AN- That's right, I'm writing this story again. Why have I put it on hold so much, you ask? It's called school, friend. Here it is…

Chapter 5: The Destination Revealed

"All units, fall in!"

James McCloud wasn't in a great mood. He, Peppy Hare and Pigma Dengar were being sent by the Cornerian Royal Army to investigate activity on Venom. Andross had been exiled there three years ago, and had lain dormant until now…

"What should we do, James?" Peppy asked him.

"Do?" James mused. "Oh, yes. I'm going to lead. You cover my sides and Pigma supports us if things get too dicey. Got that, guys?"

"Yeah…" Pigma mumbled. He had been hearing a voice all day.

Pigma, it told him, you know who I am, don't you?

"Andross?" Pigma asked. "Is that…"

Yes, Pigma. Andross told him. Have you thought of my offer?

"A little." Pigma frowned. "What do I have to do?"

Just leave James unprotected, that's all. Andross told him. You don't have to get your hands dirty.

Pigma sighed in relief. "That's good. What should I do now?"

Tell him that I have been sighted between that pass. Andross said, directing his attention to a rocky canyon. My troops will be waiting.

"James!" Pigma said, going along with the plan. "Andross has been sighted by the canyon!"

"Andross?" James asked. "I'm on my way!" He and Peppy flew straight into Andross' trap, leaving Pigma alone with his guilt.

*******

"Father…" Fox yelled. "Don't leave me!"

Peppy furrowed his brow. "This is bad." He said. "I think Fox is in some kind of coma right now."

"Will he be alright?" Bill asked, concern on his face. He had only just been reunited with his friend and didn't want to lose him.

"Don't worry, Bill!" Falco said reassuringly. "Fox has survived worse than this! He'll be okay!"

Peppy ignored his friends, instead focusing on the task at hand. The Dark Matter had embedded itself deeply into Fox's heart. He had to concentrate on removing it without killing Fox. He touched the Matter with a heated scalpel, trying to drive it out of his friend. It squirmed a little, but didn't move much.

"I need help here!" Peppy yelled. "Bring me a heating pad, Slip!"

Shortly after he said this, Slippy ran into the room with a heating pad. He placed on Fox's heart, and joined Peppy in the operation. The Matter squirmed for a little while, and then finally began to retract itself from Fox's heart. Peppy stared hopefully at the monitor that showed Fox's vital signs, noticing that they had increased.

"Slip!" He yelled. "Bring me more pads! The Matter's leavin' Fox!" Slippy rushed into the other room as fast as he could to heat up another pad. Peppy began to poke the Matter more now that the danger to Fox was gone. Slowly, the Matter began to ooze out of Fox's body and into a container that Peppy had prepared to hold it.

"Yes!" Peppy yelled, pleased by the vital signs he saw. "We saved Fox! Slip, burn this Matter, okay?"

"Slip this, Slip that…" Slippy said, grumbling as he took the matter away. "Can't I have a little break once in a while?"

*******

"What… what's going on?" Fox murmured, opening his eyes.

"Fox!" Peppy yelled. "You're alive! We were worried about you, Fox! You've been asleep for two days!"

"Two…" Fox muttered. "Peppy, can I talk to you for a little while? Alone?"

Peppy nodded at seeing the look in Fox's eyes. "Everybody leave! I need to talk with Fox!"

"Peppy," Fox said, "have you ever lost anyone that you loved?"

"Fox," Peppy said, knowing that Fox wanted to talk about his father, "you have to let it go. James was my friend as well. You need to let go and find peace."

Fox paused before going on. "Peppy, I've… I've never told anyone this before. Do you remember when we went to Venom to stop Andross? How the shaft leading to his lair exploded after I defeated him? When I fled the shaft, I was guided by… father."

Peppy stared at him, unable to say anything. Fox went on. "When I was asleep, I saw him again. I saw Andross crushing his Arwing… he laughed so evilly. I heard his last words to you…"

Peppy sobbed, repeating his last words. "'Tell Fox that I love him.' That was the last thing James ever said."

"Then, I heard his voice. He told me that the evil was lurking on Venom, waiting for me." His eyes grew hard as he rose from his bed. "Peppy, it was the Matter that killed him. It corrupted Andross and gave him the strength to kill father! I'm going to Venom to destroy it and end its threat to the galaxy one and for all!"

"You can't get up now, Fox!" Peppy protested. "You're too weak!"

"I don't care." Fox said. "I'm going to my Arwing now. And I'm going to destroy it all!"

Peppy sighed, knowing that further argument was hopeless. "James would have done the same thing too."

*******

It was several hours before the Star Fox Team reached Sector Z. Fox looked around nervously from the window of his Arwing. The last time he had been in Sector Z, Fox found it to be a galactic scrapheap, a jumble of blasted metal and pieces of cargo from destroyed ships. Now it was like Meteo; nothing at all inhabited the Sector; nothing, that is, except Dark Matter.

"Everyone, keep your eyes peeled!" Fox said. "We could be attacked by Dark Matter at any moment!"

"I copy, Fox!" Bill told him. Although not a member of the Star Fox Team, Bill was eager to help his friend. He also knew what the Dark Matter could do, and would stop at nothing to destroy it.

Suddenly, a warning came from the Great Fox. "Fox, watch out! Seekers are coming from behind us!" Before anyone could respond, Seekers had arrived, carrying spheres of Dark Matter. Fox, Lucius, Falco and Bill were immediately after them, destroying several Seekers. But they couldn't get them all. The remaining Seekers released the Dark Matter they held, and it collided into the Great Fox. Peppy and Slippy yelled as the ship took damage, trying to fire the ship's plasma cannons at the Seekers that survived. They didn't notice the crack that appeared in the container where Peppy kept the Dark Matter.

"Stop the Seekers!" Fox yelled. "We have to protect the ship!" Lucius darted after the Seekers before Fox could finish, blasting everything he could find. Falco and Bill threw themselves at the Seekers that were preparing more Dark Matter spheres, destroying all of them before they could unload them. Fox decided to help Lucius, consumed with rage. He would crush them for killing his father!

Eventually, the Seekers all fell. Fox sent a transmission to the Great Fox. "Peppy, everything okay?"

"We're alright, Fox." Peppy replied. "We're just…" The transmission suddenly cut off.

"Peppy, what's wrong?" Fox asked. He received no answer. "Peppy! Speak to me!" He yelled. He was greeted by static at the other end.

"Leave everything to me, Fox!" Bill told him, heading for the Great Fox.

"Be careful, Bill!" Fox said.

"Fox, what should we do now?" Falco asked him.

He paused before answering. "We're going to go on to Venom." He told Falco. "Bill will see what's wrong with the Great Fox and get back with us later." Having said this, Fox and his friends put on their Boosters and headed into the Venom Air Defense Zone; Area 6.