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Mission No. 65

Cerinia
Wasteland

"How We Show Our Love"

ㅤ⦲ㅤ

By mid-afternoon the Cornerians finished their plan, and the invasion force split into three groups in preparation for the attack. The first was Bulldog unit, which Bill and Miyu led down to the surface in transport shuttles for the ground assault. Fay and Husky unit comprised the second group, providing air support with their fighters to back them up. Meanwhile, Baines and his men continued to crew the Justice, holding back from the main attack; they couldn't risk a powerful Cerinian compromising their only escape like Ariki had. Together, all three converged towards the hidden valley on the far side of the desert.

While Husky unit's fighters hung back around the Justice, the troop shuttles descended to the surface low enough to skim over the tops of the dunes. Bill stood in the foremost command shuttle of the ground force, eying his men. Over the past month they had steadily grown restless, itching for a fight and eager to finally battle some Cerinians—but after their encounter with Ariki and his mate, however, they felt much more wary. They looked nervous, no longer excited to fight and startling whenever the ship lurched more than usual. Their eyes shifted back and forth. Some checked their weapons; others stared out the viewscreen at the gathering storm they were headed towards, imagining what monsters hid within.

Bill looked over at Miyu, sure she would be a beacon of confidence for his men—but rather than courage, she looked filled with dread. It wasn't fear like the other men betrayed, but more of a stomach-churning, skin-crawling doubt: a feeling he knew all too well over the past week. Was such a doubt contagious? Had he given it to her, or was it the other way around? She seemed to be avoiding his eyes now—but maybe he was just projecting.

A much more logical explanation would be her health. Miyu's uniform betrayed bandages underneath, but all-in-all she had made a remarkable recovery from the explosion and crash. She insisted she was ready to join the assault, and Bill had faith in her; she'd proven her resourcefulness by surviving on the barren planet all by herself.

Dr. Makepeace also accompanied him in the command shuttle, bringing 19 with her; it was important they knew exactly where Cerinian 28 went if she happened to change location or escape during the attack.

As soon as the shuttle left the hangar, 19 rushed to the front and plastered her face against the glass canopy, looking out. The pilot and co-pilot sitting on either side of her were a little off-put by her presence, given what they'd seen Ariki do, but knowing Bill was watching they held their complaints and acted as if she wasn't there.

Outside they could see the desert passing beneath the ship. It gleamed in the bright sun, pure and pristine—almost reminding Bill of snow. The dunes of white grains rose up and down like waves underneath them. But his main focus was on 19 as she stared out. He kept stealing glances at her, though she didn't notice. Her eyes were wide with wonder as they darted here and there, and her mouth hung slightly agape. There was an energy in her; a healthy curiosity as she stood on tiptoes to see over the edge of the dashboard. She'd come a long way from her depressive episode a few days ago. In fact, looking at her now, no one would be able to tell what had happened. But Bill knew, for hidden underneath her gown were dozens of bandages covering her knife wounds.

19 traced a line of mountains with her eyes, her head pivoting till her vision landed on him. She caught him red-handed as he stared at her, but thought nothing of it. Instead she smiled and returned to looking back out at the view, probably wondering if he enjoyed it as much as herself.

"Yes, she's a curious thing as of late," Makepeace mumbled beside him.

Bill jumped slightly. "I was just thinking, Doctor, from the way she eats up that view, it doesn't seem like she's ever been outside. I can't imagine she's walked in the open air before. Certainly not on Venom, and since then she's always been cooped up in one ship or another."

"No, she hasn't, like most of her sisters found in the labs."

Bill frowned, staring at 19's back. Like a bird in a cage, looking out at the sky and dreaming. "…There was something Pepper said that stuck with me, back when he first entrusted her into my care. I may be mistaken, but… I think he implied I was to remain 19's guardian after the mission. Do you know anything about that? Am I to take care of her after this?"

Makepeace raised an eyebrow. "Why Captain, you haven't fallen for your Cerinian charge, have you?"

His brow furrowed. "No. I just… I don't want her to remain in the Cerinia program, confined to labs and stuffy ships for the rest of her life. She doesn't belong there. I was thinking I could… take care of her, after all this is said and done. It's not like she has any powers besides sensing other Cerinians. Once 28 is reclaimed, she has no more use. I was thinking myself or someone else could—"

"I'm afraid not, Captain," Makepeace cut him off. "Whatever the general said, you must have misunderstood. It's unlikely 19 will ever be released from the Cerinia program, along with the rest of the test subjects. They are needed for research purposes, and we can't put society in danger by releasing them into the public as normal citizens."

