Author's Note: I don't anything here. All related to StarFox and StarFox
Adventures belong to Nintendo and Rare. Anything related to Japanese
mythology (Jigoku and the chains) belong to... well, Japanese mythology.
Otherwise the only thing I own here is the plot and Diva and Starr Jenson,
Kuro Youkai, and his pet Golden Bafomdad and all the other ones as well.
Sorry if the plot strays, the second part of the story is a bit chaotic,
I'm struggling to keep face. I've been writing this fic ever since
November, and it's near completion now, but that doesn't mean I'll update
my fic every day because of school. I'm afraid updating this fic will be
slower than ever... I'm updating at the point where hardly left has been
written, so if you want this fic to be updated after this, please be
patient. I have demands in life that keep me from the things I enjoy doing.
;_; Please review after reading. Thank you.
~~Imagen~~
***
Part II
Chapter 7: "Drifting Away"
***
Several days have passed. The StarFox ghosts roamed about aimlessly in the SnowHorn Wastes as if waiting for something to happen. Tricky moped around, wondering what happened to Fox. Meanwhile, the ghost of James watched over Fox, taking care of his sick son. Poor Fox was too faint to realize that a ghost was providing his needs, and James was glad of that. All Fox did was eat, drink, sleep, eat, drink, sleep. He didn't even think about who was helping him. All he did was focus on getting better so he can continue his journey.
One day, while James was gathering fresh, clean, cold water from the lake as Fox slept the rest of his flu away, the Nekomata Tenshi approached the undead fox with saddened eyes. James asked, "Mistress Nekomata... what is it?"
"I have tragic news, and I am terribly sorry I came too late. The Krazoa are trapped in the borders of the living and the dead worlds..."
"You mean......... they were pulled into Jigoku??????"
"Not quite. Only the borderline, like one would be at the beach as the borderline of the ocean. Right now all six of the Krazoa are pinned near the gates. Escape is impossible for them."
"!@#!#!@$$ @% !$^!&!!##%!$! !@$!$ @$!@$%!# !!@%%#$!!@$@$!" James spat out an array of swear words, some not even the biggest potty-mouths in the galaxy would recognize. The Nekomata Tenshi has never seen anyone so mad or so upset.
"That's it! We're doomed!" James concluded. "Fox is sick! The Krazoa are trapped! The StarFox Team is dead! The Golden Bafomdads are stolen! And now Dinosaur Planet will crumble again and maybe this time it'll explode! What's left? NOTHING!!!"
"You're giving up that quickly, McCloud-san?" the tenshi asked.
James sighed and sat on a rock. He took a glance at Fox, who was sleeping soundly. "If I was alive... I wouldn't. I couldn't, and I shouldn't. But I'm not the hero I used to be. Fox is now a greater leader than I ever was. If he was well he would think of something... but I don't know... what is left to do? Is there anyway we can do anything to stop General Scales?"
The Tenshi paced around Fox, her crystal eyes watching him snooze. ".............. There is a way."
"REALLY???"
"Yes. The Krazoa themselves even know of this, but they never told anyone, not even Fox, because they were afraid it might be used against them. Only the living can do this, however, for if a spirit even comes near it, crossing over will be done quickly."
"What is it???"
"In the Walled City... there was a treasure chest with a spirit weapon inside."
"A spirit weapon? What is it, a sword? A mace? A spear?"
"I'm not quite sure... it's only a rumor."
James face falls.
"This spirit weapon can be used to exorcise ghosts and set them free from their undead curse. If a ghost seeking justice is struck with the weapon, the ghost will find rest and sleep peacefully in eternal bliss. If a ghost is filled with malice and blood-thirst, he will immediately be sent to Jigoku."
"You mean-"
"That's right, James. Let's say Fox wields the weapon and strikes General Scales. It would be HE who would open the gates. The very moment the weapon touches the spirit's being, the gates would open, chains will fly out, and it will only be Scales who would be pulled down. No one else."
"Oh, gawd............... there is hope...."
"Of course, it is only a rumor."
"Greeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaat..."
"Rumor that it's in Walled City."
James lifted an eyebrow. "Meaning..."
"The location is a rumor. The existence of the weapon is as true as you being a cat."
"I'm a fox!"
"Oh......... I knew that..."
James turned to glance at Fox again, who was mumbling something in his sleep. "Turn left, Slippy............. no......... Your other left.......... and Peppy.......... stop eating my apple pie...... that's mine....... go get your own...........ZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZz......"
Both James and the tenshi were silent.
The tenshi continued, "The chest has a lock, and the key is hidden not too far from it. I suggest you and the rest of the ghosts go search for the chest and the key, but don't open it- Let Fox do the opening."
"But-"
"While you're away, I'll be watching Fox from above and help him heal. By the time you find the chest and the key, Fox will be up and ready. I'll tell him to meet you wherever you are."
James hesitated. He took a deep breath, thinking about what the tenshi suggested. Hope was nuzzling the older fox's leg, encouraging him. James smiled then looked back at the Nekomata, "Thank you for everything. Please take care of Fox. We'll be back as soon as possible."
"Good. The ghosts are in the SnowHorn Wastes. My sister will prepare them," she said as she vanished.
***
While chaos fell deeper and deeper in Dinosaur Planet, beyond anyone's knowledge in that world, someone was watching the planet fall apart.
A pilot in the Cornerian Army was watching the radars of the Lylat System when he noticed something disturbing about Dinosaur Planet. He tried not to panic, but eventually he broke into sweat and breathing shortly. "General Pepper, SIR!!!"
"Calm down, rookie! At ease," the General of the Army reassured as he advanced to the recruit. "What is it?"
"You have to take a look at this, sir!"
'What???' General Pepper cannot believe his eyes. What seemed to be chunks of earth were floating about a crumbling planet at the edge of the galaxy, floating about like moons around a planet. "Oh, gawd... Dinosaur Planet is falling apart again! And this time it's not four large chunks, but....." he paused as he counted the visible debris. "Eight!"
"E-Eight, sir???"
"You'd better believe it! This is an emergency! Contact StarFox right now!"
