Author's note:

I promise that this will be the last lewd chapter for a while. The plot will start up again next chapter.

Chapter 31: Dawn of Spring

Fox awoke to a chilly morning. He lifted his groggy head and wondered about his whereabouts, soon recalling that he and Krystal had fallen asleep in the living room. He found her cuddled in his arms. Her steady breaths brushed against Fox's bare chest. Even while drooling like a late-night subway commuter, Krystal still looked the very image of beauty.

She shifted her legs, bumping into Fox's. He then realised his entire left side felt numb from her laying on top of him all night. Fox tried not to wake her as he moved into a more comfortable position. Against his best efforts, Krystal stirred. Sleepy eyes opened to smile up at Fox.

"Hey… Good morning," he greeted. "Sorry for waking you. I couldn't feel my arm anymore."

"Morning," Krystal mumbled. She rolled off from Fox so that he could move. He flexed his fingers, feeling pins and needles as the blood surged back into his veins. "Does it hurt?" Krystal asked.

"Not so much that I wouldn't want to snuggle like that again."

Krystal kissed his forearm and helped to rub the lingering aches from his muscles. Fox smiled as his heart fluttered from her touch. Leaning in close, his lips greeted hers fully. He didn't mind Krystal's morning breath any more than she did his. Their bodies pressed together in a tender embrace. As they mingled, Fox could feel the cool remains of their lovemaking on Krystal's fur.

His heart then shuddered to a halt when he finally realised something. He'd just had unprotected sex with Krystal last night and finished inside her multiple times. Now he doubted whether a morning-after pill existed anywhere on Cerinia. Panic set in. Krystal noticed right away. "Fox? Is something wrong?"

He thought of lying. Alas, saying that everything was fine wouldn't help Fox. And at this point in their relationship, it would just insult Krystal and her powers. "I think we might have done something careless," he answered.

Krystal grew worried. "What was careless? You and me mating?"

"A little bit?" Fox did his best to explain. "Usually, I'd use something to stop me from getting you… um… Gah! What's the word you use when a woman has a baby inside her?" Krystal then taught Fox the Cerinian translation for 'pregnant.' "Yes, that! But I didn't do anything like that last night!"

Krystal's ears dropped a fraction. "Would you be upset if you did get me pregnant?"

Fox leaped in alarm. "No! No! I wouldn't! That's not the issue, I swear." He took a breath to collect his thoughts. "It's just… I'm worried about what having a baby would mean for our plans to get to Lylat. It's going to be risky enough for us trying to fly out to space in Andross's rocket. There's every chance that the thing could explode with us inside it! How the hell are we supposed to put a child through that sort of danger?!"

Krystal took hold of his hand. "Fox, it's going to be okay."

"How can you say that?" he begged.

She gave him a stern look. "Because I spent the last seven years of my life studying medicine at the shrine. I know what herbs I can take to keep myself from conceiving."

All the stress evaporated from Fox. "Oh."

"I even have some that I planned to brew this morning." Krystal's lips turned into a smirk. "While I'm not against having children, Fox, I'm not ready to become a mother yet. So, you can stop worrying."

Fox exhaled. "That's a relief."

Krystal shook her head, snorting. "It does mean that Mama's going to have to wait a lot longer to be a grandmother. She'd scream in delight if you did give me a child though."

"I'd be worried about how your dad would react. He'll either strangle me or ask what we'll name the kid. Knowing him, he'd probably threaten me with the first as a bad joke." Fox chuckled. Then his blood went cold. "Oh, shit!"

"What now?"

"I'm supposed to be on morning patrol today! What time is it?"

Krystal looked through the window. "It still looks early to me."

Fox checked as well. Thankfully, the sun didn't appear to have risen for more than an hour. He sighed again in relief. "I should get ready."

"Aww." Krystal seized hold of Fox's arm. "Don't go just yet."

"Why not?"

"Because I want to mate with you some more."

Aroused but cautious, Fox considered his options. "Thalse will chew me out if I'm late for work. Especially today."

"I could ask Papa to let you stay home," Krystal offered with a cunning smile. Fox rolled his eyes.

"Sure. Let's ask my boss to give me the day off so I can have sex with his daughter. I'm sure that will go down well."

"Really?"

"No."

Krystal pouted. "Aww. Can we at least do it one more time?"

Caving, Fox positioned himself over Krystal. "Fine. But only once, and I'm not finishing all the way in. Deal?" She nodded happily. Fox looped his arms under her thighs and lifted her up against his tip. "Ready?"

