolf's chest as he thought
for a moment.
"My mother...her name was Vixy. She was very beautiful I guess, a dancer too."
Wolf smiled dimly, wincing as Fox cleaned a large scar on his chest.
"I...I didn't get to know her too well, she was killed when I was younger. A..."
"Car bomb," choked Wolf. "Andross...," There was a pause, his face contorted in pain as
he fumbled for his words, "...He used to tell me how it was...meant for your father, but
how he was hoping you were still shattered...I'm sorry Fox."
He paused with the cloth clenched in his hand, looking down at Wolf.
"He succeeded."
There was a moment of silence as Fox leaned over him, licking the cloth to make it damp
again so he could clean the blood out of his fur, trying to forget about what they were
talking about earlier. It was too painful, to be told this, from someone who knew his
parent's murderer so closely. Must forget about it he thought.
"My mother..." started Wolf hoarsely. "I was seven...when I was abandoned, but I can
remember her. She was very quiet...beautiful. Her name was...Leetah."
"Why did your parents abandon you Wolf?" Fox urged, as he gripped the cloth in his
hand tighter.
Wolf stared up at the dark ceiling. "The last day I saw her, she was so mad at me..." His
face twisted in pain as his right eye filled with a tear. "Just...so mad, my father too, both
mad. I can't remember why...I wanted them to love me. But......something was wrong
with it all. She told me I was too young to understand...but she said she couldn't raise me
anymore...She took me..."
He paused, a tear ran down the side of his blood stained fur as though predicating the turmoil
he felt inside of him.
"She took me somewhere in the car, I knew what was going to happen. She opened the
door and took my hand..."
Another pause as Fox wiped the tear from his face gently with his hand.
He sniffed, nodding in thanks. "She gave me a handful of credits and told me to go...I
tried so hard to stay with her, I grabbed onto her leg, childish." He scoffed at himself
weakly, "But she pushed me away...she was crying too. Then, I asked her if she loved
me..."
His chest twitched as he whimpered, abruptly twisting his face to stop himself.
"She responded...with the last words she ever said to me."
He took in the air shakily, fighting his sobs. "She said 'I'm sorry Wolf.'"
Another tear rolled down his face, as Fox pulled him up into an embrace. He hugged him
tightly, tenderly brushing the fur on his back which made Wolf lazy with fatigue.
"She couldn't tell me Fox."
He held him for the longest time, rocking back and forth as Wolf buried his tears into Fox's
orange fur. Eventually they both reclined on the floor and dozed off together, letting lethargy
take them in its arms, ignoring all the trauma of reality as they slept in their diminutive cell.
And for once, in a long while, they both dreamed of hope.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fox stared at the floor of his cell thinking about what had happened the past few hours, or
the past few days he should say. Every time they tried to gain an upper hand in this
struggle it was though it was slapped right out of their reach. I couldn't protect Zoness
thought Fox to himself, I couldn't protect Macbeth, hell I couldn't even keep Dordon
Prole alive 24 hours after meeting him. I'm failing at this and the cards aren't in our favor
anymore.
The ride on the shuttle to Pepper's capital ship was silent. No words spoken when they
were sitting next to each other, hands bound, the General staring at them with happiness
as though he had just caught a large prize. There was no point in thinking about it
anymore. Reminiscing had become painful.
Glancing around the bleak cell, he noticed it was immaculate, completely clean, the walls
a dim gray. He was sitting on a bench that extended from the wall like a lonely stub with
nothing else to do but watch the prisoners from below. It was a quaintly small room,
about the size of a regular washroom. There was one visible door, no windows. Wolf was
sitting on the bench across from him, staring hopelessly at the steel floor. Pepper had
decided to put them in the same cell together as they journeyed on his capital ship back to
Corneria. He was fascinated by their recent friendship, it intrigued him, sparked his
curiosity.
"What happens now?" Wolf raised his head up to look at Fox.
"Now?"
"Yea, now. We're captured Fox, all four populated planets of Lylat are under Pepper's
power, Corneria, Katina, Zoness, Macbeth, two of which we failed to protect." He stared
at Fox with the same dismal hopelessness that he had held towards the cold floor earlier.
"Why are we alive?" he added. "What does he want with us?"
Fox couldn't find where to look as his eyes wandered about. It was a good question, he
was up to something, Pepper, so heartless and so cold, he had been specifically pursuing
them for so long. Now that he has them, why doesn't he fulfill his desires and kill them?
He continued in thought as he sat there.
"He could just be stalling before he kills us." He leaned into the wall for comfort and
contemplation.
Wolf glared at him for a moment before burying his face into his paws in silence.
