Author's Note: I don't anything here. All related to StarFox and StarFox
Adventures belong to Nintendo and Rare. Otherwise the only thing I own here
is the plot and the falcon woman, Serena. Thank you. ~~ Imagen ~~
*** Chapter 3: Star Gazing Warnings
"FALCO??? PEPPY??? SLIPPY???"
Falco stood by Shabunga, holding a strong grip on his wrist as Peppy and Slippy stood behind them and quickly grabbed the hat and spectacles. Falco took hold of his shades and placed them over his green eyes then twisted Shabunga's wrist until a sickening crack was heard. Shabunga wailed and yelped then started running (even if he didn't have any legs) around the Hollow then to his store, leaving behind his burlap bag.
Fox watched Shabunga cower then turned back to what he thought was his dead Team. Peppy placed his spectacles on his nose and Slippy his hat on his head, and both said in unison with Falco, "Hello, Fox."
"You're alive..." Fox muttered.
Tricky's eyes widened. He shivered and slowly back off, taking baby steps backwards. Krystal did the same, her hand close to her staff.
Fox ran to his Team and gave them a light hug, the Team doing the same. Slippy smiled, "Sorry, Fox, did we worry you?"
"Hell, yeah!" Fox said as he punched him lightly on the shoulder. He examined him and Falco and Peppy. Their clothes were burnt and stained with dry blood. Dry blood. They must have been lying around here somewhere and just recovered from where they were as survivors.
Survivors... "Where were you this whole time?" Fox asked.
"We found ourselves near the entrance to Cape Claw here on ThornTail Hollow... we have no idea how we ended up there, but..... well... we were there," Peppy said smiling and shrugging.
"That's a relief..." Fox sighed. He faced Krystal and Tricky, who were standing there as if they've seen a monster. "What's the matter with you two?"
"Uh......" Tricky murmured.
"C'mon, you guys!" Fox said as he wrapped his arms around Falco and Slippy. "My Team... they survived!"
"Yeah..." Krystal said as she let go of her staff.
***
In Cape Claw, two SharpClaws were happily eating their chicken dinner, hanging out like it was just another day. They chit chatted about things to their own concern, not knowing of a beaked stranger in a burlap cloak approaching them.
One SharpClaw noticed the figure. "Aye, may I help you, sir?"
Unseen amethystine orbs looked up to the first SharpClaw. That low, beautiful, melancholy voice spoke, "I seek one that is of the name... Fox McCloud."
"Fox McCloud?"
"I know Fox McCloud, yes," the second SharpClaw said looking up. "Met 'im at Ice Mountain, yes... At dat time, I worked fo' General Scales... Not anymore, though."
"I see..." the stranger said in an almost soft whisper.
The first SharpClaw wiped his mouth, "I 'ear 'e's in ThornTail Hollow, yes... He crashed and three of his teammates kicked the bucket."
"I know," the figure said, again in an almost soft whisper.
"Huh?"
"I'll be one my way now. Thank you, gentlemen," the stranger said bowing as it turned to leave, slowly walking. The two SharpClaws watched it disappear in the bushes.
The SharpClaw remained silent for five minutes then resumed eating. That's when they decided to drop lunch and hurry to ThornTail Hollow before that stranger gets there first.
***
***The Next Day...***
Slippy rolled out from under Krystal's ship then took the handkerchief Tricky held for him and wiped his oily hands. He walked to Krystal and smiled, "There ya go, Krystal-san, all fixed up!"
"Thanks, Slippy..." she said dryly.
As Slippy left for EarthWalker Palace for lunch, Fox approached Krystal, who held an expressionless face. He asked her, "Krystal? What's the matter?"
"I dunno....... don't you see anything strange with your Team?"
"Other then the fact they're hard-core survivors, no I don't."
"That's not what I meant!"
"Huh?"
Krystal looked back at Slippy. "I dunno... there's something strange about your Team... I can't seem to point it out, though... it's just that..."
Two reptilian voices screamed at a distance. "Fox!"
"What the-?" Fox turned to where he heard the voices. Two SharpClaw were running towards his direction. The young fox quickly turned to Krystal and grabbed her staff and armed herself. Krystal gaped in anger.
