A/N: So now Wolf is under the three strikes system. This next chapter takes place from where the previous chapter left off… somewhat. Anyway, enjoy and please review if you have the time.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Starfox, Nintendo and/or Rare do. Any relation to my original characters in anyway is entirely coincidental.

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Chapter 4: Freedom for a Day

It was late in the night and Wolf was sound asleep. It was in Krystal's best interest not to wake him. A part of her knew he couldn't be trusted but another part wanted to give him a chance. Even if she'd already given several chances before. Wolf didn't seem to be quite as bad as the others. He wasn't filthy, had a proper mouth and so far seemed sincere. Which of course could only mean there is something for him to hide.

Krystal was getting dressed in some casual clothes that the common peasants wear. Her father didn't think much of her blue pants and faded purple shirt but who was he to take FULL control of her life?

She slipped into a white hoody and opened the door that lead from her room and into the hall, quietly. She couldn't risk waking up Wolf and so she was as quiet as possible.

"Krystal!" A voice rasped, which caused Krystal to nearly slam the door. She didn't, thank goodness, but she closed it fast enough to the point where someone must've heard it.

Krystal turned to see Jade standing in the distance. "What are you doing up?" Krystal whispered back.

"I don't get much sleep, I was up washing. Why are you up? And dressed like that?" Jade inquired. "It's too late to be up and too early to go out!"

"The sun is almost up, I'll be fine."

"You know your father doesn't like you stepping out of the palace!" Jade reminded her.

Krystal huffed and frowned. "I'm not a little kit anymore, I can take care of myself." She stood idle for a moment when a thought entered her head. "Don't tell father OR the guards! They'll have the entire Kingdom in panic. I'll be back later on today."

Jade sighed. "And what about Wolf? You're just going to be a bad host and walk out on him?"

Krystal hadn't really thought much of Wolf. "Just stall him or something." Krystal said and turned to walk to the entrance.

"Krystal…" Jade whispered. "It isn't wise to walk out the front door, it makes too much noise. Climb out the window instead."

Krystal nodded. "I'll only be a few hours."

"It BETTER be a few hours or your father will have MY head!" Jade snapped. With that Krystal crossed her heart and was out the window.

***

"Sunrise, Shane, get up!" Fox hollered at his friend. "We need to get some breakfast, and we better do it before the guards get up and are out patrolling the streets."

Shane groggily sat up from the floor, covered in dust to the point where his fur wasn't quite so dark anymore. He started to "dust" himself off the way a dog dries off. "What's for breakfast today? Don't say bread!"

Fox smiled as he grabbed his white vest and put it on. "Let's go out and browse the market!"

***

Once in the market place the two wandered around for a moment. "Why do we do this everyday? It isn't like these people sell anything new every other day." Shane whined. Then he spotted the bearded man, Jon, who had helped them the other day with the guards. Except Jon was looking right at him today.

"Shane, come on." Fox ordered when he noticed that Shane had stopped and wasn't following. "What's up?"

Shane pointed up at Jon, "I think he wants to speak with us."

Fox shrugged. "Do what you want, I'm going to find some breakfast."

Shane grabbed his arm and pulled him along. "No, we stick together, remember? I think he wants both of us to go up."

"And breakfast?"

"It won't take that long. Come on, let's go." Shane tugged him along and they went to a shabby looking building with an empty stand in front.

The two foxes stood at the door and before they could knock it had swung opened all on its own. "Come on in." A deep voice called to them and the two stepped inside.

Once inside it was clear the man wasn't THAT rich. He had nice chairs and a nice carpet to boot. His curtains were beautiful, made of satin lace it seemed. The chairs looked comforting and made Fox recall that he hadn't sat in one for years. "Mind if we sit?" Fox called out.

"Certainly, make yourself at home." The bearded man called out before he walked into the living room to greet the two foxes. "I've seen you two around. Call me Jon."

Fox had a seat next to the window and he knew that probably wasn't the best idea but the guards weren't out yet. "So… Jon, my friend here says you wanted to speak with us."

"I knew he'd get the message!" Jon said excitedly. "You guys want something to eat? I've got lots of fruit."

Shane's eyes lit up at the mention of food. "Wait! Why offer us food?"

Jon sat down on a cot near the doorway to the kitchen. "I've seen you two around before. You're thieves right? Don't worry; I understand the thief's life. I won't turn you in to the guards. I wanted to ask the two of you a question."

"Question?" Shane repeated.

"I've been watching you two outwit and outsmart these guards for years. Don't you think by now you deserve some sort of break? I wanted you two here so I could ask you if you wanted to help me at my stand in the market place."

Shane looked to Fox, who had his eyes elsewhere. "Fox?" When Shane finally looked out the window he saw what Fox saw. It was a furry with blue fur and a white hoody on. Obviously it was a girl but the fact that her attire was a tad bit different made her stand out. Her eyes were gorgeous but the face was all he could see.

