Chapter 10:Endgame
Fox brushed dust off of his eyes and pushed himself off the ground, he looked up and saw himself in a pile of rubble, concrete and metal twisted all over the street. He saw Falco lying on the ground along with Slippy and Rhys they were slowly regaining consciousness, he breathed a sigh of relief. He walked over to them and helped them all up , "Falco the only reason we're alive is because Krystal wants us alive. She can't be far get your blaster ready and follow me. Slippy, Rhys get your guns too stay close." Fox ordered, in a tone that he only took when he was in the utmost awareness. For the first time in the war he sounded confident about something like he knew he could beat Krystal and win the war.
Slippy looked about the last thing he remembered was being sucked into an aparoid ship, "Fox what the hell is going on?" Slippy asked, it seemed like the first time a curse had left his mouth.
Fox gave a disconcerting gesture, "Not now."
Rhys knew not to say anything to Fox he looked at Falco and tightened his grip on his blaster, everyone stopped Rhys saw Fox peering around a corner he motioned for Falco to take point and he followed swiftly. Slippy held his small pistol in one hand and a grenade in the other, "Slippy, I have no idea what's happening."
Slippy looked at him gravely, "Neither do I Rhys but as far as I can tell Fox is looking for someone or something." Slippy replied
Fox held his blaster tightly he crossed through a clearing in the rubble he saw nothing except burning debris the aparoids had leveled everything in their path, he however saw no signs of his former wife. Where are you… Fox held his guard and aimed his blaster towards the top of a building he saw something up there something that looked like an aparoid. And then he knew…Krystal was waiting for them she was shadowing them something she'd learned from him, only he was far better and she didn't know she'd been found. "Falco." Fox gestured him to look towards the top of the building.
Falco nodded he held his blaster high and readied his weapon Fox counted down with his fingers, 3…2…1…And Falco pulled the trigger releasing a fully charged particle blast from his blaster Fox did the same and the two red particle balls were on their way to Krystal who was standing unaware of the incoming rounds. Fox heard a loud thud and he looked behind him and saw…Krystal standing there almost smiling.
"Ha! Fox do you think me stupid? That I would screw up and be found?" Krystal mocked, Fox began madly pulling the trigger on his blaster and shots rang out through the empty city. Falco and the others joined Fox's barrage hoping they would defeat Krystal, round after round impacted Krystal's hard carapace she sat ignoring them. She held out her hand and a sharp gust of wind blew Fox and the others onto the ground. "Again you trifle with me? I thought maybe I would have fun killing you but it seems I may kill in cold blood."
Fox pushed himself up once more, he felt strange, he felt normal unwounded and he checked himself for the wounds he'd sustained on the aparoid ship they were fully healed he was fine and unscathed. What the hell? I should be bleeding from every part of my body.
Krystal looked Fox over and realized it too he was fine not a wound on him, This can't be happening not now I warned that fool Fox was too powerful to be left unguarded. Now the Krazoa are with him…We lose.
She began to hear voices in her mind they spoke in an ancient dialect she understood them, Aparoid hear me! I am Krazoa you have failed to destroy us…Now feel our wrath upon you, Hell bringer you will be broken.
Memories flashed in Fox's mind knowledge of a thousand eras or more the thoughts of the Krazoa poured into his mind he finally realized what was happening, The energy wave, the balistner I understand now Krystal being alive. It makes sense now she went to Sauria with the help of the thing that she killed and was trying to save us. She was betrayed by him and assimilated when she read his thoughts. He was a Krazoa! And he created the aparoids? What? Fox continued to search the new memories in his mind, He betrayed the Krazoa which is why there are only spirits left! She found there power he wanted it and now she has his power and I have their's. All because he/it created the aparoids and they began a war with the Krazoa and won… Fox began to feel voices in his mind speaking to him.
FOX! I am the Krazoa one many who shared your body! We are here to help you rid the universe once and for all of the aparoid infestation that annihilated us from our world. And we received a direct request from the prince of the Earth Walkers. Fox felt even stronger his fist felt like rock and his body felt better than ever he could see for miles ahead. He no longer feared the aparoids he stepped forward before Krystal a raging flame festering in his eyes.
"It's time to end this…I'm sorry Krystal I didn't want it to end this way." Fox said, he got no response Krystal merely stared him down blankly he felt the hatred from her radiated off and onto him. He focused on her and dashed forward and threw his fist into her face, the fist impacted Krystal's face and drove her to the ground with a thunderous slam. Krystal regained herself and threw a kick into Fox's chest before he could continue she knocked him off of her, Fox fell to the ground but landed on his feet. He jumped into the air and did a jump kick and hit her in the head and knocked her down.
Krystal wiped blood from her lip and forehead she looked at Fox in time to see him kick her in the face again while she was down he then picked up a piece of concrete and raised it above his head as he began to throw it Krystal threw a kick into his shin. Fox in winced in pain and dropped the block by his side he felt pain but it subsided quickly he moved back from Krystal but felt a searing pain in his chest Krystal had kicked him there again and then punched in the face she followed up with a series of violent attacks to his chest and head.
