Chapter 3 - Days of Misery

*Zelda Gaiden*

It seemed too hard to believe what had happened earlier today.

Falco Lombardi was killed, and his friend Fox was the one who found out. He was so in shock that he couldn't say anything for several hours; he just stared into space with those grief-stricken, teary eyes that made my heart break.

I couldn't imagine how I would feel if I had seen one my friends dead, killed by themselves or someone else. I couldn't even bear to think of that.

Authority members were now searching his room, but they've told all of us that it is obvious that Falco had committed suicide.

"Link!" I called to my boyfriend, who was walking towards the stadium.

The fights had been cancelled for today and for tomorrow, when Falco's funeral would be held. I wondered why Link was going to the stadium, until he answered my question as if he read my mind.

"Hi, Zelda. Roy wanted to talk to me, and he's waiting in the stadium for me," he replied.

"May I come?" I asked, begging with my eyes.

He shrugged. "I don't see why not. But why?" he asked as we started walking again.

"I...don't feel very safe. One of our friends has been murdered, and-"

"He committed suicide. And he wasn't really our friend," Link pointed out.

I was a bit annoyed at how blunt he was, but that is how Link is. "Well...that is true...," I admitted. "But I still don't feel safe!"

"Don't worry. You're very capable of taking care of yourself, and you always have me to help you out!"

I smiled and wrapped my arm around his waist. Then I suddenly remembered poor Fox, and sighed heavily. "Do you know how Fox is doing now?"

"He's talking again, and the police are questioning him."

"Surely they don't suspect him!" I exclaimed incredulously. I couldn't imagine innocent, quiet Fox killing his only friend!

"No, they don't. They want to know why Falco killed himself."

*Fox McCloud*

"Falco did NOT kill himself!! How many times do I have to tell you people?"

I was the point of either tears or an explosion from these officers. They kept asking me questions, all of them circling around the unbelievable idea that my friend had killed himself.

"Mr. McCloud!" their leader spoke up, trying to calm me down.

We were sitting at a table, five of us in all. Three of the officers were human; one of them was from the Lylat system, for he was part raven, part human. The Lylat system man was their leader.

"I know how much you liked Mr. Lombardi, but he was found with his laser gun in his hand. Now surely, you can see the simple-"

"Falco is LEFT handed!" I exclaimed, losing my cool no matter how hard I was trying to stay calm. "Left handed! His laser gun was in his right hand! Tell me why he would shoot himself with his other hand!"

One of the human officers looked at the Lylat officer. The human was in his twenties, tanned skinned and muscular. He quietly said, "Does make kind of sense, Officer Neevar."

His boss glared at him, then looked back at me. "We have had victims who have shot themselves with their bad hand, Mr. McCloud. We've also had ones that, like your friend, just committed suicide out of the blue. You must understand that he is not the first of this kind of problem!"

I shook my head, unable to believe it. Yet Officer Neevar continued. "You don't know how many people just change during one night, Mr. McCloud! We've had people from all across the universe that suddenly kill themselves, kill others, start up things like crime or drugs or addiction problems, and all other problems! It has happened!"

"Well, Falco had no reason to! He was perfectly happy the way he was."

"A few of the other contestants at the tournament told me that he stormed out of the stadium during the last fight. Is that not so?"

"...It is so, but are you telling me he killed himself due to that?!"

"No, because it probably added up from many things in the past that pushed him over the edge!"

This guy was sounding more and more like a psychiatrist than an officer. I was beginning to lose my mind.

The questioning seemed to go now forever, and when they finally let me go, they were more than convinced that their theory that Falco had committed was right.

"By the way, Mr. McCloud!" Officer Raven called to me. "Since you are the only one who knows the location of Falco's family and friends, our chief would like for you to tell them the news about your son!"

I glared at him, almost ready to snap. I had to tell Falco's family and our friends he was dead?! How on earth could they do such a thing to me?! Haven't they realized I've suffered enough?

"We thought it would also be best, for you could break the news best to them. Anyone else wouldn't be able to them without making it sound heartless. You must understand-"

"No, no, you're right. I'm sorry. I-I'll tell them," I stammered, nodding sadly.

Officer Neevar nodded back, then said, "I am truly sorry about all this, Fox McCloud. You're a hero in our galaxy, and good people like you shouldn't have to be put through so much pain. I suggest you spend some time with some of your other friends here today."

I looked down at the ground, my mind still buzzing with millions of thoughts. "I don't have any friends here," I muttered under my breath, then walked away.

I wanted to go to the stadium. Maybe I could be alone there. Maybe...

"Fox!" I heard a heavenly voice call to me.

I looked behind me to see Zelda and Link looking at me. Zelda said something to her boyfriend, then walked over to me. Link continued walking to the stadium, which was close to us.

