-- some notes before the fanfic --

First and foremost - obviously I do not own Star Fox or any of the characters mentioned…except for Kouga.

Second - this kinda takes place during the aparoid invasion…since there are references to them, and I believe I will have them in a later chapter.

Third - I'm not obsessed with this game, so I don't know everything about it. Yeah…so don't rant about that.

Fourth - Enjoy. I hope this one turns out as successful as my other fanfics!

A single roll of thunder upset the bustle of Corneria's streets. Busy shoppers and passers-by grumbled angrily. It hardly ever rained on this desolate city, so everyone saw the rain as something to complain about. Now days only young children and old story tellers actually take pleasure during a walk through the rain, for all the others were too concerned with shopping or something to do with electricity.

"Isn't it wonderful?" A female cat sighed, staring out at the darkening afternoon sky from under a frail tree. She smiled. Many found her to be quite unusual for actually enjoying what many would call 'foul' weather.

A low line of static brought her back to reality quickly. "Kouga…Kouga come in," A voice growled.

She pulled the communicator off her belt and held it limply, uncaringly, in her palm with a sullen look on her face. "Yes…" She whispered.

"Yes, what? You know how you are to reply to me, Kouga. Do it correctly or I will punish you when we meet again."

"Yes…my lord," She said in an even lower voice. She hated her position in the Star System.

"Better. Now I need you up here with us. We are rapidly approaching the enemy," The voice said quickly.

"But I was ordered down here!" She whined, wanting desperately to stay at her post on the city with the rain.

"Get up here, now!" The communicator roared. It then gave a small fizzle, and crackled off. Kouga looked down at it angrily, and then shoved it back into the pouch on her belt. She then made sure her blaster was intact, and then she headed for her Arwing.

"Well, this shouldn't be too damn hard… Wolf may just want to have a nice little chat with us like last time… Yeah. Who the hell am I kidding," Falco chuckled.

"Even if he tries to attack, there's three of us…so we'll have a good fighting chance," Krystal added, on a more positive note.

As the bird and the vixen spoke, the three members of the Great Fox flew in a triangular formation, with Fox in the lead. So far he'd remained silent, uneasy about the task that lay ahead.

"Yo…Fox. You still alive, man?" Falco questioned loudly and suddenly.

"Yeah…" he mumbled, "I'll take Wolf, Falco's with Panther, and Krystal's with Leon."

Falco gave a nod of approval, but Krystal looked slightly torn.

"Nothing personal Krystal," Fox said after a moment.

"No…it's fine…but Fox…" She interrupted.

"…but I don't want Panther…"

"Fox…."

"…to try anything. Plus…"

"Fox."

"…he's got a mad arsenal of weapons."

"FOX!" Falco shouted loudly, as if Krystal had hardly been audible.

"What IS it, Falco?" Fox snarled, looking over to his right at the Arwing that the falcon was in.

"Look alive!" And with that the bird veered farther off to the right.

Fox actually looked up, focusing on the space around him, and gave a surprised gasp. Instead of stars and the occasional meteor hurling about, Wolf's team hovered only a few dozen feet away.

"Wha…no…" Krystal gasped in disbelief.

"Wow; looks like he actually wised up and tried to expand his team!" Falco spat sarcastically.

Instead of Wolf's usual team of three, a new ship had joined the trio.

"Wolf," Fox stated.

"Ah…we meet again, pup." Wolf sighed, throwing up the brakes on his Arwing.

"Who's the new kid?" Falco shot again.

"Does it really matter? We'll kill you in mere moments anyways…" Leon hissed.

"…and take that jewel of a vixen with us before we do…" Panther purred seductively.

"Of all times…" Krystal objected angrily.

"Wolf. Why are you back, hovering suspiciously around the points of the Lylat system that were destroyed by the aparoids?" Fox demanded.

"As the foolish bird clucked, I am trying to rebuild my team," Wolf snarled, "but why would you care? We aren't trying to kill you, so I don't see what the problem is."

"The problem is you are the enemy, even if you are trying to destroy the aparoids with us, you still swore in allegiance with that ray Andross!" Falco growled. "I just hope the new runt has a chance to get at least one shot in…"

The fourth ship advanced abruptly. "I'm not a kid!" A voice from inside the Arwing shrieked. "I've been in this blasted system ever since I could see out of the cockpit. And I'm certainly not a runt; my fist can prove that."

"Well, who are you?" Krystal objected.

"Kouga. Now…I advise you all to leave."

Good work Kouga! But, I can take it from here…" Wolf chuckled, treating his new trainee like a child.

"Fox…" Krystal whispered, filtering the communications to only the Great Fox members. "I sense something horrible…"

"Falco. Change of plans. Can you take two Arwings at once?" Fox ordered.

"I guess I'm gonna have to…because I'm being attacked already!" Falco cried excitedly.

As he spoke, Kouga charged. The battle had begun. Falco charged one shot, which sent the dorsal fin of the Arwing askew. She gave an angry growl, but kept up the chase.

Wolf gave a thunderous laugh, and rammed Fox. Panther veered off to the left along with Leon and began to trap Krystal. Falco flipped over and raced off in the opposite direction, as if fleeing, and Krystal did something similar.

"Man…I can't shake her…" Falco whispered, sweat of excitement trickling down his brow. "I live for this."

He then executed another flip and released a charged laser, which ripped through the hull. He smiled to himself, realizing that he had blasted through the engine and the ship would explode in mere moments. He then faced her head on, threw his brakes up, and crossed his arms across his chest as he watched a blaze brew. (--yes I know there cannot be fire in space…let's just pretend--)

Kouga cried out, and choked on the smoke that was rapidly filling her lungs. "Someone…anyone…help me!" She cried, ending with a series of coughs.

Falco glared angrily. He felt bad; he'd taken down a newbie. He flipped the communications switch on and shouted, "Duck!"

"What…?" Kouga coughed.

"Just duck! NOW!" Falco demanded. If he could shoot through the glass of the Arwing, there was a chance that she could climb out and jump into his.

So she did as ordered, and a fragment of light with a purple aura literally melted the glass to nothingness. Falco had minimal time, so he released his brakes and resumed them at her side. The ship crackled and the fire was ready to jump into the cockpit, where Kouga was rapidly loosing consciousness. Falco then pulled her into his one-seater Arwing, making the ride a tight squeeze.

Once she was safely in the falcon's Arwing, Falco fled and then sent another beam of light to finish the already destroyed ship. Falco was gasping for breath at this point. He then looked down, and what he saw simply shocked him. He had actually taken in the enemy, and she had fallen unconscious in his arms. He slouched back, Kouga sitting in front of him.

"Damn," he whispered.