"I'm afraid we can't do that, sir," the rookie sighed. "We were just reported that the StarFox Team has died in a crash landing to Dinosaur Planet."
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT??????!!!!!!!"
***
James cannot believe his eyes. As he ran out of the CloudRunner regions, bits and pieces of the planet began to tear then separate, falling apart. Slowly, as the planet shook and rumbled, from pieces as small as basketballs to as large as a small country, ripped from the planet's body, free-floating up to space. James looked everywhere, left, right, in front, behind, down, and up. "Five giant chunks of the planet..." he counted. He felt there were more, and there was- he just couldn't see it.
***
Tricky was by the river in the SnowHorn Wastes, drinking water when he felt the rumbling of the planet and witnessed its falling apart. He was even standing on a rising piece of ground while he was drinking. His mouth left the river without him lifting his head, and when he realized the ground beneath him was lifting, he panicked and started screaming as it rose higher and higher.
The Kitsune Tenshi heard the little EarthWalker's cries. "Shhhh, don't worry... I'm here," she said gently as she approached Tricky while holding a large burlap bag.
Tricky didn't hesitate. "GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!!!"
The Kitsune wrapped one of her nine tails around Tricky then leaped off the platform. She slowly fell, as the winds beneath them were gently breezing them up and provided a break on the fall. Tricky panicked and covered his eyes, too afraid to watch himself descend to the earth.
Krystal noticed him in the sky. "Tricky???"
"Don't worry," the Kitsune told her as she set the frightened dinosaur on the ground. "I got a hold of him before his piece of land left for space."
"What's going on???!!!" Slippy shouted. "Why are pieces of the ground floating up???"
"Can't you tell, Toad-san? The planet is falling apart."
"AGAIN???!!!"
"There's not much time until this planet will completely tear apart," the Kitsune began. "With the Krazoa at the borderline of Jigoku, I doubt there will be any way left to bring Dinosaur Planet together."
"The Krazoa are WHAT???" Diva spat as she crawled out of another hole she fell in.
Just then, before more chaos would break into the StarFox Team, the Nekomata Tenshi appeared like a mist in dry land. As soon as she took on her form, the ghosts jumped back in surprise.
"What is it, sister?" the Kitsune asked.
The Nekomata sighed. "Good news and bad news."
"Let's hear the bad news first!" Slippy shouted.
"Fox is ill with influenza."
"HE HAS THE FLU???" Krystal screeched. "How could he be sick in a time like this???"
"And as you already know, the planet is falling apart."
"Tell us something we DON'T know!" Peppy remarked.
"How is this, then, Hare-San? An old friend of yours will join you in your next mission, and that is to find this Spirit Weapon. It is heard it lies in Walled City, but you must find only its chest and key. Only Fox, who is of the living, can wield it and use it against spirits."
"Meaning that he'll use it... for Scales, right?" Slippy questioned. The Tenshis nodded. The frog leaped. "WOOHOO!!!"
"Who is this 'old friend'?" Peppy asked, a bit skeptical.
"Do you remember me, Pep'?" a familiar voice spoke behind the old rabbit.
Peppy spun around. "JAMES???!!!"
James smiled gently. "It's been a while, pal."
***
Light-years away, beyond the floating debris of the planet, shooting by the stars and tearing through the darkness, two ships flew swiftly like diving peregrines at their prey. One of the two lead the other, the dark green and white one, sleek and sharp with knife-like wings, the ship known as a Cornerian Fighter. The other one was broad, painted with pink and white, it being dubbed the CatsPaw.
"What a disaster," the pilot in the slender ship sighed as his heart sank. His eyes scanned the chaos through his black visor, almost tearing and wanting to turn away. He bowed his head, muttering sadly, "Fox... no wonder you were reported dead... how could you survive that...?" But then, he remembered what his close friend reported to him about his first adventure on Dinosaur Planet. There were survivors. Lots of them, in fact. Even though the planet was falling apart, the dwellers of Dinosaur Planet managed to survive despite the turmoil. There was hope. The pilot continued to murmur, leaning back on his seat. "No... you have to be alive... You can't be killed off that easily..."
"Bill, are you talking to yourself again?!" a woman's voice yowled through her comlink.
Bill Grey, a young greyhound and a best friend of Fox, jumped on his seat, surprised. "What the-"
"I can hear you, ya know!"
"Oh, shut up, Katt. Did you have a good look at the planet?"
"What planet?"
"Are you even looking?"
"I dunno! Am I?"
Bill leaned to his side to have a peek at his comrade. Katt Monroe, a pink angora cat a bit older than he was slumping on her chair, her small feet on the controls and her hands playing with a cat's cradle. Bill groaned, guessing his ally placed her ship on auto-pilot. "KATT!!! Put that stupid string down and look at Dinosaur Planet!"
"HOLY $#!+!" Katt screamed as soon as her amethystine eyes glimpsed at the crumbling planet. "What the hell happened to Dinosaur Planet? ...Or what's left of it..."
"We have barely any time left, Katt," Bill told her. "We have to find Fox now or else-"
"Wait a minute!" Katt interrupted. "We're not actually going there... are we?"
Bill boosted up his thrusters. "Believe it or not, kitty! Here we go!"
Katt groaned.
***
No one was watching the sleeping Fox. No one. Not even the birds who flew around in the trees or the insects that crawled between the blades of grass. None of them even noticed the chunk of earth beneath the vulpine as it cracked and tore, floating up and defying gravity. Fox didn't feel the rumble at all. He didn't even feel the cold chill of air as the piece of earth flew higher and higher, departing from the crumbling Dinosaur Planet.
***
"James...... as in James McCloud?" Diva spattered.
The old fox grinned at the speechless Krystal. "Krystal-san... what a pleasure to meet you. As you already know from your friends, I'm James McCloud, Fox's father."
"H-Hello..." Krystal shook.
"What are you doing here?" Peppy questioned. "I thought you were-"
"Dead?" James looked around for a good tree to walk through, which was only a few feet from him. The vulpine proved to his lagomorphine wingman by walking through it like air. Peppy, despite his being without a body, nearly felt faint.
Slippy gasped. "You ARE dead!"
