Chapter 18: Home

Fox hated guard duty. He hated standing still and having to stay vigilant for hours on end. Back with Star Fox, he loathed taking contracts that involved that sort of work. Unless there was nothing better on offer, he typically avoided them. Escort missions like the Hawkhurst job were bearable. At least then Fox could move somewhat freely while protecting his client. Manning a stationary post only drove him stir-crazy.

His misery worsened through the winter. Without security drones or CCTV cameras, living guards like Fox had to bear the elements around the clock. Night shifts were torture. At those times, Fox always carried magic crystals in his clothes to keep warm, otherwise he'd feel like he was standing on the north pole of Fichina. Never had he cursed his mother's genes so vehemently for stunting the growth of his winter coat.

The first few weeks of spring made Fox's life a little easier. He still shivered whenever a crisp breeze tore through his clothes, but it bit less horribly as time went. Getting to see green grass sprout from the melting snow also lifted Fox's mood. Birds were already flocking back to sing their songs. Children jumped in mud puddles as soon as the first rains of the season fell. His first winter on Cerinia had been harsh, but Fox smiled now that it was behind him.

He yawned as the sky began to darken over the Temple of Cerinia. His ear flicked as Fox heard armour clink over footsteps. A brown vixen approached him. She wore the same bronze and leather that Fox wore. It complemented her lithe, muscular build, as well as the petite feminine charms that nature gifted her with.

"Sheld," Fox greeted with a grin.

"Fox," she replied in kind.

"Here to finally relieve me?"

Sheld crossed her arms. "Are you bored? Most people would be honoured to guard a holy house of the Land Mother."

"I'm sure they would," Fox chuckled. "Though I'd prefer it if I didn't have to stand in one place for so long."

"Then Cerinia rewards your patience with my arrival." Sheld glanced around them and frowned. "Is Sabre not here?"

Fox rested his back against the temple wall. "He took off an hour ago, saying that he needed to run an errand before the merchants closed shop. He made it sound important, so I said I'd cover for him."

"He neglected his duties and ditched you?" Sheld huffed.

"I can't read his mind, so I couldn't tell if he was lying," Fox shrugged. "It's not a big deal though. I owed him a favour after he last charged my heat crystals for me."

Usually, Krystal restored the gems after Fox depleted their mana. He couldn't yet do it himself. Unfortunately, they had been so busy before the festival a few weeks ago that they'd both forgotten one day. That left Fox in the lurch when a snowstorm hit Kezamat before his shift started.

Sheld placed her fists on her hips, sighing. "An ungrateful outsider and an irresponsible fool, defending our sacred ground. Cerinia will punish us all for leaving her in your care." She flashed a smirk to show that she didn't mean it.

Fox clutched his chest, pretending to feel hurt. He grinned at how skilfully Sheld now wielded sarcasm. When Fox became more fluent in Cerinian, she used to take everything that he said at face value. That caused no shortage of confusion whenever Fox tried to joke with her. She quickly learned from experience though.

"I haven't seen Hiumart either yet," Fox told Sheld, thinking of her assigned partner for the evening. "I can stick around for you until he shows up."

Sheld smiled as she waved the notion aside. "I can manage on my own. Thank you for the offer though."

"If you say so." Fox pushed off the wall and stretched. "Take care tonight. Make sure that you and Hiumart don't spend too much time flirting."

He grinned again as Sheld blushed hard enough to thaw a glacier. "We wouldn't do anything of the sort!" she protested.

"Sure, you wouldn't," Fox chortled, knowing better. He made his exit before he earned himself a hard boot up the backside. A passing priest blessed Fox on the road, thanking him for his service.

On his way home, Fox watched children run to their parents' arms on their doorsteps. Every show of love brought a smile to his face. He thought nothing of it as he waved to the families as he walked by. Fox's heart grew warm with each greeting that he received in return. They made standing around on guard duty somewhat worth it in the end. If the people could end their day safe and happy, then he was doing his job right.

It amazed Fox to think about how long he had been living in Kezamat. Nine months now. In that time, the city no longer felt alien to him. He was familiar with nearly every street. He knew many of the faces he met by name. The people were kind to Fox, accepting him as one of their own. It probably helped that rumours circulating the city called him an angel of Ilis.