The SharpClaw held up their palms in yield. "Don't! We come in peace!"
"What do you want?" Krystal said as she snatched her staff back, causing a burn in Fox's hands.
"YEEEEOOOOOWWW!!!"
"Sorry."
"What is it?" Fox asked clenched his fists.
"We come ta warn yeh... some stranga' in a burlap cloak is coming ta get yeh!" The second SharpClaw warned.
Krystal's ears twitched. "A burlap cloak? Why would anyone wear such a thing? Wouldn't it be super itchy?"
"Who's this stranger?" Fox questioned.
The first SharpClaw replied, "Some fella with a beak... a CloudRunner probably..."
"A CloudRunner, huh..." Fox repeated. He thought for a while then smiled, "Thanks for the warning guys. I'll watch out for this... CloudRunner guy..."
***
In the forests near the entrance to Cape Claw, three shadows roamed about. Each of them plodded and wobbled, as if confusingly walking in the dark. They were, after, truly confused... they had no idea where they are... who they are... why they're there....
All they know is this...
Three rings were floating above their heads, one ring over each head...
Floating...
Like halos....
***
"Do you really think some... CloudRunner will come wearing a burlap cloak?" Krystal asked as she sat under a tree with Fox, biting into a Dumbledang Pod.
Fox gulped down his last Puk Puk egg when he shrugged, "Do you really think he won't come by? If he's some kind of bad guy, I'll take him on!"
"That reminds me..." Krystal took her staff and held its sharp end near Fox's nose, "Don't you EVER take my staff like that again!"
Fox fell back, "Okay, okay, I got the point! Put that thing before someone (hopefully not me) will get hurt!"
"Isn't that the point, Fox?" the blue vixen said as she sheathed her staff.
Tricky, who was lying by Fox's tail, moaned, "It's a good thing those SharpClaws came by to warn us! Once that CloudRunner comes by, tell me so I'll hide!"
"Wait, a minute," Fox said, "I thought the EarthWalker and CloudRunner Tribes already made peace with each other!"
"Not completely!"
Krystal turned to gaze into the trees when movement was seen in the bushes. She nudged Fox, "Uh, Fox..."
"Hide me!" Tricky yelped as he hid under Fox's furry tail.
Out from the bushes that stranger, that beaked figure in a burlap cloak walked out, both arms in each other's sleeves and head down, walking like a monk. Fox was not exactly intimidated by the figure's appearance, but it was enough for him to snatch Krystal's staff again. This angered her again, and she snatched it back, giving Fox another burn in his hands. "YEEEEEEOOOOWW!!!"
"That's your fault!" Krystal grumbled.
"Fox..." the stranger spoke, that low, melancholy yet beautiful voice calling out to him, as if sounding like some sort of angel. The stranger kept walking forward closer and closer to Fox, and even though it was fifty feet away, Fox backed up a few steps, sweat dripping from his brow.
He stepped backing away when the stranger blindly fell into a hole. Krystal's eyes widened and pointed out to it, "I was... about to warn him about that hole."
The stranger coughed, stood up, dusted itself, and climbed up when Shabunga ran into it, holding his sack, while being chased by a ThornTail. The stranger fell back in, falling right on its head.
Tricky watched the whole thing, his eyes also widening. He came out of hiding to have a closer look at this stranger.
The stranger climbed back out and wobbled to Fox's direction, but dizziness filled its head from falling into the same hole twice. It ran right into a Dumbledang Pod tree, causing eight pods to fall on its head.
Fox, Krystal, and Tricky just stared.
The stranger held its head and wobbled around, then bumped into a pile of rocks. One of the rocks fell and landed on the figure's foot, causing it to hop up and down holding that flattened foot. Scarabs from under those rocks came out and crawled all over the figure, making it scream like a girl and fall into the same hole it fell twice in.
Fox, Krystal, and Tricky still stared.
As soon as it crawled back out, a flying creature soon began flying around the stranger's head. The stranger started yelling and waving its arms, "Shoo! Go away! Go pester someone else!" The flying creature remained to hang around the stranger, clawing its hood and head. Krystal glanced at Fox then took her staff and aimed at the flying creature. She shot a fire blast at it, causing the creature to burn. The ashes of the creature fell on the stranger's head, going into its eyes, making it wobble backwards and fall into a different hole.
