Twisted Shadows:
A New Star Fox Saga
By Wolf O'Donnell
Author's Note: Here goes! It's another one of my
What-happens-next-after-Andross-dies' fic. Once again,
it's set in a different dimension from the other of my
fanfics. The swearing has been censored, once again, with little
asterisks that hides the second and third letters of the f**king
swear word! Please send comments to me at w_donnell@hotmail.com.
* * * * *
Chapter 12: Jingoist
FURUSUPIIDO de mawari hajimeta SUTOORII
akaku daichi someageru
chikyuugi ni wa garandou ni natta PARADAISU
bokura no te de sukuidasou
hateshinaku tsuzuku sakamichi o
ima omoikiri kakenukete Far away
Target ~akai shougeki~
Wada Koji
Fara looked at the new gauge that graced her Arwing. It was
still a long time before she could fire that powerful energy beam
at the Kimono Jets again, and they were ganging up on her. ´Trust
Slippy to get things wrong` she thought miserably, as she
performed a barrel-roll, deflecting as many lasers as was
possible.
"If anyone out there isn't too busy," she began, "could
you get these guys off my tail?"
"Sure thing, Fara," came the reply from Bill, as he
flew down towards the pursuing Kimono Jets and opened fire,
launching a powerful energy beam in their direction. He watched
in horror, as they flew around it skilfully. "Something's
wrong." He couldn't understand how he could have missed them.
Perhaps it was just because he was tired. They had been fighting
the Kimono Jets for two hours straight, something he hadn't done
since the end of the Lylat War. "They're retreating,"
he stated, as he saw them flying away from them.
"Something's up ahead," announced Slippy, as he saw
some readings on his scanners. "Looks different." He
shivered as if from the cold. ´It certainly does, Toad. None of
this would have happened if you had just worked for me.`
"So this is what remains of the Star Fox Team, eh?"
chuckled a chilling voice over their com-links, as a large and
black fighter jet approached them.
"Who are you?" asked Bill.
A hissing laugh was the first thing that came from the
mysterious pilot.
"I am the most powerful creature in the Universe," came
the reply. "I am Ruler of the Trade Guild. I am Lord
Jingoist!" He chuckled as the Kimono Jets started forming
some kind of larger Kimono Jets on either side of his jet, the
Apocalypse Wing. "Do you really think that you have been
alone in your battles against me? I have been watching you from
afar and I must say that you do not know how to truly fight. Let
me show you how it's done."
Fara swerved out of the way, as a barrage of lasers flew from
Jingoist's ship. She returned fire, only for one of the machines
on either side of him to fly into the way of the lasers and
absorb the attack with its force field. She gasped, as she
realised that those two machines could protect Jingoist, while he
picked them off like flies. ´It's an unnerving feeling, isn't
it, Mrs. McCloud?` she thought, only...
"Jingoist," she muttered angrily, realising that those
weren't her thoughts. She pulled the trigger, keeping it pulled
back, charging up the energy beam. "Jingoist, you're going
down!" she cried.
"Like husband, like wife," commented Jingoist, so
all could hear. "However, even your husband was powerless
against Andross' telepathic attacks, and you will soon find that
I am far more powerful than he could ever be."
Her head throbbed with an intense pain that made Fara scream
out in agony and lose all sight. She did not see that one of the
Kimono III jets that flanked Jingoist flew away from its
formation and straight towards her. All balance was lost. Sight
became taste. Sound became sight. Touch became smell. All
interchanged violently, such that Fara had no idea what was going
on around her. She let go of the trigger and the energy beam flew
through the air, missing the Kimono III. The Arwing crashed into
the Kimono Jet, its wings torn off from the main body of Arwing.
"Fara!" screamed Slippy, as he saw that her only
form of offense and therefore defence against Jingoist's Kimonos
had been stripped from her jet. He aimed carefully, knowing that
if he took the Kimonos out, Jingoist would be relatively easy to
defeat. However, he soon found that these Kimono Jets could hover,
and they suddenly surrounded him, each facing him as they circled
his Arwing. Each opened fire, and he was forced to dive
underneath them. He saw that they were spiralling towards him.
"Please, help me!" he cried.
"I'm coming Slip!" exclaimed Katt, but that was not
to be. All sense of time and space were soon warped out of
recognition through Jingoist's psychic power. "Jingoist!
Stop messing with my mind!" she slurred, suddenly,
everything became a brilliant white, before...
* * * * *
Katt blinked once and then looked towards Falco. The both of
them wore elaborate military uniforms, as was necessary for the
day.
"Congratulations," she said, as she walked up to him.
"Thanks, Katt," he said with a smile on his beak.
