Disclaimer: I don't own Star Fox! It's owned by Nintendo, and Terra System, names, etc. are license of Galaxy Wulf, in which I own. The story took place during Star Fox 64, sometime after your battle with Star Wolf at Venom 2. I was wrong about my first two disclaimers. There will be FEW flashbacks here. Anyway, the narrator is obvious. Go and read!

Rivals or Friends

Chapter 11: Hand's Out

I opened my eyes. I didn't realize it was already the next day. I was afraid what my other self, my wild nature, did to Star Fox. I don't want to kill them… I don't want to eat them… I don't want to see them die with my hands… Fear struck my heart for a while. As light welcomed my awakening though, I was a bit shocked to what I was able to take a glimpse.

I was surprised to see Fox being close to me. I woke up from his lap, his arms were wrapped around my head, and his palm was placed on my forehead. He was asleep, and I don't want to wake him up. However, if I have to get up, he'll also wake up. What bothers me is how he managed to sleep there. If I were wild, wouldn't he be killed? As I looked at my inner self, I didn't feel any hostility at all, as if I was tamed by him… strange… It didn't take long before his hand stroked the top of my head once more… It somewhat felt fuzzy, and I must agree, I liked it.

"Oh… Wolf! Sorry about that," he apologized to me as he opened his eyes. I slowly stood up and helped him get up from his position. "Well, you… you looked hurt when you're all tied up here. I tried to tame your, um, wild self, and I was able to do it. I fell asleep afterwards, with you at my lap…" By the looks of his face, he sort of enjoyed that. I don't know, but maybe he started to form some sort of brethren relationship with me… His last words shook me off from those thoughts for a while, though. "It was my entire fault… If I didn't urge you to come with us to the mission you wouldn't…"

"I wouldn't be like this, but I wouldn't realize that there are people who cared for me as well," I replied to him, assuring him that it wasn't his fault. "Thanks Fox… You're the first person from the other side who showed mercy and understanding towards me…" He smiled and hugged me, in which I noticed a wound with gauze on his neck. "You have a wound there… Did I?"

He slowly let go and swayed his head. "Nope… well… kind of… Yesterday, you kind of attacked me, and well, you were going for the kill. Ruby shot a tranquilizer towards you before ripping my neck off…" I felt bad after hearing that. I looked at the collar I was wearing. Maybe I deserve this… He then pushed a button to release me. I was afraid, for he just risked me killing the others. "I know your rash side was injured, so I decided to visit this last night and well… Anyway, you don't have to worry about you attacking anybody else. I trust you and your other self…" I nodded for a while, hoping he'll be right.

"Man, my stomach hurts…" I grumbled. My tummy wasn't acting quite right.

"You just ate Slippy!" Fox chuckled. I'm pretty sure he was joking there, but, even if it was a joke, I couldn't bare it. "Don't give me that look! I was just bluffing! You're probably hungry. Let's go to the mess hall. Ruby said she'll cook!" That perked my interest for a while. Sure, I'll go. I need to eat, also for the assurance of my bestial form not to suddenly pop out.

The food was quite nice. I felt Ruby gave what she could do to the fullest here. The smell of breakfast actually made me even hungrier. I have to eat the food she made! She glanced at me, and smiled. She didn't talk much, but she made me feel home. Her cooking was great! After that, Peppy offered his assistance on helping my injuries. He was quite good at medicine, and it wasn't long before my wounds were treated, and they were less of a burden now. Slippy wasn't with us, but Fox told me that he's figuring out my anatomy. That was nice of him… that was nice of them. It seemed I already have gained their trust, and my trust to them… I guess Falco's the only hard egg here…

"I'll give you the results after a few hours," the frog confirmed me. "In the meantime, why not enjoy the new battle simulator I just ordered days ago? I'm sure Fox will…" However, I noticed the bird cutting Slippy's comment. He blocked the frog, and he gave me a smirk.

"Okay, O'Donnell, it's not my type to pick on Fox's playmate," he proudly grinned as he slammed his right fist to his left palm altogether, "but I'm interested on seeing you in the war room! So, you up for the challenge?" For war room, he probably meant the simulator… I nodded. After all, it's kinda boring when you're going to wait for hours, and this might be a good idea to have some time with Falco…

"Just go inside the capsule!" Fox smiled as he pushed me inside some sort of transporter. "The machine will automatically read the electric pulses of your synapse and your brain, and then it'll send back it's own signals so that your brain will make you feel the simulation as if you're in some sort of ground mission." He then looked at Falco, who was already inside. "So, whatcha want? You two will be cooperative or you'll fight each other?"