"I...I really don't know what to say," she stammered, having to look down to look into my eyes. She is about two or three inches taller than I am normally, and I had to add a few more due to her high heels. "I...I really wish that you didn't have to be the one to see him."

"So did I," I muttered, looking down at the ground. I was trying not to cry, for I didn't want to look helpless to her.

"I'm really sorry...just don't beat yourself up, okay? You were his only friend here, so you're not responsible for this at all. I don't know if he committed suicide or was murdered, but I do know that you aren't in any fault in this."

I looked up into her sapphire eyes. She was so caring, so wonderful that I could kiss her for being so sweet.

"Thank you," was all I could whisper.

She smiled weakly, then patted my shoulder and walked away to catch up with Link.

Nervously, I tapped the buttons on the televi-phone. A televi-phone is a device we have in the Lylat system that lets you talk to the being you're speaking to on a phone, and you can see them on a small TV screen. With trembling hands, I weakly tapped in Falco's home number. I swallowed hard when I remembered how hard this was going to be. Falco had a mom, dad, and two younger sisters. How was I going to break such hard news to any of them?

Suddenly, the screen lit up and Falco's dad was looking back at me. He smiled when he saw me, for he knows me well.

"Ah, Fox!" he exclaimed. "How's everything at the tournament? I saw you and Falco win yesterday! Boy, did you two kick butt! Where is Falco, anyway?" he laughed, then added, "Don't tell me he has you calling his folks now?"

"Actually, Mr. Lombardi...th-that's why I'm calling. It's about Falco...," I stammered, once again trying not to cry.

Mr. Lombardi looked at me, puzzled. "What about Falco?"

"Falco...Falco is...,"

"Fox, what's wrong?" he asked, growing more serious.

I took a deep breath, but it didn't help much. "Falco is dead, sir."

Falco's dad looked horrified, then sad, and then angry. "What?" he shouted. "Falco? It can't be!"

"I-I'm sorry, sir!" I sobbed, tears rolling down my face.

"Fox, are...are you sure?" he asked, pleading with his eyes that I was joking.

I nodded weakly. "I'm the one who found him, sir."

"Oh...oh...," his dad moaned. I saw him pull up a chair, then sat down on it before he hit the ground. "I'm so sorry you had to see him...,"

"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Lombardi!" I choked, wiping my tears away.

"Son, you were Falco's best friend. I know how you feel!"

I heard Falco's mom from somewhere in the house call out, "Honey! What is it? Who's on the phone?"

"Fox, honey!" Mr. Lombardi answered, then looked back at me. "I...I'll have to tell them myself. Do you want me to tell Peppy and Slippy, or-"

"No, no. I should do that."

"Okay," Falco's dad looked close to tears. He was a strong man, looking like Falco thirty years older and wiser. "When...when is the funeral?"

"Tomorrow, here. I'll have Peppy bring you here."

"There? Shouldn't it be in Lylat, his home system?"

"You know how Falco was, sir. He didn't really care where he was buried, for lost all interest when you all had to leave Zoness, your home planet.

"Yes, that's right. I...I guess I'd better tell his mom and sisters now. ...Thank you, Fox!" he added, tears now starting to roll down his eyes.

"You're...you're welcome, sir! Good-bye," I uttered, then hung up. I didn't want to imagine Falco's sweet mom and cute sisters hearing the news about Falco's death. They will go to pieces, I just know it...

Why? Why did Falco have to die?

Anger began to rise inside of me for the first time. Whoever killed him had brought horrible pain and anguish to his dear family.

"I'll find out who killed Falco!" I whispered to myself. "I swear I will!"

*Roy*

"Ah, Miss Zelda!" I said as I bowed to her slightly. "I wasn't aware that you were coming!"

"I asked to come. I'm sorry if it bothers you-"

"No, no! I am fine with it." Turning to Link, I asked, "Are you aware that our fight has been postponed for two days?"

"Yes."

"Ah, good. ...Do you know how Fox is handling this?"

"He seems fine now." Link replied, very emotionlessly.

Zelda looked unsure about what Link had said, then commented, "He's a bit depressed, however."

"Oh, he is?" I looked at the fair princess. "It is a shame his friend died. Also that he was his only friend."

Link and Zelda only nodded, so I continued. "Yes, I wonder why Falco committed suicide."

"It hasn't been proved yet that he-" Zelda started, but her boyfriend interrupted him.

"Honey, he was found with his laser gun in his hand."

"An easy set-up for a killer to make it look like he killed himself."

I shuddered, then spoke my mind. "I'd hate to think that there is a murderer among or around us." I shrugged, then shook my head in grief. "It was a shame that the last time we saw him was him sulking away from us."

"What happened at that fight?" Zelda asked.

