A/N: Now I think things are becoming much more interesting. A sharp claw has now switched sides and Fox is growing homesick! Now perhaps it would be easier to convince him to go back?

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

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Chapter 18: Hearts…

Shannon returned to the Palace of Great Fox alone but with a knife covered in blood. As others saw him returning without Sam they snarled a little. As he entered the palace he could hear Scales laughing maniacally. He could hear the King's screams too. "I'm invincible!"

Shannon shook his head. He could try and avoid Scales but being that he was one of Scales' most trusted Sharp claws he'd ask for him eventually. Shannon was one of the few Sharp claws that Scales had bothered to remember the name of. That must've showed a lot of trust.

Shannon closed the doors behind him but could still here Scales laughing. What exactly did that platinum vixen tell him anyway?

Shannon was about to retire to his room when he heard Scales calling his name suddenly. Scales was actually kind of scary. Just ten seconds ago he was warped with laughter and now the entire palace was silent except for the calling of his name…and Sam's.

Shannon decided that he'd at least keep loyal to Scales. But not for the sharp claw…but for Corneria.

He approached Scales' room and opened the door. The very first thing the king had noticed was the dripping blood to the ground. "What is this?" Scales demanded. "And where is Sam?" Sam was another fur in which Scales had actually bothered to remember the name of. Actually, Scales was probably his favorite.

"Sam was in no position to battle." Shannon answered with a straight face. "He was a traitor in our ranks and needed to be disposed of."

"What do you mean a 'traitor?'" Scales pounded the table.

"Sam wanted to help the furs of Corneria. I would have brought him back to you but he drew his arms. There was nothing I could do to stop him and convince him otherwise so I had to do away with him…or he would have done away with me." Shannon lied but kept it simple.

"You didn't kill the vixen did you?" Scales tensed up.

"Of course not."

"Good. Let her live. The furs can't do anything to harm me!" Scales laughed again. "No matter what happens, Mia and I have a deal. You must let her live at all cost."

Shannon bowed his head. "Yes your majesty."

"Oh, and Shannon?"

"Yes your Majesty?"

"I want you to interrogate every fur and make sure that they stay on our side! I don't want any more traitors. I want you to show them Sam's corpse as an example of what happens to you when you betray me!"

Sam's corpse? Shannon didn't have it. In fact, Mia had it to…Shannon didn't even want to think about that. "Sir, I don't have his corpse. I disposed of it as not to alarm anyone."

"That crimson dagger is going to alert many sharp claw!" Scales screamed. "Alright then kill another Sharp Claw. One in armor who is potentially weak…physically and emotionally." Scales said and turned his back to Shannon. "Don't ask any questions just assume."

Shannon bowed and left. 'Just pick one and kill him?' Shannon thought. Forget it. He wasn't one to kill any other sharp claw. He'd been trained to kill furs but now he couldn't even do that. Instead he ended up killing a sharp claw…and his friend. But…bloodshed would be impossible to ignore. 'It's only one more sharp claw right? And it doesn't even have to be someone that I like…' Shannon thought. Think? He hadn't been trained to do that either. In fact he couldn't even imagine how he'd passed the tests in the first place.

Softhearted. That was the way to describe Shannon. Though after being put through those tests that Scales had he felt like he could take on anything. Especially since he was able to dispatch a red-eye with efficiency. He actually killed the red-eye faster than any other sharp claw did.

Now he had to take the life of a sharp claw that didn't deserve to die. If he did it with no one else noticing than that would be fine. But he HAD to do this task. More meaningless bloodshed.

Shannon went out to the courtyard where several sharp claw were training. Shannon knew that not every one of them was like Scales. There were some who were against the war but didn't object to Scales because they knew that if they did…it was to the red-eye with them.

Shannon could do this right? He'd already dispatched of one sharp claw he could just dispatch of another one right? Each sharp claw had an ID number and Shannon was 8675. This meant that he was number 8675th to complete the test. Shannon considered terminating one with an ID number lower than 1000. It would be much better and they'd been the ones that had been training for years. But that also meant they were probably much stronger. Scales wouldn't want one of them eliminated.

There was only one way for Shannon to solve this. He closed his eyes and just pointed.

***

It was a day of mourning in Zoness. The peasants of the kingdom had just received word of King Monroe's death and that Fox would be crowned in a matter of days. But the ceremony might actually be EARLIER than expected.

As many furs came by to pay their respects by placing a rose around his casket, they bowed to Fox, their soon-to-be King. Fox made eye contact and smiled a bit with a nod here and there. What was he supposed to do?

Katt stood next to him, with rage held deep inside of her. Her father was dead and left FOX to rule. Now it was apparent that Fox had to get back to his own Kingdom. Katt was angry with her father and her mother. What should've been hers was now gone. Not only that, but Krystal stepping means she wouldn't get to do anything to help Zoness other than advise Fox. That's how she saw it. She wouldn't be Queen and she wouldn't rule in any way.