Fox dove to the ground to avoid a punch to the face, he held his hand out and felt a burning sensation and then it was gone but he saw a bright red bolt escape his hand and strike Krystal in the arm. He saw flesh rip away and blood spatter onto the crumbled ground, Krystal shook her head quickly dazed by the blast she extended blades from both wrists and made a line drive for Fox blade first. Fox quickly reacted grabbing both of her hands. He felt another power overcoming him, he was gone everything was gone all he could see for miles was a stark black and red nebula looking field. As the rest of the world began to peel back and this nebula began to engulf everything only two things remained he and Krystal.
However he didn't see the murderous beast that he had been fighting he saw the true Krystal who was buried beneath all of the aparoid evil, "Krystal?" Fox called out.
She didn't respond, Fox began to take notice of the nebula when he called the black had gone from it, he then realized where he was. In Krystal's mind and the black and red were the aparoid infestation controlling the vixen who was lying on the ground. He called out angrily, "Let her go!"
He heard nothing, he walked forward slowly and Krystal rose up from the ground, Fox walked faster towards her until he saw slowly the aparoid infestation taking her over once more, "Damn you!"
Krystal laughed at him, "You see Fox we are not in my mind we are in yours and now I have what I came for."
Fox's expression turned hostile and he rushed forward, "You are not leaving it's time we spent some time together."
The Antares rocked as another aparoid salvo hit it the Cornerian fleet was dropping like flies, "Dyson do we have any nukes onboard?"
Dyson nodded no, "Sorry Sir we lost our nukes when that aparoid ship hit us."
"Damn it!" Raynor cursed, he looked about the fleet shots were being exchanged everywhere until nothing. There was nothing coming from the aparoid fleet no shots they weren't even moving. "What the hell?"
Dyson looked at the fleet shocked, "Sir they're not shooting!"
Raynor wasted no time, "All ships throw everything at the aparoids and begin repairing quickly!" He ordered
The Cornerian fleet began slaughtering aparoids in great number their fighters began dropping in great number leaving the Cornerian bombers and fighters to wreak havoc on the battleships. Quickly the aparoid fleet began shrinking to dust until there were more Cornerian ships that were slowly regaining more function.
Fox struggled to hold Krystal in his mind and keep her from leaving he held the aparoid fleet still and saw the Cornerian fleet obliterate it, "It's over Krystal surrender…Fight this aparoid infestation! Tell them no!" Fox tried to get through to his wife but to no avail she merely looked into him seething with rage.
"Go to hell!" She said
Fox stared at her, "You first!" Fox felt the world coming back the interior of his mind faded away from him and he saw Krystal standing over him, he jumped back but she was there wielding her blades he watched carefully focusing on her with his mind he watched her lift into the air and be thrown into one of the few standing buildings. He scanned the building for her but saw nothing and then he felt it two piercing pains in his back he looked down to his chest and saw a glowing green blade protruding out. He fell his eyes rolling back into his head.
Krystal kicked him off of her blade blood staining it, Rhys saw this he picked up Slippy's blaster along with his own and fired off as many rounds as he could, "Stay away from him!" the blasts hit Krystal's blades blowing them off.
Krystal turned toward him menacingly, Rhys backed up still firing and Krystal kept walking forward towards him, "Puny creature how dare you defile me in such a way!" Krystal roared.
Fox felt his life fading away he couldn't heal fast enough to keep the pain and bleeding away, he spied Falco out of the corner of his eyes moving towards him with a med kit one of only a few that had probably survived the aparoids, "Hey Fox hold still let me get this on that wound it'll clot and disinfect it. It'll dull the pain too." Falco opened a small packet of white powder it fell onto Fox's wound the blood on the wound began to clot the bleeding stopped. Fox's body began to heal faster now that it didn't have it regulate blood flow, he found the strength to stand he looked over his shoulder and saw Rhys firing at Krystal. He saw her hold her hand out and energy begin swirling around. He took drastic measures and dashed forward and tackled Krystal the energy still swirling erupted in Krystal's face.
The aparoid fleet was gone the Cornerian fleet was almost destroyed but it had won over the foul enemy of the aparoids there was celebrating going on, Raynor stood proudly on the bridge and let a sigh of relief. Gasps broke out as his officers looked out the viewport a massive black plume rose up and expanded in a massive dome a loud explosion was heard. "What now!"
Fox rolled over blood all over him, Falco and his team laid next to him buried under debris he'd shielded them from the massive blast. He pushed himself up and threw the concrete off and into the air, everything was flat as far as he could see nothing but wasteland remained.
He saw Krystal lying face first on the ground she was horribly wounded he staggered towards her his left foot weak, he saw her body it looked different than before it wasn't covered in aparoid hell it was Cornerian. She was normal but was lying in a pool of blue and purple liquid Fox held his hand out and destroyed it. Krystal the woman he loved was back to the way she was before but he sensed something different about her, or rather something he didn't sense alerted him.