Folks often asked Fox when he would next guard the Temple of Cerinia, later flocking to pray in droves during his shift. They believed his presence blessed them with good fortune. Even the priests pleaded for Fox to man the post every day; for surely he was the Bright Father's messenger, sent to relay Ilis's eternal love to Cerinia. Fox declined as politely as he could. Fortunately, the priests accepted that he preferred to patrol the city than stay fixed to one place. Like his divine master, Fox was driven to be always moving across the land. Fox didn't have the heart to tell them otherwise.

As he turned into the street that would lead him home, a pair of hands snatched Fox's arm from behind. "Hey!" he cried. His hand instinctively went for his hunting knife.

Fox stayed it as soon as he recognised the blue vixen beaming at him. "Bloody hell, Krystal!" He then switched to Cerinian. "You gave me a fright."

Without an apology, Krystal pulled him down the road. "I've been waiting for you. Come on! We have something to show you."

"We?" Fox gleaned no more from her as Krystal guided him away.

Instead of going home, they walked down another street. Every house in the neighbourhood belonged to someone in Krystal's extended family. Some of their bloodlines split as far back as six generations. Having lived a life in which families were often spread across multiple planets, Fox marvelled the close-knit community formed by Krystal's clan.

Soon, he encountered a large crowd of her relatives standing outside of a single house. Dozens of faces turned to Fox and Krystal. They all wore bright smiles. "What's going on?" he asked her.

Krystal finally released Fox and gestured through the gathering. "We all got together to get the house ready." Her tail wagged as she dropped a small key into his palm. "It's all yours now."

It took Fox a moment to realise her meaning. He stared at the key, then looked up to the building. Two stories tall, its walls were freshly painted white over simple, clay brickwork. He looked back to Krystal in disbelief. "You're… giving me a house?"

She placed her hands behind her back. "You've been with us for a while now. Mama, Papa, and I thought you would like a home to call your own."

The key weighed heavier in Fox's grasp than it looked. He shook his head. "Krystal… Thank you… But I can't accept this. It's too much to just give me like this."

"Please do." Krystal's ears flattened as her face fell slightly. "We want you to have it. Everyone here worked hard for weeks to spruce it up."

"Everyone…?" Fox gawped at the expectant stares around him. "You did all this for me?" Krystal nodded. A soft smile touched her muzzle. Now knowing that, Fox felt it wrong to refuse. He clutched the key to his chest. "Thank you. I… I don't know what more I can say."

Krystal smiled wider as she took Fox's hand again. Gently this time, she led him through the yard. Nomar and Thalse guarded the front door. They, too, smiled warmly and stepped aside for Fox to pass. With butterflies in his stomach, Fox took hold of the doorknob. He turned it slowly and entered the house.

A fire already crackled inside the living room's hearth. Fox could smell the new base paint on the interior walls. Simple furniture filled the space. Much of it, if not all, was second-hand, judging from the cushions' faded casings. A feast was laden throughout the kitchen. Potted plants brought colour to what was currently a blank canvas; one that was all his to mark as he wished.

The significance of this gift finally came down upon Fox. This was his. All his. The friends he had made over the past year had worked together to give it to him. Gratitude surged through Fox. It welled tears in his eyes and caused him to clasp his mouth, holding back his emotions. A hand touched Fox's shoulder. He turned to Krystal, who smiled and hugged him. Her tender hold unleashed a sharp sob from deep within Fox. He buried his face into her shoulder.

"Thank you," he wept. "Everyone… Thank you." Krystal gave him a gentle squeeze.

Fox regained his composure just before the rest of the clan funnelled inside. Nomar was the next to embrace Fox. After her, Thalse placed his hand on Fox's shoulder. "Thank you so much for letting me stay with you this past year," Fox told them.

"You'll always be welcome at our home," Thalse promised kindly.

"If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask us," Nomar added.

Fox glanced around the room again. "I can't believe you all kept this a surprise for me."

"It was pretty easy since you can't read minds," another voice replied. Sabre walked past with a poultry leg already in his hand. He tore a greedy bite from it.

"So, this was where you ran off to," Fox muttered. "Did you actually go shopping or was that just a ruse to get out of guard duty?"

Sabre glared with his mouth full. Fox couldn't interpret his muffled response. "We did need Sabre's help in the last hour," Krystal answered instead. "Tyret dropped a wine cask on his way here and hurt his back. We asked Sabre to buy a replacement."

"Is Tyret okay?" Fox frowned in concern.