"For about over nine years, to be exact," James nodded. "Believe me, it's not fun being a ghost, but it does have its advantages."
"How did you come here to Dinosaur Planet?" Krystal asked.
"For those many years of being in the afterlife, I've remained by Fox's side in the Great Fox." He turned to Slippy and Peppy, "Do you two recall any 'strange noises' in the Great Fox over the past several years?"
The frog and rabbit glanced at each other than turned to the fox. "THAT WAS YOU???!!!"
James chuckled.
Diva began to sadden. "Jim... you were James all along... Fox's father... Weren't you set at rest when Fox finally defeated Andross?"
"No, unfortunately."
"Then wha-"
"Right now is not a good time to have a chat," the Tenshis reminded the ghosts. "You guys have to search for the Spirit Weapon, remember?"
"Oh...................... we knew that!"
***
"Pretty, pretty SpellStones..." Kuro whispered as he gazed into the SpellStones' shimmering beauty as he sat by a temple pyramid in Walled City. Beside him was a bag squirming with Golden Bafomdads inside... plus one more, Drip, with the StarFox Badge still shining on his belly. He was snoring and snoozing while "guarding" the bag.
"Lazy bum," Kuro muttered as he popped a snot bubble blowing from Drip's nose. As the bubble burst, he heard loud screeching in the air. He looked up, seeing two ships flying into Dinosaur Planet's atmosphere. "Ah, looks like we got company," he chuckled to himself as he yawned and stretched himself. "Seems like Fox will be getting some help... I wonder who those guys are..."
"If you're here, then how can we put you to rest?" Kuro heard the high- pitched voice of Slippy yell across the field. Upon hearing the frog's voice he kicked his accomplice, waking him up, grabbing the bag and the Bafomdad then hiding by the side of the pyramid. He and Drip leaned to the side to witness the StarFox Team with a new (or old) leader guiding them.
Kuro was surprised to see the elder McCloud. 'Fox?' he thought. 'No, it can't be... he's dead? YES!!! Now I don't have to- oh, wait! He looks older! And he's wearing glasses! Is he.... Darn! It's someone else! Looks like I have to keep an eye on him...'
***
"Whoa! Watch out!" Diva warned as a piece of earth rumbled under Peppy's feet. The old rabbit leaped off just in time before the large chunk of dirt rose and continued to rise until it was fifty feet in the air.
"What's going on?" Slippy gasped. "That piece of ground..... it's fifty feet in the air... it hardly left the atmosphere..."
"Yet it's floating like it's in space..." Peppy finished off.
James nodded. "Gravity defying. I'm having a bad feeling about this..."
Diva glared. "Don't we all?"
"It's different! I have a feeling I know what's going on-"
"Duh! The planet's falling apart!"
"Not that!" The old fox sighed, "There's a reason why the planet's crumbling..."
Krystal thought for a moment. "It's............. because the SpellStones are removed?"
"Awwwwww!!! Not again!" Diva groaned. James, his patience finally running out, slapped his furry hand on the falcon's beak.
Diva fought back by biting his hand. "OW!!!" James decided not to fight with the girl and simply shook his hand as he turned back to the group. "I've got a feeling Scales have those Stones. If we find that Spirit Weapon and give it to Fox, then we can get it back."
"Sounds like a good plan," Peppy nodded, everyone else agreeing. Diva was spitting out the fur she bit off James's hand.
***
While the StarFox Team ran around Walled City like they were on a wild goose chase, Drip was left alone to play a little game of espionage.
Kuro, who sat quietly in a tree, was also spying on the Team. 'A Spirit Weapon, eh?' he thought. A devious smirk appeared on his beak. 'Heh! They'll never find it. Even if they find the chest, there's no way they'll open it...' He stood up from the tree branch he sat on and vanished. In only a matter of seconds he reappeared behind Drip, who jumped in surprise. "You still have the key with you, right?" Kuro asked.
Drip nodded and groaned, as if flinching.
Kuro ignored the flinching. "Now to get that chest..."
***
Night fell. The search was for naught. When James saw Sister Moon return to the sky for her nightly stroll, he reassembled the StarFox Team. Everyone came and met at the gates... everyone, that is, except Diva.
"Where's that Miss Serena?" James asked.
"Diva?" Slippy sighed. "She probably fell into another hole again."
"Or maybe the river," Peppy commented.
"I didn't think she was THAT clumsy..." James muttered.
An idea popped in Slippy's head. "I know!"
"What is it?"
"Why don't we have Diva look around for the chest?!"
"If your plan was to have Diva fall in every hole in the Walled City, I doubt it'll work."
"But it'll be effective!"
James slapped his own face, exasperated. "Slippy, you're the most intelligent member of the Team, but I never thought you would make such a stupid plan like-"
"GUYS!!!" Diva shouted on top of her lungs from inside a deep hole where a piece of land used to be before it crumbled then rose. "I think I found it! There's a chest in here, and it has a Krazoa picture painted on the lid!"
James turned slowly where he heard Diva shout with his mouth agape, speechless. Slippy gave him the cocky "I-told-you-so" look. Krystal and Peppy laughed.
"Now all we need is the key!" Krystal said. "Do you think we should keep having Diva fall in all the holes here in the city?"
"Krystal....."
"MY BADGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Tricky screeched. Everyone turned to where they heard the EarthWalker prince screech and watched the dinosaur run across the field chasing a Golden Bafomdad with a StarFox badge pinned on his belly.
"That Bafomdad thief..." Slippy murmured.
Krystal began stepping back in upset. "Oh, gawd... that means..."
"Kuro Youkai is nearby," James finished for her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Father? Father?"
"Fox..."
"Father?"
A three year old fox pup ran aimlessly in the piercing darkness, frightened and panicking. Tears fell from his eyes in fear, and ultimately the boy tripped and fell on his face. He sat up, sitting on his legs, his tail twitching. Little Fox rubbed his eyes, crying them out in pain and fear.
"Papa...."
"I'm right here, Fox."
Fox looked up. Standing tall before him was his father, James McCloud, looking brave while wearing his StarFox uniform and shades. He always looked that cool.
