Two Brothers

Wounded Recovery

Author's Rant: Chiise, don't giggle. Also, I just got Xbox Live so if I fail to update like I used to, that's why. Check my profile for my gamertag, if you play Halo 2. And I don't really factor in the age into my fics, so I know how old she is. Now don't send me anymore of that crap.

"I thought she would kill me, no, I was much too valuable. And I would suffer for my actions."

-Fox McCloud

The black vulpine wandered around, was it a dream, he did not know and he was unsure of where to go; his vision was hazed and he could not see clearly. Staris felt cold as wind whipped through his fur, he shivered as the fox wrapped his arms around his form. The landscape comprised of an endless glacier field and he hit his knees as the snow pounded his muzzle. His eyes were frozen shut now and his breath caught in his mouth as he felt his limbs lock, he fell to the ground and he felt nothing.

"He's going into cardiac arrest!" A voice yelled.

"I can't get a pulse, get the paddles!" Staris felt a jolt of electricity slam him in the chest and his muzzle opened on the frozen wasteland as he screamed in pain.

"Still no pulse!"

"Clear, God dammit!" Another jolt and the intense cold mingled with the pain as the snow halted, he felt warmth spread all over his body as Staris's body started working again.

"A pulse, Doctor, its holding steady."

"Bring him out, now." Staris felt the cold wasteland vanish as he opened his eyes, a bright light shined down into his pupils and four figures were over him.

"Did you…" Staris trailed off and the Doctor injected him with a liquid.

"Yes, now you need rest." The vulpine couldn't make out his face but he didn't care as his closed his eyes and the male passed out.

I awoke the next morning and Vixy lay peacefully by my side as I sat up, light filtered through the blinds and I felt anxiousness creep into me. My son hopefully was out of surgery, I needed to see him. I took my paw and gently shook Vixy awake, she stirred and her eyes opened as I smiled at her.

"Hey Vix, did you sleep well?"

"Yes, for the first time in a long time I did."

"I'm going to see if Staris has come out of surgery, I'll be back later." I said and Vixy nodded, I slipped off the bed and I walked into the hallway, I strode over to the nurse's station and the bored feline looked up at me.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, my son Staris McCloud was in surgery, did he come out yet?" She scanned her computer and after a moment looked back up at me.

"Yes, he's in post-op down the hall, room 650." I nodded and I walked down the hall was I stood in front of the door, the door slid open and I walked in as I saw my son. He was obviously asleep or passed out as I placed my paws on his face, he was shirtless but the sheet was drawn up to his chest. I sat down beside him in a chair and crossed my arms as I waited for my son to wake.

Shit, shit, shit. Sal Chon thought as he armed his blaster, the lupine thought quickly as Malion was liable to kill him. Chon also drew his blade as he would need it if the combat came to close quarters.

"Chon, where are you?" His voice rang out and Chon sniffed the air, he detected that only Malion was close, the rest of his group must have been ordered to leave as Chon held the blade to his chest. Where the Hell was Fox?

A shot slammed into his leg and the lupine screamed as he fell to the ground. Another shot slammed into his shoulder, another into his paw. Blood was pooling around him and his screaming continued as Malion walked up to him.

"Chon, Chon, Chon, I didn't want to kill you. But for this," He pointed to his scar and the lupine looked up. "You deserve to die." Malion held the rifle up and he flicked on the laser sight as the dot stopped between the eyes.

"Malion, this doesn't have to be like this."

"Yes, yes Chon it does." He pulled the hammer back and rested a finger on the trigger. Chon heard a metallic noise and Malion turned around as Fox reappeared, his blade was out and his pointed a claw at the human.

"You leave him alone." Malion slung his rifle onto his back and drew a blade of his own.

"Are you sure you want to take me on?" Malion asked and Fox growled as they circled each other.

"Fox, I don't know if you can take him." Chon managed and Fox looked at his former master.

"Don't talk, save your strength, this will be all over soon." Fox replied and Malion put out his hand, sparks shot from it and Fox grew very wary as he smiled.

"Fox, you are not equipped to fight me. Just lay down your sword and I will make this quite painless." He said and Malion's eyes lit up blue. He yelled and a few thousand volts of electricity shot from his hand as it swirled around Fox. He let out an agonized cry and Fox collapsed to his knee as Malion let up on the voltage. "You're defeated Fox, now put down your weapon." Fox looked up and his eyes blazed as something glowed around his paws.