She sighed, staring out over the passing landscape. "No, 19 will never be free in Lylat, just like the rest of the Cerinians. Their home is here. It might not look like much of a home—it is a ruined planet, after all—but it is the best place for them, where they can't hurt anyone or anything. Who knows; maybe there are still nice Cerinians living here. Maybe they'd be accepting of her if she were to somehow… escape during the attack. But I'm sure under your watchful care you would never let that happen—would you?"

Bill's breath caught, and he looked questioningly at Makepeace. She stared straight into his eyes, unflinching. They seemed to twinkle as before.

When he realized the silence had gone on too long, he grew self-conscious, wondering if anyone else had heard their conversation. He looked around at Miyu and the other soldiers seated along the walls of the shuttle, but they either looked away or sat in hushed conversation.

"No, of course not. I'll… see to it."

"Good," Makepeace nodded. "All I know is, she doesn't deserve any of this. None of the Cerinians deserve any of this. But, in the long run… can we make it right?"

Bill crossed his arms and leaned against the back of the ship, stewing over her words. For a second he saw the walls of the shuttle and its many passengers fade around him, leaving only 19 standing unshackled atop the sea of white dunes.

ㅤ⦲ㅤ

Krystal raced up the stone path with tears running down her face—the same path she'd stopped Fox from leaving on a month ago. It wound between the southwestern mountains bordering Altaira. The steep cliffs boxed her in from either side, trapping and funneling her down a predestined fate—but she knew on the other side lay freedom. Soon the cliffs would end, leading to the precipice where they'd kept Fox those three days, and a forest-covered slope that led down to the river. From there her journey would lead across the water and up the dune on the other side, and then… the empty, barren desert.

The wasteland where she'd safely lead her monster.

Along the way she hadn't stopped once to catch her breath, nor allowed her pace to slow. She couldn't linger in the valley and risk running into anyone else. She couldn't even say goodbye to Fox, or he might get hurt—or insist on following. No, she couldn't see him ever again. She realized now that night they spent together would be their last. The thought alone put a lump in her throat, choking her; there were so many things she wanted to tell him, so many more moments she wanted to share together, but leaving was the only way to keep him safe. At least now she wouldn't suffer the pain of having to say goodbye. It would be easier this way, she told herself. Maybe even for the best.

As her sandals slapped the stone and gravel, her legs began to tire, but she didn't heed them. She was too trapped in her mind to feel anything external. The knowledge that she'd have to live the rest of her life alone in the wasteland bore down on her like a massive weight. She sniffed, drying her tears with her sleeve. She told herself it would be alright. She was strong. People were so easy to hurt, and staying with the wrong ones meant it was easy for them to hurt you. She'd lived alone for years before; she could do it again. At least Vixy, Fox, and the Cerinians had given her a taste of what companionship felt like. Maybe she could cling to that taste for the rest of her life, savoring it whenever she felt lonely, till the last memory faded from her tongue.

Escape was close now. The cliffs spread apart, giving way to a series of salt springs. The walls opened to circle round the crystalline pools, meeting to form another passageway on the far side: a door which opened out onto the river, and beyond that, the desert she sought. The path curved around the right side of the springs, hugging the cliff, but Krystal plowed straight through, sandals splashing the clear surfaces of the pools.

"Wait, Krystal!"

When Fox caught up he found her standing in the middle of the salt pools, her back to him as she looked out between the cliffs. The dunes rolled and crashed like waves beyond her; the afternoon sun set the underside of the clouds aflame with gold, silhouetting her against them.

Her shoulders tensed when she heard his voice; it seemed like she wanted to turn around, but was forcing herself not to.

"Stop!" she ordered, fists clenched at her side.

Surprised by the veracity in her tone, Fox stopped wading into the pool. But when he looked again, he didn't see Krystal standing there against the desert:

He saw Fara, facing the sun as it set into the ocean.

He saw his mother, standing against the growing emerald nebula.

All three turned their backs on him as they left, their hands slipping through his fingers.

"Krystal, it's me!" He took another step, but the sound of the water sloshing caused her ears to twitch.

"I said stop! Don't come any closer, or… I might hurt you!"

"What are you saying?! I don't believe you'd ever hurt me."

"I don't want to, Fox," she said with anguish, "but it's not something I can help. I hurt everyone. If you come any closer, I can't promise your safety. I just know something terrible will happen to you, and it'll be my fault."

