Chapter Thirteen
Fox's POV
I couldn't say I really knew what was happening to the team. Over the past few days, Mario had grown irritable and many of the members were becoming intimidated by him. Some, such as Ness, were hesitant to speak to him, about anything at all. Being the captain of the Starfox team, I couldn't recall any time when my crew approached me like that. That wasn't how we should have felt about our leader, and that wasn't how a team should have been.
In addition to the uncomfortable atmosphere, the team hadn't been accomplishing much of anything. Whatever the attack that Pikachu was so upset about when he came, it must have been a false alarm, because nothing happened. The one thing that had given us signs that Ganondorf was still strong was a troop of strange, brown, twisted creatures that surrounded the fort the day that Pikachu arrived. After we fought them off, they began to appear at night, creeping around the fort and banging against the exterior. Although some of my teammates, mostly Captain Falcon, were frustrated with them and wanted to battle them away when they appeared, Mario ordered us to just leave them be; they'd be gone in the morning and it wasn't worth the energy, he said.
I had come to decide that Mario was behaving that way because of his brother. Luigi had just walked out on him, saying that Falco's cause was more worthwhile than Mario's. On top of that, Mario seemed very angry, and perhaps offended, when Pikachu's warning proved to be false. He seemed to think that it was a plan of Falco's team, but I knew otherwise. Falco may have been responsible for a lot of things in the past, but he wouldn't do something like that.
But even as I tried to reason with Mario, it proved to be useless. wouldn't believe me when I told him that Pikachu must have had a good reason. But perhaps what upset him most about my confrontation was when I told him what he had probably been trying to avoid: we needed Link. He knew more about Ganondorf than any of the remaining members, and we weren't going to get far without him. He insisted that we could get on without him, but it didn't change my view.
He was certainly taking things seriously, but maybe not for the better. When Pikachu arrived, Mario allowed him to stay for a while, because it would be dangerous for him to go back out there alone. The Pokemon would be leaving the next day, and Mario decided that would go with him to confront Falco. He was leaving Samus in charge while he was gone. Perhaps she could prove better leadership than Mario had.
Although I was staying in Mario's team, I couldn't say I disapproved of what Falco was doing. When we had started, Falco was passionate about the mission and loyal to the team. But the death of a member was too much for him; he was fighting for the cause, and not the leader. But according to Pikachu, Roy was alive... Still, that didn't change Falco's mind. What mattered most was that the situation happened, and he blamed Mario. I didn't know where to stand, so I said nothing. I knew that he couldn't be stopped; I knew him well.
With these thoughts flowing through my mind, I closed my eyes and sighed. "Please, Falco... Just be careful."
Fox's POV
I couldn't say I really knew what was happening to the team. Over the past few days, Mario had grown irritable and many of the members were becoming intimidated by him. Some, such as Ness, were hesitant to speak to him, about anything at all. Being the captain of the Starfox team, I couldn't recall any time when my crew approached me like that. That wasn't how we should have felt about our leader, and that wasn't how a team should have been.
In addition to the uncomfortable atmosphere, the team hadn't been accomplishing much of anything. Whatever the attack that Pikachu was so upset about when he came, it must have been a false alarm, because nothing happened. The one thing that had given us signs that Ganondorf was still strong was a troop of strange, brown, twisted creatures that surrounded the fort the day that Pikachu arrived. After we fought them off, they began to appear at night, creeping around the fort and banging against the exterior. Although some of my teammates, mostly Captain Falcon, were frustrated with them and wanted to battle them away when they appeared, Mario ordered us to just leave them be; they'd be gone in the morning and it wasn't worth the energy, he said.
I had come to decide that Mario was behaving that way because of his brother. Luigi had just walked out on him, saying that Falco's cause was more worthwhile than Mario's. On top of that, Mario seemed very angry, and perhaps offended, when Pikachu's warning proved to be false. He seemed to think that it was a plan of Falco's team, but I knew otherwise. Falco may have been responsible for a lot of things in the past, but he wouldn't do something like that.
But even as I tried to reason with Mario, it proved to be useless. wouldn't believe me when I told him that Pikachu must have had a good reason. But perhaps what upset him most about my confrontation was when I told him what he had probably been trying to avoid: we needed Link. He knew more about Ganondorf than any of the remaining members, and we weren't going to get far without him. He insisted that we could get on without him, but it didn't change my view.
He was certainly taking things seriously, but maybe not for the better. When Pikachu arrived, Mario allowed him to stay for a while, because it would be dangerous for him to go back out there alone. The Pokemon would be leaving the next day, and Mario decided that would go with him to confront Falco. He was leaving Samus in charge while he was gone. Perhaps she could prove better leadership than Mario had.
Although I was staying in Mario's team, I couldn't say I disapproved of what Falco was doing. When we had started, Falco was passionate about the mission and loyal to the team. But the death of a member was too much for him; he was fighting for the cause, and not the leader. But according to Pikachu, Roy was alive... Still, that didn't change Falco's mind. What mattered most was that the situation happened, and he blamed Mario. I didn't know where to stand, so I said nothing. I knew that he couldn't be stopped; I knew him well.
With these thoughts flowing through my mind, I closed my eyes and sighed. "Please, Falco... Just be careful."