"Well done, yourself. It's not everyday a girl like you
graduates from Flight Academy."
If it weren't for her fur, she was sure that he would have
seen her blush.
"It was nothing, Falc'," she said as modestly as
possible. "It's no big deal, really." Katt looked at
him and smiled. "Of course, I have no doubts about your
abilities. You are, after all, the son of..." A finger was
suddenly placed against her lips.
"Please, Katt," he said, almost begging, "don't
mention it here." He looked around him in an almost paranoid
fashion before moving closer to her. "Katt, you know how I
don't want people to know about my past."
Katt nodded in reply.
"I'm sorry," she apologised. "I..." The
feline trailed off. Something wasn't quite right here. She bit
her lip, as she thought carefully, not only about the feelings
that she was feeling towards him but also about... It escaped her
and she began to wonder what she was so worked up about. "I
wasn't thinking properly," she finished with a sigh. "Not
thinking properly at all." Strong arms embraced her, and she
suddenly felt so safe. "Falco, promise me one thing..."
"One thing?" he asked her with a puzzled look on his
face and he looked deeper into her eyes. "Of course, Katt."
"Promise me that you won't get hurt," she said.
"You're not just a politically important person, Falco. You're
important to me as well, sugar. I love you." She hugged him
back tightly.
* * * * *
Bill opened fire on Jingoist's ship, only for his opponent to
fly above the lasers and fly perpindicularly to him. The canine
pulled back on the control stick, the nose of his fighter jet
rising up to point towards the enemy. He flew up towards Jingoist,
firing furiously at his opponent, but the Apocalypse Wing was far
too quick. He cursed loudly, as he saw Jingoist's ship dodge each
laser. His ship suddenly shuddered. He looked to his left and he
saw one of the Kimono III jets flying straight towards him. ´Now
you shall see my wrath, Grey` he thought, as the Kimono III
jet opened fire on his fighter jet once more.
* * * * *
Falco pushed her away from him.
"I don't believe that you betrayed my trust like that!"
he shouted angrily.
Katt felt hurt, as she watched him turn his back to her and
walk away.
"Falco, I'm sorry!" she cried out to him once again.
"I am so sorry! Please forgive me." She ran after him,
but no matter how hard she tried, she could not keep up with him.
Giving up, she watched as her avian lover receded into the
distance. "Please, Falco, come back!" she shouted out
to him. Tears streamed down her furry cheeks, as she watched him
disappear. "This can't be happening," she cried. "Not
again."
* * * * *
Sobbing miserably, Katt flew aimlessly through space. She did
not see anything, as she flew in a circle around the battle
between Jingoist and the remnants of the Star Fox Team. She saw
nothing but her miserable past.
"Falco!" she screamed.
"Jingoist, what are you doing to Katt?" cried a
voice over the com-links.
Jingoist turned round and saw an Arwing fly past Katt's ship
and straight towards him. He saw lasers fly from the Arwing and
straight at his Apocalypse Wing. He did a barrel-roll deflecting
all of the lasers and then fired back, as the Kimono III Jets
flanked his side once again. They too opened fire, and a barrage
of lasers flew towards Jingoist's opponent. He watched as the
Arwing dodged the lasers, weaving around each individual one.
"Not a bad pilot, if I must say so myself," stated
Jingoist. "But still not better than me." He pushed
with his mind and the Arwing flew off course. He chuckled and
then got a glimpse of the pilot, as he flew over the ship. "Lombardi!"
Falco struggled to right the Arwing. He knew that he was under
some psychic influence and knew that he had to do something to
counter-act Jingoist's attempts to pervert his very own senses.
"Come on, Falco, you can do it," he told himself.
"Youy can beat that guy." He saw all three enemy jets
open fire. ´Kamen no shita no sugao wa wasureta subete wo
tsutsumikomu mugen no yami no you ni` he thought, as he flew
around them. ´Forgotten is the face beneath this mask like the
endless darkness that engulfs everything` he thought, translating
the very words he had heard whispered in his mind. The falcon
gasped when he realised the truth. "How'd you know?" he
whispered to Jingoist.
"That is my own secret, Prince Lombardi," chuckled
Jingoist in reply. "Oh, but your hands are too stained with
blood to lead your nation now; not that it exists anymore."
"Shut up!" cried Falco, as he U-turned and opened
fire on Jingoist's Apocalypse Wing. He cursed angrily, when his
opponent was suddenly shielded by the two Kimono III jets.
From behind the safety of the Kimono III Jets, Jingoist made a
U-turn. The jets flew apart, flanking his side and all three
fighter jets fired, their lasers flying through the air straight
towards Falco.