"Randorn is tending to him," Nomar reassured. She turned her gaze across the room. Nostalgia glowed in her smile. "This house used to belong to my Aunt Layana. Since she can't live by herself anymore, she moved out with her granddaughter, Yensy, before winter."

Fox recalled Nomar mention once that Yensy had moved in with her mate's family a few months ago. Since Layana's mate and both of Yensy's parents had all passed away, the clan fretted how she would survive without her granddaughter's care. "We asked them if they minded giving the house to you," Nomar continued. "They were kind enough to agree."

"I'll have to thank them," Fox replied. "I promise that I'll take care of it."

Before he knew it, a cup was thrust into Fox's hand. Scarlet liquid sloshed inside. Fox met Sabre's grinning face beside his. "Come on, buddy! This is your housewarming," he said. "Get some wine down your gullet."

Krystal chastised Sabre for his brashness, yet Fox only smirked as he sipped the sweet wine. In many ways, Sabre reminded him of Falco. It comforted Fox. He listened to the two cousins argue without a care until he spied Layana hobble by on her cane. He politely excused himself to greet the old woman and express his appreciation to her.

Speaking with Layana came with a price unfortunately. For almost two hours, she regaled Fox with her family's history with the house. He coped with listening to long, one-sided conversations about as well as he did with guard duty. By the time Fox finally slipped away, many of the guests were up to their third cups of wine. Some laughed and sang, livening the ground floor and outer yards. The banquet was delicious. The piper's music was festive. It wasn't quite like the last housewarming that Fox threw for himself back on Corneria, but he was grateful to everyone who helped put this one together.

Later into the evening, Fox escaped to the house's roof terrace. There, the revelry down below felt far away. It was quieter up here. More peaceful. The roof offered Fox a private space to sort through his emotions. He had been given a home. His very own place to live on Cerinia, one to have all to himself. Fox's heart ached from the strain of trying to process everything. Here in solitude, he felt free to let his tears run over his wide smile.

"There you are." Fox started, turning quickly to find Krystal climbing out onto the roof. "Are you tired of the party already?"

"Just needed a moment to take this all in," Fox said easily.

Krystal sat down beside him. "How do you like the house?"

"It's incredible. Thanks again for the surprise." Fox stared out to the neighbouring buildings, noting how high he and Krystal were. "It's a lot larger than the apartment I own on Corneria. I'm worried it might feel too lonely living here by myself."

"You'll always be welcome to visit us whenever you want," Krystal told him. "It's just like Papa said."

Fox smiled. "I'll be sure to. And I'd be happy to have you over as well. Both you and your parents."

Krystal's tail swished. It flicked briefly against Fox's. "I'd like that."

Gazing off towards the skyline, Fox let out a soft sigh. "Krystal… Thank you. For everything. Ever since you saved my life and took care of me, you've helped me feel at home here on your world. You helped me learn your language. You taught me how to hunt and fend for myself. And now your family has given me a house. There's… There's no possible way for me to pay you back for everything you've done for me."

Her fingers intertwined with his. Fox felt Krystal lean against him. Her brow brushed his temple. "You don't have to repay us for anything. My parents and I… It's our job to help people who need us. I'm simply glad that we were able to help you. That's all the reward that we need."

His heart became as warm as a flame. Fox removed his hand from Krystal's so that he could place his arm around her. "Even so, I'll always be grateful to you. If there's anything that I can do to repay you, I promise that I will." He held Krystal closer as her own arm reached across his torso. Their tails overlapped behind them.

They stayed that way for longer than Fox kept track of. The party below faded completely from his notice. Caught up in their own enjoyment, none of the other Cerinians realised that he and Krystal had vanished, for no one else ventured up to the roof to find them. Fox preferred it this way. If there were only one person whom he wanted to share this moment with, it would be the best friend he had on Cerinia.

Far to the south of Kezamat, across the plains and mountains, laid the city of Galthumarata. Built alongside a desert, Galthumarata served as an essential stopping point for anyone who dared traverse the sands. Travellers also often passed through the city on their way between the east and west. Thus, Galthumarata became a nexus for trade. However, it was not the city's wealth that captured Andross's interest.