Behind Katt, Fox, and Lady Monroe, Wolf stood with Krystal. Falco and Shane would probably come and pay their respects later…or not at all since Lady Monroe was there.

"We're running out of time faster than we initially thought." Wolf said to Krystal. "There isn't much time left, and I fear that Scales army is almost ready."

Krystal had her eyes closed as she stood there and Wolf could've sworn that a tear streamed down her cheek. "What's wrong Krystal?"

She shook her head and sniffled a bit. "I came here with a mission and it's a complete failure. There's no way to convince Fox to go back and there's no way to convince Zoness to help Corneria, and Titania and Macbeth are too far away to get help in time."

"There's still hope. You give up now and Corneria will die." Wolf said. "We can still talk to Fox and talk him back into going."

"But how do we do that?" Krystal wiped a tear away. "There's nothing we can do now. Fox won't go back. No matter what happens."

"I haven't gotten the chance to talk to him yet."

"Oh yeah, you'll be able to help! The one who convinced him that he killed his father…yeah that'll work!" Krystal sniffled. "I guess I have no choice but to return to Corneria with no help."

"You're not going back yet! Until Fox goes back WE don't go back, understand?"

Krystal slowly nodded as Wolf continued, "Fox HAS to go back and he WILL go back. Don't give up hope so soon."

Krystal wasn't quite sure if she believed Wolf at this point…

***

It was done. The dreadful deed in which Shannon was supposed to do was done, and he didn't feel good about it, but he pulled it off. Shannon killed a sharp claw and took it to Scales. Of course, Scales thought the presentation was mediocre and he added his own touch ups. By that I mean he pulled the inside of the sharp claw out. "This is what happens when you betray me!" He had said.

As Shannon walked away from this horror he vowed that he'd never kill again. It was bad enough that he had to take a life for no good reason, and it was even worse that he had to kill a friend of his. Was this really what war was like? Lies and mistrust?

Shannon went back to his quarters. In the end this wouldn't be worth it one bit. Somehow it was relevant in Shannon's thoughts that Scales wouldn't get very far. He had more than 9,000 men but he specifically said 10,000. Shannon began to wonder just how much longer he'd be able to hold out.

***

The funeral was over and the casket was now decorated with flowers and herbs to preserve the body. Lady Monroe had the casket moved to his chambers where the bed was replaced with the casket.

She closed off the doors and turned around to a very disappointed Katt. It was clear to Lady Monroe that it wasn't the death of the King that bothered her, but the fact that she wouldn't be Queen. "I'm in no mood to discuss this now Katt. Off with you!"

"No. Not until you tell me why we suddenly had to break tradition. I may not be male but I do know that I could do a much better job than Arland to fulfill my duties!"

"Don't you think we should respect your father's last request?"

Katt stood in silence with a piercing look on her face that made even her mother cringe. "Mom, it isn't right! He doesn't even have nationality in Zoness!"

"Will you stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about your father for once!" Lady Monroe snapped. "All you care about is becoming Queen! Is power all that important to you? Your father didn't give Arland the responsibility because he was male. He gave it to him because he thought that Arland could control it!"

"Are you saying I wouldn't be able to take care of Zoness?" Katt's face became pale. "I'm older and more mature than Arland is…and you think I can't take the responsibility?"

Lady Monroe walked up to Katt and kissed her forehead. "You know that your father only wanted what was best for Zoness. But for you to accept the responsibility you have to show that you can."

To this Katt had nothing to say. "I didn't want to be Queen for the power you know." She began to walk away. "I wanted to be Queen because of you mom. Whenever father had taken a leave of absence you helped Zoness get back on their feet…always. I wanted to be just like you…"

***

On one end of the mantle, the crown sat. This represented Zoness and what he would have. On the other end, rested the Arwing dagger in all its glory. This represented Corneria and what he could possibly gain from going back.

Fox sighed. "I can't go back…I just can't…"

"And why not?" Wolf interrupted his thoughts standing in Fox's door way. He crept inside and sat down on a chair behind Fox. "You can go back just as easily as you left."

"I didn't necessarily have an easy time leaving. If it weren't for you then I'd be dead right now. I don't know if I should thank you for saving my life or be mad at you for making me run away."

"Why not both?"

When Fox heard this his ears immediately perked up and he turned to face Wolf. "What do you mean?"

"True, if you stayed in Corneria then Scales would have had you killed." Wolf began. "But he wouldn't have executed you because he believed he killed your father. He knows you didn't do it. But instead you'd just be another thorn in his side. If you had stayed you'd have only been killed because you were the Prince." Wolf concluded.