The little boy cried out in joy and jumped up, and with arms out and wide open little Fox ran to his father. "Papa!" But as soon as his arms would wrap around his parent, James vanished quickly in thin air. Fox watched him disappear, shocked and speechless. He fell on his knees again when he shed one more tear. "Papa..."
"Fox... I'm sorry... but..."
The young vulpine looked behind him. A rabbit about his father's age stood there with sad eyes, as if he was about to lament with him. "I am... incredibly sorry..."
"Peppy?"
"But... your father... is... not coming back..."
"What?"
"I'm sorry.... he's... dead..."
"No!" Fox slapped his paws on the sides of his face, now a young teenager of fifteen. Sobs rose from his throat and a river flowed his grieving eyes as soon as he heard the lagomorphine's words. "No... it's not true... IT'S NOT TRUE!!! HE'S CAN'T BE DEAD!!! FATHER!!!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Father..." Fox muttered in his sleep. He twisted and turned underneath his blanket, sweat dripping from his brow... he was having another one of those nightmares.
***
"Talk about gravity defying," Katt muttered as she and Bill dodged the floating debris all over Dinosaur Planet. They flew over the blossoming gardens of the CloudRunner forests, some of the flower petals blowing against their speeding aircraft. The waters were clears, the skies were blue... but this world is not as beautiful as one would think.
Bill nodded in agreement. "Yeah... this definitely defies the law of gravity and physics... if only I stayed awake during those classes..." As he turned to face the opposite direction to where he leaned against the windshield of his cockpit, he caught something red and furry at the corner of his eye. "F........... FOX!!!"
"FOX??? WHERE???!!!"
"Right there! On top of one of the floating... rock- thingamasomethingabobajigger..." Bill slowly muttered on his comlink, unsure of what to call the floating piece of earth.
***
"The flu??? How could he get sick at a time like this???" Katt growled as she checked on Fox's condition. Bill was soaking his bandana with water then placed it on Fox's forehead. His original soaked cloth probably fell off when he was being carried about by the piece of earth.
Bill smacked Katt on the arm. "Anyone can sick at anytime, you dolt! It's just that sometimes they get sick at the very worst times."
Katt glared knives at the greyhound as she rubbed her arm when she began hearing Fox's moans. "Fox?"
"Huh?" Bill glanced at his best friend. Fox was tossing and turning again in his sleep, mumbling and sweating hard. "I think he's having a nightmare!"
"Then let's wake him up!" Katt grabbed Fox and gently began shaking him. "Fox? FOX!!! WAKE UP!!!" Her gentle shaking soon turned violent, and pretty soon it turned to strangling him, shaking his head, then grabbing his ankles and shaking him upside down.
This immediately made Bill upset. "Katt! Knock it off!"
"I'm trying to wake him up-"
"Even if he's having a nightmare, a person sick with a flu should get some sleep! Now drop him!"
"What?"
"Drop him!"
"If you said so!" Katt literally dropped Fox on his head. Bill, without delay, pummeled her on the head.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Peppy... you're lying... Father's alive... he's alive and well... isn't he?"
Peppy couldn't take it anymore. The boy has to accept the truth... even if he had to shove it in his face. "Fox, just accept the truth! Pigma betrayed us and turned us to Andross! I was able to escape, but your dad wasn't! Face it, Fox! Your father's gone, and he's not coming back!"
"LIAR!!!" Fox lunged at Peppy, his furry hands wrapping around the injured rabbit's neck and choking him. Fox' closest friends... Bill and Slippy... grabbed his shoulders and arms and held him back, pulling him away from the wounded Peppy. But Fox was still struggling, kicking violently and screaming out cries and curses. "You liar! Liar! LIAR!!!"
Peppy's shoulders began heaving. He turned his back, hiding his face. He then began crying. General Pepper, who was by his side, placed his hand on his shoulder, his eyes moistening from guilt of sending such a heroic man to his doom.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Must be a really bad nightmare..." Bill muttered as he watched Fox toss and turn.
Katt sighed and turned to her comrade. "Think we should bring him back to Corneria?"
"Why not? He's very sick... if he stays here any longer, he might get even worse..." he said as he carefully lifted Fox's head, ready to pick him up to take him to his Cornerian Fighter.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I get the point!" Fox yelled out in anger and frustration, throwing his arms into the air. He frowned at Peppy, who was also frowning. "You don't have to lecture me, you old fart! Why do you keep nagging me every time we go into battle like a broken record?"
"Because I'm trying to help!" the rabbit yelled back. "Every single time, you recklessly pull this turn and do this, and then what happens? You break a wing, a waste a bomb... do I have to tell you every single time how to-"
The StarFox leader turned his back on the rabbit and faced Slippy. "And you! Do you even know what you're thinking when you flew into front? For crying out loud, your recklessness always get you trouble! And the fact you can't fly an Arwing very well....."
"You don't have to press it, Fox! I get the point!"
"Are you sure? Do I have to dig it into your thick skull to get you the point that you're not suppose to fly into enemy lines without my word?"
Slippy grumbled as Fox turned to his last wingman. "And you! Especially you! You're the wildest member of the team, and you fly around strutting your stuff and giving away every sneak attack! I truly and especially despise your attitude in that last battle! As Commander of the StarFox Team, I'M the one who makes the orders!"
Falco saluted with the usual sarcastic tone. "Yes, sir, Commander McCloud, sir! And as a wingman of the StarFox Team, I'm the one who ignores the orders."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!" Fox had it. He threw his arms once more in the air, his rage evident in his frustrated growls. He stormed into his room, slamming his door shut and locking it. He leaned on it then slid to the floor, then covered his face with his hands. 'Father... why? Why do I have to put up with this...? How were you able to put up with all this?' he thought. He placed his hands down and glanced at a framed photograph of young five-year-old Fox and his father at a carnival. He stood up and walked to his desk, where the photograph displayed its contents. He picked it up and gently laid his fingers on the part where his father was shown... where his father, smiling happily and holding him as a child closely with ice cream and balloons, was. 'I'm sorry, Father,' Fox thought. 'I'm not cut out as StarFox Leader. I can't do this...'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Macbeth is probably the best place. It's the closest safe planet from Dinosaur Planet," Katt suggested as Bill with the still sleeping Fox flew alongside miles away from the crumbling planet.