"Are you two OK?" Jon snapped his fingers and this time Fox looked back at Jon. "Excuse me?"

"Are you up for it?"

"Up for what?"

"Working with me. I'll pay you, I swear I will."

Fox looked to Shane. "Well, what do you think?" Except now the blue furry walking down the street distracted HIM. "Shane!" Fox snapped and the black fox quickly found himself averted from her beauty.

"What do I think…what?"

Jon sighed. "Do you want to work for me?"

"What do you think Fox?" Shane turned and looked at Fox.

Fox and Jon then sighed. "It sounds promising… but we have to decline, I suppose."

"What? But why?" Jon asked. He was really hoping to turn their lives around but it didn't seem possible now.

"Well," Fox began, "say we do decide to help you and we stop pilfering from the market place. That doesn't mean the guards wouldn't capture us and put us in the dungeon. We're the most wanted thieves in town! We're at the top of their list! We can't just give up like that. If they see us at the stands then they'll get suspicious. Either way, we'll end up in the dungeon."

Jon nodded. "I see… well if you guys ever want to stop by… feel free. I'm always open."

"We could help you around the house, though. We've noticed you too for the past few years. You're the one who always bails us out of tight spots." Shane observed. "Remember when Fox and I were almost caught by the guards and you set your own stand on fire to alert the guards to a different threat? It gave us time to get away and they forgot about us."

Jon did remember some of these. "The way some of the guards treat the poor. It's unbearable. We all need to live, ya know." Jon looked into the kitchen. "So… how 'bout some breakfast?"

***

It was Krystal's first time being in the market place alone. She'd been around before when she was younger but she was always shrouded from the crowds as the guards went and bought whatever. Once she grew older her father stopped letting her go to the market place altogether.

Maybe I should've grabbed some money before I left. Krystal thought. She looked around at what was being sold. Some looked her in the eye and showed her what they were selling, others signaled her over.

She passed by one stand where the merchant was offering jewelry. "Would you like a necklace?" The hound at the stand offered. "Made out of real diamonds! I'm sure it would look gorgeous on you."

Krystal smiled and tried it on, just to be polite. The hound held up a mirror and let her take a look. "What do you think?" He asked. The necklace really did look good on her. Made out of real diamonds. Each diamond was a caret. The diamonds were cut evenly and they looked gorgeous. Not to mention that in the sun they sparkled.

"They're beautiful." Krystal mused.

"And for you I'll make a deal. Only one-hundred coins since you're so stunningly beautiful."

Krystal giggled. "I couldn't…I shouldn't…I…can't."

"You can't?" The hound said. "You don't have enough money? We can fix that. I can lower the price so that it's affordable for you."

"No… it's that I have no money… and--" But she was interrupted.

"No money!? Why are you in the market place then?"

Krystal wanted to walk away but remembered she was wearing the necklace. "Well, if you wait here I can run back to the palace and get some coins and--"

"Lady, the palace isn't going to help you. Take off my necklace and get some money and come back later, OK?"

"No, it's true. I can go to the palace and--"

"I said, come back later." He took the necklace off. "You're not a thief are you?"

"What? Why do you ask?"

"Because the only ones who try to pull off a lie like that are thieves and con-artist."

"No, I'd never… try anything like that."

"Good. As long we're clear on that. A pretty girl like you couldn't be a thief, no way." The hound smiled. "So what brings you to the market place?" He set the necklace down and turned to face Krystal.

"Well," Krystal shifted her eyes from side to side, "I'm new here."

"Really?" The hound howled. "You'll love it here in Cerina. Would you like a tour?" After that he started on an endless talk.

As the two were talking a set of paws reached down and grabbed the necklace. Krystal noticed it but didn't say anything. The hound seemed to be talking up a storm. "Umm, excuse me but I should probably get going. There's more I want to see."

When the hound turned around he noticed that the necklace was gone and immediately looked to Krystal, "You thief!"

She gasped and turned around. "What are you talking about?"

He hopped over the stand and caused a bit of an uproar. "Give back the necklace you stole and I won't turn you into the guards for theft."

"I don't know what you mean… I honestly don't." Krystal feared.

The hound sighed. "Listen, I've dealt with a lot of thieves before so I can see right through your façade. Just give back the necklace and everything will be fine."

"Excuse me!" Fox stepped in. "What seems to be the problem…sir?" The word 'sir' seemed hard to spit out. Fox had pilfered from this hound but the hound never knew it was he.

"This doesn't concern you so you might as well move along." The hound warned.

Fox looked at Krystal and then to the hound. "But it does concern me. You see this is… my wife."

Krystal looked at him strange for a minute but then she slowly nodded.

"Oh, she is huh?" the hound snarled. "Then tell her to give me back the necklace she stole."