"I don't care! I'm not leaving you just because it puts me in danger. I promised I'd never leave you; I promised I'd help you find your home, and if Altaira isn't it, then my job isn't done yet. I'll follow you to the ends of the planet if I have to: the mountains, the desert, the wasteland—wherever. I don't want you to be alone again!"

The silence dragged on between them as Fox stared at her back. Then Krystal slowly turned to face him; it was the first time he'd seen her eyes that day. They were puffy and red, and she had tear stains down her cheeks. Yet she smiled through it.

"Oh Fox, why do you have to be like this? Why do you have to make it so difficult?" She dried her eyes with her sleeve. "I don't want to leave you—can't you see that? But I have to. I have to for the both of us, and for everyone else."

He spread his arms. "But why? I don't understand!"

"You've only seen one side of me, but… not the other. I tried to protect you from it. I tried to show everyone nothing but love, but sometimes the bad things just slip through. Everything you've seen of my past; all that is still trapped inside. There's a hatred I hold deep down. My mind… my mind created something! I brought it into the village with us. You remember what happened that night, and today when you came after me, you must have seen what it did in the village. If I stay here, it'll hurt more people. I have to lead it into the desert where it can't do harm to anyone else!"

She shook her head and laughed spitefully. "I say 'it' like it's something else, but… it's not. It's me. There's only me. I have to do this myself."

"Then let me come with you!" he begged. "I can't let you go into the wasteland alone. You need someone by your side—you need me. I just want you to live and be happy from now on; that's all I wanted since the day I met you. I wanted to right the wrongs done to you, to make up for all the pain you suffered in your past life. Look, there's still a chance I can! I'll follow you out. We can make our home somewhere, far away from everyone else. Or, if you're scared you might hurt me, I can… I can live somewhere close by! I can visit you every day, bringing you food and water and whatever else you need. Maybe I can even live in the village and visit you from here—but please, stay close to me! Let me see you every day, or, at least once in a while!" He spread out his hands. "Even if I could only see your face once a year, I could live all the days in between knowing you were safe."

Krystal squeezed her eyes shut. "Fox, just… stop it!" she cried. "Stop making what I have to do harder! You need to give up on me; I really am just a monster inside, no matter what you think I look like from without. You thought that at one time, too; when you first found me, you thought I was just another one of Andross's creations, even if I didn't look like it—but you were right! I spent my entire life fighting this, trying not to turn into one. Every one of us did! But I watched my sisters turn one-by-one, forsaking themselves and giving him what he wanted. Before you came, it felt like I was the only one left—the only one still holding on. I couldn't recognize the others anymore! I thought I was different, maybe special for holding out like that. But I'm not! I'm just like the rest of them…

"I never should have left that lab," Krystal whimpered, cradling her head in her hands. "It would've been better if you just left me there; if the soldiers buried us all when they found us. I… I'm better off dead!"

"Don't you dare say that!" he shouted.

"You thought so too!" She pointed at him. "I saw it in your memories, when you found me trapped in that tank. You saw I was suffering; you saw how tortured I was, and that there was no way out for me, so you considered just killing me to put me out of my misery!"

"I never would have done it; never in a million years! It was just for an instant, and regardless I still think I made the right decision. I didn't know you back then; I didn't know how bright and full of life you were or could be!"

But Krystal hung her head, and her voice lowered to a murmur. "Maybe if you did know the thing I'd turn into, you would have gone through with it…"

Fox felt like his heart had been impaled at those words. He swayed in place, reeling from the blow. "But… where would I be without you? Don't you love me? Don't you care about me? How can you just… leave me here like this? I don't know what to do without you. I have nothing left after leaving Lylat: my parents, my friends, the people I saved… I left them all behind to follow you. What will I do on Cerinia? This isn't my planet. I'm lost without you. I can't…"

He took in a shaky breath, trying to collect himself, but failed.

"I can't lose you too!" he burst out shouting. "You're all I have left!"

Krystal sniffed for a moment, then suddenly narrowed her eyes through the tears. "Too?" she picked out. "Don't you mean, I'm all you have left of her?"

His eyes widened. "Wh-what?"

"It's never been about me, has it? It's always been about Vixy. You're always asking about her, begging for glimpses of her. You brought me to Cerinia because you thought I could lead you to her; and when you found out she was truly dead, you turned to me instead. You kept me around because you knew she lived on—in my memories. You're able to suffer through my nightmares because you know you can see her again, even for just a few seconds. Well, I'm sorry I don't have the power to bring her back. I'm sorry I can't be her for you. I wish I could, Fox. I've tried, but I can't."

