Chapter 4: Change of Schedule
Kyle arrived at the academy the next day in his usual khaki jacket, blue jeans, white shirt, tennis shoes, and red headband across his forehead. He adjusted his white, leather gloves over his paws. They were larger than most foxes due to the fact that he's half fox and half wolf. He pushed his black hair out of his silver eyes and walked down the hallway, following the large group that was heading for the auditorium. He caught up with his girlfriend and walked along side her.
"Jackie, why is everybody heading for the auditorium," he asked. "We never go there unless there's something important going on."
"I heard they're changing the dates of our final exams. Something occurred last night to make that happen," Jackie explained. When they arrived and found their seats, everybody got quiet as General Pepper walked onto the stage toward the podium center stage. He adjusted the microphone and began to speak to the students.
"Last night, two things happened. First, I got word from our intelligence that Venom is planning an invasion on Katina. Second, as you all might have heard, Fox McCloud was admitted into the hospital for various injuries, and won't be able to pilot his Arwing for a good month or so," Pepper stated. Everyone started talking amongst each other about the crisis at hand until he raised his hand to silence everybody. "Your flying exam date has been moved from next Thursday to tomorrow. The best pilot will be accompanying Star Fox in assisting Katina against Venom's forces. Your written test has been moved to this afternoon. Are there any questions?"
"Yeah, why not get your best pilot from the Cornerian Army to help them," asked Jackie.
"Because we need our army to defend our land. Intelligence stated that after they take over Katina, they planned on taking over Corneria next. They might split up their forces to get both at the same time."
"But if they do split up, won't you need Star Fox here," asked Kyle.
"Their main target is Katina, and they lost a lot of pilots during the Venomian War. They're still trying to build up their army."
"Yeah, but we are, too."
"We have more pilots than them. All of you are dismissed. Report to your designated testing areas and the best of luck to all of you." Pepper saluted and walked backstage while everyone went to their classes.
Fox slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He found himself in a hospital bed in one of its rooms. Fara was sitting in a chair next to his bed, asleep. Jamie was sitting in her lap with her arms around him, also asleep. Falco was also asleep in a chair in the corner. Slippy was on his laptop while Peppy was leaning against the opposite wall of Fox's bed, trying to stay awake. Fox then looked at himself. His chest was bandaged and the IV was in his left arm. He then brought a hand to his forehead to feel another bandage. He looked up at Peppy, who was now smiling.
"Looks like you're finally awake, Fox," the hare started. "How do you feel?"
"I feel like eating something, I'm starving," replied Fox, still a little weak. Peppy nodded and woke up Falco. He opened one eye and looked up at Peppy, moaning.
"Damn, Peppy, why did you have to wake me up," whined Falco. "I was in the middle of a good dream."
"Tell me about it while we're getting Fox some breakfast, Sleeping Beauty," Peppy teased as he walked out of the room. Falco tiredly stormed after him. Fara woke up, looked over at her boyfriend, and smiled.
"Morning, Fox," she said tiredly.
"Hey, Fara," he replied.
"Are you feeling better?"
"I'll feel better once I get out of here and get back in my Arwing. Did General Pepper tell you of our mission?"
"Yes. I'm going to be accompanying the defense on Corneria along with Katt."
"Katt's helping out?"
"Yes. General Pepper is holding the final exams at the academy today and tomorrow. The best pilot will be accompanying Star Fox in Katina."
"What!? They're not experienced enough yet! It's suicide if they go up against that many enemies at once! It'll overwhelm them!"
"Shh.you'll wake up Jamie. Besides, these pilots are pretty good. The best class since your father's class according to my father."
"I have to help them," Fox exclaimed. He tried sitting up again, but jolted back once more, yelling out in pain again. Slippy quickly looked up from his laptop worriedly.
"Fox, you should stay down. You haven't recovered your strength yet," said Slippy. He then looked over at Jamie, who was still sound asleep. "Amazing! He's still asleep after you yelled, Fox!" Fox looked over at his little brother and smiled. He gently ruffled Jamie's hair, then put it back into place. Jamie was the only family Fox had left. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost him. He had to remain strong for his sake.
"He was worried sick about you last night," stated Fara. Fox snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Fara. "He stayed up all night until he knew that you were going to be okay. The rest of us did, too. Jamie was the first to fall asleep, then Falco, then Slippy, then myself. I think Peppy was the only one who stayed up the whole time. He looks dead tired."
"You guys should try to get some more rest."
"By the way, who were those guys that beat you up?" Just as she said those words, Peppy and Falco returned with breakfast for everybody. Fox leaned his head back and before he could answer, Peppy distributed the food while Falco headed back for his chair. Slippy got up and stopped him.
"What, Slip," complained Falco, "I was about to get back to sleep. I'm tired."
"We all are, but Peppy needs that chair more than you do," Slippy explained.
"Slippy, I'm fi-" protested Peppy before he was cut off.