"Did you actually SEE her take it?" Fox inquired.

"Well, no… but it was gone!"

"I really didn't take it!" Krystal protested.

"Let me pull our her pockets and prove to you she's taken nothing." Fox reached into her jacket and pulled out Krystal's two pockets. Since she had no pockets on her pants that were fine. "Nothing."

The hound growled a bit. "I guess she checks out then. But I'll find the thief who stole the necklace!"

"I hope you do. But please, don't jump to conclusions like that." Krystal said.

The hound waved them off and was back at his stand and Krystal started to walk away from Fox. "Wait! Don't I at least get a 'thank-you'?"

Krystal stopped and turned around. She smiled. "Thank-you, whoever you are."

Fox started to trail behind her. Shane was still with Jon at the moment so this gave Fox a moment to attempt to impress her. Krystal looked back and he was still there. "Why are you following me now? I thanked you, you saved me from trouble, you can go now."

"Not much for friends are you?" Fox stopped her and took her arm. "You really need to know how to get around."

"And you need to learn how to stay put!" A voice called from behind and there was Shane.

Krystal smiled. He didn't seem like a bad fur, really. "What's your name?" She asked suddenly.

Fox turned to look at her. "Him, me, you, who?"

Krystal laughed. "Both of you guys."

"Let's go to a better place…and I know just the place." Shane said.

***

"We've searched all over the palace Prince O' Donnell, no sign of her." Shannon reported to Wolf. The sharp claw didn't seem to like him much either but there wasn't anything he could really do.

"I see… well… search the Kingdom and don't let the King know I sent you." Wolf ordered. "Find her and bring her back! Search the whole kingdom if you have to!"

"Yes sir." Shannon said and ordered the guards to do the same.

All the while Jade was watching. "Oh geez…"

***

It was about the mid-day by the time the two had brought Krystal back to their home. "You both live here?" Krystal said and looked at the walls, nothing that some adobe had fallen off revealing the bricks and that the walls were filthier than the dungeon.

"It's the only place we can live." Shane said. "While the home doesn't look to appetizing," he showed her the window, "The view is delicious."

Krystal was amazed at the sight. It was the palace in full view. "Wow…"

"Yeah, I know." Fox sighed. "I wonder what it would be like to live there. You'd have maids that got your clothes together, there'd always be a meal ready for you to eat… wouldn't have to sleep on the floor and--"

"You'd have furs and servants of the King telling you what to do and be forced to do it. You'd always be wanting to get out for a day just to see the outside world."

"Come again?" Fox scratched his head. "Believe me, that would be a lot better than having to steal your food and sleeping on a rock."

Krystal sighed. "I suppose you're right. So… what are your names? I've been asking since we left the market!"

Shane bit into an apple that he received from Jon and had a seat on the window and looked to Fox. "That's Fox." He said in-between bites, "and I'm Shane."

Just then Fox hit him. "Don't talk with your mouth full."

Krystal rolled her eyes. "So… your thieves?"

Fox nodded. "It's the only way we can survive. No one wants to sell to a thief in the market place. There's nothing we can do but steal. No one is willing to lend a helping hand and the guards don't do anything except uphold the law. It's not fair that we have to sit around here all day waiting for the opportune moment to leave and get something to eat. We try to be out before the guards come out. Sometimes it works, often times it doesn't."

"I see…"

"We've never been caught yet. Fox and I have always been on a run from the guards. Sometimes we get help… sometimes we don't."

"OFTEN times we don't!" Fox corrected him.

Krystal smiled. "You're not all that bad for thieves."

Fox smiled back and revealed the necklace he stole. "And sometimes we are…"

Krystal's eyes lit up. "You're a real bastard!"

"Language!" Shane screamed and they both laughed.

"It's what you wanted right? I saw that look in your eyes." Fox told her. "So I took it while he wasn't looking."

"You really don't know how to impress a girl do you?" Krystal giggled. "I don't mind that you have to steal food but when you steal possessions like that, it seems wrong."

"What's right then?" Shane muttered. "Sorry, but if you didn't have a home…and no family you'd be the same way."

Krystal sighed. "I'm sorry then. I guess sometimes you don't have a choice." Fox handed her the necklace and cupped it in her paws. "But you should still take it back."

Fox didn't want to hear that but she was probably right. "Well, you've been raised with morals, I'll admit that to you."

"You haven't?" Krystal looked to him.

"Like I said, we have no family. We ARE family." Shane said. "This is what those stuck up, snot nosed furs in the palace don't see! There are furs… and people out here like us that the King has done nothing about."

"I'm sure they're not all snot-nosed." Krystal spoke in her defense. "I bet there are things that both sides don't know about one-another."

"I'm sure." Shane said sarcastically.

"Really. Have you ever actually been to the palace?"

"Well, no but--"

"Well, there you go. How can you judge what you haven't seen yet?"

