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. I suggest reading my other fics, since they're also good! Go and read!

Rivals or Friends

Chapter 15: Solitude

I looked at Bill grimly. What if I ended up like him, a poor being that has absolutely no memories of what he was. It looked like he was just an animal… a mindless animal. I sure hope Leon knew what he's doing…

"Okay Bill, try to entertain them while I prepare something, okay," Leon told the dog, replying with a bark. He then looked at us and told us, "I'll be back in a jiffy. I'll just finish something. In the mean time, why not play with Bill? If you go hungry, just tell it to him. He understands our speech." He then returned back to his room, leaving Fox, a dog who had forgotten his past identity, and me.

Fox patted Bill's head. "Um… Well, I guess we should sit, right?" The dog replied with a joyful bark. I sat beside Fox, and then looked at him keenly. Fox just rubbed my back and whispered, "Don't worry… Don't try to think of bad things… I'm pretty sure Leon will find a way…"

"I hope so…" that's all I could say. I'm in a pessimistic mood right now, and I couldn't really find a reason for me not to get worried. What if I end up like Bill? I don't know what effects would happen to me… I don't want to know… I don't want to see what would happen to me… I was afraid…

I was surprised when Bill walked towards me. He placed his paw on my lap and whimpered. Did he sense my anguish? He gave those cute whining and cuddly staring at me. I rubbed his hair and laughed, "Thank you… I… I really don't know what to do…" He did cheer me up for a while. Fox also patted his head once more.

He barked at us before heading towards the fridge. Was he telling us that we should get something to eat? He pulled out a container of some sort. Knowing that he could not get it all by himself, Fox and I helped him to pull out the container. He barked once more, with a happy face, and again pulled something from the fridge.

When we opened the container, it was actually coleslaw. It still smelled good. The other stuff Bill pulled out from the refrigerator was a jar of strawberry jam. I wondered if he was planning to serve us some sandwiches… and I was right. He grabbed some loaves of bread at a compartment and pulled them once more with his mouth. Fox and I helped him and we placed them to the table.

"Sorry to trouble you, Bill," Fox nodded as he took a loaf and spread some filling onto it. "Well, Leon told us about his psychological help, and so we ended up going here…" Bill just whimpered back while treating himself with dog food.

I glanced at him once more. Fear slowly crept inside my heart. What could happen if I ended up like him? That idea kept on knocking my head. It repeated itself as if it doesn't want to leave me alone. Nervousness struck me continuously, and well, I didn't know what to do…

The dog once again approached me. He wagged his tail as if he wished something. He barked with a playful tone. I wonder… did he sense my anguish like what he did earlier? Is he trying to comfort me?

"I think Bill wants to play with you…" Fox whispered to me. Well, I'm not sure… I'm not that kind of person. After all, I am Wolf O'Donnell.

I finished my sandwich and looked at the dog. "Okay," I perspired. "Hmm… Do whatever I tell you, okay?" Bill moved his head up and down. "First, raise your left paw." Enthusiastically, the dog raised his left hand. "Now, raise your right paw." He raised his right hand. Well, I was enjoying this one… sort of. "Okay Bill, hop." He then stood up. He was having difficulty standing up on his feet, although I knew he could, and when he stood up, he's as tall as Fox, so this is one big mutt. Anyway, the dog hopped while barking. "Catch!" I threw a sandwich up. He jumped high and bit it off. He landed on the floor, and continued to gnat on the food. Fox continued to laugh as he watched it. I felt somewhat light after seeing that. "And finally, roll over and play dead!" Bill gulped the sandwich and rolled on the floor. He then lay flat on his stomach and whimpered before howling. It was so funny, that Fox and I laughed heartily.

My mind was suddenly cleared from all of those fears that once haunted me. Bill made me feel a sense of accomplishment and hope. I didn't realize that there's still a chance for me. I rubbed his hair and then his chest, giving a tickling feeling and making him bark.

It was not long before Leon came out from a room. "Sorry if I made you wait long. I had to finish some paperwork," he reasoned out as he took a seat while opening a computer. Bill rushed towards the side of the chameleon's seat, with Leon patting the dog. "So, how was Bill? It seems to me you got attached to him quickly."

"Well, he was a funny dog," Fox remarked with a giggle. "Anyway Leon, before moving on, I would like to know what happened to him… Why did he end up like that?" I too wanted to know.

Bill whimpered and nodded. "Okay Bill, you sure you want them to know?" Leon confirmed. "Well, Bill was captured by Andross during the Lylat Wars, and he was one of the guinea pigs for a scientist named Millie Wright. I discovered that she wanted to create a soldier with obedience and ferocity, and that Bill was one of them. She was about to experiment on you, Wolf, yet she failed to do so until now." That last sentence kicked me off, knowing that the person who paid you to do his dirty work wanted you to be a guinea pig. "Anyway, when I recovered from the hospital thanks to Star Fox, I wanted to repent. I remembered Bill, so my goal was to save him and every other soldier who were used as guinea pigs, and well, I found him alive, only heavily injured. As what I observed, Millie fled from Venom and headed to Corneria, but she abandoned Bill. Of course, Bill had lost his sense for normal thinking, and he was wild, but thankfully, with the help of trust, kindness, and psycho-analysis, he's the Bill you guys knew."

I glanced at Bill. He's still the friend of Fox and a pilot for Corneria, only with a disabled thinking. I pity him… and I pity myself. I never want to end up like that. No… But… then, something inside of my head… wanted to get out. No… not here, please!

"Wolf?" Fox wondered as I slowly felt the pain increasing inside of my head. No… don't… I might kill them… Please… NO!