Bill looked back as one fifth of the planet separated from the core. "The closest... safest... yeah... let's go there. It's a good thing we got Fox out of there in time."
((to be continued...))
((EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!! Now that the chapter's finished, please review! ;_; ))
~~Imagen~~
***
Part II
Chapter 7: "Drifting Away"
***
Several days have passed. The StarFox ghosts roamed about aimlessly in the SnowHorn Wastes as if waiting for something to happen. Tricky moped around, wondering what happened to Fox. Meanwhile, the ghost of James watched over Fox, taking care of his sick son. Poor Fox was too faint to realize that a ghost was providing his needs, and James was glad of that. All Fox did was eat, drink, sleep, eat, drink, sleep. He didn't even think about who was helping him. All he did was focus on getting better so he can continue his journey.
One day, while James was gathering fresh, clean, cold water from the lake as Fox slept the rest of his flu away, the Nekomata Tenshi approached the undead fox with saddened eyes. James asked, "Mistress Nekomata... what is it?"
"I have tragic news, and I am terribly sorry I came too late. The Krazoa are trapped in the borders of the living and the dead worlds..."
"You mean......... they were pulled into Jigoku??????"
"Not quite. Only the borderline, like one would be at the beach as the borderline of the ocean. Right now all six of the Krazoa are pinned near the gates. Escape is impossible for them."
"!@#!#!@$$ @% !$^!&!!##%!$! !@$!$ @$!@$%!# !!@%%#$!!@$@$!" James spat out an array of swear words, some not even the biggest potty-mouths in the galaxy would recognize. The Nekomata Tenshi has never seen anyone so mad or so upset.
"That's it! We're doomed!" James concluded. "Fox is sick! The Krazoa are trapped! The StarFox Team is dead! The Golden Bafomdads are stolen! And now Dinosaur Planet will crumble again and maybe this time it'll explode! What's left? NOTHING!!!"
"You're giving up that quickly, McCloud-san?" the tenshi asked.
James sighed and sat on a rock. He took a glance at Fox, who was sleeping soundly. "If I was alive... I wouldn't. I couldn't, and I shouldn't. But I'm not the hero I used to be. Fox is now a greater leader than I ever was. If he was well he would think of something... but I don't know... what is left to do? Is there anyway we can do anything to stop General Scales?"
The Tenshi paced around Fox, her crystal eyes watching him snooze. ".............. There is a way."
"REALLY???"
"Yes. The Krazoa themselves even know of this, but they never told anyone, not even Fox, because they were afraid it might be used against them. Only the living can do this, however, for if a spirit even comes near it, crossing over will be done quickly."
"What is it???"
"In the Walled City... there was a treasure chest with a spirit weapon inside."
"A spirit weapon? What is it, a sword? A mace? A spear?"
"I'm not quite sure... it's only a rumor."
James face falls.
"This spirit weapon can be used to exorcise ghosts and set them free from their undead curse. If a ghost seeking justice is struck with the weapon, the ghost will find rest and sleep peacefully in eternal bliss. If a ghost is filled with malice and blood-thirst, he will immediately be sent to Jigoku."
"You mean-"
"That's right, James. Let's say Fox wields the weapon and strikes General Scales. It would be HE who would open the gates. The very moment the weapon touches the spirit's being, the gates would open, chains will fly out, and it will only be Scales who would be pulled down. No one else."
"Oh, gawd............... there is hope...."
"Of course, it is only a rumor."
"Greeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaat..."
"Rumor that it's in Walled City."
James lifted an eyebrow. "Meaning..."
"The location is a rumor. The existence of the weapon is as true as you being a cat."
"I'm a fox!"
"Oh......... I knew that..."
James turned to glance at Fox again, who was mumbling something in his sleep. "Turn left, Slippy............. no......... Your other left.......... and Peppy.......... stop eating my apple pie...... that's mine....... go get your own...........ZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZz......"
Both James and the tenshi were silent.
The tenshi continued, "The chest has a lock, and the key is hidden not too far from it. I suggest you and the rest of the ghosts go search for the chest and the key, but don't open it- Let Fox do the opening."
"But-"
"While you're away, I'll be watching Fox from above and help him heal. By the time you find the chest and the key, Fox will be up and ready. I'll tell him to meet you wherever you are."
James hesitated. He took a deep breath, thinking about what the tenshi suggested. Hope was nuzzling the older fox's leg, encouraging him. James smiled then looked back at the Nekomata, "Thank you for everything. Please take care of Fox. We'll be back as soon as possible."
"Good. The ghosts are in the SnowHorn Wastes. My sister will prepare them," she said as she vanished.
***
While chaos fell deeper and deeper in Dinosaur Planet, beyond anyone's knowledge in that world, someone was watching the planet fall apart.
A pilot in the Cornerian Army was watching the radars of the Lylat System when he noticed something disturbing about Dinosaur Planet. He tried not to panic, but eventually he broke into sweat and breathing shortly. "General Pepper, SIR!!!"
"Calm down, rookie! At ease," the General of the Army reassured as he advanced to the recruit. "What is it?"
"You have to take a look at this, sir!"
'What???' General Pepper cannot believe his eyes. What seemed to be chunks of earth were floating about a crumbling planet at the edge of the galaxy, floating about like moons around a planet. "Oh, gawd... Dinosaur Planet is falling apart again! And this time it's not four large chunks, but....." he paused as he counted the visible debris. "Eight!"
"E-Eight, sir???"
"You'd better believe it! This is an emergency! Contact StarFox right now!"
"I'm afraid we can't do that, sir," the rookie sighed. "We were just reported that the StarFox Team has died in a crash landing to Dinosaur Planet."
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT??????!!!!!!!"
***
James cannot believe his eyes. As he ran out of the CloudRunner regions, bits and pieces of the planet began to tear then separate, falling apart. Slowly, as the planet shook and rumbled, from pieces as small as basketballs to as large as a small country, ripped from the planet's body, free-floating up to space. James looked everywhere, left, right, in front, behind, down, and up. "Five giant chunks of the planet..." he counted. He felt there were more, and there was- he just couldn't see it.
