A/N: Now its time that Fox and Krystal get a few things out to each other. The question is how is Krystal going to react.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Star Fox, Nintendo and/or Rare do. Any relation to my original characters in anyway is entirely coincidental.

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Chapter 14: King

Rested against a tree, Fox held Krystal stroking her fur gently. It was nice and soft, much like Katt's. They held each other for a few minutes watching the lake as fireflies buzzed in the serene scene of the night sky. Everything was perfect. Fox had everything. Close friends, and Krystal was back with him. True, this new feeling was remarkable to him. This was something he didn't feel towards others much at all.

Krystal sighed as she rested on his shoulder and let the moonlight fill her with tranquility. To her this was heaven. No Scales to take away their freedom, plenty of food to eat, a home to live in, and most importantly, someone to love. Scales! She was so lost in the moment that she forgot why she had come in the first place. She'd already wasted two days! If she kept moving at this rate then there would be no Corneria to return to.

As much as she liked the pleasure of seeing Fox again, she did need to get to Zoness for help. But who needed help? She was already in the arms of the REAL King of Corneria right now. If she brought him back, then Scales would HAVE to step down! Perhaps now was a good time to explain herself. "Fox," she began. "Do you remember what we said when I first came here?" She asked. Fox nodded his head in hopes that it wouldn't come up now. "Well, I think I'll tell you why I left Corneria, and then you can tell me your story."

Krystal sat up and brushed some hair aside and looked Fox in the eyes. "I was sent to Zoness to find help for Corneria now. Peppy sent me to Zoness to get help and possibly even convince them to raise an army. We have to get Scales out of power fast. I never dreamed that I'd find you."

"Why not?" Fox asked looking back up at her. He was feeling guilty for leaving but he still didn't know everything.

"Everyone thinks you're dead." Krystal hesitated.

"Oh…" Fox trailed off and looked to the side. "They do huh?" He shook his head. He knew something like that would happen. He thought he'd be glad for it.

"But now we may not have to start another war…" Krystal suddenly lit up. "Because you're the real King. You may be able to get rid of Scales without much of a fight."

"No…I'm not the King." Fox said.

"Yes you are. Are you not the son of James?" Krystal asked.

"Stop it!" Fox demanded. "I'm not the King…Scales is."

"No he's not! Don't say that Fox!" Krystal startled. "I finally found someone who could truly help with our situation. You have no idea what rule is like under Scales."

"You're right I don't. Personally--"

"'You don't care.'? Is that it? Fox…he let the sharp claw back into the Kingdom."

Fox's eyes grew wide. "He what!?"

"There's no food to eat; many furs are out on the streets; you have no idea what its like." Krystal said with disgust. "He let the sharp claw take over the Kingdom!"

"It's not my problem." Fox brushed it off.

"How can you say that?" Krystal looked at him grimly. "YOU should be King."

"I can't go back…"

"WHY!?" Krystal demanded. "Why can't you go back! Because you don't want to face Scales? Because you're afraid you'll be murdered too? We've reason to believe Scales did it!"

Fox was about to walk off. He shook his head as he did so. "Don't turn your back on me Fox! Answer my question!"

Fox stopped and looked back at her. "I can't go back because Scales didn't do anything."

"What do you mean? Scales has sent us to hell and you could care less!"

"He didn't kill my father Krystal…I killed my father." Fox 'confessed.'

Krystal put a paw over her mouth and sighed with disbelief. "You didn't do it…" She shook her head. "It wasn't you. What happened that day when you ran away?"

"I don't want to talk about it. It's in the past." Fox turned around. "It's all in the past now."

"The 'old' Fox I knew wouldn't say such a thing. You really don't care for the fate of Corneria?"

Fox sighed. He really did care but he wouldn't acknowledge. "What about mom? How is she doing?" Fox asked.

She wasn't sure if she could tell Fox or not, but if anything that would HAVE to convince him to go back right? "You're mother died Fox. She passed away."

Fox closed his eyes and tried not to think about how she died. 'Passed away as in murdered?' Fox thought. No of course not. Krystal would say if she was murdered. A tear slipped his eye. "How did she die?"

"She passed on Fox. Probably a broken heart. She only stayed strong all these years because she thought she'd see you again." Krystal said with a heavy heart. "I'm sorry Fox but things just got so bad that…" She stopped. What was the use?

'No family….no home….' Fox thought. "Then I've no reason to go back." He said.

"What!?" Krystal shouted. "Corneria is dying Fox! Scales doesn't even deserve to be King, let alone Wolf as the Vice King."

"Wolf is Vice King?" Fox nearly choked on his tears.

"Yeah. After you left…"

"Krystal…I can't go back. Not after killing my father. Scales knows I did it." Fox hesitated.

Krystal still didn't believe it. "Do you actually remember doing the murder?" It just didn't seem believable to her that Fox would commit such a deed. She had to ask.

"What makes you think I didn't?" Fox said.

"You didn't answer my question." Krystal retorted and crossed her arms.

"Well, no I don't really remember doing it but…"

"That's a good enough answer for me." Krystal said. "Mia thinks that you didn't do it. No, she KNOWS you didn't do it." Krystal lied. She hadn't even spoken to Mia about the murder but if anything Fox would believe it. After all, Mia's prophecies were usually true.

"Well, Mia's wrong this time." Fox said. "I can't go back because that's what I did. I murdered my father."

Krystal stood up and approached Fox. There was something about how he said it that didn't mix. "Regardless of whether you did it or not, you can't be NEARLY as bad a King as Scales."

Fox had seen his father work, and it looked rather easy to him. But still, he couldn't return. "No, Krystal. I'm not going back. Not with the deed I've done."

Krystal turned her back and started to walk off. As Fox noticed this he turned around and asked her, "Where are you going?"

"Fox," Krystal said, "I still have a mission to do. I love you very much Fox…but I can't fall in love with a coward."

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A/N: Short and sweet. But still the point got across somewhere in there. Things will start to get better later on. This chapter was short but well…I'll be out of town this week and I don't want to update two at a time. But I'll be gone for about a week and when I get back I'll update. Also, Morpha, if you'd like to discuss using Shane then please e-mail me or contact me somehow.