"Those dark circles around your eyes don't say so. Get some rest, you've been up all night." Slippy watched the old hare trying to hide a yawn. Peppy finally gave in and sat down on the chair. He rested his head back and slowly fell asleep. Falco pouted and leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
Kyle arrived at the academy the next day in his usual khaki jacket, blue jeans, white shirt, tennis shoes, and red headband across his forehead. He adjusted his white, leather gloves over his paws. They were larger than most foxes due to the fact that he's half fox and half wolf. He pushed his black hair out of his silver eyes and walked down the hallway, following the large group that was heading for the auditorium. He caught up with his girlfriend and walked along side her.
"Jackie, why is everybody heading for the auditorium," he asked. "We never go there unless there's something important going on."
"I heard they're changing the dates of our final exams. Something occurred last night to make that happen," Jackie explained. When they arrived and found their seats, everybody got quiet as General Pepper walked onto the stage toward the podium center stage. He adjusted the microphone and began to speak to the students.
"Last night, two things happened. First, I got word from our intelligence that Venom is planning an invasion on Katina. Second, as you all might have heard, Fox McCloud was admitted into the hospital for various injuries, and won't be able to pilot his Arwing for a good month or so," Pepper stated. Everyone started talking amongst each other about the crisis at hand until he raised his hand to silence everybody. "Your flying exam date has been moved from next Thursday to tomorrow. The best pilot will be accompanying Star Fox in assisting Katina against Venom's forces. Your written test has been moved to this afternoon. Are there any questions?"
"Yeah, why not get your best pilot from the Cornerian Army to help them," asked Jackie.
"Because we need our army to defend our land. Intelligence stated that after they take over Katina, they planned on taking over Corneria next. They might split up their forces to get both at the same time."
"But if they do split up, won't you need Star Fox here," asked Kyle.
"Their main target is Katina, and they lost a lot of pilots during the Venomian War. They're still trying to build up their army."
"Yeah, but we are, too."
"We have more pilots than them. All of you are dismissed. Report to your designated testing areas and the best of luck to all of you." Pepper saluted and walked backstage while everyone went to their classes.
Fox slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He found himself in a hospital bed in one of its rooms. Fara was sitting in a chair next to his bed, asleep. Jamie was sitting in her lap with her arms around him, also asleep. Falco was also asleep in a chair in the corner. Slippy was on his laptop while Peppy was leaning against the opposite wall of Fox's bed, trying to stay awake. Fox then looked at himself. His chest was bandaged and the IV was in his left arm. He then brought a hand to his forehead to feel another bandage. He looked up at Peppy, who was now smiling.
"Looks like you're finally awake, Fox," the hare started. "How do you feel?"
"I feel like eating something, I'm starving," replied Fox, still a little weak. Peppy nodded and woke up Falco. He opened one eye and looked up at Peppy, moaning.
"Damn, Peppy, why did you have to wake me up," whined Falco. "I was in the middle of a good dream."
"Tell me about it while we're getting Fox some breakfast, Sleeping Beauty," Peppy teased as he walked out of the room. Falco tiredly stormed after him. Fara woke up, looked over at her boyfriend, and smiled.
"Morning, Fox," she said tiredly.
"Hey, Fara," he replied.
"Are you feeling better?"
"I'll feel better once I get out of here and get back in my Arwing. Did General Pepper tell you of our mission?"
"Yes. I'm going to be accompanying the defense on Corneria along with Katt."
"Katt's helping out?"
"Yes. General Pepper is holding the final exams at the academy today and tomorrow. The best pilot will be accompanying Star Fox in Katina."
"What!? They're not experienced enough yet! It's suicide if they go up against that many enemies at once! It'll overwhelm them!"
"Shh.you'll wake up Jamie. Besides, these pilots are pretty good. The best class since your father's class according to my father."
"I have to help them," Fox exclaimed. He tried sitting up again, but jolted back once more, yelling out in pain again. Slippy quickly looked up from his laptop worriedly.
"Fox, you should stay down. You haven't recovered your strength yet," said Slippy. He then looked over at Jamie, who was still sound asleep. "Amazing! He's still asleep after you yelled, Fox!" Fox looked over at his little brother and smiled. He gently ruffled Jamie's hair, then put it back into place. Jamie was the only family Fox had left. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost him. He had to remain strong for his sake.
"He was worried sick about you last night," stated Fara. Fox snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Fara. "He stayed up all night until he knew that you were going to be okay. The rest of us did, too. Jamie was the first to fall asleep, then Falco, then Slippy, then myself. I think Peppy was the only one who stayed up the whole time. He looks dead tired."
"You guys should try to get some more rest."
"By the way, who were those guys that beat you up?" Just as she said those words, Peppy and Falco returned with breakfast for everybody. Fox leaned his head back and before he could answer, Peppy distributed the food while Falco headed back for his chair. Slippy got up and stopped him.
"What, Slip," complained Falco, "I was about to get back to sleep. I'm tired."
"We all are, but Peppy needs that chair more than you do," Slippy explained.
"Slippy, I'm fi-" protested Peppy before he was cut off.
"Those dark circles around your eyes don't say so. Get some rest, you've been up all night." Slippy watched the old hare trying to hide a yawn. Peppy finally gave in and sat down on the chair. He rested his head back and slowly fell asleep. Falco pouted and leaned against the wall, arms crossed.