***
Tricky was by the river in the SnowHorn Wastes, drinking water when he felt the rumbling of the planet and witnessed its falling apart. He was even standing on a rising piece of ground while he was drinking. His mouth left the river without him lifting his head, and when he realized the ground beneath him was lifting, he panicked and started screaming as it rose higher and higher.
The Kitsune Tenshi heard the little EarthWalker's cries. "Shhhh, don't worry... I'm here," she said gently as she approached Tricky while holding a large burlap bag.
Tricky didn't hesitate. "GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!!!"
The Kitsune wrapped one of her nine tails around Tricky then leaped off the platform. She slowly fell, as the winds beneath them were gently breezing them up and provided a break on the fall. Tricky panicked and covered his eyes, too afraid to watch himself descend to the earth.
Krystal noticed him in the sky. "Tricky???"
"Don't worry," the Kitsune told her as she set the frightened dinosaur on the ground. "I got a hold of him before his piece of land left for space."
"What's going on???!!!" Slippy shouted. "Why are pieces of the ground floating up???"
"Can't you tell, Toad-san? The planet is falling apart."
"AGAIN???!!!"
"There's not much time until this planet will completely tear apart," the Kitsune began. "With the Krazoa at the borderline of Jigoku, I doubt there will be any way left to bring Dinosaur Planet together."
"The Krazoa are WHAT???" Diva spat as she crawled out of another hole she fell in.
Just then, before more chaos would break into the StarFox Team, the Nekomata Tenshi appeared like a mist in dry land. As soon as she took on her form, the ghosts jumped back in surprise.
"What is it, sister?" the Kitsune asked.
The Nekomata sighed. "Good news and bad news."
"Let's hear the bad news first!" Slippy shouted.
"Fox is ill with influenza."
"HE HAS THE FLU???" Krystal screeched. "How could he be sick in a time like this???"
"And as you already know, the planet is falling apart."
"Tell us something we DON'T know!" Peppy remarked.
"How is this, then, Hare-San? An old friend of yours will join you in your next mission, and that is to find this Spirit Weapon. It is heard it lies in Walled City, but you must find only its chest and key. Only Fox, who is of the living, can wield it and use it against spirits."
"Meaning that he'll use it... for Scales, right?" Slippy questioned. The Tenshis nodded. The frog leaped. "WOOHOO!!!"
"Who is this 'old friend'?" Peppy asked, a bit skeptical.
"Do you remember me, Pep'?" a familiar voice spoke behind the old rabbit.
Peppy spun around. "JAMES???!!!"
James smiled gently. "It's been a while, pal."
***
Light-years away, beyond the floating debris of the planet, shooting by the stars and tearing through the darkness, two ships flew swiftly like diving peregrines at their prey. One of the two lead the other, the dark green and white one, sleek and sharp with knife-like wings, the ship known as a Cornerian Fighter. The other one was broad, painted with pink and white, it being dubbed the CatsPaw.
"What a disaster," the pilot in the slender ship sighed as his heart sank. His eyes scanned the chaos through his black visor, almost tearing and wanting to turn away. He bowed his head, muttering sadly, "Fox... no wonder you were reported dead... how could you survive that...?" But then, he remembered what his close friend reported to him about his first adventure on Dinosaur Planet. There were survivors. Lots of them, in fact. Even though the planet was falling apart, the dwellers of Dinosaur Planet managed to survive despite the turmoil. There was hope. The pilot continued to murmur, leaning back on his seat. "No... you have to be alive... You can't be killed off that easily..."
"Bill, are you talking to yourself again?!" a woman's voice yowled through her comlink.
Bill Grey, a young greyhound and a best friend of Fox, jumped on his seat, surprised. "What the-"
"I can hear you, ya know!"
"Oh, shut up, Katt. Did you have a good look at the planet?"
"What planet?"
"Are you even looking?"
"I dunno! Am I?"
Bill leaned to his side to have a peek at his comrade. Katt Monroe, a pink angora cat a bit older than he was slumping on her chair, her small feet on the controls and her hands playing with a cat's cradle. Bill groaned, guessing his ally placed her ship on auto-pilot. "KATT!!! Put that stupid string down and look at Dinosaur Planet!"
"HOLY $#!+!" Katt screamed as soon as her amethystine eyes glimpsed at the crumbling planet. "What the hell happened to Dinosaur Planet? ...Or what's left of it..."
"We have barely any time left, Katt," Bill told her. "We have to find Fox now or else-"
"Wait a minute!" Katt interrupted. "We're not actually going there... are we?"
Bill boosted up his thrusters. "Believe it or not, kitty! Here we go!"
Katt groaned.
***
No one was watching the sleeping Fox. No one. Not even the birds who flew around in the trees or the insects that crawled between the blades of grass. None of them even noticed the chunk of earth beneath the vulpine as it cracked and tore, floating up and defying gravity. Fox didn't feel the rumble at all. He didn't even feel the cold chill of air as the piece of earth flew higher and higher, departing from the crumbling Dinosaur Planet.
***
"James...... as in James McCloud?" Diva spattered.
The old fox grinned at the speechless Krystal. "Krystal-san... what a pleasure to meet you. As you already know from your friends, I'm James McCloud, Fox's father."
"H-Hello..." Krystal shook.
"What are you doing here?" Peppy questioned. "I thought you were-"
"Dead?" James looked around for a good tree to walk through, which was only a few feet from him. The vulpine proved to his lagomorphine wingman by walking through it like air. Peppy, despite his being without a body, nearly felt faint.
Slippy gasped. "You ARE dead!"
"For about over nine years, to be exact," James nodded. "Believe me, it's not fun being a ghost, but it does have its advantages."
"How did you come here to Dinosaur Planet?" Krystal asked.
"For those many years of being in the afterlife, I've remained by Fox's side in the Great Fox." He turned to Slippy and Peppy, "Do you two recall any 'strange noises' in the Great Fox over the past several years?"