Fox, Krystal, and Tricky still stared.
The stranger crawled back out when Shabunga ran into it again. The stranger didn't fall back into the hole, rather, it got a chance to be ran over by the chasing ThornTail. A Bafomdad came out of nowhere and hopped on the figure's head, and the figure had to flick it off its dizzy head. It got up and started walking towards Fox (who is now further away from the stranger) when a small stray missile hit its head (Q: where did that missile come from? A: From Slippy's accidentally pulling of the trigger of his bazooka nearby). Just when it couldn't get any worse, a herd of ThornTail stampeded over the stranger, then a lit Fireweed rolled on the burlap cloak, lighting it on fire. The figure screamed and ran around then tripped and fell into the river, extinguishing the flames.
Panting was heard from the person, angry, frustrated panting. "THAT'S IT!!! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
Fox, Krystal, and Tricky still (you guessed it) stared.
The figure took hold of the burnt cloak and ripped it off, revealing itself.
Fox couldn't believe it. Before him was a young peregrine falcon woman in Cerenian clothing, with purple and white feathers instead of black or brown and white. The feathers on her forehead and the back of her neck stuck out like hair, and her eyes, amethystine as one would already know, were slender and pretty. She was rather thin and not really that tall, her figure slender yet shapely and with the right curves. She wore a ruby with a golden fastener on her head, a small white top with gold lining, only covering her chest and the neckline, a long, flowing skirt up to her shins, with tassels at the ends, slipper-like sandals, and golden bracelets and anklets. The falcon woman sighed, wringing her burnt cloak dry from the water.
Tricky snickered. The falcon looked at him, her voice hardly changing, "What?"
He answered, "I thought you were a guy!"
Krystal also chuckled, "Well, yeah, that's true... your voice may be pretty and all but... it was kinda low... and they way you approached us..."
"Hey, I was in disguise, all right?" the woman dryly said as she approached Fox to closer to him. She threw away the burlap cloak, deciding she hated wearing that thing anyway.
Krystal examined the woman's clothing. "Excuse me, but....... are you.... Cerenian?"
"No."
"Then...... what are you?"
The woman only glared. She turned to Fox but still spoke to Krystal, "I only came for you friend, McCloud-san."
"What did you come for?" Fox asked.
The falcon took a deep breath and started to explain to him, "I had a dream..."
"We don't wanna know if ya had a dream! What did you come for?" Tricky interrupted.
"SHADDUP!!!" the falcon barked as she kicked Tricky twenty feet from where he stood.
Fox merely watched his little companion fly then turned back to the vicious lady, "What is this dream?"
She continued, "I saw... four stars... a gold, a ruby, an emerald, and a sapphire. Each and every one of those stars shone brightly, more brightly than any other star in the sky. In fact, the gold shone the brightest, but the other three-the ruby, the emerald, and the sapphire, helped in sharing the light. But one day, these stars fell. The deaths of these stars were slow, agonizing, tragic yet sudden. Yet the gold star was able to shine brightly without the other three. And then..."
"And then..."
"Those three stars... the ones they fell... they were replaced... by three, dark stars..."
Fox raised an eyebrow. Tricky staggered back with a big welt on his head.
"Let me ask you a question..." the woman continued, "Your late teammates..."
"Late? They're still alive!"
"Oh, really..."
"Yes," Krystal said. "They came yesterday. Their wounds have healed, and they miraculously survived."
"Have they?"
"Huh?"
The woman cleared her throat before resuming, "Fox, your Team is dead."
"No, they're not."
"Yes, they are."
"They're not! Look!" Fox said, pointing to the entrance of the EarthWalker Palace. The woman looked with her raptorial eyes. Sure enough, there was Peppy, Slippy, and Falco, conversing with each other casually as they ate their lunch.
The falcon shook her head. "That's not them."
"What?"
"Do I have to repeat myself? That's NOT your Team."
"Do you need an eye check, or perhaps you don't even know what Peppy Hare, Slippy Toad, and Falco Lombardi look like?"