She reached into his thoughts. "Ready." Fox frowned for a split second. Normally, Krystal would ask his permission before linking minds. He let it slide this one time though. Being able to feel what she did when they mated was freaking amazing.

Fox pushed into Krystal slowly. She threw her head back into the pillows, arching her back as she received him. There wasn't much time, so Fox made his pacing quick. Krystal enjoyed it well enough. Her hands clawed into the bedroll. Her fangs bit into her bottom lip. "Yes… Just like that, Fox."

He lifted Krystal a little higher. Her breasts jiggled freely to their rhythm. Krystal's eyes lost focus for a moment before locking with Fox's. She grabbed her chest in both hands and began kneading herself nice and slowly.

"Do you like it when I do this, Fox?" she purred.

Fox grinned. "A lot. But… could you let them bounce instead?" Smiling back, Krystal moved her arms over her head. That allowed her breasts to swing with the perfect range of movement. "That's it, Krys," Fox praised.

He watched her body dance to his movements. Krystal revelled in Fox's arousal as she watched through his eyes. For a moment, Fox saw himself pumping into her. He wore the face of someone whose brain was leaking out of his ears, so Fox adopted a tod's who knew exactly how to please his vixen. It tipped Krystal closer towards the edge. Soon, neither of them could hold out any longer, and Fox let loose as Krystal moaned in bliss.

Their panting filled the living room space. Fox lowered Krystal carefully onto the bed. "Happy now?" he asked. Krystal nodded. Her eyes glazed with a distant, dreamy stare. Fox leaned forward and kissed her. "Hungry?" Again, Krystal nodded. "If I make breakfast, would you clean up after?"

"Sure." She shivered. "Can I lie in a bit longer? It's cold."

"Of course, you can." Planting one more kiss onto her brow, Fox crawled out of the bed. Krystal pulled the blankets over her shoulders and decided to doze while she waited. Fox quickly cleaned himself up in the bathroom. After dressing in fresh clothes, he then set to work in the kitchen.

He scrounged through the pantry for a few minutes. Since spring was now upon them, Fox felt less stingy about their dwindling supplies. He grabbed a slab of smoked meat along with some eggs. In a separate pan, he toasted the last few slices of their bread. Fox became aware of Krystal watching him cook. She transmitted her rosy vision of his back, paying particular attention to his shapely rear. A doting smile pulled her lips as her thighs rubbed together around her well-loved loins.

"Krystal, I'm going to burn something if you don't let me concentrate," Fox warned. She withdrew from his head.

"Sorry," she giggled. "I just wanted you to see the same magnificent view that I do. I could wake up to this every single day."

Fox focused on the stove so that Krystal wouldn't see his painful blush. Once the meat and eggs were cooked through, he lightly seasoned them with salt and herbs. Krystal finally crawled out of bed just as Fox placed two plates onto the table. She draped one of the blankets over her shoulders. Fox's delighted smile mirrored hers upon Krystal taking the first bite.

"It's the first day of spring, and I wake up with a wonderful mate who gives me fantastic sex, cooks me breakfast, and lets me sleep in when I don't have to go to work," she said. "I can already tell this is going to be a very good year."

"Rub it in my face a little more, why don't you. I haven't had a moment's rest since I got up," Fox huffed. Krystal only laughed. He couldn't pretend to be annoyed for long.

After setting the dishes aside for her to wash later, Fox went to put on his armour and cloak. At the door, Krystal embraced him from under her woollen cape. "I do wish that you could stay home too," she sighed.

"That's the price I pay for getting to enjoy the festival with my amazing girlfriend," Fox replied similarly. "I'll be home early in the afternoon."

"Don't take any detours on your way back," Krystal smirked. She drew in close. "Because as soon as you're off duty, you're all mine again."

Her husky breath in his ear made Fox shiver. God, he wanted her badly. Yet Fox responded with a chaste kiss upon Krystal's lips that he knew satisfied neither of them. "I'll see you later. Love you."

"Saeyat moko saboe," Krystal replied.

In three words, she made it even harder for Fox pull away. His heart threatened to burst. Though a long road laid ahead before Krystal would master Papetoonish, she already spoke the little she knew so beautifully. Her Cerinian accent made Krystal sound like an angel. In time, she could pass for someone born from Estua on Papetoon's northern hemisphere.

Begrudgingly, Fox lowered his arms from Krystal and retrieved his weapons from beside the door. With one last kiss goodbye, he departed into the early morning snow. He stopped suddenly on the paving. "Oh! Before I forget…" Fox turned back and kissed Krystal once more. "Happy New Year, Krystal."