"It...is a shame to admit...but no one cheered at the end of the fight when Fox and Falco won that battle."

"...What?!" Zelda exclaimed. "How come?!"

Hesitantly, I answered, "Well...on my case, it was the shock that they had won. I would've bet my sword that Donkey Kong and Mewtwo were going to emerge victorious. I was so...shocked that they won, I forgot to applaud. I guess it was shock, admiration and disbelief that stopped us all from applauding."

"You can only guess why Bowser and Ganondorf were quiet." Link added.

Zelda looked very surprised. "...Well, that doesn't sound like something Falco would commit suicide over!"

I nodded sadly. "I wish I knew what happened to Falco. Sure, it looks like a suicide. Also, I hope this doesn't drive to Fox to the same path.

*Fox McCloud*

Calling Peppy wasn't as hard as calling Falco's dad, but it was still hard. Peppy looked like someone hit him when I told him the news. After he recovered briefly, he told me he would tell Slippy for me, and then said good-bye.

After calling, I stumbled over to my room and fell onto my bed. I just wanted to cry. Cry for Falco, cry for his family, cry about everything.

The day of Falco's funeral came quite quickly. I was dressed in my usual Star Fox outfit; the tan jacket, green shirt and pants, metal boots, white gloves, and a red bandana. I was supposed to dress like this for a fellow Star Fox member's funeral.

When I walked out of my room, Mr. Game & Watch and Pichu were right at the door.

"We just wanted to say we're sorry for not cheering at the tournament!" Pichu spoke up before I could even greet them.

"We were mocking the audience!" Mr. Game & Watch exclaimed. "If you saw us, we were standing on our seats with our mouths hanging and our arms hanging lazily! We tried to look, like, weird! We're sorry! We didn't know-"

"Guys! Guys!" I exclaimed, trying to get my voice over their powerful vocals. "I understand!" I smiled weakly. "Thanks, anyway."

"So everything's okay? You have no desire to kill us?" Pichu spoke up.

"Of course not!" I replied, shocked that they would even think I would have such a desire.

"YAY!!" the two ran off, cheering and waving their arms as if they had heard the greatest news ever. I don't think I'll ever understand those two, yet I like them anyway."

I started walking in the direction of the parking lot. The others were also heading there, for a few limousines were going to take us there. I didn't really care for traveling in such luxury, but it wasn't that big of a problem.

As I walking to the parking lot, I saw a few of my fellow battlers walking to the parking lot. Zelda, dressed in a black dress, was with Link, who was in his black tunic. Zelda saw me and waved at me, and I waved back with a weak smile. It wasn't her type of color', but black looked okay on her.

Captain Falcon and Samus Aran were also walking to the parking lot, both of them dressed in black. Yoshi didn't look any different, except that he looked sad, which is depressing to see.

"Fox!" I heard a female voice call me from behind. Turning around, trying to remember where I heard that voice before, I saw the girl I least expected to be here running towards me.

It was Katt Feline, Falco's old girlfriend. Katt has pink, silky-looking fur in every place I have fur, and she has a long, pink tail. She wears her head fur in a slightly long ponytail. She's about my height, and she is quite thin. Katt is very, VERY attractive to Lylat standards. She was dressed in her uniform, which is very similar to a Star Fox outfit.

She ran up to me, panting for air. I approached her, exclaiming, "Katt! What are you doing here?"

Katt looked at me with green eyes that were slightly bloodshot from crying. "Is it true?" she asked weakly. "Falco...is...?"

I nodded slowly, and she sobbed loudly. Before I expected it, she threw herself onto me and cried loudly. I was very startled, but I have good reaction time, so I didn't fall down. I rubbed her back for comfort, yet the way she was crying, it seemed that she was going to get over it as slowly as I was going to.

At the parking lot, I led Katt to the limousine and invited her to ride with us. She nodded without saying anything, trying to rub her tears away.

Inside the limo were Zelda, Link, Luigi, Yoshi and Marth. They all looked at Katt the same way anyone would if a total stranger was suddenly in their presence.

"Oh, I'm sorry for not introducing all of you!" I apologized as Katt and I sat down. "Katt, this is Zelda Gaiden, Link, Luigi, Yoshi and Marth. Everybody, this is Katt Feline."

"Hi," Katt tried to sound like she still had some energy as she shook Zelda's hand. "I'm Falco's old girlfriend. Fox introduced me to him."

"Yoshi sorry for Katt," Yoshi spoke up. He has a very limited vocabulary, even as he is still learning.

"Thank you!" Katt smiled weakly at Yoshi.

The trip was unusually quiet, apart from Yoshi playing with the power windows and Zelda trying to talk to Katt.

"So...what do you do for a living, Katt?" Zelda had asked her.