Fox didn't feel any life coming from the body he looked down at Krystal's lifeless body she was dead, he felt a tear streaming down from his eye it soon became many he put his hands on her and began giving up life force into her all that he had acquired from the Krazoa. He tried with all he had and nothing happened, "I can't lose you again! Please breathe!"
It was all to no avail he couldn't cheat death, he felt a voice in his head…Worry not Fox Mcloud…I can save her, for I am the Phoenix the bird who arose from the ashes of his own defeat. Fox looked about and saw the great bird standing before him, Fox raised his fist are you the Phoenix or are you Titan? Hmm?" Fox asked
"I was enslaved by Titan trapped in his dark world I did resurrect Krystal to stop the aparoids…But he got to me before she returned." A tear streaked from Phoenix's eye and landed on Krystal, her wounds began to close the skin became pristine and she began to breathe. "The Phoenix sheds its tears for the dead…" Phoenix was gone, Fox felt confused what had just happened.
Krystal began to breathe she opened her eyes it felt as if she had just suffered through a horrid nightmare, "Fox! Where are you?" She screamed in a mortal fright.
Fox stretched his hand down and grabbed hers, "Right here… I'm here for you Krystal." He said gently but powerfully
Krystal let loose a sigh of relief, "Tell me it was all a dream."
Fox shook his head, "It wasn't a dream but it is over now." He heard a noise and looked up a Cornerian landing craft was descending; Capt. Raynor and Lt. Dyson were onboard.
The craft landed and the doors on both side opened and Raynor stepped out seeing Fox pulling Krystal up from the ground and onto her feet, "Fox need any help?" Raynor called
Fox smiled, "Sure help me get the others out from under this rock."
Three months later…
Fox sat back in his chair out on Cape Claw watching the tide's ebb and flow, he looked over seeing Krystal lying in the chair beside him. "It's good to have you back Krystal." Fox said.
Krystal smiled, "Fox you've been telling me that for three months now surely I must bore you." She said jokingly
Fox chuckled, "After all of this you never will…" Fox heard someone knocking at the door of his small house on the beach, he got up the chair creaking as he did. He walked to the door and opened it, Falco and Slippy were standing there, "Where's Rhys?"
Falco replied, "He's in the transport getting it ready for take off. I'm here to tell at the request of the entire Cornerian race…You are to be awarded the Star of the Phoenix for your excessive heroism in the war against the aparoids. Oh and by the way Fox we are all getting one but you are getting several….And you have to come to Corneria to get one so back your bags and bring Krystal. The transport is waiting."
Fox took a second to take it all in. "Alright be out in twenty minutes." Fox walked back into his house and out onto his porch where Krystal was sitting in the chair, "Hey Krys, we have to go to Corneria to get a few medals the delivery boy is making us go so how about it?"
Krystal got up and walked up to Fox and put her arms around his neck and kissed him softly on the lips. "Let's go…I could use a few medals…"
The transport landed on Corneria Fox got out first Falco behind him; Fox waited for Krystal and helped her down. Raynor was waiting he was no longer a Captain he was now Grand Admiral of the Cornerian navy, "Welcome back to Corneria, the ceremony is at the city hall I have a transport waiting for come."
Star Fox followed him to his transport it ferried them to the city hall where most of the government was waiting for him. Raynor stepped out onto what looked like a stage after exiting the transport he addressed the people gathered, "We have all come here to celebrate the heroes of our time. These Heroes have given their all to use and to insure our freedom to live as a people and now we give the highest award to them, the Star of the Phoenix. Falco Lombardi! You are given this award for your heroism in the battle for Corneria." Falco walked forward and the medal was placed on his neck. Raynor resumed, "Slippy Toad, Rhys Thastus come forward to accept the Star of the Phoenix." They did as he said the medal was placed on them. The medal was medium sized golden in color but it appeared like it was fire, it was in the shape of the Phoenix and it had the image of the Phoenix engraved into it.
"Now I call Krystal Mcloud to accept the Star of the Phoenix for her bold actions and saving our fleet at Fichina." Raynor placed the medal on Krystal's neck. "Last but most certainly not least I call Fox Mcloud to accept four, Star of the Phoenix medals for consistent bravery and valor and selflessly risking his life without regard for his safety." Fox walked up and four of the medals were placed on him. Fox took the voice amplifier from Raynor.
"I know this wasn't planned but I don't deserve three of these medals, there are three people who deserve them. The first Grand Admiral Raynor for his continuous valor and bravery, Lieutenant John Dyson for his constant bravery and although the last is not here he should've been given this medal years ago…Peppy Hare for his bravery on the first assault of the aparoid home world and for giving his life to save ours." Fox stepped down and gave the medals' the their recipients Raynor took Peppy's and placed it on the grave site.
Fox and Krystal walked to the transport and flew to their home on Sauria…