Her eyes glistened lovingly. "Happy New Year, Fox."

Then, Fox left for real. A disappointed sigh fled Krystal as she closed the door and made her way back to bed. The stack of dishes in the kitchen could wait. For now, after a long night of diligent work for both her people and her lover, Krystal wanted to spend a few selfish hours being very, very lazy.

The gentle stroke of slender fingers stirred Andross from the dark of deep sleep. His first sight was dominated by Thene laid over his bare chest. Her long, light-blue hair draped down one side of her face. Thene wore the expression of someone who had spent years gazing upon the object of her affections like this every morning. She always did carry herself too comfortably.

"Good morning, Doctor," Thene purred. "Happy New Year."

"Yes. Happy New Year." Although Andross spoke in a measured manner, his hand did raise to stroke the coat of Thene's back. Her ear perked as her smile curled a little higher.

"How are you feeling today?" she asked.

He assessed himself. "Well-rested."

A wag of Thene's tail disturbed the sheets over them. "Wonderful. Then my efforts have borne the desired results." She drew closer to gift a kiss that Andross did not resist. He pressed into her lips with the lightest touch for a moment. His other arm wrapped around Thene's opposite side, coming to rest his palm atop her luscious rear.

Though he previously married into a species similar to his own, Andross had long-before harboured an interest for vulpine women. Their voluminous tails carried a lustre that tempted the hand's touch, and their keen ears bore as much expression as their dazzling eyes. And due to their natural instincts, such females were often sought after for their tender affections following intercourse. Andross recalled that there had been one time in his former life where he had once worked with a beautiful vixen under his wing. He, of course, never acted on any feelings towards her out of professional courtesy, as well as loyalty to his wife at the time. Even after succumbing to madness, he never pursued another woman until now.

These trains of thoughts drew Andross's features into a frown as he remembered his former wife. The tragedies he had been framed for horrified her long ago. When Andross returned to her for the first time since his exile, Venom's pollution had warped him into the raving lunatic who Corneria painted him as. She chased him out of her home with shattered plates and hateful screams. That had been the last that Andross had ever seen of the woman he once loved. He never even got the chance to gaze upon their daughter, Ashley, one last time. Fury towards the universe filled the wound carved out from his heart. Even now he refused to invoke his wife's name, lest the agony besiege him all over again.

"You still bear the right to grieve, but she does not deserve her place in your thoughts," Thene spoke softly.

"Reading my mind, are you?" Andross huffed.

"Does that surprise you?" Not in the slightest. "I thought so."

Thene moved her hand to cup his face. "That woman witnessed the true potential of your genius and it frightened her. She believed the lies that others told of you and renounced her faith in you. The faith that she once promised until death would you part."

Andross closed his eyes and sighed. "And in death, we did part. If she had not divorced me before then, my defeat would have certainly freed her from any vows we once swore."

"She was a fool and a coward." Thene frowned. "But I am not. I have seen what your mind is capable of, and I do not fear you. Your achievements and sins all amount to the same as I see them. You are a man who strives constantly to test what is possible and what is not. For better or worse, yours is a genius that should be respected by all around you."

Andross studied her gentle gaze. "I will never leave you," she continued. "No matter how great or terrible your actions, I will never shun you. I will remain by your side and aid you to the best that I am able. That is my solemn vow to you, Simon."

Simon… Thene had called him by his first name during the night as well. Screamed it many times throughout, too. Despite her incorrigible advances, she rarely addressed him with such intimate familiarity. Her words, he found, seemed to lift an immense weight from Andross's chest. It was one he had carried for so long that he had forgotten it was there. The ease in which he could now breathe astonished him.

"I thank you, Thene." Androsss surprised himself with his sincerity. "If there is one boon from crashing onto this backwater planet, it was finally meeting someone who understands what truly drives me."

"Then that is another thing that we share in common," Thene smiled. She moaned softly as Andross initiated their next kiss.

After sating their reinvigorated desires, Thene rested her muzzle atop of Andross's chest. Her ear flicked at his fingers' ministrations through her hair. A content sigh escaped her nose. "Do you intend to resume work today?" she asked with closed eyes.

"Not just yet," he replied. "The hour is still early, and I find myself in need of more rest."

Thene giggled. "That gladdens me."

A minute smile turned on Andross's lips. He pulled her closer. It gladdened him as well.

Fox barely made it to the barracks in time before the morning address. Several other guards turned in surprise as he barged through the door keeled over and panting hard. Everyone in the building soon fell into line in front of Vice-Captain Thalse Sharrde, as per normal routine.