The frog and rabbit glanced at each other than turned to the fox. "THAT WAS YOU???!!!"
James chuckled.
Diva began to sadden. "Jim... you were James all along... Fox's father... Weren't you set at rest when Fox finally defeated Andross?"
"No, unfortunately."
"Then wha-"
"Right now is not a good time to have a chat," the Tenshis reminded the ghosts. "You guys have to search for the Spirit Weapon, remember?"
"Oh...................... we knew that!"
***
"Pretty, pretty SpellStones..." Kuro whispered as he gazed into the SpellStones' shimmering beauty as he sat by a temple pyramid in Walled City. Beside him was a bag squirming with Golden Bafomdads inside... plus one more, Drip, with the StarFox Badge still shining on his belly. He was snoring and snoozing while "guarding" the bag.
"Lazy bum," Kuro muttered as he popped a snot bubble blowing from Drip's nose. As the bubble burst, he heard loud screeching in the air. He looked up, seeing two ships flying into Dinosaur Planet's atmosphere. "Ah, looks like we got company," he chuckled to himself as he yawned and stretched himself. "Seems like Fox will be getting some help... I wonder who those guys are..."
"If you're here, then how can we put you to rest?" Kuro heard the high- pitched voice of Slippy yell across the field. Upon hearing the frog's voice he kicked his accomplice, waking him up, grabbing the bag and the Bafomdad then hiding by the side of the pyramid. He and Drip leaned to the side to witness the StarFox Team with a new (or old) leader guiding them.
Kuro was surprised to see the elder McCloud. 'Fox?' he thought. 'No, it can't be... he's dead? YES!!! Now I don't have to- oh, wait! He looks older! And he's wearing glasses! Is he.... Darn! It's someone else! Looks like I have to keep an eye on him...'
***
"Whoa! Watch out!" Diva warned as a piece of earth rumbled under Peppy's feet. The old rabbit leaped off just in time before the large chunk of dirt rose and continued to rise until it was fifty feet in the air.
"What's going on?" Slippy gasped. "That piece of ground..... it's fifty feet in the air... it hardly left the atmosphere..."
"Yet it's floating like it's in space..." Peppy finished off.
James nodded. "Gravity defying. I'm having a bad feeling about this..."
Diva glared. "Don't we all?"
"It's different! I have a feeling I know what's going on-"
"Duh! The planet's falling apart!"
"Not that!" The old fox sighed, "There's a reason why the planet's crumbling..."
Krystal thought for a moment. "It's............. because the SpellStones are removed?"
"Awwwwww!!! Not again!" Diva groaned. James, his patience finally running out, slapped his furry hand on the falcon's beak.
Diva fought back by biting his hand. "OW!!!" James decided not to fight with the girl and simply shook his hand as he turned back to the group. "I've got a feeling Scales have those Stones. If we find that Spirit Weapon and give it to Fox, then we can get it back."
"Sounds like a good plan," Peppy nodded, everyone else agreeing. Diva was spitting out the fur she bit off James's hand.
***
While the StarFox Team ran around Walled City like they were on a wild goose chase, Drip was left alone to play a little game of espionage.
Kuro, who sat quietly in a tree, was also spying on the Team. 'A Spirit Weapon, eh?' he thought. A devious smirk appeared on his beak. 'Heh! They'll never find it. Even if they find the chest, there's no way they'll open it...' He stood up from the tree branch he sat on and vanished. In only a matter of seconds he reappeared behind Drip, who jumped in surprise. "You still have the key with you, right?" Kuro asked.
Drip nodded and groaned, as if flinching.
Kuro ignored the flinching. "Now to get that chest..."
***
Night fell. The search was for naught. When James saw Sister Moon return to the sky for her nightly stroll, he reassembled the StarFox Team. Everyone came and met at the gates... everyone, that is, except Diva.
"Where's that Miss Serena?" James asked.
"Diva?" Slippy sighed. "She probably fell into another hole again."
"Or maybe the river," Peppy commented.
"I didn't think she was THAT clumsy..." James muttered.
An idea popped in Slippy's head. "I know!"
"What is it?"
"Why don't we have Diva look around for the chest?!"
"If your plan was to have Diva fall in every hole in the Walled City, I doubt it'll work."
"But it'll be effective!"
James slapped his own face, exasperated. "Slippy, you're the most intelligent member of the Team, but I never thought you would make such a stupid plan like-"
"GUYS!!!" Diva shouted on top of her lungs from inside a deep hole where a piece of land used to be before it crumbled then rose. "I think I found it! There's a chest in here, and it has a Krazoa picture painted on the lid!"
James turned slowly where he heard Diva shout with his mouth agape, speechless. Slippy gave him the cocky "I-told-you-so" look. Krystal and Peppy laughed.
"Now all we need is the key!" Krystal said. "Do you think we should keep having Diva fall in all the holes here in the city?"
"Krystal....."
"MY BADGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Tricky screeched. Everyone turned to where they heard the EarthWalker prince screech and watched the dinosaur run across the field chasing a Golden Bafomdad with a StarFox badge pinned on his belly.
"That Bafomdad thief..." Slippy murmured.
Krystal began stepping back in upset. "Oh, gawd... that means..."
"Kuro Youkai is nearby," James finished for her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Father? Father?"
"Fox..."
"Father?"
A three year old fox pup ran aimlessly in the piercing darkness, frightened and panicking. Tears fell from his eyes in fear, and ultimately the boy tripped and fell on his face. He sat up, sitting on his legs, his tail twitching. Little Fox rubbed his eyes, crying them out in pain and fear.
"Papa...."
"I'm right here, Fox."
Fox looked up. Standing tall before him was his father, James McCloud, looking brave while wearing his StarFox uniform and shades. He always looked that cool.
The little boy cried out in joy and jumped up, and with arms out and wide open little Fox ran to his father. "Papa!" But as soon as his arms would wrap around his parent, James vanished quickly in thin air. Fox watched him disappear, shocked and speechless. He fell on his knees again when he shed one more tear. "Papa..."
"Fox... I'm sorry... but..."
The young vulpine looked behind him. A rabbit about his father's age stood there with sad eyes, as if he was about to lament with him. "I am... incredibly sorry..."
