Chapter Twenty-One: A Sacrifice
I don't own Star Fox, but I own my characters. Using my characters means you have to ask me for permission and giving me credit. I would be delighted then when you do! This is probably one of my long-running stories, so bear with it!
"Gateway guard five, this is Gustav Cliff speaking… I repeat. Gateway guard five, this is Gustav Cliff speaking…"
Peppy immediately opened up the communicator. "This is Peppy Hare. What's the news there?"
"Waterway Blockade 2 is perfectly guarded. No more soldiers have been detected," the cheetah replied from the communicator. "Arma and I are going to assist you three there while Eagle remains on guard in case of attacks."
"Well, helping us is fine," Peppy concluded with caveat. "Are you sure Eagle can handle it all alone?"
"Don't worry about me," Eagle suddenly spoke from the communicator. "These soldiers will be enough. Helping them is my task here. What's the situation there?"
"Unfortunately, we're having the opposite. Reynard's having trouble with the enemies. Leon hasn't been receiving any enemy soldiers for rehabilitation."
"Then you do need their help! Okay, you two, go to Blockade 5! They're in trouble!"
As the other side logged off, Peppy just sighed. "I hope those two come here on time." He then visited Leon, who was still looking at the syringes. He was bored, for no enemy was brought for a long time. "So, any luck?"
"Nay, rabbit. What's taking Reynard so long? Don't tell me his men aren't that good," Leon grumbled. Peppy understood. It's a bad sign if the foes were able to breach their post. That would be serious trouble, especially when the wall blocking the waterway would be destroyed.
Suddenly, an explosion knocked the two out of their wits. Their troubles have begun. When they went outside from the camp, they saw Reynard, badly injured. His men were also down. The foes were stronger. They were many. It seemed that their tactics changed. They probably focused their attack on a gateway, and unfortunately, Blockade 5 was their focus of target.
"We're in trouble," Peppy thought. He then grabbed the vaccine bombs and tossed a few to Leon. "Leon, we have to defend this base! We can't let them pass!" The other soldiers who remained in the camp carried Reynard, and some joined the battle.
The two tossed a few bombs, generating smoke upon impact. While it knocked a few enemy soldiers, others backfired with lasers and screeches. Their problem wasn't on the ground only. A force of evolved flying soldiers made an air raid at them, forcing them to take cover.
"Drat! I hate these creatures!" Leon growled as he fired shots from a nearby plasma gatling gun. It pushed a few back, but faster creatures approached nearer. The other soldiers aimed at the strong block preventing the water from passing.
"Kill these low-class beings!" an evolved kangaroo shouted. However, he was met with a rolling ball-like figure.
The air force of the enemy was suddenly engaged by laser shots. They were slowly pushed away as the anti-air attacks became more and more diverse. The ground was finally evened out with that rolling thing. Then, ally soldiers came to help on the defense. As the ball stopped, it uncurled, and it was Arma all along, rolled into a wrecking ball.
"Heh! Roll, roll, roll, I'm like a wrecking ball!" he whistled with a tune. His durable hide made it possible for him to strike the foes without scratching his tough back. "All right, G-man, the area's secured!"
"Roger that, Arma," Gustav replied as he stepped out. He was helping the anti-air group, since he's an expert gunner… He, in fact, is skilled in using two blasters. Anyway, he slid down from the messy road and checked on the camp. "Are we in the right timing?"
"Yes, thank goodness," Peppy sighed with relief. "We were in a dire situation, but thanks to your arrival, you held the enemy forces back." Leon then came running with something to say.
"By the way, looks like Blockade 5 is the only unfortunate water gateway," he confirmed them. "The other four are already enemy-free. It looks like they really focused their offense in this area." He shrugged from the unfortunate mishap, but little did he, and anyone, know, that their troubles were not yet over.
The strong, thick block blocking the water from the water supply suddenly showed signs of threat. There were small dents! Water was spewing out from it! The attack earlier might have caused the damage! This alarmed the five.
