M O M E N T O

Star Fox, its characters, names, etc. all belong to Nintendo. Any stuff that has already had a specific media is not mine! Galaxy Wulf, its characters, trademarks, names, etc. all belong to me!

Notice: This is a PROLOGUE of THC, meaning it happened before the events of Two Heroes Collide. I've taken the first few parts of my story from the official Star Fox manga entitled "Farewell, Beloved Falco" in the Japanese site of Nintendo. Luckily, there's an English version that you can get at [www.arwinglanding.tk]. Oh, I will temporarily stop Two Heroes Collide: Juniors if I am making this. Don't worry! I think this will only take 20 chapters or less!


Chapter 13, The Real Enemy

     Falco and Ellie woke up from their unconsciousness. They both arise at a room. Somehow, they are still spared by Harold Lombardi, Falco's father.

     "Unhh… Ellie, are you okay?" Falco spoke out softly.

     "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, "but my body still aches."

     "So am I."

     Just then, somebody opened the cell. A large wolf carrying a tray of meal entered. He is Samson, looking somewhat helpful in the room. He groaned to tell them that it's time to eat.

     "I'm not in a mood to eat those food!" Falco angrily replied. "Say Ellie, are you hungry?"

     "Well, I can't really tell," she spoke out while being shaky. "The way my body aches, I can' tell whether it's hungry or not…"

     The two declined the food. However, Samson insisted. He lay the food over the desk, he whimpered, he lied on his back. He was begging for them to eat the meal. He also made a gesture telling them that he'll spoon-feed them if he has to.

     "Is he that forceful?!" Falco wondered. "At least tell us by words why do you want us to eat desperately."

     "He wants you both to eat the food he cooked." a female voice answered. It is Seraphy, who accidentally heard them while she was walking. "You should be lucky he took the time making you people's food, not the prison food given here."

     "Why is he doing this?" Ellie asked.

     Seraphy looked at Samson. The large wolf nodded and whined, making Seraphy tell something. "Are you sure Sam? Very well…" she said.

     "Years ago, Samson had a family at Venom. He had a loving wife and a sweet daughter to take care of. But then, the Lylat Wars appeared, making this mercenary pilot leave his home for a while."

     Samson whimpered and then started to scintillate. Seraphy wanted to stop but the muscular wolf insisted.

     "A sudden attack to Venom suddenly occurred. He then realized that his house is near the area where the dogfight is currently going on. When he got there, he saw his family packing up to leave. When he is coming to get them, a nova bomb suddenly exploded near the house, exploding the whole structure. It killed his wife and daughter, and the blow knocked him off along with the debris."

     "Oh my…" Ellie cried. "That's terrible…"

     "The injury he got caused his throat to malfunction. The doctors couldn't do much to save his voice. However, behind that silent person is actually a man grieving and crying for his family." Seraphy then started to wet her tears.

     "But… but why did he served us meal?" Falco asked.

     Samson picked something from the pocket of his short torn pants. It is a necklace, a memento of something. He then gave it to Ellie.

     She opened the locket. She saw a picture of two female wolves, one younger than the other. The younger wolf looks like her.

     "I think I got it…" she said. "I resemble your daughter, right?"

     "Her name is Delilah, and her nickname is Eli." Seraphy concluded. "That's why he couldn't bear to hurt you."

     "Ohh… I guess I'm sorry if I mistook you as some cold-hearted person." she replied. "I judged you wrongly from my actions…"

     The large wolf smiled, leaving the two to eat. Seraphy followed, smiling a little bit as she leaves the place.

     Back at the lab, Harold tries out the serum he created and duplicated. With the help of his wife's formula, the concoction's effect became more dramatic.

     "All right." Harold spoke. "Are the machines ready?"

     "One hundred percent okay!" Garnet replied. "Bring in the soldier!"

     A fox was dragged in the capsule-like machine. He was begging for mercy, as if he only made a small mistake. His clothes were then torn out, leaving only his boxers. He was pushed inside the capsule, landing down to his chest. The glass capsule closed, disabling any escape.

     "Please! Master Harold, I won't fail again!" the fox shouted as he begged for mercy.

     "Oh don't worry! I'm going to give you a second chance!" the avian replied.

     "Really? Then please, let me out!"

     "Of course I have to make sure you won't fail again!" he grinned. "Activate gassing!"

     The fox suddenly became sweaty. He saw the top of the capsule releasing some sort of blue gas, completely covering the whole capsule. He tried not to breathe it, but the whole pod is being filled with the chemical. As he was forced to inhale it, he cried in pain as if something pierced his brain. The gas kept on entering his body, making him feel agony.

     Harold approached the capsule. He explained, "You know, you should consider yourself lucky! You're my first subject to be evolved! The gas inside which you are now inhaling are all made up of the formula I made! Thanks to my wife, it became more potent! Can you feel the evolution? Can you feel the power growing inside you?"

     The fox shouted and growled as he lay down the floor. As the gas clears the capsule, the soldier was no longer on his original form. He was turned into a stronger fighter. He has larger muscles, he has a large build, but also, he was able to create ice from his palms.

     "I have to thank those ice wolves!" Harold grinned. "If I didn't copied their genes, he wouldn't be much of an ice fox!"

     The large fox exited the machine. The muscular vulpine walked like an animal, and he lost the touch of a civilized person. He growls and howls, much like of a fox. However, the gas not only evolved the creature, but also, it made him became loyal to Harold. The monster obeys every whim of the scientist. He went to a chamber, as what Harold ordered.