She turned to leave while Fox stood in stunned silence. But he couldn't let her get away after that; he couldn't let that poisonous note be their last goodbye.

"Krystal, wait!"

He rushed after her, grabbing her arm and pulling her back—

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" she screamed, jerking her limb free. They stumbled apart from each other, with Krystal keeping her arms folded as far away from Fox as possible. With fear clutching her heart, she zeroed in on his hands, scanning them with her eyes carefully; but to her relief nothing had happened.

When she looked up from his paws, she found Fox staring back at her in surprise, probably shocked by her outburst. She turned to leave once more, mumbling, "You don't know what I'm capable of doing to you…"

But to her chagrin Fox still wouldn't let her go. He circled around Krystal, placing himself between her and the exit.

She slid to a stop. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm not letting you leave without me," he said, spreading his arms.

Her eyes narrowed. "We'll see about that…"

Clenching her fists, she ducked her head and marched forward, but Fox placed his hands on her shoulders and shoved her back. She stumbled away from him, flailing her arms to keep her balance as her face glowed in surprise. She tried to circle round Fox as he had done to her, but he grabbed her arm roughly and swung her back around. This time she lost her balance and fell into the salt pool, landing on her tail. She glowered up at him for a moment, then scrambled to her feet, feeling the water soak through her clothes and drip from the folds of her robe.

"Let me go!" she shouted.

But Fox stood stubbornly in her way, refusing to budge. "Don't make me do this, Krystal," he pleaded.

"Oh? Or you'll do what exactly?"

Fox clenched his fists and planted his feet. Shit… was he really doing this? Was he about to fight the person he loved most?

…Of course he was. He had to. He couldn't just let her leave without him; it was for her own safety. She'd die out there alone.

These thoughts raced through his head as he faced her, but the ground beneath his feet still felt shaky. He wanted to be firm, but he couldn't; he felt too unsure, even if he didn't let on. How far was he willing to go to keep her safe? Could he really find it in himself to physically hurt her?

"You don't have to do this. Just give up now; you know you can't leave me. At best you can run, but I'll always catch up with you wherever you go."

"I'm… I'm doing this for you, Fox!" she shouted. "I'm trying hard not to harm you—so why are you making me hurt you anyway?!"

She charged him, swinging her fist low. If it had been Kaia, his sparring partner, or literally anyone else, Fox would've effortlessly blocked the attack; but because it was Krystal, who he never expected in a million years to come at him, he took the punch right in the center of his gut. Krystal didn't have much on him in terms of strength, but the fact that it was her doing it made the blow sting a thousand times worse.

Fox stumbled back in surprise, gripping his stomach. Krystal likewise faltered at the look of betrayal on his face—but she gnashed her fangs and came at him again, swinging harder.

Fox didn't know how to respond at first; he could only walk backwards and take each blow as it landed on his stomach and chest, not even wanting to block for fear he might hurt her—but he knew he was quickly backing up towards the valley's exit, and if he wanted to keep her in he couldn't stay passive.

Finally he dug his heels into the wet salt again, retreating no further. When Krystal's subsequent blows came he simply swiped them to the side, as if fighting a child. The vixen grew frustrated, attacking with more determination, but still her punches couldn't land successfully.

Her persistence was starting to irk Fox. When he'd humored her enough, he finally struck a blow himself. Balling his fist, he socked her on the jaw. He was careful to pull his punch, but he still used enough force to send her reeling. She stumbled back, clutching her mouth in surprise.

Fuck, I actually did it, he realized with a gulp.

Krystal glared back at him. "How could you?! No… how dare you?!"

She sprinted forward, heels kicking up splashes of water as they struck the surface. As before, Fox guarded against each of her blows, but something felt off. Her swings came faster than he expected; he could hear them whistling and tearing through the air now. More than that, whenever she landed a blow on his arms, they felt stronger—perhaps unnaturally so. Krystal seemed possessed, as if by a super-Lylatian—or even super-Cerinian—strength.

She was beginning to keep pace with him, but Fox still held on; he had Kaia to thank for that. But… to think he spent all those weeks training with the blacksmith for this? He thought he'd be fighting Cornerian soldiers or rogue Cerinians. The last person he expected to fight was… Krystal.

If it wasn't for her powers, the fight would be entirely one-sided, as if he were bullying her. How could he bring himself to hurt her like this? The only person he cared about in the entire world? He started to think he was no better than the Venomians who used to torture her, and his throat began to choke up.