"Waa! Danger, danger!" Arma cried out. "We have to fix the leak!"
It was too late, though, for the blockade collapsed, and the water flowed out. The infested liquid is about to hit the southern part of Corneria City. They have to warn the locales before it's too late!
They glanced at the battlefield. The enemies were slowly backing out. Some were cheering, probably for the fact that their mission was cleared. They'd probably regroup and attack the other blockades, one by one! Thankfully, Slippy and his army arrived and blocked the foes' escape. The enemies were seized down. It was a moment before he realized that the blockade fell down.
"Wha… what just happened?" he shrieked as he glared at the flowing water. "Oh no! We have to get to town as soon as possible!"
"Yeah, let's do it," Peppy told the others. However, Leon wasn't agreeing on their plan.
"Don't be fools," he hissed back. "At this moment, many have already drunk the water, and I'm pretty sure many of them have already evolved. Let's not waste time warning people at that area. We have to think of a new plan. We need to contact the others."
"But," Gustav whimpered. However, he knew that Leon's right.
"Sorry… Sorry Katt…"
Falco spoke out in a low tone as he approached the feline. She was glancing out from the camp. The battle was fierce, but it finally stopped. After relaxing herself up, she ignored his voice for a few more minutes, before she could talk back.
"Sometimes, I don't get you," she growled back while walking away from the muscular bird. "You're sometimes a pimp, while sometimes, you're a stupid shit. And now, you're the mellow one."
"Look, I know that I am a good-for-nothing son of a bitch, and I'm pretty sorry about it," he once again replied in a low tone. This time, he held the cat's hand. "You're… you're right… My mind's too weak… I wasn't able to protect our love… If I was able to do that, then even if I was evolved, I could've at least shown a sign that I wouldn't kill you…" Katt was suddenly touched by his words.
"Um… don't take it too hard… It's my fault… I was expecting too much from you," she replied as she looked at his eyes. "You know, I fell in love to the over-confident asshole who is once a member of the gang called Hot Rodders. Maybe it was wrong to change that asshole into a sophisticated man. Maybe it's because I was destined to fall in love to the asshole…" Falco laughed and placed his arm on her shoulder.
"Once I got my old body back, we'll go on a date to a damn good restaurant," he whispered to her ear.
She replied with a giggle, "Once you got your old body back? I thought you like being called the Buffest Bird ever!"
"Umm… you know… it's freakishly embarrassing when you walk around in your undies, Katt, just in case you don't know," he replied back with a laugh, giving Katt a short reason to push him away.
Lupe and Panther observed the two. The black muscular feline was taking down notes from what he had seen from the two. "Okay," he coughed out as Lupe listened, "to get a girl to attract you, you need a perfect view, some suave sentences, and a good planning for future dates. Also, you have to look pitiful so that the girl will think of some compassionate thoughts about you and presto! You have a date!"
The Lupe just swayed his hair and mocked, "Everybody in this place knows no ideals of love! You all just show signs of inappropriate feelings…"
"Huh? You haven't even fall in love to a girl!" Panther dissed back. "The only person I know you've shown compassion is yourself…"
"That's right, pussycat-endowed-with-protein!" Lupe replied as his eyes sparkled. "I show the ultimate love! Love yourself! That's point of true beauty! I love beauty… and because I am handsome and beautiful, I love myself… Oh how I love analogy!" He then hugged himself, giving Panther a sigh.
"Okay guys, chop, chop! We've got work to do!"
Bark snapped them from their hearty, and, strange, conversations. "Before that though, Falco, sorry, but I still need some time for your body, as well as Panther's. I am pretty sure too that Wolf's and Fox's are also like yours." Falco and Panther just moaned in disappointment, however, they did know that their bodies would be useful for the battles. "Anyway, I gathered you guys because we have a big problem."
"What's that?" Katt asked. She looked at Bark's eyes, which showed signs of trouble.