     "Bravo, Harold!" Garnet clapped. "Now, we are really sure that the machine works wonders! Not only we evolved the person, but we granted him the ability of an ice wolf."

     "Now, it's his turn!" Harold smiled evilly.

     Scythe was inside Samson's fighter. He was asking something about what to do with the bounty they all just recently got. He then noticed that the large wolf has been quiet for a while. What happened to him?

     "Sam, you've been so quiet lately." Scythe wondered. "I know you can't talk, but your silence is rather unusual than your usual… umm… silence."

     Samson barked and then pointed his locket. Scythe smiled to see about his family.

     "Say, what do you think I should do with this loot?" he asked as he shows a Lite Card. (Lite Cards are basically your credit or ATM cards. When you insert this to a Lite Reader, usually found near a bank, you can get the money transacted in the card.) "Boss gave me this earlier, saying that this has all the bounty he promised."

     Samson growled fuzzily. Scythe made a convincing idea that that was an "I don't know!" answer. He smiled and left the wolf alone.

     A few minutes later, two soldiers called the large wolf. Samson was surprised to be called by them.

     "The boss wants to see you!" one of the soldiers ordered.

     Samson quickly went down from his fighter. However, as soon as he got down, a tranquilizer dart hit him at his back, making him feel drowsy and faint.

     "We got him sir! We'll be delivering him there now!" the solder communicated with his communicator.

     Meanwhile, back at Arctican, Anna got out from the pod she was in. She was surprised to see everyone gone. Having a slight hope, she tried to activate The Glacier by herself.

     "Damn! How can I fix this thing?!" she growled. "Where's Frigi Freeze (Freeze is another one of Frigi's alias) and Cold Avalanche (Avalanche is another alias of Cold) when you need them?!"

     She went outside, looking up the night sky. She was hoping that they would return safely.

     "Guys, please come back!" she mumbled. "Or else, I'll be forced to ask Gen. Anita's help if you didn't come home tomorrow!"

     Back again at the flagship of Harold Lombardi, Scythe was walking at an aisle while looking for Samson. He then caught up with Seraphy who was looking for him as well.

     "Say, have you seen Sam?" Scythe asked. "We will leave soon! We can't leave without him!"

     "I was looking for him too!" Seraphy replied. "I think the boss knows where he is! Let's go and ask him."

     The two went to the laboratory of Harold. However, before they could enter, the soldier guarding the entrance forbids them.

     "Sorry, but unauthorized personnel may not enter!" the soldier halted them.

     "But we got to see the doc!" Scythe groaned.

     "Let them in." a rough voice spoke form the door as it opens. That is Harold, who allowed them to go in. "I have something important to say to them."

     The two looked at each other and agreed to come along. When the two entered the lab, they were shocked to see who was inside the machine. It was none other than Samson! They hear his cries and growls, same as what the fox cried out during the transformation.

     "Boss! Why's Sam inside the capsule?!" Scythe yelled.

     "Oh, your mute friend? I'm actually giving a chance of a lifetime!" Harold grinned. "Evolving him will be his pride and joy! Look at him! His physique, his strength, his power! Everything!"

     Samson's body started to change. His muscles became harder. His strength is like nobody else. Ice breathes out from his mouth. His fur starts to get messy. He transformed into a bulky beast, a howling monster.

     "How could you do this to him?! He's not a guinea pig! He never precincted to be one!" Seraphy shouted.

     "Scythe, you bear the mark of Wolf O'Donnell, am I right?" Harold offered. "Would you like to evolve? Do you wish to feel the evolution growing within yourself? I'll pay you with riches that you couldn't count if you agree!"

     The wolf picked the card from his pocket, snap it into pieces, and threw it towards Harold. "You can't bribe me! It makes me sick to see people play with another person's life!"

     "Well then, I hope you two are ready to face your friend!" Harold grinned. "Or should I say, adieu, Scythe?" He grabbed a pistol and fired it towards the wolf.

     However, Seraphy pushed Scythe away, taking the hit. Scythe howled and shouted as the lass drops down the floor. Scythe immediately caught her while Harold insanely laughs hard.

     "Seraphy… don't…" Scythe cried out.

     "Scythe…" Seraphy breathed heavily. "Only way to stop… help Falco and Ellie… Save ice wolves…" Her eyes then closed, and then her heart stopped beating.

     "SERAPHY!!!" the wolf shouted.

     "Oh touchy, but I'm not going to miss again!" Harold grinned as he fired another round.

     Scythe tried to evade it, hitting the ceiling. However, he didn't notice the debris falling from the ceiling. It hit his left eye, scarring it painfully. Ignoring the pain, he took advantage of the dust that was created to sneak out.

     "Don't let him get away!" Harold ordered.

     He immediately ran towards the cell where Falco and Ellie cell. The two were shocked to see him running while his eye was bleeding.

     "Scythe! What happened?!" Ellie asked after being surprised. "Your wound…"

     Scythe blasted the cell door. He immediately took the two out. "Ignore my eye, Ellie. We have to get back to Arctican!"

     "There they are!" the soldiers shouted.

     "There's no time! Hurry!"

     The three immediately ran towards the hangar, riding Scythe's fighter. They got away with their tails almost caught. However, Scythe now has a feeling that he couldn't bare. His teammates are gone, and now he's all alone.