"Peppy?"
"But... your father... is... not coming back..."
"What?"
"I'm sorry.... he's... dead..."
"No!" Fox slapped his paws on the sides of his face, now a young teenager of fifteen. Sobs rose from his throat and a river flowed his grieving eyes as soon as he heard the lagomorphine's words. "No... it's not true... IT'S NOT TRUE!!! HE'S CAN'T BE DEAD!!! FATHER!!!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Father..." Fox muttered in his sleep. He twisted and turned underneath his blanket, sweat dripping from his brow... he was having another one of those nightmares.
***
"Talk about gravity defying," Katt muttered as she and Bill dodged the floating debris all over Dinosaur Planet. They flew over the blossoming gardens of the CloudRunner forests, some of the flower petals blowing against their speeding aircraft. The waters were clears, the skies were blue... but this world is not as beautiful as one would think.
Bill nodded in agreement. "Yeah... this definitely defies the law of gravity and physics... if only I stayed awake during those classes..." As he turned to face the opposite direction to where he leaned against the windshield of his cockpit, he caught something red and furry at the corner of his eye. "F........... FOX!!!"
"FOX??? WHERE???!!!"
"Right there! On top of one of the floating... rock- thingamasomethingabobajigger..." Bill slowly muttered on his comlink, unsure of what to call the floating piece of earth.
***
"The flu??? How could he get sick at a time like this???" Katt growled as she checked on Fox's condition. Bill was soaking his bandana with water then placed it on Fox's forehead. His original soaked cloth probably fell off when he was being carried about by the piece of earth.
Bill smacked Katt on the arm. "Anyone can sick at anytime, you dolt! It's just that sometimes they get sick at the very worst times."
Katt glared knives at the greyhound as she rubbed her arm when she began hearing Fox's moans. "Fox?"
"Huh?" Bill glanced at his best friend. Fox was tossing and turning again in his sleep, mumbling and sweating hard. "I think he's having a nightmare!"
"Then let's wake him up!" Katt grabbed Fox and gently began shaking him. "Fox? FOX!!! WAKE UP!!!" Her gentle shaking soon turned violent, and pretty soon it turned to strangling him, shaking his head, then grabbing his ankles and shaking him upside down.
This immediately made Bill upset. "Katt! Knock it off!"
"I'm trying to wake him up-"
"Even if he's having a nightmare, a person sick with a flu should get some sleep! Now drop him!"
"What?"
"Drop him!"
"If you said so!" Katt literally dropped Fox on his head. Bill, without delay, pummeled her on the head.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Peppy... you're lying... Father's alive... he's alive and well... isn't he?"
Peppy couldn't take it anymore. The boy has to accept the truth... even if he had to shove it in his face. "Fox, just accept the truth! Pigma betrayed us and turned us to Andross! I was able to escape, but your dad wasn't! Face it, Fox! Your father's gone, and he's not coming back!"
"LIAR!!!" Fox lunged at Peppy, his furry hands wrapping around the injured rabbit's neck and choking him. Fox' closest friends... Bill and Slippy... grabbed his shoulders and arms and held him back, pulling him away from the wounded Peppy. But Fox was still struggling, kicking violently and screaming out cries and curses. "You liar! Liar! LIAR!!!"
Peppy's shoulders began heaving. He turned his back, hiding his face. He then began crying. General Pepper, who was by his side, placed his hand on his shoulder, his eyes moistening from guilt of sending such a heroic man to his doom.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Must be a really bad nightmare..." Bill muttered as he watched Fox toss and turn.
Katt sighed and turned to her comrade. "Think we should bring him back to Corneria?"
"Why not? He's very sick... if he stays here any longer, he might get even worse..." he said as he carefully lifted Fox's head, ready to pick him up to take him to his Cornerian Fighter.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I get the point!" Fox yelled out in anger and frustration, throwing his arms into the air. He frowned at Peppy, who was also frowning. "You don't have to lecture me, you old fart! Why do you keep nagging me every time we go into battle like a broken record?"
"Because I'm trying to help!" the rabbit yelled back. "Every single time, you recklessly pull this turn and do this, and then what happens? You break a wing, a waste a bomb... do I have to tell you every single time how to-"
The StarFox leader turned his back on the rabbit and faced Slippy. "And you! Do you even know what you're thinking when you flew into front? For crying out loud, your recklessness always get you trouble! And the fact you can't fly an Arwing very well....."
"You don't have to press it, Fox! I get the point!"
"Are you sure? Do I have to dig it into your thick skull to get you the point that you're not suppose to fly into enemy lines without my word?"
Slippy grumbled as Fox turned to his last wingman. "And you! Especially you! You're the wildest member of the team, and you fly around strutting your stuff and giving away every sneak attack! I truly and especially despise your attitude in that last battle! As Commander of the StarFox Team, I'M the one who makes the orders!"
Falco saluted with the usual sarcastic tone. "Yes, sir, Commander McCloud, sir! And as a wingman of the StarFox Team, I'm the one who ignores the orders."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!" Fox had it. He threw his arms once more in the air, his rage evident in his frustrated growls. He stormed into his room, slamming his door shut and locking it. He leaned on it then slid to the floor, then covered his face with his hands. 'Father... why? Why do I have to put up with this...? How were you able to put up with all this?' he thought. He placed his hands down and glanced at a framed photograph of young five-year-old Fox and his father at a carnival. He stood up and walked to his desk, where the photograph displayed its contents. He picked it up and gently laid his fingers on the part where his father was shown... where his father, smiling happily and holding him as a child closely with ice cream and balloons, was. 'I'm sorry, Father,' Fox thought. 'I'm not cut out as StarFox Leader. I can't do this...'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Macbeth is probably the best place. It's the closest safe planet from Dinosaur Planet," Katt suggested as Bill with the still sleeping Fox flew alongside miles away from the crumbling planet.
Bill looked back as one fifth of the planet separated from the core. "The closest... safest... yeah... let's go there. It's a good thing we got Fox out of there in time."
((to be continued...))
((EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!! Now that the chapter's finished, please review! ;_; ))