"I know what they look like," the falcon grumbled agitatedly, "And that's NOT what they look like?"
"WHAT???"
Krystal eyed the woman, "Wait.... how... do you know...?"
"I think I should be asking that question to you," the falcon shot back.
Krystal hesitated, glanced at Tricky, then back to the woman. "I... just sensed... something wrong with Fox's Team, but I couldn't point it out..."
"Oh, please..." Fox moaned.
The woman nodded, "You were correct, Krystal-san. Something is wrong with Fox's 'Team.' But how CAN you point it out? Watch them. Watch closely. Very closely. Watch their movements, the way they speak... even look into their eyes, you'll see something different about the 'Team'."
"Okay, that's it!" Fox had it enough. "I am getting sick of this! Why don't you tell your delusional dreams and visions to someone else and go away? Make like the wind and blow!"
"Oh, wise guy, are ya..." the falcon said with grumbling in her tone.
"Yeah, wise guy, I am, stupid gal, you are! Now scram!"
"Fine..." the woman groused as she threw her arms forward. "But soon enough, Fox McCloud, you'll see.... and your life will pay for it, just like your Team did." Immediately she turned to walk, but once she took her first step she fell back into the river, falling into the deeper end and splashing.
Krystal scratched her head. "I thought by now she'd know about that river..."
"Poor girl."
***
Four hours later, the falcon woman was seen storming through the forest, grumbling. As soon as she saw a boulder she immediately set her rear on it and sat down, crossing her slender arms and legs.
The three shadows, the ones roaming about in Cape Claw with halos over their heads, saw the woman and walked to her. The woman heard them coming, but she didn't bother to turn her head to look at them. She let them sit by her as she griped.
The first shadow spoke, "It didn't go very well, did it? I'm sorry to say, Serena, but the way you approached Fox was.... well.... not what I would say 'Graceful'."
"Shaddup!" the girl shot back. "I tried my best, but NOOOO!!! Fox wouldn't listen! I guess he'll just have to learn the hard way!"
"NO!" the second shadow yelled. "Don't let him learn the hard way, please!"
"That's right," the third agreed. "If you do..... Fox will die...."
((to be continued.))
What do you think? Please review and let me know!
*** Chapter 3: Star Gazing Warnings
"FALCO??? PEPPY??? SLIPPY???"
Falco stood by Shabunga, holding a strong grip on his wrist as Peppy and Slippy stood behind them and quickly grabbed the hat and spectacles. Falco took hold of his shades and placed them over his green eyes then twisted Shabunga's wrist until a sickening crack was heard. Shabunga wailed and yelped then started running (even if he didn't have any legs) around the Hollow then to his store, leaving behind his burlap bag.
Fox watched Shabunga cower then turned back to what he thought was his dead Team. Peppy placed his spectacles on his nose and Slippy his hat on his head, and both said in unison with Falco, "Hello, Fox."
"You're alive..." Fox muttered.
Tricky's eyes widened. He shivered and slowly back off, taking baby steps backwards. Krystal did the same, her hand close to her staff.
Fox ran to his Team and gave them a light hug, the Team doing the same. Slippy smiled, "Sorry, Fox, did we worry you?"
"Hell, yeah!" Fox said as he punched him lightly on the shoulder. He examined him and Falco and Peppy. Their clothes were burnt and stained with dry blood. Dry blood. They must have been lying around here somewhere and just recovered from where they were as survivors.
Survivors... "Where were you this whole time?" Fox asked.
"We found ourselves near the entrance to Cape Claw here on ThornTail Hollow... we have no idea how we ended up there, but..... well... we were there," Peppy said smiling and shrugging.
"That's a relief..." Fox sighed. He faced Krystal and Tricky, who were standing there as if they've seen a monster. "What's the matter with you two?"
"Uh......" Tricky murmured.
"C'mon, you guys!" Fox said as he wrapped his arms around Falco and Slippy. "My Team... they survived!"
"Yeah..." Krystal said as she let go of her staff.
***
In Cape Claw, two SharpClaws were happily eating their chicken dinner, hanging out like it was just another day. They chit chatted about things to their own concern, not knowing of a beaked stranger in a burlap cloak approaching them.