As their spat continued, it became clear both were holding back. Fox pulled each of his punches, careful about how hard he blocked while rarely striking back with more than a shove. At the same time, Krystal was holding back. If she really wanted to, she could unleash the full extent of her powers and fry Fox to a crisp right then and there, but she didn't. She handicapped herself, playing on an even field where she had the disadvantage—all so she didn't risk hurting him too badly.

The brawl grew increasingly violent with time. The more the foxes refused to back down and the more pain they inflicted, the easier it became to strike the one they loved back. It wasn't about Krystal leaving or not; it was about winning in the moment.

This… stupid… vixen! Fox thought to himself. Why doesn't she just give in?!

Krystal glared back at him, shaking out her sore fingers for a second. Damn you, Fox: you stubborn ass!

Their emotions flew high; hearing the other's thoughts became unavoidable. They knew why the other was doing it; the more their minds melded and became attuned to the other's thoughts, the more they understood. The phenomenon didn't change their decisions, nor make them back down—but it had other consequences. For every action, an equal and opposite reaction.

At first Krystal dismissed it as nothing: just the usual bone-jarring that occurred when Fox blocked one of her attacks—but when she next managed to thread a punch through his defense and hit his stomach, it felt like he had secretly hit her own midriff as well, faster than her eye could pick up. She stumbled back, clutching her belly and staring at him in confusion.

Recovering faster than she did, Fox furiously slapped her across the face—only to have his own head snap to the side after the blow. A trick of her powers? he asked himself. Or had he just missed it?

Their fight was doomed to continue, but it started to feel like a bewildering fever dream: a confusing communion of pain.

She raked her claws over his chest, tearing chunks of her robe free.

He grabbed her hair and yanked her to the side, tufts ripping out of his head fur.

She viciously kicked his groin, feeling the impact between her legs.

He pegged his fist into her stomach, doubling over and threatening to retch his lunch.

She struck up at her chin

He pummeled his chest

She sank her teeth into her arm

He tore his clothes

She drew her blood

He sent his spit flying

It hurt oneself more

to hurt the other

But there was no other;

It was just them

There were

not two;

only

one.

They fell into the shallows of the pool, Fox landing atop Krystal. She fought him with weak arms, but they grew heavier with each passing moment till he grabbed her wrists and pinned them down completely. All the fight was sapped from both of them. It hurt too much—not the wounds they received from each other, but the ones they gave themselves.

For a brief moment they stared into each other's eyes, panting and aching from their bruises.

Then, for an instant, their worlds aligned in perfect harmony.

The surface of the pool settled, reflecting the sky like a mirror.

Their dizzy heads reeling from blows saw stars in the sky as fireflies popped in and out of existence.

The wind rustled through the tall grass on that night so many days ago; the one they kept thinking of.

The urge was so tempting. Their clothes were open and torn, laying bare their vulnerabilities. The cool water soaked through to their skin. Their tired gasps and thundering pulses held at a crescendo. They teetered on the edge of a knife between war and love, and the longer they waited, the more the line blurred, losing all meaning.

Impulsively, Fox dove down and kissed her.

Krystal's eyes widened, surprised by the gesture. She squirmed, unsure of how to react—but after a moment she recognized the familiar sensation and gave in, returning it—welcoming it.

She kissed him like it was her last chance to say goodbye.

He kissed her like it was his last chance to make her stay.

…But when they parted and stared back at each other, Krystal saw Fox shrivel up before her eyes, crumble to ash in her arms, and blow away in the wind.

"GET AWAY!" she screamed.

She backpaddled, crawling out from beneath him and rising to her feet. She had to cut herself off from Fox before it went too far again; before they became inextricably tied; before they lost themselves and became one; before she destroyed him.

"I warn you, Fox; I'm done holding back! Any… anything that happens to you from now on is your own fault!"

Fox looked startled by her reaction: disappointed. He thought something had changed, but it hadn't. "That's fine. That's the way it's always been." He lowered into a fighting stance again, gasping for breath as he awaited her next assault—but it didn't come the way he expected.

He felt the waters receding beneath him, and when he looked down he found his feet now rested on dry salt formations at the bottom of the spring. All the water in the pool gathered into a broiling, frothing wave between himself and Krystal. Through the distorted, crystalline lens he could see the duality of rage and anguish plaguing her face, but she forced herself to go through with the attack anyway. She'd learned that bottling it up inside her made it all the more powerful when she released it.