From what he learned over the last few years; many gods existed in Cerinian mythology. Each person worshipped the ones who mattered most in their lives, such as the Sea Goddess, the Wild Alpha, and the Forge Master. Expecting parents prayed to Meen, the Creator, for healthy children, while those near the end of their lives sought grace from Yul, the Keeper of the Void. In most large towns and cities though, their collective faith leaned heavily towards one specific god. Kezamat praised Cerinia above all others in their faith. In Galthumarata's case, their favoured deity was Arethan, the Sky God. It was here that Andross hoped to learn more about the dust layer in Cerinia's atmosphere. The Temple of Arethan would possess information that smaller shrines elsewhere might not have.

A fierce gust accompanied Andross and Thene to the temple. It blew from the desert, kicking up dust that made their eyes itch. The city's denizens were accustomed to wearing scarves over their faces throughout the day. Andross did this as well. Thene held her hood firmly over her head to keep the flying sand out of her hair.

Aptly, the Temple of Arethan stood upon the tallest hill in Galthumarata. Much like a castle, its central tower rose above the square, stone wall perimeter. Pink patterns spread across the highest points of the architecture. Andross's thoughts turned to the number of ancient structures he had come across in his lifetime, marking the remains of civilisations long since vanished from the universe.

One of the priests awaited their arrival at the temple's entrance. He bowed low with his hands clasped together. Andross and Thene both paid the same respect. "Welcome, friends," the priest greeted. "Arethan blesses our meeting."

"We thank the High Priestess for making time to speak with us," Andross replied cordially, inclined to avoid as much of this pious drivel as possible.

The priest beamed brightly. "Of course! Upon hearing that you hailed from beyond the heavens, her grace was all too eager to meet you. I must admit that I can barely contain my own excitement right now." He beckoned them inside. "Please, come. Her grace awaits inside the tower."

His recent remark gave Andross an idea of what to expect from the other faithful. People stopped and stared as he passed them, whispering keenly among themselves. Andross had grown used to the baffled and curious stares he constantly received since arriving on Cerinia. Apes were not known to these foxes. As far as they understood, he was a strange creature from another world. He was a mystery. An alien.

Andross studied the tower's design as they climbed. A single staircase wrapped around the interior from base to spire. The stone steps were worn yet strong and stable. He estimated that the temple was several centuries old. Perhaps even older if the Cerinians refurbished sections as they deteriorated.

The seventh story was the temple's highest, opening to a single, expansive chamber. A sandstone idol, five metres tall, stood in the centre of the room. Andross noted that the statue was carved in the shape of a fox. Many cultures designed their gods in their own image, choosing to then claim that it was those same gods who moulded the people who worshipped them. A ring of cushions surrounded the statue atop a winding, blush-pink carpet. There, believers would sit during the temple's sermons.

A lone vixen prayed at the statue's feet. She raised her head as the priest approached with their guests. The High Priestess laid her hands over her belly, which was heavy with child. Andross saw that the white fur of her bare arms and face was blemished with dark spots; a characteristic unseen on most Cerinians. She possessed a few other features that resembled a dog's, possibly a dalmatian's, yet more that clearly marked her as a fox. Andross speculated that at least one of her ancestors had crashed onto Cerinia from another planet. The woman's alien genes would eventually fade from her bloodline, likely ending with either her or her offspring.

"Welcome," she greeted. "You must be Simon Andross and Thene Avrenym."

Andross bowed. "I prefer to go by 'Doctor Andross' if you don't mind." He did not earn seven PhDs just for people to call him by his first name.

"Please forgive me," the priestess said easily. "I am Ovia Rodrigues." She bowed in return. "Pray tell me, Doctor Andross. You came from the world beyond Arethan, did you not?"

He and Thene took Ovia's gestured invitation to sit. Her clan name hardened Andross's theory about her lineage. "That is correct. I was not born on Cerinia's lands. Instead, I am from another world called Corneria."

Wonder glistened in Ovia's hazel eyes. "How marvelous! My great-grandfather, Edward, also descended from the heavens. The world he came from was named Eulethra though."

Andross nodded. "Yes. Eulethra would be the planet that neighbours this one."

Ovia expressed a wistful smile. "I regret that I could not have known Edward before his passing. People always said that he had been sent to Galthumarata by Ilis as his agent. It is my family's belief that our divine duty is to serve under Arethan, so that we may at last quell his feud with Ilis. Then the Bright Father would be permitted to wed Cerinia and bind his soul with hers forevermore."