"I know what you're trying to do…and it won't work Wolf." Fox stomped his foot. "I know what I've done and I realize now that I can't go back. No matter what."

"Corneria is dying Fox! And you don't even care? What kind of King would you be for Zoness then? Wondering around oblivious to the existence of what was once Corneria. Open your eyes Fox and see that rule under Scales would be hellish. He let the sharp claw back into the kingdom and many furs have been run out of house and home and yet you still proceed to let your hometown die."

"I'd be worse than Scales." Fox sighed.

"That isn't possible. Besides, if you're in no shape to rule Corneria then what makes you think you can rule Zoness?"

"I didn't ask for this!" Fox retorted. "If it weren't for you I wouldn't even be here now!"

"Dammit Fox! You NEED to go back. Corneria is dying and they need strength. Besides, you'll end up having to face the sharp claw either way! Didn't you listen to what I was telling Lady Monroe?"

Fox shook his head. "You don't understand--"

"You're right I don't!" Wolf growled. "You won't go back because you fear what will happen to you when you step foot back in Corneria. What difference does it make? You're damned if you go back and damned if you don't. You can either help Corneria or let it die. Which is it Fox? The only thing that happens is that you'll prolong your confrontation with Scales."

"Get out!" Fox snarled and quickly grabbed the Arwing and pulled it from its sheath pointing it an inch away from Wolf's eye. "That's enough out of you! It's going to take a miracle for me to go back and YOU Wolf, are no miracle."

Wolf stood up as Fox brought the dagger away from him. Wolf turned to walk out and turned around, "You're just as greedy as Scales is! Look deep inside you Fox. You don't care for the fate of Zoness! You're only staying here because you'll get to be King. Yet you continue to keep that dagger of Corneria close to you. Why Fox? Why won't you go back?"

Just then Fox flailed the dagger at Wolf just as he stepped out of the room. The dagger had pinned itself to the ground and Fox was shocked. This dagger had just pierced marble! When Fox grabbed the dagger there wasn't even a scratch on its golden blade. In fact, there wasn't even a mark. It was still pure and shimmering.

Fox ignored this. After all, it had survived many battles before now. Fox then sat down on his bed and began to ponder what Wolf had said. Was he really becoming Scales?

Katt walked in to see him sitting on his bed with his head down. She settled down next to him and sighed briefly.

"Did you come to tell me that what I was doing was wrong too?"

"I didn't come to say anything Fox. I want to know if you really are planning on becoming King…"

Fox looked down at the dagger and slowly slid it back into the sheath. "I don't know yet. When is the crowning now?"

"It's now in three days. I think mom is anxious to get it underway." Katt sighed. "Fox…why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you come and take it away from me?"

"Take what from you?" Fox tilted his head to look Katt in the eye.

"You took what should've been mine. That crown should be on my head, not yours. You're not even a Monroe."

"Katt…I…"

"Don't say anything. I want you to consider what you're getting yourself into. You'll be ruling a Kingdom that of which you shouldn't be. Your home is in Corneria…you should be ruling there and--"

"So you did come to tell me that I should go back…" Fox trailed off.

"Would you let me finish? What I'm saying is that it's ultimately your choice whether or not you go back. What I'm saying is that you shouldn't be ruling Zoness."

"You're jealous…aren't you mom?"

Mom…Fox hadn't called her mom since Krystal showed up. At least not to her face. "If you want the truth…I am."

"But why? I thought you'd be proud of me…"

"I am Fox. Believe me I am. But you earned in ten years from my father what it took me a lifetime. That's his trust. I can't help but think it's because…"

"…I'm male right? Stop thinking that way for a second. Don't look at me as an object in your way…please don't. Forget the rules and traditions. So I earned your father's trust? Do you honestly think I could take your place in his heart?"

"No…you couldn't." Katt lowered her ears.

Fox wasn't quite sure what else to say to that. "There's probably some reason for this…it just hasn't come out yet. Maybe…maybe your father was scared…"

"Scared of what?"

Fox thought for a moment. "Maybe he's scared of losing you too soon."

"But what would he care? He's dead."

"Don't say that! You're dad is watching you now. He's going to make sure that you stay safe. Not only that, but he's going to protect you from beyond the grave."

"You think so?" Katt grinned a little.

"I know so!" Fox smiled.

Katt stood up and began to walk out. "You know Fox…you should take your own advice sometime. You never know how much it could help." Then she was gone.

Fox took that in, just as he did Wolf's. Finally he glanced out the window to see a red star. HIS red star…

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A/N: Can you believe it? After Wolf said all that Fox still refuses to go back. Well, school has now started to heat up here so updates won't come quite as often as they have been but I'm sure many of you others are either getting ready to go back or are already busy with School already.