When she'd gathered up enough water, she unleashed the wave at him. It stampeded towards Fox, who had nothing else to do besides brace himself and wait for it. So he turned sideways, planted his feet firmly, and crossed his arms in front of him in an x-shape.

The wave rose taller than him by the time it hit—and it hit hard. It nearly knocked Fox off his feet, but he dug them into the ground. The force pushed him several yards back, his heels digging tracks in the soft salt. It left him soaked to the bone, but when the water dissipated and returned to its former resting place, Fox still stood defiantly in Krystal's way.

Wiping his face and hair dry, he marched towards her.

"Stop! Don't come any closer!" she ordered, holding up her palm.

But Fox didn't falter in his path.

Krystal closed her eyes for a second, feeling the space between them with her mind. Then, she reopened them.

Suddenly Fox felt heavy, like a magnet was pulling him to the ground, or an invisible weight pressed down on his shoulders from above. He struggled to move forward, each step feeling like he had leaden boots. He could barely stay upright, but still he pressed on after her. He gritted his teeth as he approached, muscles straining in his limbs, but still the force increased.

As he drew nearer, and Krystal piled more weight atop him, he could see the tortured look on her face, as if she was putting down a wounded pet.

He was a few steps away, but it wasn't like he could do anything when he reached her; he couldn't even open his mouth to speak. By now his spine threatened to snap inside him. His calves shook, then his legs gave out and he fell to his knees before her.

"Stop trying, Fox. Just… stop it!"

Still he lifted one of his thousand-pound arms and reached for her, his limb trembling. He managed to grab onto her leg before she could retreat and held on as if his life depended on it.

"Krys… tal… I…"

The vixen stared down at him: at his pathetic, defeated form which stubbornly clung to any bit of her it could. Her tears dripped freely onto his arm in spite of her efforts to sniff them back. She hated seeing him like this.

But her face hardened.

"I told you. Let. Me. GO!"

The invisible force lifted from Fox's broken shoulders—only for all of it to strike him at once with renewed ferocity. It rammed into him from the front, and Fox found himself flying backwards through the air. He flipped once, arms flailing to grab onto anything they could, but there was nothing to hold. He landed against the side of the cliff, the back of his head snapping against the rock face. He slid down till he reached the bottom, where he slumped against the stone wall. There he lay at the base of the exit, head lolling forward onto his chest; a trickle of blood staining the white hair on his head.

Krystal's face twisted in horror.

"NO!" She raced through the salt spring till she reached his side. "No… no-no-no-no! What've I done?!"

She knelt down, reaching out to lift his head—but stopped. She froze with her paws inches from his blank face. She wanted to help him so bad; to heal his wounds and cradle his head in her lap like she did before, but she couldn't anymore. Her paws trembled in place, caught between the desire to reach out and touch him, and to hold back to keep him safe from herself.

Afraid of only hurting him further, she withdrew her shaking hands and folded them under her arms where they could do no further harm.

The one thing she had run away for—the one thing she had fought Fox to avoid doing—and she had done it. In an instant her worst fears were realized.

She stood up, sobbing now. Maybe there was still a chance he was alive, she told herself. Maybe there was a chance he was just unconscious, and one of the other Cerinians would find him here. Then again, she'd told herself Āni might be fine: and Māra, and Hana, and everyone else. That was the same thing she told herself whenever she hurt someone, and she'd been telling herself that a lot more recently.

But they couldn't all be fine.

There was nothing left she could do for Fox. The only way she could help was by leaving him be.

Tearing her eyes off him, she turned her back and faced the exit from the valley. Beyond her lay the desert, overcast by a gathering storm and swirling with clouds of sand. It was empty, but it wasn't like there was anything left for her in the village, either. She had nothing here anymore—especially after what she'd done to Fox.

Clenching her fists and fighting back more tears, Krystal set off down the path, heading towards the desert.

But she didn't go alone.

Behind her, a sprawling shadow seeped through the cliffs, feeding on her guilt and chasing her into the unknown. And when it passed over Fox's crumpled body, it only seemed to grow larger.

ㅤ⧬ㅤ

"Citizens of Lylat, I address you today no matter which planet you are watching from. Recently the world was shocked to learn of the death of Edelyn Phoenix, joint owner of General Dynamics. Unfortunately, while her passing came as a tragic shock to many, it wasn't the last. I appear before you with a heavy heart because I must report the death of another: Fox McCloud, lead pilot of the heroic Star Fox team and the brave slayer of the Mad Emperor."