One SharpClaw noticed the figure. "Aye, may I help you, sir?"
Unseen amethystine orbs looked up to the first SharpClaw. That low, beautiful, melancholy voice spoke, "I seek one that is of the name... Fox McCloud."
"Fox McCloud?"
"I know Fox McCloud, yes," the second SharpClaw said looking up. "Met 'im at Ice Mountain, yes... At dat time, I worked fo' General Scales... Not anymore, though."
"I see..." the stranger said in an almost soft whisper.
The first SharpClaw wiped his mouth, "I 'ear 'e's in ThornTail Hollow, yes... He crashed and three of his teammates kicked the bucket."
"I know," the figure said, again in an almost soft whisper.
"Huh?"
"I'll be one my way now. Thank you, gentlemen," the stranger said bowing as it turned to leave, slowly walking. The two SharpClaws watched it disappear in the bushes.
The SharpClaw remained silent for five minutes then resumed eating. That's when they decided to drop lunch and hurry to ThornTail Hollow before that stranger gets there first.
***
***The Next Day...***
Slippy rolled out from under Krystal's ship then took the handkerchief Tricky held for him and wiped his oily hands. He walked to Krystal and smiled, "There ya go, Krystal-san, all fixed up!"
"Thanks, Slippy..." she said dryly.
As Slippy left for EarthWalker Palace for lunch, Fox approached Krystal, who held an expressionless face. He asked her, "Krystal? What's the matter?"
"I dunno....... don't you see anything strange with your Team?"
"Other then the fact they're hard-core survivors, no I don't."
"That's not what I meant!"
"Huh?"
Krystal looked back at Slippy. "I dunno... there's something strange about your Team... I can't seem to point it out, though... it's just that..."
Two reptilian voices screamed at a distance. "Fox!"
"What the-?" Fox turned to where he heard the voices. Two SharpClaw were running towards his direction. The young fox quickly turned to Krystal and grabbed her staff and armed herself. Krystal gaped in anger.
The SharpClaw held up their palms in yield. "Don't! We come in peace!"
"What do you want?" Krystal said as she snatched her staff back, causing a burn in Fox's hands.
"YEEEEOOOOOWWW!!!"
"Sorry."
"What is it?" Fox asked clenched his fists.
"We come ta warn yeh... some stranga' in a burlap cloak is coming ta get yeh!" The second SharpClaw warned.
Krystal's ears twitched. "A burlap cloak? Why would anyone wear such a thing? Wouldn't it be super itchy?"
"Who's this stranger?" Fox questioned.
The first SharpClaw replied, "Some fella with a beak... a CloudRunner probably..."
"A CloudRunner, huh..." Fox repeated. He thought for a while then smiled, "Thanks for the warning guys. I'll watch out for this... CloudRunner guy..."
***
In the forests near the entrance to Cape Claw, three shadows roamed about. Each of them plodded and wobbled, as if confusingly walking in the dark. They were, after, truly confused... they had no idea where they are... who they are... why they're there....
All they know is this...
Three rings were floating above their heads, one ring over each head...
Floating...
Like halos....
***
"Do you really think some... CloudRunner will come wearing a burlap cloak?" Krystal asked as she sat under a tree with Fox, biting into a Dumbledang Pod.
Fox gulped down his last Puk Puk egg when he shrugged, "Do you really think he won't come by? If he's some kind of bad guy, I'll take him on!"
"That reminds me..." Krystal took her staff and held its sharp end near Fox's nose, "Don't you EVER take my staff like that again!"
Fox fell back, "Okay, okay, I got the point! Put that thing before someone (hopefully not me) will get hurt!"
"Isn't that the point, Fox?" the blue vixen said as she sheathed her staff.
Tricky, who was lying by Fox's tail, moaned, "It's a good thing those SharpClaws came by to warn us! Once that CloudRunner comes by, tell me so I'll hide!"
"Wait, a minute," Fox said, "I thought the EarthWalker and CloudRunner Tribes already made peace with each other!"
"Not completely!"
Krystal turned to gaze into the trees when movement was seen in the bushes. She nudged Fox, "Uh, Fox..."