"Capture the flag is my specialty!" he rubbed his hands. Well, that's not my plan of befriending him, but I guess I'll play along. I entered the capsule and looked at Falco, who seemed to be anxious about the game. "Hope you're ready, Wolf! I don't care who my opponent is, as long as I win!"

"Well then," I assured him as the whole area generated a battlefield like arena, "I won't hold back!" Platforms, obstacles, pillars, many of these things appeared out of nowhere. It's really a nice simulator. The whole place looked like a Fortuna base, only resembling more of an arena. Then, weapons popped out, as well as Arwings and Wolfens.

"Players ready! Three… Two… One… Capture the Flag… BEGIN!"

The computer announced the start. I immediately grabbed the nearest weapon and fired it towards Falco. He evaded it, as I would've thought, and immediately strafed while nearing to the red flag… the flag of my base!

"Got it!" he laughed, but of course I wouldn't allow it. A quick fire from my blaster immediately knocked the flag away from his grip. It stunned him for a while, allowing me to steal his flag. He tried to chase me, of course, and with the barrage of lasers as well. I rolled to evade it, while hearing Falco swearing, and placed his flag to the spire of my base.

"Wolf O'Donnell earns one point. Current standings: 1 – 0."

"Bah, just a warm-up!" he remarked to me as he hid himself to a chasm. I know he was up to something. To tell you the truth, I didn't realize I was actually enjoying playing with him…

"Falco Lombardi earns one point. Current standings: 7 – 7."

That's what I heard from the computer after playing for about two hours. I must admit, Falco's good. I can now clearly understand why Fox considers him an eternal annoying rival. "Hehehe! You're good, Wolf!" I heard him yell. I hid myself behind the pillars of the arena, sighing myself from excitement. I'm waiting for his move.

"Come on, give it now…" I told to myself. I'm waiting for his move. However, something surprised me. I heard a rocket blast from a nearby area… and then I heard Falco cried! I immediately jumped from my position, and I immediately rushed towards Falco. However, I was surprised to see what I just saw. Another me… inside this place! However, that other me was my wild self, and he's attacking Falco!

"Agh! Let go!" Falco growled as the bite of the other Wolf tightened even more. I know the whole place is just 3-D, but how come Falco could feel the pain? I immediately tackled the monster away, but he was so strong, that he immediately countered with a tackle as well, knocking me to the ground, with him restraining me.

Falco awkwardly aimed a sniper rifle at the other Wolf using his injured arm. "Wolf, what ever happens... don't move!" He's planning on sniping the other me! I have a bad feeling about this… I tried to hold the fiend's mouth for a while, but I'm not sure it'll help me, nor will the bird's attempt on killing him. Then suddenly it came to me… Fox was able to tame this before…

"Falco, let go of the weapon!" I yelled at him. He was reluctant, but I insisted. Finally, he gave in. The other Wolf kept on thrusting his head towards my chest, but I held his mouth tightly. "We don't want to… fight you! Falco… Falco only thought that I was you, so he fired at you… He didn't mean it…" The bird looked at me keenly as he tried to grip his injury, but I ignored him. "Please, we don't want to kill each other! There's no point for this…"

I can slowly feel his force loosening… He slowly stood away from me, allowing me to stand up. I then patted his head, showing a sign of understanding… Fox was right after all! I then urged Falco to do the same thing, which at first he didn't want to, but later on, he also patted the wolf… It made wild Wolf somewhat happy, that he also licked Falco's hand!

"Umm… Wolf… that was nice, but could you cut it out?" he jerked out, but he stroked wild Wolf's forehead once more…

"Simulation mode terminated. Returning back to normal mode…"

The whole place dissolved to the background. Then, the graphical models slowly vanished away. Then, I noticed the other Wolf being also a 3-D rendering… just a graphic… a graphic of my mind… Does that mean there's already another me living in my mind?

I looked at Falco's arm. There were no injuries present, but he still feels the pain. He then looked at me, patted my shoulder, and relieved me from my thoughts. "You should stop thinking about sad stuff and something like that…" The capsule door opened, and he finished his statements. "I guess I am finally getting you, Wolf…" He gave a grin again, making me feel happy, knowing that I also befriended him.

"Oh Wolf, I'm glad you're out!" Slippy suddenly cried out while running towards me. "I am sorry to say this, but…"

"But what?" I asked. I feel something bad is about to happen.

"According to my scans, your brain is now starting to create conflicts between you and your other self!"