*********************************************************
Katt and Falco rushed across the bridge towards the platform that held the Great Fox.
They frantically glanced behind them again and again as several hovercars chased them
with sirens blaring. They were Pepper's death police, and they were coming for them.
They had to get off Macbeth as soon as possible.
"Katt keep up! They're coming!" Falco grabbed her arm and yanked her forward to keep
in pace.
"Falco I can't run anymore!" she screamed in exasperation. They were only meters away
from the platform.
"You gotta! We're almost there!" Laser blasts sparked around the two as the cars rushed
towards them.
"I thought if Fox and Wolf turned themselves over, Pepper would let us live!" She
collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.
"You believed that shit?!" Without delay, he picked her up and paced as fast as his boots
could carry him towards the Great Fox, lasers ricocheting around them. He scampered up
the ramp into the ship, dodging more fire as he went.
"Get us out of here Rob!" The robot swerved towards the console and flew across several
buttons with his hands, pressing them as he went along in a furious dance that even an
android would call frantic. The sound of pinging lasers resounded from outside. They
were hitting the hull of this ship fruitlessly, but they would soon break inside. They were
frenetic, the death police. They were loyal, astute, murderous without question. They had
to get out now.
"Engaging launch sequence, please stand by." Rob sat down in the chair and strapped
himself in as Falco did the same after helping Katt into a seat.
Rising off the ground lazily, the Great Fox glided over the terrain with the hovercars in
hot pursuit. They rose higher and higher until the pursuing vehicles could no longer
follow. Finally with a roar of the afterburners the Great Fox blasted off into space leaving
behind the planet...they hopelessly could not defend...Macbeth.
*********************************************************
"Knock Knock!" Pepper threw open the door with a loud bang waking Wolf and Fox up
from their benches.
"Sorry to interrupt the sleepover, I'm so rude these days!" He swiftly grabbed Wolf
pulling him off the bench by his arm. Pepper's grip was insanely strong as Wolf easily
took notice with an open mouth expression of pain.
"Where are you taking him?!" Fox bolted up into a defensive position as the General
paused.
"Oh, don't worry I assure your little mutt friend will be ok for the time being. There's
something special waiting for him."
"Fox...I'm scared." The General yanked Wolf out the door, slamming it shut quickly after
disappearing through the doorway.
Pepper literally dragged him down the hallway. For a man in his fifties he is quite strong
thought Wolf as he winced in pain from the tightening grip.
"I swear, I don't know what to do with you people anymore, I try to make a better world
for everyone and you have to try and mess it all up." The General threw open another
door to a dimly lit room, there was nothing in it except a medical table in the center with
a light shining brightly on it. Wolf struggled when it caught his eye, trying his hardest not
to go through the doorway but Pepper shoved him in with brute force.
"You know, when I had to eliminate Fox, I realized I needed a new mercenary. You can't
always count on your army alone to carry out your duties." He smiled at Wolf.
"What are you talking about?!" He jerked around under Pepper's grip, who was still
edging him towards the bed.
"You can show yourself my friend, no need to hide now!" Grinning wildly he let go of
Wolf shoving him into the wall.
Rotating around after recovering from the toss, something very peculiar caught his eye. A
shimmering outline appeared in front of him, softly at first yet becoming clearer as the
seconds passed but it was definitely walking towards him. It was a figure, green, tall...chameleon.
"No!" Wolf screamed in vexation as his eyes laid upon Leon.
"Yes!" shouted Pepper. "You remember your old friend don't you?! You see, he works
for me now. Isn't that nice?!" His words became the words of a madman, deranged,
gleefully smiling at the thought of evil and pain.
"Wolf...I have waited for this moment for such a long time." Leon put his hands on him,
turning him around slowly, almost gently. Wolf couldn't fight him, he merely submitted
in defeat as he felt his arms being held behind his back by cold scaly hands. He lowered
his head as his old comrade paced him towards the table.
"I'll leave you two alone for now." Pepper marched towards the door, pausing after
several steps. "Keep him alive for now, is that understood Mr. Powalski?" The door shut
swiftly with a thud.
"Leon, please...don't do this." Wolf shook his head as he was laid out on the table.
"We're friends, comrades, we fought so many years side by side. You can't do this to
me!"
The chameleon sniffed the air lightly, his movements were gently smooth, as he caressed
Wolf's forehead. "Ah my old friend, but you have betrayed me, fighting alongside with
Fox. I'm very disappointed in you."
"But you're fighting for Pepper!" Wolf slapped Leon's hand away, receiving a swift jab
to the face in response.