"You're not the only one with an altered body." Fox stood up and he spun his blade as Malion let more voltage fire out of his hand, Fox dipped his blade and it caught the shock as Fox bent the attack. When Talia had acquired Fox, she had implanted a special device into his neural implant that gave him a few supernatural abilities. They were a bit minimal but effective as he was resistant to most elements, including fire, cold and shock. His vision was affected also and his stamina and physical strength; Fox drove off the energy and Malion lowered his hand.

"You are stronger than I thought but Chon will still die if you continue to resist me."

"If I surrender, you will kill him anyway."

"Fox, don't worry…about me." Chon said and he passed out as Malion raised his blade.

"Well, it's just you and me; come peacefully and Talia will not kill you."

"You're doing her dirty work?" Fox asked and Malion smiled.

"Fox, enough, are you going to fight me or will I have to forcefully disable you?" Fox didn't answer as he charged with his blade, the blades clashed as sparks flew onto the ground as they locked in combat. Fox ducked a swipe and jabbed up as he cut into Malion's arm, blood exploded onto the floor of the cave and he jumped back as breath came in pants. Fox didn't even break a sweat yet and he smiled as Malion wiped the blood off his face. "Lucky hit, you will not land another." Malion whispered and he electrified his sword blade as they clashed again, even with the improved resistance Fox felt the jolt slowly wearing him down. Fox avoided clashing with the blade and he felt the hot blade cut him in the side, he pushed aside the pain and slammed the hilt into Malion's face; the human seemed to easily avoid it and he slashed Fox in the chest.

"Ahh, shit." Fox whispered and he clutched his chest as he hit his knee, Malion slammed his head and Fox was out as the human caught his breath.

"Sorry Fox, I cannot disobey Talia." He said and looked over to Sal Chon, the wolf had not moved and Malion walked over to the incapacitated lupine. "Chon, it was a pleasure." Malion said and he turned to Fox, the vulpine had almost beaten him but his power had won. He looked at his hand and underneath the skin blue lines, not blood vessels, ran from his shoulder all the way down. Back when he was still young, Talia had taken him in and she had made him go through an operation, this was the result. Malion picked up Fox and he walked out of the cave with his prize.

"Sir, what about Chon?" The vixen asked and Malion shook his head.

"He'll die from blood loss, just leave him here." She nodded and they placed Fox into the storage in his fighter.

I must have fallen asleep since I awoke with a start, my son was still sleeping and darkness was falling outside. The data pad that I had give Officer Taylor was on a table beside me with a note.

Maybe your son could hack into this; the techs down at the station could get no information out of it.

-Officer Taylor.

I put aside the note and I picked up the data pad, the screen was off and I slid my claw along the edge as I had done before, nothing happened and I sighed. Staris moved his head and his eyes opened as he looked up at me.

"Dad?" I took his paw and he sat up as I smiled at him

"Yes son, you came through on your surgery."

"Is mom ok?" He asked and I nodded.

"Yes, she is doing fine. She is very worried about you." Staris noticed the data pad and he took it from me.

"Where did you get this?"

"From when the assassin attacked our house someone found it. Maybe you could try to hack into it." He nodded and Staris looked the pad over, his claws probed every spot and something happened; the screen flicked on and data began flowing down the screen.

"Hmm, STEGO code. I could try and hack this but it would take me some time since this code is really hard to break." I nodded and the doctor came into the room, Dr. Leo was holding a clipboard and he walked over to us.

"Well Staris, you seem to be recovering nicely. I'm figuring that you want to see your mother?"

"Yes, I would, is she ok?"

"Yes, she is fine." He motioned for him to follow and we walked down the hall as my son and I walked into Vixy's room. She smiled at us and Staris ran to her, they embraced and she kissed him on the cheek. Dr. Leo was used to this but he looked away, as Staris broke the embrace.

"Mom, how is the wound?"

"It's healing, and I see you are too."

"Yes." I sat down beside her and Dr. Leo flipped some pages of the clipboard.

"When you are ready James, you can be discharged."

"Ok, just give us some time." He nodded and left the room as I put my arms around my family. It didn't feel complete since Fox was missing but I knew I would find him, or he would find us.