"Hide me!" Tricky yelped as he hid under Fox's furry tail.
Out from the bushes that stranger, that beaked figure in a burlap cloak walked out, both arms in each other's sleeves and head down, walking like a monk. Fox was not exactly intimidated by the figure's appearance, but it was enough for him to snatch Krystal's staff again. This angered her again, and she snatched it back, giving Fox another burn in his hands. "YEEEEEEOOOOWW!!!"
"That's your fault!" Krystal grumbled.
"Fox..." the stranger spoke, that low, melancholy yet beautiful voice calling out to him, as if sounding like some sort of angel. The stranger kept walking forward closer and closer to Fox, and even though it was fifty feet away, Fox backed up a few steps, sweat dripping from his brow.
He stepped backing away when the stranger blindly fell into a hole. Krystal's eyes widened and pointed out to it, "I was... about to warn him about that hole."
The stranger coughed, stood up, dusted itself, and climbed up when Shabunga ran into it, holding his sack, while being chased by a ThornTail. The stranger fell back in, falling right on its head.
Tricky watched the whole thing, his eyes also widening. He came out of hiding to have a closer look at this stranger.
The stranger climbed back out and wobbled to Fox's direction, but dizziness filled its head from falling into the same hole twice. It ran right into a Dumbledang Pod tree, causing eight pods to fall on its head.
Fox, Krystal, and Tricky just stared.
The stranger held its head and wobbled around, then bumped into a pile of rocks. One of the rocks fell and landed on the figure's foot, causing it to hop up and down holding that flattened foot. Scarabs from under those rocks came out and crawled all over the figure, making it scream like a girl and fall into the same hole it fell twice in.
Fox, Krystal, and Tricky still stared.
As soon as it crawled back out, a flying creature soon began flying around the stranger's head. The stranger started yelling and waving its arms, "Shoo! Go away! Go pester someone else!" The flying creature remained to hang around the stranger, clawing its hood and head. Krystal glanced at Fox then took her staff and aimed at the flying creature. She shot a fire blast at it, causing the creature to burn. The ashes of the creature fell on the stranger's head, going into its eyes, making it wobble backwards and fall into a different hole.
Fox, Krystal, and Tricky still stared.
The stranger crawled back out when Shabunga ran into it again. The stranger didn't fall back into the hole, rather, it got a chance to be ran over by the chasing ThornTail. A Bafomdad came out of nowhere and hopped on the figure's head, and the figure had to flick it off its dizzy head. It got up and started walking towards Fox (who is now further away from the stranger) when a small stray missile hit its head (Q: where did that missile come from? A: From Slippy's accidentally pulling of the trigger of his bazooka nearby). Just when it couldn't get any worse, a herd of ThornTail stampeded over the stranger, then a lit Fireweed rolled on the burlap cloak, lighting it on fire. The figure screamed and ran around then tripped and fell into the river, extinguishing the flames.
Panting was heard from the person, angry, frustrated panting. "THAT'S IT!!! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
Fox, Krystal, and Tricky still (you guessed it) stared.
The figure took hold of the burnt cloak and ripped it off, revealing itself.
Fox couldn't believe it. Before him was a young peregrine falcon woman in Cerenian clothing, with purple and white feathers instead of black or brown and white. The feathers on her forehead and the back of her neck stuck out like hair, and her eyes, amethystine as one would already know, were slender and pretty. She was rather thin and not really that tall, her figure slender yet shapely and with the right curves. She wore a ruby with a golden fastener on her head, a small white top with gold lining, only covering her chest and the neckline, a long, flowing skirt up to her shins, with tassels at the ends, slipper-like sandals, and golden bracelets and anklets. The falcon woman sighed, wringing her burnt cloak dry from the water.
Tricky snickered. The falcon looked at him, her voice hardly changing, "What?"
He answered, "I thought you were a guy!"
Krystal also chuckled, "Well, yeah, that's true... your voice may be pretty and all but... it was kinda low... and they way you approached us..."
"Hey, I was in disguise, all right?" the woman dryly said as she approached Fox to closer to him. She threw away the burlap cloak, deciding she hated wearing that thing anyway.