Thene made a snorting noise, which she quickly masked as a cough brought on by the dust storms outside. Andross threw a warning look at her. Fortunately, Ovia accepted the excuse in stride. "It is my deepest wish that our people can one day see Ilis's light in all his glory," she continued. "If not in my lifetime, then hopefully in my little one's instead." Her palm brushed over her belly.

"I have a similar wish to return to my world," Andross replied. "However, I am not patient enough to wait for the gods to settle their differences. My goal is to ascend through Arethan's realm through my own means, but first I must learn all that I can about him."

"Then you have come to the right place," Ovia laughed. "Arethan's house is open to all who seek his teachings."

"I'm afraid that we have precious little time to learn everything you have to offer, your grace," Andross feigned disappointment. "We are most interested in what legends of him you can tell us though."

Ovia nodded. "Very well." The priest from earlier returned with a pot of tea. Andross had not noticed him leave during their conversation. "Shall I begin with the story of how Arethan's rivalry with Ilis first started?"

"If you believe that is best, then please."

"It was long ago in the Divine Realm. A god of bright, burning light wandered alone as free as the birds that fly. Ilis, be his name, wielded a power that could blind any who laid eyes upon his visage."

The priestess spoke with well-practiced words. She did not so much as falter while her hands accepted the cup of red tea that her disciple provided. "Ilis's path one day crossed with a maiden who stood as still as a statue. Her quiet will was steadier than a thousand mountains. Though dull in her appearance, the inner peace that she exuded fascinated Ilis. He watched her meditate until at last he asked for her name.

"'Cerinia,' she replied with the gentlest of smiles. Though she did not open her eyes to look at Ilis, Cerinia could see the intensity of his light through the skin of her lids. It sparked something in her heart that she had not felt before. A vibrant emotion that fanned its own flames beyond her ability to quell.

"'Why is it that you sit here by yourself so still?' Ilis asked. 'Does not this time spent doing nothing bore you?'" Andross sipped tentatively at his tea. He found that this story entertained him more than he anticipated.

"'How could I be bored when there is an entire world to explore within myself?' Cerinia answered. 'I will admit though, I do feel lonely at times. I would not mind so much if only there were someone whom I could share my world with.'

"By then, Ilis felt his burning itch to be on his way. Yet a part of him could not turn his back to Cerinia. He began to run, but not away. Instead, Ilis raced around Cerinia. Always moving yet always at her side. 'Then would you perhaps mind sharing your world with me?' Ilis asked her."

A dreaming smile touched Ovia's muzzle. For a tale that had yet to mention her patron, she seemed to love this part of it fondly. "As Ilis and Cerinia spent their time together, the love that he felt for her grew in the form of flowers and trees. Lush forests and meadows flourished across Cerinia's body, turning her beautiful and green. Cerinia soon gave birth to the people and animals whom she and Ilis raised as their children. The pair of them could never have been happier together."

Ovia's expression then fell. "However, Cerinia had a brother who opposed their love. Arethan feared that Ilis's light shone too brightly; that his fiery spirit would one day burn Cerinia. He tried to convince Ilis to tame his extraordinary power. Alas, Ilis's desire to run wild was too much for him to contain. Seeing no other way to protect his sister from the danger that her lover posed, Arethan engulfed her within his cloak, sealing Cerinia away from Ilis's reach.

"Enraged, Ilis sought to burn through Arethan to no avail. Cerinia cried out against her brother. Her tranquil heart felt hurt and unrest, and so she fought back furiously with lightning and mountain fire. Cerinia begged for Arethan to release her. Yet he would not. Tragically, she grew to resent him. Cerinia then shunned her brother and lashed out whenever her sorrow felt too great. His sister's hatred caused Arethan terrible pain, though he knew what he must do to keep her safe. And so, helpless to do anything else, he wept. His tears fell upon Cerinia like pearls.

"Since then, Ilis longed to see his beloved again. He learned subtlety to slip his light through Arethan's cloak, so that Cerinia would continue to feel the warmth of his love. Cerinia, in turn, used Ilis's light to grow the food to nourish their children, and sang her songs to teach them about their estranged father. To this day, we watch their family feud, praying that they will one day find peace."

As Ovia finished, she drank to quench her thirst. Andross mulled the tale over while nursing his own cup. His mind caught on something that the priestess had said. "Towards the end, you said that Arethan's tears fell upon Cerinia like pearls," he remarked. "Is that a reference to rain?"

