Zane and the McClouds piled into a small car near the star port exit and soon were off. Fox watched in annoyance as Zane plastered himself against the window trying to take in all that the small clear panel would allow him to see.
"So Zane," James muttered from the front, "What kind of vehicles do most humans drive."
"James," Vixy said quickly under her breath, "Zane came to here to learn about us not so you could annoy him about what kind of cars they drive."
"It's no problem Mrs. McCloud," Zane said hurriedly trying to avoid an argument, "mostly were still in analogue cars like this one, very few hover cars."
"I see," James, muttered to himself as he pulled the car onto the main freeway.
After a few moments of silence Vixy said, "Lets see what's on the radio." As she pushed a button a gruff voice exploded over the radio.
"All I am saying is that the human has no place being here in the first place, this is just some plot by both our governments to start the war over again by having something happen to the human."
"And what is your solution to the problem sir."
"Have the human shipped off planet on the first barge we can find. It has no right to be here, it's it's…a risk to national security and a risk to system security who knows what that thing was told to do while…"
James slammed his paw against the radio panel cutting it off mid broadcast. Zane sat stunned in the back as what the voice had said. "Zane I'm sorry you had to hear that," James said softly as he removed his paw from the radio.
"No sweat Mr. McCloud, I figured things would be like this when I got here," Zane said after a pause, "it's just a whole other thing to actually hear it blasting out a radio."
Zane dropped his head down in thought as him fingered the metal hilt in his pocket. Fox watched him for a moment and wondered what the hell was that thing his friends had sent him.
After a long silence Vixy finally said, "So Zane tell us about yourself."
Zane jerked his head up as Vixy comment ended his train of thought. "Well um there's not much that wasn't in the file the must have sent you but some stuff they left out. Lets see, I am really big into music of just about any kind, have a small band I left back on Earth, me and my friends are really big into Combat Net and we're ranked 5th in North America right now…"
"What the hell is Combat Net," Fox injected.
"Fox," James growled from the front.
"Well it's sort of like a really complicated video game. It was originally used to train fighter pilots during the war but since then it's moved to being a way to kill time for the younger generations and make them want to sign up for the OEDG," Zane explained.
"So it's a over-rated flight sim," Fox muttered darkly.
"Fox," James growled from the front again but a little louder.
"You could call it that, but it is so much more. For example my friend David lives on a military base and my team flies against some of the base's teams and more often than not we win."
"So you fly against some wasted pilots and win big deal," Fox spat as he turned to look out his window.
"Fox," James barked.
"What dad," Fox spat as he glared at his father reflection in the mirror, "I didn't want him here in the first place so why the hell do I have to be all pleasant with him, besides you're the one who should be read to kill him after all the friends you lost at the Battle of the…"
"That's enough Fox," Vixy said calmly as she turned to glare at Fox. Fox glared back at his mom a moment before he hung his head down in shame. Vixy then turned to Zane a gave a apologetic smile, "I'm sorry about that Fox has some mix feeling when it comes to humans."
"It's no problem Mrs. McCloud," Zane said with a small smile, "Sides I think that's a record for me on pissing someone off." Zane paused and gave Fox a sidelong glance, to his surprise he saw him give a brief smile and small chuckle. "Anyways I've read the file on you folks as well, I know why you have a right to want me or any human for that matter Mr. McCloud. You team gave everything at the Battle of the Line, and I'm sorry for the people you lost, but if it's any consolation your team is one of the most well respected units of that war on both sides."
Mr. McCloud sat in silence as he continued to work the car through traffic. As Zane leaned back in his seat he thought to himself, well this is great I just pissed off the entire family that I have to live with.
The rest of the ride was made in silence as Zane wondered how to salvage this situation and the McClouds wondered how to deal with Zane. When they finally arrived Fox saw a quick flash of blue in the crowds and leaped out of the car after it. Before he had gone more than a dozen paces Vixy yelled out the window, "Fox take Zane with you."
"Damn it," Fox muttered under his breath as Zane bounded out of the car after him. "Try to keep up human," Fox said darkly and he took off through the crowd. This sucks he thought as he bowled into a large wolf and kept running, he's not been here five minutes and I'm staring to like him as a friend, but he a freaking human.
"You're not losing me that easily," Zane muttered as he took off after Fox into the large crowd of furs. As Zane pushed through the crowd he could almost feel the change in the vibe of the group. Disgust, fear, revulsion, anger, and finally hate filled the people who recognized him for what he was. Better catch up to Fox quick he thought as he felt in his pocket to assure himself the metal hilt was still there, well I can at least defend myself.
Fox saw the blue dot duck into an alleyway and quickly followed ignoring the sharp smells that wafted out of the opening, as he rounded the opening he saw Falco trying to climb up the fire escape swearing up a storm. "Falco," Fox shouted, "What the hell is wrong with you."
Falco lost his grip on the metal ladder in surprise and tumbled down into the filth of the street. "Fox," he said with a mixture of anger and joy, "Bout time you got here Wolf and a few of his friends are right on my heels."
"So why didn't you stand your ground," Fox shot at Falco.
"Four on one was kind of out of my favor Fox," Falco shot back.
As Fox tried to formulate a plot to get him and Falco out of here a familiar sent reached his nose and he froze when he heard the words, "Hello pup."
Fox turned to see Wolf, Leon, Panther, and another wolf Fox didn't recognize. "Well well well," Wolf said with a sly laugh, "we came for the bird but found the pup how surprising."
"What do you want Wolf," Fox said quickly as he sensed Falco taking up a position to his right.
"Nothing more than to teach you your proper place pup," Wolf said with a smile as he crew fanned out across the alley. Wolf stepped back as he watched the others advance, he was content to let them beat these two to a pulp before he finished the job himself. He stood there gloating over what was about to happen as he felt cold metal being pressed against his throat. Wolf stiffened as he realized that it was a knife pressed against his throat, he tilted his head to try to see who was wielding it, but to his dismay he found that however he turned his head the knife pressed more firmly against his throat. He managed to get a glimpse of the furless hand holding the knife when the owner spoke.
"I would call off your goons if I were you mutt." Wolf listened to the voice and tried to see if he could overpower the one who spoke but as he shifted it spoke again, "I wouldn't try that if you try anything I will slit you throat." Wolf realized he had lost this chance at Fox but there would be others so he called his crew off. When they turned around Wolf could see the confusion in their eyes for a split second before it turned to anger at what was happening to Wolf. Wolf felt the knife being press home so he was forced to step back clearing a way out of the alley, when he was finally allowed to stop moving the voice whispered again, "Now send them home." Wolf did as he was told and watched the others leave with angry threats and more than a few paw gestures. His capturer waited a few moments as before he placed a hand on Wolf's back and shoved him away and into the muck of the alley. As Wolf scrambled to his feet he was ready to tear who ever had done this too him to shreds, as he spun around he growled, "Who the hell are you and who the hell do you think you ar…" his words were cut short as he saw a human standing in front of him holding the knife with a look of pure venom on his face.
"The name is Zane, and I'm just an exchange student," The human said and with near liquid grace he flipped the knife shut and slid it into his pocket before he turned to exit the alley calling over his shoulder, "Fox aren't you supposed to be showing my around this place."
Authors notes: Ok before I say anything else…SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE…ok now that that is over I can say sorry for the really short chapter. I also apologies for Zane's exchange student comment, very cheese/cliché or whatever, for future note update are going to come infrequently for a while, school is hell and work ain't too fun either. So until then review please.