"The same thing Fox does; fly a space plane and destroy any enemy aircraft. It's quite rough at times, which is why Fox is so famous in the Lylat system. He makes it look so easy, like if anybody could fly an Arwing!"

I couldn't help but blush. "Well, I do what I can for my system," I added.

"You never told us what a hero you were, Fox!" Marth exclaimed, sounding fascinated.

Katt looked at me, smiling for the first time. "Ah, you wouldn't see old Fox blowing his horn! He's as modest as a guy can be!"

" Old'?" I repeated, getting scattered laughs.

"It must be great to fly a...plane all the time!" Zelda repeated. Her time hasn't heard of planes before, but she has adjusted to all the technology we have here.

The conversation was interrupted quite suddenly when Yoshi started calling for help; the little guy had somehow caught his nose in the window, and was panicking too much to try to bring down the window with the switch.

* * *

The funeral was relatively short. It was in the middle of the graveyard, where the reverend said his little piece. I didn't pay any attention, for I was too busy thinking about Falco, and studying the faces of the crowd.

Falco's parents and sisters...I can't even begin to explain how depressed they looked. Peppy and Slippy were standing next to them, looking almost as grieved. Katt, who was by me the entire funeral, kept trying not to sob out loud and constantly wiped tears from her eyes. All of my fellow Smashers were there, apart from Ganondorf and Bowser, who did not come.

The Smashers all looked sad, yet it was a random few that stood out from the crowd. Mr. Game & Watch and Pichu, whom were almost impossible to act quietly, were dead silent and morbid-looking. Marth looked very serious and grieved, like a knight of old times that at the funeral of a fellow knight. Zelda looked very sorrowful, more than the others did.

When the preacher was done, it was time to go. I approached the box as everyone stood up to leave. Falco's jacket was folded and placed gently on the top. His Star Fox pin gleamed in the sunlight, and reflected into my eyes. I winced slightly, then softly touched the pin. "Good-bye...my friend," I whispered, barely hearing my own voice.

"Fox?" I heard Katt speak from behind me. Turning around, I saw Falco's dad standing near her.

"I just...wanted to say thank you, Fox," he said. His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and he extended his hand. I extended mine, and we shook. "You were Falco's best friend, and I owe a lot to you. If it wasn't for you, he wouldn't have become the man that he grew up to be."

I was touched. "Thank you, sir," was all I able to say.

"Take care of yourself, okay?" he added, then walked back to his family.

Walking towards the parking lot, Slippy approached Katt and I. "Hey, Fox! You okay?"

"...I'll get by. How are you, Slippy?"

"Still in a bit of shock, I guess. Anyway, Peppy wanted me to tell you that we'll be taking Katt home now! With...," he trailed off, unable to bring himself to finish his sentence.

Katt looked at me with her sorrowful eyes, a look crushed my soul once again. I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and said to her slowly, "It was...good to see you again, Katt."

"Same here, Fox," she whispered, looking down at the ground. She approached me slowly and hugged me, trying to calm herself down. I hugged her back, trying to find any comfort at all.

"I'll miss him," she sobbed into my jacket. "I never should've broken up with him! Now that he's gone...I now know how much I cared for him!"

"I'll miss him too. He was my only friend here!" I replied softly.

Her head slowly raised up to mine, and I felt her warm lips against my cheek. She then looked into my eyes and whispered, "Thank you...for always being there for him."

Before I could think of anything to say to her, she turned away and left with Slippy. I watched them leave, Slippy and I saying good-bye shortly.

Wiping my own tear away from my face, I tried to pull myself together with a deep breath. Then I heard distinctive footsteps coming from behind me.

"Fox?" the cute voice of Yoshi came from behind me as I turned around. He still looked very sad, his normally twinkling eyes now moist from crying. "We're ready to go. You ready, or you wanna spend more time here?"

"No, I'm ready to go," I answered somewhat weakly.

Yoshi nodded. I noticed impression on the top of his nose that the window had left on him, but just barely. My vulpine eyes are very good at catching those small things.

We walked back to the limo and climbed in. In the limo this time was Jigglypuff, Roy, Pichu, Mr. Game & Watch and Mewtwo.

On the ride back to the stadium, there was barely any talk, but plenty of noise. The green dinosaur had brought himself out of his pit of misery by playing with the radio. It was a tad annoying, but since it cheered Yoshi up, I didn't complain.

The only talking that took place was Mr. Game & Watch and Pichu asking for Yoshi to switch to a DJ called Dr. Demento', and Roy asking me a question when we arrived at the stadium.

"Fox?" he spoke up as the limo came to a stop. "Are you going to be okay?" I looked up at him slowly, in deep thought about all kinds of things.

"I will when I find out the truth about Falco," was my quiet answer.