Dazed and helpless, he tried to hold up his paws in defense but Leon leaped on top of him,
forcing his arms down to the side of the table, quickly clamping them with the metal
cuffs on the sides.
"I'm going to enjoy this. Of all the people I've ever hurt, of all the people I've ever
sucked the pain out of, you Wolf, I shall enjoy."
In a flashing moment, Leon produced a large knife, its blade glinting under the light. He
was still mounted on top of Wolf, staring down at him with a smile as he wrapped his
scaly green tail around the lupine's neck.
"No Leon..." He gasped for air as he felt the green cord tighten, "Please...don't do this..."
Leon leisurely unzipped Wolf's jacket, holding the knife between his lips as though
savoring every moment of his victim's fear. He pulled the jacket open further, and with a
punctual movement he tore open the black shirt, exposing Wolf's frantically heaving
chest. He was terrified, he knew what his old comrade used to do to people. He had heard
the screams of pain, he knew the tormenting terror that could be instilled.
"Please...I beg you Leon..."
But it was too late, he was already gingerly wedging the knife across his chest inciting a
vicious howl of pain from him. Blood quickly stained the soft white fur on his chest
making Leon's eyes widen. The chameleon quickly lowered his head pressing his lips to the
crimson fuzz, licking it tenderly with his tongue.
"God, you sick bastard!" shouted Wolf in agony.
"You taste so much better than I thought you would." Leon tightened his tail around his
victim's neck so he could no longer cry in pain.
*********************************************************
Slippy opened his eyes, his head throbbing in fatigue as he did so. The slightest
movement instilled a lightning bolt of gut wrenching pain as he struggled to look around
his surroundings. He tried to remember what had happened before he blacked out. He
was working on the Corodus laser, recovering after it had first fired, and then
something...happened. Falling rock, ash, it was all a blur. Peeking around the room, it
was dark, sparking wires hung from the ceiling lazily, the walls appeared scorched, the
window of the control room that originally overlooked the cave was blown in, but outside
the glass everything was filled with collapsed rock and soot. The massive weapon he had
cherished before, no longer visible.
"What happened?" He rolled over from under his desk, getting up and greeting a shooting pain
in his leg with a shout of distress. A large metal pipe was perfectly impaled through his thigh.
Upon realizing the horrible spectacle of mutilation, he collapsed to the floor grabbing onto
his heat scarred desk for support. He screamed again as the searing metal burned his hands.
He felt the blood beginning to rush away from his head as he fumbled for his PDA in his burned
coat. With his last ounce of strength he pressed the emergency button on the device as everything
faded away. He slipped into the unconscious, resting by his desk as ash danced in the air
currents of the smoke parched room.
*********************************************************
Peppy, Bill and Elena entered the bridge of the Great Fox, grim faced and distraught. The
gray squirrel felt her heart sink as her eyes laid on the dismal looking blue avian and the
petrified feline that were sitting down in front of her.
"This was...a complete...and utter failure." Elena took off her helmet letting her striking
platinum hair down.
Falco quickly got up. "There is no time for remising on the situation, right now we need
to figure out what we need to do and how to do it."
"Where are Fox and Wolf?" questioned Bill stiffly with Elena standing at his side.
Everyone in the room stared at the two bleakly. No one wanted to speak up about what
had happened. It hurt too much to even think about it. Simply saying it out loud would
only add to the hopelessness of the situation.
"No...they couldn't be..." began Peppy with trepidation.
"Captured," snapped Falco, "They're just as much dead to us now."
Everyone winced at the word.
"What about Nicholas Ivanfox?"
"Dead." Katt recoiled as she uttered the remark She remembered how violent his demise
was. She had seen people die before, but none as swift and gruesome as his. It only made
her feel a pang of hatred towards Pepper. Nicholas might have deserved it, but the
sickness of his murder was at the General's hand.
"He betrayed us. He gave Pepper the Corodus' location, that's why he knew exactly
where to strike." Falco folded his arms, looking at the floor as though regretting that he
was unable to stop him when he did.
Rob, scratched his head absently as one of his randomized algorithms usually told him to
do. The mannerism meant to make him appear more organic in movement, but was often
futile as no one cared.
"Where is Slippy," he began. "My proton packs are at 33% power. They will need to be
recharged soon."
Katt glared at Falco, "He was in the Corodus control center when Pepper attacked..." Her
voice drifted off as she realized the finality of it all. He had been directly under where
Pepper's weapon had hit, there was no chance he could have survived. Everyone merely
lowered their heads in silence. She sobbed weakly as everything seemed to be falling apart.