However, this was not a normal day. As it was the dawn of the new year, Kezamat Guard Captain Raedet Forn made a rare appearance to the address. Usually, he would begin the day reporting directly to the city's chief. His age-greyed muzzle sported a curving scar from an old battle wound. Hard, golden eyes swept over the assembly. Forn's throat grumbled lower than a thunderstorm.

"It appears that we are short a few bodies this morning," he remarked aloud, casting a look towards his second-in-command.

Thalse straightened a little taller and counted the heads in presence. "Yes, sir," he replied simply. "Has anyone here seen Hiumart or Sheld today?" His tone made his words more of a demand, not a question. Several heads looked to each other, hoping that someone knew their superior's desired answer.

"I'll bet they're still tied in bed," Sabre grinned in Fox's mind. Judging from the few snickers that Fox heard, Sabre had shared that same thought with several others. Fox was too concerned with avoiding direct eye contact with Thalse to appreciate the joke.

Thalse, however, noticed the hubbub. "Is there something that one of you would like to share aloud with the room?" he frowned deeply. "Sabre?"

Suddenly the centre of attention, Sabre jolted into the image of a model soldier. "No, sir. Nothing at all, sir." Neither Thalse nor Forn appeared convinced. Fortunately for Sabre's hide, nothing further was said on the matter.

Forn cleared his throat. "Welcome, all of you, to the start of another year. Since the previous Yanfwet Festival, the city guard has done well to protect and serve the people of Kezamat. I am pleased to say that yesterday's celebrations went smoothly, with only a handful of minor disturbances to report." Several guards grinned brightly, though no one in the room could boast of having been on duty to respond to such troubles.

"As always, I expect you all to continue upholding our city's laws and setting a positive example for the people," Forn continued. "I also recommend that you pay attention to the wilds when patrolling outside the walls over the coming weeks. Beasts will soon emerge from their deep sleep to search for food and mates. The hunters and foragers will be on the lookout, though I ask that you report any predator activity that you detect too close to the forest's border."

The guards brought their fists to their left breasts, signalling their acknowledgement. Forn nodded without any change in his expression. "Keep up the good work. Vice-Captain Sharrde, I will hand the meeting over to you and take my leave."

He departed for his office upstairs without a word of farewell. That was typical of the man as far as Fox was concerned. Captain Forn mirrored the mannerisms of a military commander months following the Lylat Wars. He regarded his subordinates sternly, expecting their best in every aspect. Yet he didn't brutalise them with harsh insults or threats of the enemy laying waste to everything that the soldiers loved if they didn't improve. Forn got straight to the point and made it clear. Fox respected that about the city guard's top dog.

As Thalse began to hand out the morning's orders, Fox's terrors returned. He did everything he could to look straight-faced and keep his fretful thoughts quiet. The last thing that Fox wanted was Thalse hearing or seeing anything about what he did with Krystal the previous night. Although he joked about it with her earlier, the prospect actually petrified Fox.

He focused on chaste, innocent thoughts. Pure things. Like temples or, better yet, churches. He thought about nuns deep in prayer. Yes. Nuns. Nuns… Krystal as a nun… Krystal as a sexy nun…

'Fuck! Go back! Go back!' Sadly, the naughty image had settled into Fox's brain. It hooked its claws and held firm no matter how hard he struggled to banish it. Reclined against a stony wall, Krystal offered him a sultry smirk as her fingers reached down to slowly tug the hem of her habit up her…

"Fox."

He snapped to attention. "Yes, sir."

"You'll be patrolling the temple district today," Thalse informed him. Fox flushed under his fur. Did he see…?

"Understood," Fox nodded.

Sabre scoffed. "Again? Today? You can't seriously tell me that the temple is not bribing us at this point," he muttered. Nobody acknowledged the remark. Once Thalse dismissed them, Sabre patted Fox's shoulder on his way out. "Have fun, angel. Say hi to the priestesses for me."

Wordlessly, Fox hastened to the door as well. "Fox," Thalse called, stopping him. "A word, if you don't mind."

"Dead man," Sabre snickered.

"Go freeze your tail off!" Fox fumed. Mustering all the calm that he could, Fox returned to stand before his superior. Krystal's father.

"How did you find the festival yesterday?" Thalse asked. Fox couldn't read anything from his face.

"It was great," he replied. "I really enjoyed it."

"That's good," Thalse nodded. "And did you and Krystal do much after dinner last night?"

Fox tensed. "We went straight home after that. It had been a long day by then."