Gasps echoed around the cafeteria. Slippy—who had only been half paying attention up to that point—finally looked up from his meal. He stared at Pepper's resolute form on the holoscreen, shocked much like everyone else in the room. Had he heard the general correctly?

"It was an honor working with Fox during the Lylat War; I am sure it will be the highlight of my tenure. Fox was the brightest, bravest, and most determined young man I have met in my life. I need not recount his glorious deeds in battle, nor how instrumental he was in defeating Andross. He was an inspiration to us all, a testament to how far one man may go with enough self-drive."

The amphibian slumped in his chair, letting his fork clatter to his plate. The cafeteria floor seemed to teeter and spin around him. No, this couldn't be. It didn't make sense for Fox to be dead—it had to be a lie. That's what it was: a lie!

"Fox McCloud died in the line of duty, preventing a terrorist attack on the Beltino Orbital Gate. While he successfully averted the attack and saved the lives of thousands of gate personnel and civilians, he tried to pursue the terrorists through the gate, but… there wasn't enough time. There was an… accident, resulting in Fox's untimely death."

While Slippy processed the revelation, hushed voices whispered around the cafeteria:

"I knew something was up when McCloud disappeared from the tabloids. He hasn't been spotted in months!"

"Oh my god, this makes so much sense. I heard about something happening at the Orbital Gate. They called out Husky and Bulldog units at the time. You think it's related?"

"Maybe, but that leaked like a month ago. That's a long time to hold onto the news of Fox's death."

"I think it's understandable—they needed to find the best way to break the news without causing a lot of panic. Also, they needed time to prepare for the inevitable crimewave hitting the system now that Fox is gone. I bet criminals and Venomians will be more emboldened to—"

"Shh!" someone beside Slippy hissed. "Listen!"

"…And when I say terrorists," Pepper continued, "I'm sure the entirety of the system knows who I refer to. Though Andross is defeated and his armies are scattered, loyalists and fanatical worshippers of his continue to live on. They lurk on the edges of Lylat, in the shadows… and sometimes, here, in our very midst. Believe me when I say Venom's forces are alive and well and bent on exacting revenge. Not only were they behind the assault on the orbital gate; an investigation by the CDF likewise found that the explosion at the Capital City Airforce base was also masterminded by these terrorists. Both Fox and Edelyn Phoenix, heroes of the Lylat War, had their lives claimed by surviving Androssians.

"We will not forget what they took from us: not only Fox and Edelyn, but millions of other loved ones we held dear. Rest assured, Corneria and her allies are doing everything in their power to monitor these fanatics and bring the wrath of judgment down upon them. We ask your patience and full cooperation in helping to make Lylat a safe and secure star system for all. Please, rise with us and take a stand against these monsters!"

"You think he means our programs?"

"Of course! KRAKEN is meant to find Venomian sympathizers hidden among the public. Just you watch; we'll be the heroes soon!"

Pepper clasped his hands and bowed his head. "His death will go down as one of the darkest moments in Lylat's history; no man has touched the hearts of so many of Lylat's residents as Fox McCloud. A memorial service will take place next week involving a procession through the Corneria City Mall, if you wish to attend—city occupancy permitting. Otherwise, you may pay respects from wherever you might live, as everywhere in Lylat, Fox's memory will live on."

Slippy stared at his cafeteria food, lost. His thoughts raced through his head like a bullet train. Did they really get Fox? Was he really dead? And if so… was he next?

"Gee, all the way on the east coast? Maybe I can take some time off and catch a flight down there; I was considering seeing the sights around the capital anyway."

"Sure as hell will be crowded!"

"Slippy, I'm… I'm so sorry for you," his coworker Harry said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I can't imagine what you're going through right now, but… I know this must've hit pretty hard. Why not take the rest of the day off? Hell, even the week? I'm sure Mr. Owens will understand—"

But Slippy shrugged off the hand and shot to his feet. Ignoring the cries of his friends, he bolted out of the cafeteria and made for the stairwell.

"Come on, come on!" the frog pleaded, staring down at his phone. He paced back and forth on the rooftop, praying Peppy would pick up. The phone rang and rang but went unanswered. Each time the ringer tone came and went, Slippy felt his heart sink a little deeper. He'd been trying unsuccessfully to call Peppy for nearly half an hour by this point.

Hands shaking, Slippy pressed the "end call" button. Maybe Peppy was just away from his phone or napping. Maybe he'd just gotten the news too, and had shut himself off from the outside world to grieve. Maybe he had a perfectly normal reason for not answering his phone!