A small beeping sound from Peppy's belt broke the stillness. Everyone stared at him as
he pulled out his PDA and opened it, quickly silencing the bleeps.
"It's a distress signal, it's coming from a team issued PDA...on Macbeth."
"Slippy? We have to go back! This means he's alive!" Bill, put on his pilot's helmet,
readying himself.
"It would be suicide to rescue him," began Katt, "Pepper's death police are already on
Macbeth. They'll kill us if we go down there."
Falco gritted his beak in determination "Then we'll just have to avoid them."
*********************************************************
Fox woke up with a start as the door to his cell blew open with Wolf being tossed in. He
collapsed to his hands and knees as the door slammed shut and the sound of clicking
boots resounded down the hallway outside.
"Wolf!" Fox leaped up and knelt down next to him. "What did they do to you?!" He
quickly scanned his body. He was covered in skin deep scratches, his face bruised and
ears bloody. The white fur on his chest was stained with the reddish-brown tint of dried
blood.
"Le...Leon," he choked hoarsely, mustering the strength to keep his head up.
Fox swiftly took off his jacket putting it around Wolf to comfort him. He tore off a piece
of his shirt and dabbed his friend's wounds where they appeared the worst. But they were
everywhere. His arms, chest, and shoulders, all scarred with tract marks from a knife. His
blind eye was a sickly purple as his good one was merely half open from the stinging
pain all over his body.
"Leon? He's working for Pepper?"
Wolf nodded as he wheezed a weak cough.
"God, here lie down." He lowered him to the floor, laying him down on his back. He
placed the jacket under Wolf like a blanket.
Fox's eyes widened as he noticed strange marks on his neck, as though someone had
been choking him. How could anyone do this to someone thought Fox as he groomed
Wolf's fur gently with his paw. Why did someone who has already had so much hurt and
pain in his life deserve this?
"Tell me about your mother Fox..." He coughed another weak gasp as he laid there.
He continued to dab the piece of cloth around the wounds on Wolf's chest as he thought
for a moment.
"My mother...her name was Vixy. She was very beautiful I guess, a dancer too."
Wolf smiled dimly, wincing as Fox cleaned a large scar on his chest.
"I...I didn't get to know her too well, she was killed when I was younger. A..."
"Car bomb," choked Wolf. "Andross...," There was a pause, his face contorted in pain as
he fumbled for his words, "...He used to tell me how it was...meant for your father, but
how he was hoping you were still shattered...I'm sorry Fox."
He paused with the cloth clenched in his hand, looking down at Wolf.
"He succeeded."
There was a moment of silence as Fox leaned over him, licking the cloth to make it damp
again so he could clean the blood out of his fur, trying to forget about what they were
talking about earlier. It was too painful, to be told this, from someone who knew his
parent's murderer so closely. Must forget about it he thought.
"My mother..." started Wolf hoarsely. "I was seven...when I was abandoned, but I can
remember her. She was very quiet...beautiful. Her name was...Leetah."
"Why did your parents abandon you Wolf?" Fox urged, as he gripped the cloth in his
hand tighter.
Wolf stared up at the dark ceiling. "The last day I saw her, she was so mad at me..." His
face twisted in pain as his right eye filled with a tear. "Just...so mad, my father too, both
mad. I can't remember why...I wanted them to love me. But......something was wrong
with it all. She told me I was too young to understand...but she said she couldn't raise me
anymore...She took me..."
He paused, a tear ran down the side of his blood stained fur as though predicating the turmoil
he felt inside of him.
"She took me somewhere in the car, I knew what was going to happen. She opened the
door and took my hand..."
Another pause as Fox wiped the tear from his face gently with his hand.
He sniffed, nodding in thanks. "She gave me a handful of credits and told me to go...I
tried so hard to stay with her, I grabbed onto her leg, childish." He scoffed at himself
weakly, "But she pushed me away...she was crying too. Then, I asked her if she loved
me..."
His chest twitched as he whimpered, abruptly twisting his face to stop himself.
"She responded...with the last words she ever said to me."
He took in the air shakily, fighting his sobs. "She said 'I'm sorry Wolf.'"
Another tear rolled down his face, as Fox pulled him up into an embrace. He hugged him
tightly, tenderly brushing the fur on his back which made Wolf lazy with fatigue.
"She couldn't tell me Fox."
He held him for the longest time, rocking back and forth as Wolf buried his tears into Fox's
orange fur. Eventually they both reclined on the floor and dozed off together, letting lethargy
take them in its arms, ignoring all the trauma of reality as they slept in their diminutive cell.
And for once, in a long while, they both dreamed of hope.
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