"Oh and I guess this moral is: 'Don't judge a book by its cover' is that it?" Shane growled. "And you still haven't told us YOUR name, missy!"

Krystal's eyes bulged. "Well…my name… is… Jade. My name is Jade."

"Not the Jade from the palace are you?" Fox raised an ear.

"No, of course not. Why?"

"She's one of the good ones." Fox sighed. "She's helped us out once or twice. Called the guards off us she did once."

Shane offered Krystal and apple and she politely declined. "You make it sound like she's bad though."

"She's not… she really isn't. But I still don't think I could trust anyone from the palace."

You've trusted me thus far, haven't you? Krystal wanted to say. Her mind kept talking and her mouth kept spitting out something different. "Come to the palace one day and you'll see that--"

Shane started laughing. "GO TO THE PALACE? No, we can't do that. You see, we are thieves… not just any thieves but the most wanted thieves in all of Cerina. Going to the palace would only be turning ourselves in. Shannon would tear us up!"

Krystal sighed. "I guess you're right."

"You know, we're not idiots. If I didn't know any better I'd say YOU were from the palace." Fox pointed out. "You even said you could get money from the palace to pay for that necklace."

Krystal didn't think he'd have heard that much. "No, that was just a lie to get him to give me the necklace."

"And there you go lying again." Shane said. "Sorry, but when you're a thief you learn not to trust many furs or people." He didn't mention that he didn't give Jon a second thought.

"I guess you're right. Well in that case my real name is--"

"HERE YOU ARE!" Shannon screamed at the sight of the three. "Now you're cornered with no where to go!" Four guards stood behind him.

"Wait, I can explain myself--" Krystal began but Fox already grabbed her.

"There's no time to explain, only time to escape!" Fox grabbed her and the three were out the window. Two guards hopped after them while Shannon made his way down the steps.

***

Fox and Krystal fell right to the ground, while Shane managed to grab a ledge and bring himself down to safety. "We have to hide before--" The two guards that jumped were above them now, but didn't get quite as lucky on the fall as they knocked themselves out on the ledges rather than catching them.

Shane looked at the guards. "Grab a uniform!"

"No we--"

"I hear them! This way!" Shannon screamed. By the time looked back to Shane he was already in a uniform. He fit perfectly, and since the uniforms, with the exception of Shannon's, had a mask you could pull down, he'd be perfectly hidden.

"Play along…" Shane whispered and now had to disguise his voice. He rolled the other guard out of sight before Shannon got to them.

"They're right here sir!" Shane said in the deepest imitation that he could and so far it was working.

"Where's the third one!?" Shannon questioned furiously.

"He got away, I was unable to stop him." Shane said.

"Well, I guess these two will have to do then." Shannon sighed and pulled the hood off Krystal's jacket. "And what's your excuse for being with these thieves, Princess Krystal?"

"The Princess!?" Fox shouted and alarmed the guards.

"They weren't doing anything wrong!" Krystal said in defense. "They're harmless and…"

"…The most wanted thieves in Cerina!" Shane spoke, his voice still disguised.

"Indeed they are!" Shannon spoke. "Let me do the talking, won't you?"

"Sorry sir."

Shannon walked up to Fox, "Arrest him! One thief will have to do for now." And the cuffs were on him before he could make any other movements.

"I really must protest against this. They've done nothing but try to survive!"

"They're still bound by the law! As we all are!"

"But they took care of me!" Krystal retorted. "They kept me safe while I was in the market place. They kept me out of trouble."

"Just because they kept YOU out of trouble and took care of you doesn't mean THEY haven't been in trouble." Shannon began to walk away.

Krystal sighed. "I order you to let him go!"

Shannon stopped and sighed. Damn royalty! Luckily, now Shannon had a good response. "I'm afraid I can't do that. Wolf O' Donnell's orders were to return you safely, and if I left HIM here then--"

"So don't give a full report. After all, ONE thief already got away!" Krystal continued to argue.

"Princess, you really must learn your place! We've been after these two for years! Do you know how much terror they've been making in the market place?" Shannon asked.

"And do you know that they can still walk around the market place!? How much terror can THAT be?"

Shannon sighed it was just impossible to win an argument with her. "The decision is final, lock him up in the dungeon. We'll find the other thief later! Take the injured guard as well. He'll be treated immediately."

All this and Fox could say nothing. It looked like he was finally caught. Shane and Krystal trailed behind as Shannon marched on while one guard held on to Fox and the other towing the other guard away. "Not fair is it?" Shane asked Krystal in a low voice.

"No, not fair at all." With that she hid away the necklace Fox gave her.

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A/N: Not a bad chapter, I should say. I highly enjoyed this one. The next chapter will be mostly about Fox in the dungeon. Anyway, please Read and Review and check out my other fics if you like!