"Apparently, the enemy focused their attacks on a single blockade, so that's the reason why our enemies are weaker. The ones assigned in Blockade 5 felt otherwise. Anyway, they were able to stop the foes, but at the terrible cost." Everybody felt worried. They couldn't tell from Bark's way of talking if Reynard, Peppy, and Leon died, or something. "The blockade was destroyed, and now, the infested water has already headed to the southern area of Corneria City. Thankfully, the waterway only led to that area, and nowhere else. Our mission now is to strike there and de-evolve those who are already evolved."
"Understood, Bark," Panther replied in a growl-like manner. "This is getting interesting…"
"Wulf, whatever happens, don't move…" Rufus noted to his companion. James was rushing towards them, giving an idea that his attack was a powerful punch.
Fox was still there. He didn't leave. He couldn't. He didn't want to leave his father alone once more. Not again. "Go ahead, father… Finish them off!" he whispered.
"Any time now, Rufus. Give me the signal to leave…" Wulf thought as nervousness filled his heart. While he trusted Rufus about his plan, he wasn't sure on how it would work.
"Foolish wolves! Why don't you run away?" James growled as he approached Wulf McWolf. It's only a short distance where he initiated his powerful punch. "You're life will then fade away… My fist shall guide you to hell!" He was getting closer and closer… Wulf just felt the nervousness hitting his head.
"NEVER!"
Rufus suddenly blocked Wulf. The blue wolf, Fox, and even James, was surprised to see this. He was hit at the chest, and with that, he took the most painful hit, probably more painful than the one he felt when he got that scar on his muzzle. Blood spewed from his mouth. The punch also caused a wound on his chest, making him virtually impossible to recover at a short amount of time. Even with Anatyde, with this condition, he needed medical attention. James pulled his punch back due to the surprise, and noticed his fist covered in blood. Wulf caught his rival from falling, and he ended up sitting on the floor, with Rufus on his lap. Fox was surprised by his action as well.
"No… no… one… kills… Wulf… except… me…" He coughed out the words with blood. He tried to ease himself by those thoughts. "How… ironic… Wulf Mc… Wolf… for me… to give… my… life… for the… sake… of… a… system…" Wulf however, fell into tears. Even though a tragedy made them enemies, he still considered him a friend… he could never forget the time when they were friends.
"Rufus… you liar! You're not going to die! You have Anatyde… right! DON'T TRY TO SCARE ME OFF LIKE THAT! I KNOW YOU PLAY FAIR, AND YOU'RE NOT DOING THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE EXPLOITING MY WEAKNESS…" Wulf shouted back as he tightened his hug to him. He didn't realize it earlier, but he got it now. Rufus was planning to sacrifice himself so that James would snap out. The red wolf just grinned back in labor…
And his work didn't fail. James looked at his palm… It was bloody. "Why… What… Blood…" He then yelled out and smashed his bloody fist to the floor. "This doesn't have to end like this… you know… If you… just backed away… you didn't have to die…" He then slowly approached the two fallen wolves. "I… I am sorry… but for the sake… of the system…"
"STOP!"
Fox rushed in, holding his father's hand tightly. "No more… father…" he spoke out. He snapped from his delusion. The sacrifice Rufus made him realize that, even if there's no hope, people will keep on fighting… a contrary to what he thought before. "Please… stop…"
"I… I swore to myself that there wouldn't be any bloodshed… but… I was wrong…" he nodded with sympathy. He looked at his bloody fist, and growled. "I don't deserve a second chance if I just have to waste it on a dream that was all but my foolish resolve!" He then glanced at Rufus and Wulf, and pitied them. "Let me help your friend. I know how to cure him. Don't worry, no strings attached."
"Bah! Let… me… die… already…" Rufus smiled back. That's his way of saying thanks.
"Oh shut up!" Wulf smiled back as he wiped his tears. "Thanks…"