And maybe nothing monumental and secretive was going on in the Lylat System, either.

Cursing, Slippy tapped Falco's number instead. He placed it to his ear and resumed pacing across the roof.

"Pick up, pick up!" he repeated. Then as the phone similarly continued to ring unanswered, he groaned. "Et tu, Falco?"

"Urgh… hello?"

Slippy wanted to explode at Falco, but contained himself for just a moment longer. "Can you talk?" he asked, voice shaky.

"Right now, talking's about the only thing I can do without hurting myself, so, yeah. What's uh… what's on your mind, Slippo?"

"Have you seen the news?!" he blurted.

"No, I've been kinda busy with… things. Yeah. Making my own headlines here, I guess you could say—"

"Fox is dead!" he nearly shouted into the speaker.

That shut Falco up for a second. His end of the line went deathly silent.

"What do you mean 'he's dead'? How d'ya know?"

"Pepper just announced it on live TV! Said he died in an accident at the gate while fighting some terrorists or some bull-crap."

"No, that can't be—it doesn't add up."

"Fox wasn't killed that day, right?! W-We saw the Great Fox make it through the gate! If he was dead they would have reported it right away, but they waited. I think… I think they went in after him. They sent someone to get him and waited to report his death until they were a hundred percent sure he couldn't come back. And today… today they finally got him! Either that or they've decided he's as good as dead, and they either won't bring him back or let us see him if they do. As far as they're concerned, Fox is dead to the rest of Lylat!"

"This is it," Falco muttered slowly. "They're making their move now. They waited to announce Fox's death so they could get me first, but they failed. What about Peppy? You talked to him about this yet?"

"I called Peppy, but he didn't answer!"

"When's the last time you spoke?"

"Not since last week. You?"

"Pfff, like I keep up with Peppy? Even longer than that."

"C-Crap! That means they must've got him, too!" Slippy's eyes widened. "Wait, you said they came for you first? What do you mean? You don't sound too good."

"Ugh, it's a long story. Suffice it to say, Zoness's police tried to arrest me, but I escaped underground. I got banged-up real good, but I'm healing. Katt's here with me, and the rest of my old friends. I got someone protecting me from now on. I've… I've made a deal with them. I'll be fine, Slip—but if they came for Fox, Peppy, and me, it's only a matter of time before they suspect you!"

Slippy's heart rate spiked, but he'd already considered such a possibility. "Listen Falco, I gave that some thought, and I think I'm in the clear for now. If they intended to nab me, they would've grabbed all three of us before airing the announcement. They probably knew you were up to trouble on Zoness, and Peppy was poking his nose around, but as far as they know I'm behaving myself. The fact that I'm still allowed to walk around freely means they don't suspect me."

"You mean, suspect you yet. Get out of there before you're toast, pal! Come find me in District 13 while you still can! It's a shithole, but it's safe, and we can lie low together. I'd feel a lot more at ease if you were safe here with me—you know I worry about you, Slip."

"I want to run more than anything else in the world, but I still have a job to do."

"The mission Peppy gave you?"

"Yeah."

"Ugh, fine, if you're so intent on finding it. How much longer do you have to stay at Dawson McLean? How much more time do you need?"

"I'm close Falco: real close. I've been careful to hide my tracks so they can't identify me, but if I make my move now and throw caution to the wind, I could maybe find it tomorrow. I'd have to go into hiding immediately after—they'd surely trace the leak to me then."

Falco went quiet for a moment, considering. "Okay, here's the plan. You play it cool; risk one more day at Dawson McLean, and steal all the data you can. Then you pack your things and come straight to me, okay?"

"Okay but… what then? What do we do without Peppy and Fox?!"

Falco sighed. "Listen, you're right; Peppy and Fox aren't around to give orders and tell us what to do—but we gotta move on without them. We still got half the team, right? We can figure things out on our own. We'll regroup and come up with a plan. Sound good?"

Slippy took a moment to calm his panic, straightening up and breathing deeply. He took his cap off and rubbed the perspiring skin atop his head. "Yeah, whew, okay. We can do this. Once I steal the rest of the data, we'll figure it out."

"Attaboy! I know you can do this."

"Thanks Falco, I needed to hear that. I just had to talk with someone, you know? It's hard not to feel isolated right now, out here alone, when you know something everyone else doesn't. But I better go now, I've been up here a while, and the others might worry about me."

"Alright Slippy, you take care. But… one more thing before you go."

"Yeah?"

"…I don't buy for a goddamn second Fox is dead."