"I see." A terrible silence hung for several seconds. Thalse broke it. "I noticed that you're a little on edge this morning. Is something troubling you?"

"No! No." Fox shook his head. "Everything's fine, sir."

Thalse studied him a while longer. He then sighed. "Fox… I know what young couples get up to during the Yanfwet Festival. I, myself, have done as much with Nomar back in our youth."

Fox swallowed as Thalse looked him dead in the eye. "I've accepted that you and Krystal have chosen each other, and that what you decide to do together is your business. I merely want to say that I do not have any need or wish to discuss it with you. Therefore, you do not need to feel uncomfortable in any way towards me."

Attempting to wet his throat, Fox found his voice. "Thank you, Thalse."

"Just promise me one thing, please. Be good to Krystal. Your relationship affects her in ways that you might not yet realise. She will need you to be honest and supportive. Not to mention loyal as well."

"Of course," Fox said firmly. "That's all that I ever intended." He felt almost insulted that the man would suspect anything else from him.

Thalse nodded. "Thank you. That is all that I needed to say. You may go."

Fox left the barracks with new thoughts to occupy his mind. He thought of Krystal and their relationship. Though still young, it was strong and built atop a sound foundation of trust and care. Honesty, loyalty, and support went without question. Fox was serious about loving Krystal. There was truly nothing else that he wanted to do than make her happy.

So, Fox patrolled around the temple and endured the priests' praises all morning. As soon as his shift ended, he returned home, where Krystal greeted him at the door before Fox could reach for his key. He slipped into her arms, kissed her dearly, and told Krystal that he loved her. Hoisting her up from below the waist, Fox carried Krystal to the bedroom, where he tended to her every desire until darkness claimed the sky above.

Slippy wiped a trail of sweat from his forehead. This was sensitive work, requiring his full, unwavering attention. His fingers twirled deftly around the ribbed, rigid shaft of the Philips-head screwdriver that he used to twist the aluminium panel into place. Slippy glanced over to Dash. The young monkey was just as sweaty as he worked on the other side of the two-tonne hunk of machinery between them.

"Hull's sealed on this side," Slippy stated.

"Could you hand over that screwdriver if you're done with it?" Dash asked. Slippy tossed his tool overhead. Dash caught it in one hand. "Thanks."

While Dash completed the next side of the machine, Slippy checked that the solar panels were bolted securely. A quick diagnostic confirmed that they were connected to the main battery and that energy could flow through as it should. His laptop could communicate with the onboard computer without any lags or faults.

"All systems are looking good," Slippy reported.

Dash pinched another screw from the packet. "Great. Could you help me finish this side if there's nothing else to do?"

Together, they got the rest of the panels attached over the next 10 minutes. Slippy felt content that there were no gaps that might cause problems. He and Dash ran the body over with paint to better protect it. Finishing off with a stencilled print of the Star Fox emblem, Slippy stepped back to admire their handiwork.

Here it was. The Purgatory-Proof Observation Satellite. Their key to seeing through that electronic-jamming upper atmosphere and finding Fox. After months of painstaking and backbreaking effort, the satellite was complete. Its body was a crude amalgamation of new and salvaged parts, but Slippy was confident that it would work. It needed to work. It just had to.

"We finished it," Dash breathed. "We finally finished it."

Slippy nodded. "Now we just need to check how it handles in the field."

He switched on his wrist comm and tried to keep his arm from shaking too much. "Falco…. It's Slippy. The satellite is ready for a test drive."

"About time," Falco replied with nothing but grateful relief. "We're 15 minutes out from Titania. I'll tell the others and head over to you before then."

"Sounds good. We're just waiting for the paint to dry. See you soon." Slippy ended the call and sighed deeply. It felt like the entire universe was rattling him down to his molecules.

"Do you think this will run without a hitch?" Dash asked.

"Nothing works perfectly the first time, but I'm hoping that we can fix any bugs that show up through the test."

"And if we can't?"

A terrible feeling washed over Slippy as the artificial gravity of the situation fell firm upon his shoulders. "Honestly, I'm trying not to think about that. Because if this whole thing goes badly… or doesn't work at all… I'm scared to think about what I'll do then."

Only time would quell his fears or validate them. For now, Slippy clung to the present moment when it wasn't yet time to find out. All that he had to comfort him were the ever-fluctuating odds that he'd find his best friend alive and well. The other possibilities were too terrible for Slippy to imagine. So, he prayed. He prayed that this satellite would work. And he prayed more desperately that Fox was still okay.

Thirty minutes later when they launched the satellite over Titania, Slippy prayed that his hopes would come back with it.