Krystal examined the woman's clothing. "Excuse me, but....... are you.... Cerenian?"
"No."
"Then...... what are you?"
The woman only glared. She turned to Fox but still spoke to Krystal, "I only came for you friend, McCloud-san."
"What did you come for?" Fox asked.
The falcon took a deep breath and started to explain to him, "I had a dream..."
"We don't wanna know if ya had a dream! What did you come for?" Tricky interrupted.
"SHADDUP!!!" the falcon barked as she kicked Tricky twenty feet from where he stood.
Fox merely watched his little companion fly then turned back to the vicious lady, "What is this dream?"
She continued, "I saw... four stars... a gold, a ruby, an emerald, and a sapphire. Each and every one of those stars shone brightly, more brightly than any other star in the sky. In fact, the gold shone the brightest, but the other three-the ruby, the emerald, and the sapphire, helped in sharing the light. But one day, these stars fell. The deaths of these stars were slow, agonizing, tragic yet sudden. Yet the gold star was able to shine brightly without the other three. And then..."
"And then..."
"Those three stars... the ones they fell... they were replaced... by three, dark stars..."
Fox raised an eyebrow. Tricky staggered back with a big welt on his head.
"Let me ask you a question..." the woman continued, "Your late teammates..."
"Late? They're still alive!"
"Oh, really..."
"Yes," Krystal said. "They came yesterday. Their wounds have healed, and they miraculously survived."
"Have they?"
"Huh?"
The woman cleared her throat before resuming, "Fox, your Team is dead."
"No, they're not."
"Yes, they are."
"They're not! Look!" Fox said, pointing to the entrance of the EarthWalker Palace. The woman looked with her raptorial eyes. Sure enough, there was Peppy, Slippy, and Falco, conversing with each other casually as they ate their lunch.
The falcon shook her head. "That's not them."
"What?"
"Do I have to repeat myself? That's NOT your Team."
"Do you need an eye check, or perhaps you don't even know what Peppy Hare, Slippy Toad, and Falco Lombardi look like?"
"I know what they look like," the falcon grumbled agitatedly, "And that's NOT what they look like?"
"WHAT???"
Krystal eyed the woman, "Wait.... how... do you know...?"
"I think I should be asking that question to you," the falcon shot back.
Krystal hesitated, glanced at Tricky, then back to the woman. "I... just sensed... something wrong with Fox's Team, but I couldn't point it out..."
"Oh, please..." Fox moaned.
The woman nodded, "You were correct, Krystal-san. Something is wrong with Fox's 'Team.' But how CAN you point it out? Watch them. Watch closely. Very closely. Watch their movements, the way they speak... even look into their eyes, you'll see something different about the 'Team'."
"Okay, that's it!" Fox had it enough. "I am getting sick of this! Why don't you tell your delusional dreams and visions to someone else and go away? Make like the wind and blow!"
"Oh, wise guy, are ya..." the falcon said with grumbling in her tone.
"Yeah, wise guy, I am, stupid gal, you are! Now scram!"
"Fine..." the woman groused as she threw her arms forward. "But soon enough, Fox McCloud, you'll see.... and your life will pay for it, just like your Team did." Immediately she turned to walk, but once she took her first step she fell back into the river, falling into the deeper end and splashing.
Krystal scratched her head. "I thought by now she'd know about that river..."
"Poor girl."
***
Four hours later, the falcon woman was seen storming through the forest, grumbling. As soon as she saw a boulder she immediately set her rear on it and sat down, crossing her slender arms and legs.
The three shadows, the ones roaming about in Cape Claw with halos over their heads, saw the woman and walked to her. The woman heard them coming, but she didn't bother to turn her head to look at them. She let them sit by her as she griped.
The first shadow spoke, "It didn't go very well, did it? I'm sorry to say, Serena, but the way you approached Fox was.... well.... not what I would say 'Graceful'."
"Shaddup!" the girl shot back. "I tried my best, but NOOOO!!! Fox wouldn't listen! I guess he'll just have to learn the hard way!"
"NO!" the second shadow yelled. "Don't let him learn the hard way, please!"
"That's right," the third agreed. "If you do..... Fox will die...."
((to be continued.))
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