Disclaimer: I don't own Star Fox! It's owned by Nintendo. The story took place during Star Fox 64, sometime after your battle with Star Wolf at Venom 2. However, since this will be made up of flashbacks, it would be useless… Anyway, the narrator is obvious. Go and read!
Rivals or Friends?
Chapter 1: The Awakening
Ten days later, after Fox defeated Andross…
My defeat… It was very humiliating for me… I can't accept the fact that I've been beaten by that fox! I can't live on with that grudge staying in me. I should've died… but… why am I still feeling something? Am I still alive? After what that vulpine did to me, I thought I was a goner, but… wait a minute… my eyes… I can move them…
Light passed through my dark vision. I slowly opened my eyes… and I was surprised indeed. "My… my left eye… It's recovered!" I was filled with wonder. Even Andross wouldn't want that to be healed. I wonder who did this. I looked at myself, covered in a white sheet only wearing my shorts. Bandages are wrapped on my waist and a few on my arms. There's gauze on my cheek, and another bandage wrapped around my forehead. I still feel uneasy, but I can move much better now.
I looked around the room. It looks like I'm in a hospital. The room's colored with rustic brown, and there's a good lighting. It feels nice inside and also strange because nobody treated me like this. "Now this is interesting… I wonder who'd the trouble giving all these to me." When I looked at my left side, I was taken aghast. Right beside me was him! Fox! He's sleeping on a desk at my left while sitting on a chair. I was taken to a cautious feeling, until I saw his face and the stuff around the desk. There are gauze rolls, a cup of coffee, and a bin of hot water with a small blanket on the desk. By the way he looks, he's awfully tired… "Was he tired because he took care of me?" I wondered, but that couldn't be possibly true… could it?
I tried to stand up on my feet. I still feel awkward, but I was able to stand up straight. That moment however woke up my sleeping enemy. I leaned back to see him scratch his eyes and yawn, and I was slightly afraid of what's going to happen. Even though he was groggy, he quickly leapt up, feeling refreshed… maybe because he saw me standing.
"Hey Wolf," he greeted me in a friendly way. "You're awake! I'm very happy for you! But I think you should stand up when you feel you're fully recovered."
I was shocked to hear him say those words to me. I remember the way talks when we fight before on Fortuna… he was slightly harsh, and a little bit overconfident. However, on our last battle, he was getting mushy… "I don't know what you're up to, Sly Guy, but I'm not falling for it. Oh, and if you're expecting a thank you, don't expect it." I don't really know if I didn't meant to say those words, but I hope that would stop him from bugging me.
"But there's no one left for you to go to now," he moaned, trying to stop me from going away. "Andross' dead and Venom self-destructed itself. Almost everybody in the planet knows you as a criminal. In fact, I had a little trouble getting you in the hospital. I'm the only person who's willing to share a room for you." I wonder why keeps on being so nice to me, but I really don't want to give in.
"I can live alone," I grumbled, trying to stop him from annoying me. "I can be a lone wolf. All I need is my team… in which case you've killed." I don't know if one of them is alive, but chances are, they aren't. "I wonder, you let live so that you could find out more about us?!" It gave me a hunch that Fox is up to something, but I don't know why.
"Please Wolf, don't think of me like that," he replied in a sincere-like way to me. "Pigma died during our last battle and Andrew ran off to his uncle, not knowing what happened to him afterwards. We were able to save Leon, and he was released days ago. I believe he's looking for a job right now." I feel I'm clarified, yet something inside of me wanted me to remain ambiguous.
Finally, I give in. There's not much of a choice if I refused. Maybe I shouldn't waste this second chance. "All right… you win, again…" I replied to his request, giving him a smile at his face. "But remember, I'm only agreeing at your offer because I have no other choice. Once I found out that you're up to something against me, or I can live by myself, I'll move away." He just nodded with his smiling face. Is he delighted? Is he willing to make an opponent stay at his own house, not thinking of the possible consequences that might happen? No… It seems that… he trusts me…
"Thanks for saying yes," he grinned at my face. He then threw me some clothes which somehow fits me. "Oh, I bought those clothes for you. I hope you like it. You have no stuff too, so you could share mine at my house." He's treating me like a guest, but I just have to agree. I quickly put on the garments he handed to me, giving me the freewill to move around without being ashamed on my body with a few scars. "Anyway, we should go now to my house. Once I've finished the billings, we can leave this place."
"Oh yeah, I'll have to remember to ask you how much is it," I grumbled. "When I have work, I'll pay everything back… up to the last amount." While I like his generosity and martyrdom, I really don't want to owe.
"Don't worry…" he smiled back. "You don't need to…"