"That is a common misconception people have when they hear the story for the first time," Ovia shook her head. "The rain and storm gods, Boen and Inshedu, shower us with water from the sky. However, Arethan's tears fall from much higher than their domain. They say that his sorrow matches his colour and falls from the heavens while bathed in flames."

Like a sniper whose target entered their sight, every cell in Andross's body sparked to life. "Has anyone ever seen these tears up close?"

"I'm afraid I'm unable to say. However, there were people who witnessed one of Arethan's tears fall into the Cabbot Valley 100 years ago."

A pearly rain that originated from higher than the clouds and burned as it fell. If Andross considered the science behind that, his guess was that there were times when the dust fell from the upper atmosphere. The heat absorbed from the sun's light would melt the particles into larger clumps. Over time, the weight would pull them out of orbit, causing the clumps to crash onto the planet's surface like meteorites. Then again, the falling objects could simply be meteorites. Either way, they would have passed through the upper atmosphere and picked up some of the dust on the way down.

Excitement buzzed through Andross. He'd have preferred a more concrete lead, but a century-old testimony was better than he expected to get. He thanked the High Priestess for her tale and asked her to continue. Although they now knew where to continue their search, it wouldn't hurt to obtain a little more information while they were here.

The sky outside the window darkened before Andross realised it. "I thank you again for your time, your grace." He rose to his feet. "Sadly, Thene and I must return to our inn. We will reflect on everything that you have told us today."

"One moment please, Doctor," Ovia stopped him. "If I may be bold, would you please allow me to see into your memories of the world beyond ours? If you have met with Ilis, I would like to see him through your eyes."

He could have shown her that and more, forever shattering the priestess's view on reality with the truth that he knew. However, at seeing the childlike desire in Ovia's expression, Andross could instead only hang his head. "What you'd see in my mind might not be what you hope to," he cautioned her.

"I understand," Ovia nodded. "Still, I wish to know what our gods look like. Please. This one thing is all that I ask from you."

Andross realised that she could not be dissuaded. He sighed softly. "Very well. If that is what you wish."

He felt the touch of the High Priestess's telepathy. Andross conjured the old memories he had of viewing Cerinia from her orbit. The planet's sun, Balven, shone to one side. The filter on his starship's windows blocked out its harsh light. With his physical eyes, Andross watched Ovia weep. Genuine remorse panged his heart.

"They are magnificent," she surprised him by saying. "The scriptures state that Ilis's might is unfathomable, but he dwarfs Arethan so greatly. How sad it is that he must stand so far from Cerinia. If Ilis unleashed everything he had against Arethan, he would surely destroy Cerinia as well. I cannot imagine the heartache that must come with such restraint."

"It is unfortunate," Andross sympathised. Ovia left his mind. He bowed in farewell. "If there is nothing else, your grace, we will take our leave."

"Travel safe," Ovia mirrored him. "Thank you for showing me the gods' true forms. I will pray that Arethan will show mercy and aid you in your quest."

The priestess's disciple escorted them back to the temple's gate. The wind had died down, allowing Andross and Thene to walk back to the city with their faces uncovered. "The High Priestess took learning the truth quite well." Andross smirked. "Much better than you did at first."

Thene scoffed. "Seeing the truth and learning it are not the same. I, at least, accepted that the temples understand far less about the universe than they claim they do." Andross chuckled, earning a frown from her. "She twisted what you showed her to reinforce her false ideas. Why did you not correct her?"

"I've learned not to waste time sharing knowledge with those who won't heed it. Whether she understands what she saw correctly or not makes no difference to me. Let her spend the rest of her life believing what she wishes to. This planet's people will learn better in their own time."

Thene made another curt noise, unconvinced. She reminded Andross of his own headstrong youth. When you had the answers to the greatest questions, how could you not shout them to the less educated masses? "Shall we continue our search into the Cabbot Valley tomorrow?" Thene asked.

Andross considered the idea. "Let us gather information about the place first. We should learn what to expect before acting."

Contrary to his words, Andross felt the drive to traverse the valley post-haste. He blamed his impetuousness on the youth of his clone body. His wiser mind fought to contain it. The deposit of sky dust was out there waiting. Andross could almost feel it in his hands. The thrill of discovery burned through his veins.

End note:

I have my most fun writing lore and developing character relationships, so this chapter was a treat to make.

I'm sure that some people reading this are wondering when I'll finally get Fox and Krystal together.