With great skill, Falco dodged the lasers, firing back at
Jingoist, only for the Kimono III Jets to fly into the way and
absorb the lasers. He gasped in surprise, as Jingoist's
Apocalypse Wing emerged from behind the two Kimono III Jets and
flew faster. It smashed straight into his Arwing, making it
shudder and tearing off the left wing. The avian suddenly found
his fighter jet banking to the left. He looked back, as the two
Kimono III Jets flew to Jingoist, protecting the rear of his ship
from attack. ´There has to be someway of beating him` thought
Falco, as he U-turned and flew after Jingoist.
"There is no way you can beat me," said Jingoist, as
if he had heard Falco's thoughts, which- in all possibility-
could have happened. "I suggest that you surrender, Lombardi."
"Never!" shouted Falco defiantly.
"You are certainly a true warrior indeed," commented
Lord Jingoist. "Lylat certainly has bred a lot of noble
fighters. I'm impressed."
"Someone needs to shut you up," stated Falco flatly,
as he heard the lizard whisper in his mind again. He watched as
Jingoist flew back towards him gracefully. ´He flies like Fox` he
thought grimly. A thought suddenly came to him. ´He flies like
Fox!` He noticed that the two Kimono III jets also flew just like
him. A smile spread across his beak. He knew exactly how to beat
this tyrant once and for all.
There was a loud bang and both Actoi and Morgue fell to the
ground. Fox stepped over their carcasses, dressed in an elaborate
General's uniform and looked towards the Titania Engine and then
towards Oikonny. The vulpine looked down and saw the smoking gun
in the baboon's hand, a smile spreading across his muzzle. He
turned to face the bewildered scientists that had stopped their
work to stare at him.
"I take it that you have been ordered to get this machine
working by Lord Jingoist?" shouted Fox. He looked and saw
that no one stirred. "Well, am I right or not?" He
reached for his gun. "Let's have some feedback, people!"
"You're correct," said one of the scientists in a
displeased tone of voice that suggested defiance.
"Thank you," thanked Fox with a toothy grin. "Well,
if you all value your lives, I suggest you do so, but not for
Jingoist. I want you to activate the Shadows of Abominations for
me and for me alone!" He saw the looks on the faces of the
scientists. "I can see that you are reluctant to do so. What
if I told you that I know how to activate it, and that you can
share in its power?"
Jingoist's Apocalypse Wing flew high above Falco, barrel-rolling
as it did so, deflecting Falco's lasers.
"You cannot defeat me, you pitiful bird!" cried Lord
Jingoist. The two Kimono III jets on either side of him U-turned
and flew down towards Falco's Arwing.
"Shoot!" he cried, as he saw them flying straight
down towards him. ´If only I had one of those special laser
cannons installed` he thought grimly, as he manoeuvered his
Arwing around the lasers that hurtled towards him. "I won't
let you win, Jingoist!" A throbbing headache suddenly made
him lose all control of his Arwing. It felt as if someone was
trying to drill a hole through his skull. Several lasers smashed
into his Arwing, tearing off the wings of his ship. ´Time to
die, Lombardi` a voice whispered in his mind.
The Apocalypse Wing curved around, flying behind Falco's
Arwing. Jingoist pulled the trigger, lasers firing out of his
cannon and straight towards the Arwing, each one pummelling into
its metallic hull. The two Kimono III Jets and Jingoist, flew
towards each other, firing at the Arwing in between them.
Morgue crawled out of the ruins of Amenophis and out into the
scorching desert sun.
"Lord Jingoist, sir," he croaked, as he spoke into his
com-link quietly. "Lord Jingoist..."
"Lord Jingoist," crackled Morgue's voice over
Jingoist's com-link. "The scientists are close to activating
the Shadows... but McCloud is here at Amenophis and he wishes to
use the Shadows himself."
"What?" shouted Jingoist in disbelief. "How
could that damned fox have got through?" He pulled back on
his control stick and did a U-turn, heading back towards Titania's
atmosphere. "We'll finish this another time, Lombardi,"
he said, as his Kimono III Jets flew after him. "I have more
important things to attend to." He paused a while, a smile
spreading across his scaly face. "It seems as if your team's
captain has infiltrated my defences."
Fox aimed and fired. He looked down at Morgue's now
motionless and lifeless body.
"Oikonny!" he shouted loudly, and the monkey scuttled
out. He turned to face the baboon. "Get this corpse out of
here and tell the troops to prepare for his Lordship's'
arrival." He turned back around and headed back into the
temple of Amenophis.
Star Fox and all related
characters and places are copyrighted by Nintendo Ltd.
Jingoist, Dr. Kano, Kofu, Miasma and Kappa are copyrighted by me.