Krystal picked up the package that had arrived early that morning. She had ordered it two days prior after Fox's priestess training. Excited, she wrapped the package in a "wrapping paper" she made out of paper colored with markers and put it in her and Fox's room.
Moments later, Fox woke up still feeling exhausted. She had stayed up giving Krystal extra training exercises to help her perfect her skills in Lylatian combat. Today, she was ready for a day off. After standing up and stretching, she noticed the box on the dresser. Picking it up, she read the message Krystal had written on it.
"I hope you grow to enjoy them, Fox. I know we have different tastes, but it would please me greatly if you tried these on. Hopefully, you'll find the same appeal in wearing them that I find in wearing them and you find in seeing others in them.
-Love, Krystal."
Fox unwrapped the box and opened it. Inside was a pair of boots the same shade of gray as her combat boots. The only differences, other than the smaller size for her smaller feet, were the zippers on their sides, a few gold markings to match her Cerinian loin cloth, and the very noticeable heels. Fox sighed.
"Are there any Cerinian techniques for stiff muscles?" Fox asked.
"A few." Krystal explained, "The best are done on bare flesh by priestesses thanks to their special training."
Fox tried to relieve her back pain with a stretch, but couldn't find any relief.
"Probably pulled something." Fox told her.
"Will you put on your boots?" Krystal asked as she changed into her priestess robe.
"Fix my back and I'll wear them for a week." Fox promised as she put on her Cerinian loincloth for modesty. Fox crawled onto her belly on the bed and Krystal focused on moving her power to her hands. As she massaged Fox's back, the power quickly loosened the muscles. As soon as she was done, Krystal changed into her loin cloth and Fox eyed her new boots. Fox put on some socks before slipping the boots on and zipping them up.
"See, it's not so bad." Krystal said as she put on her black boots.
"Why did I promise a whole week?" Fox asked as she took a few steps.
"Because you knew it would please your blue vixen."
"You are progressing quickly in your training." Fox observed, "And you knocked out a lot of your training pretty quickly, especially in the past few days. I guess you deserve it."
Krystal smiled as they left the room. After a quick breakfast, Krystal sat down in the recreation room to read one of her books while Fox headed to the simulation room to redesign Krystal's future exercises to speed up the training process.
The arwing simulator's program adjustments were simple. Fox combined the combat simulation with the obstacle course, which she hoped would train Krystal for dogfights in riskier environments. The weapons training was also fairly straightforward, combining different scenerios into the same programs. She also took Krystal's advice and increased the shock. She hoped it would be enough for the blue vixen.
Fox sighed. Adjusting simulations was easy. Adjusting real-world Arwing training as also easy, being just a matter of reprogramming drones to behave like different enemy crafts, friendly crafts, and even obstacles. Krystal still needed ground training in real environments and there was no way to fit a proper training course inside the already cramped Great Fox.
Fox put the simulation goggles and vest on and purposely failed the rifle test. The pain was immediate and intense, bringing back memories of how the test used to be. She and Falco used to put on the vests and see who could stand it the longest. She figured Krystal would probably want to try that game to demonstrate her warrior toughness. Fox turned off the test and removed the goggles and vest and left the room. There, she was greeted by Falco.
"Adjusting the training exercises again?" Falco asked.
"I upped the shock to the old level." Fox informed him, "Krystal complained it was too weak."
"Want to try a game of 'chicken vest'?" Falco asked Fox.
"Chicken vest?" Krystal asked, curious about the strangely named game.
"Two players put on shock vests and shock themselves." Fox explained, "The loser is the player that quits first."
"I'll play with you." Krystal told Falco, "I figure a prideful bird like you'd want to see who is the better warrior."
"What are the stakes?" Falco asked.
"What do you want if you win?" Krystal asked.
"You called me a 'prideful bird." Falco told her, "If I win, you and Fox dress up like cheerleaders, with heels, for a week and go on and on about how great I am. Even in public."
"And if I win, you'll get the uniform change for a week." Krystal explained, "That includes wearing a loincloth or female cheerleader uniform, our choice, and heels you'll have to purchase in person and wear in public."
Falco thought for a moment. On the one hand, he hadn't had a chance to beat someone at that game in years. He could really use an opportunity to rub his superiority at something in someone's face. On the other hand, he doubted she was completely sane. Pain might be a weird sex thing for her for all he knew.
"I don't know..." Falco said, still debating the idea in his head.
"Is the Great, Amazing Falco really humble enough not to rub his superiority in someone's face?" Fox asked, "Or is he acknowledging the 'Chicken Vest' veteran might lose to an untested newcomer?"
"You're on." Falco told Krystal, "I look forward to having my own personal cheerleaders for a week."
The three of them walked to the simulation room and Fox gave them their vests. When Falco and Krystal signaled they were ready, Fox turned on the shock.
Falco and Krystal immediately let out loud shrieks of pain as the intensity caught them off guard. For the many minutes that felt like years, they suffered through the pain. Fox wondered how long they could last before they both wound up in the hospital.
Falco wondered how long either of them could last. Krystal looked like she adjusted to the pain pretty well and could tolerate it for years while he was fast approaching the breaking point. He was not looking forward to losing the game, but winning it was increasingly looking like the far worse option.
Krystal sensed Falco's dispair clearly. If he were their enemy, her inner hunter/ warrior would savor his pain. But he was as close to a friend as a loud, prideful jerk could be. Most of all, he was Fox's best friend. Maybe she could be the bigger warrior and let him have this victory. Besides, Fox would look cute dressed like a cheerleader. Cuter than Falco, though Falco did look cute in a skirt and heels.
Forty minutes into the game, Falco had reached the breaking point. He'd dress up like a cheerleader for years if it would end the pain. Simultaneously, Krystal decided to show mercy to their friend. They both pushed a button to end the shock and the simulator registered a tie.
"The game doesn't register two winners." Fox said with a sigh, "Looks like you both 'lost' the game."
"Forty minutes?" Falco said in disbelief, having just seen the timer, "You never lasted more than a half hour, Fox."
"Looks like we need three cheerleader uniforms." Fox told the other two.
"Anything's better than another forty minutes of that torture." Falco told them.
"Could you increase the pain, at least for my training?" Krystal asked Fox, "I worry about my ability to sufficiently handle pain in a battle."
"You can not be serious." Falco told her, "I knew Fox had a certain taste in women, but you are insane. You'd fit in with Katt's friends."
"You take that back." Fox warned Falco, "You can call her a lot of things, but she'd never fit in with those asonists and serial stabbers."
"Just get ready for your cheerleader uniforms." Falco told them.
"And you get ready for yours." Fox told Falco, "We leave to buy our uniforms and your heels soon. Just don't try to weasle your way out of the bet."
"I'm not Star Wolf." Falco told Fox, "You'll see me walking out that store in a skirt."
The three of them left the room.
"Did you try to lose on purpose?" Falco asked Krystal, worried about what the answer might be.
"I just couldn't let our friend suffer like that." Krystal explained honestly.
Falco's heart sank. For the first time, he lost to an individual that truly was superior.