Our Kind of Love

There was trouble in the Lylat system. The Anglar Empire had overstepped its boundaries and was encroaching it's interests into that the Lylat System. If these hostilities continued to might lead to all-out war between these two Empires. But that's where the Star Fox team came in.

With their history and flawless record there wasn't a doubt that they could deal with this approaching threat. And that's exactly what they did.

Now with the Anglar Empire beaten back and defeated, Star Fox was on their way home. And when they returned there was a celebration to be had.

The Soldiers of the Cornerian Army stood alongside the carpet with General Pepper stood at the end of the hallway. Behind him were his own officers. Lieutenant Bill Grey one of Fox's oldest friends and classmates. Captain Shears and some other officers of record who each had done some fighting in the conflict.

Fox led his own team down the aisle of soldiers. With Falco and Slippy to his right and Krystal to his left. They stopped once they stood before the General.

"Once again you've succeeded where no one else could Stark Fox." The General began." On behalf of the Cornerian Military and the people of this battle I thank you. And as a token of our gratitude I present each of you with this." He pointed to his left where Lieutenant Bill Grey stepped forward with a medal. The Medal of Freedom, the Highest award that could be bestowed on a civilian. And since StarFox was not part of the Cornerian army this was the best thing they could hope for.

It's ribbon was blue which led down into a silver star. There was one for each member of the team. The only difference between them was Fox's had a golden eagle on the blue ribbon instead of silver.

Fox dipped his head as his friend Bill donned the medal's ribbon around his neck.

"We hope you accept these medals with honor." General Pepper said." And that you continue your work to help defend this country in the future." Fox brought his head back up.

"Thank you General." He answered." You can always count on Star Fox."

With that the ceremony was over and the celebrated team was making their exit.

"Look at that." Falco pointed with pride to his medal." The Honorary Medal of Freedom. It means I'm overflowing with nobility, character and….freedom!" His attention was quickly caught by a group of women passing by." And the ladies love freedom." He winked at them.

Fox and Krystal continued making their way out of the room, their hands locked together.

"Fox!" called a voice. The couple turned to see Bill Grey making his way through the crowd and towards them.

"Well done. Congratulations." Bill smiled as he came up and hugged Fox. There wasn't any military protocol to be had here, not between these two old friends." Say." Bill continued. "What's say all of you come by the base later? We'd be glad to have you and I'm sure everyone would love to meet you."

"I don't know." Fox replied." We've only just gotten back into town."

"C'mon." Bill urged." It'll be just like old times." But Fox however was still unsure. He'd only just gotten home, there would be time for friends later. For now he just wanted to rest.

"That sounds fine." Krystal spoke up. Everyone turned to her now." I've never truly seen where you've come from Fox." She continued." I'd like to see these places were you grew up." And Fox couldn't argue with her.

"Alright." He nodded his head." That's fine with me."

"Excellent." Bill smiled.

He provided the transportation. The entire Star Fox team entered his truck and were driven back to his place of work. It was on their way that Krystal got to see first hands the city of Corneria. The streets, the town, the people.

"That's the Academy." Fox pointed out to her. Krystal followed his finger and looked out the window to see the structure in question. It was a stone fort with a runway and flight station just next door.

"Where you were top of your class." Krystal continued." And had the best grades in your class if" she said turning and stressing the word with a finger in his face." You graduated you would have been the most successful candidate to ever come out of that school."

"I am the most successful." He said wrapping an arm around her.

"But since he didn't graduate." Bill spoke in." That left top in the class to me." He tugged at his collar." Ah." He said looking out the window." Here we are. Home, sweet, home."

Krystal looked out and watched as the truck pulled into the Cornerian Military base. And at that very moment two fighter ships were landing down.

"Come on." Bill said as he exited." Let me show you around."

"Fox! Fox McCloud." He turned and looked to see a woman walking towards them. She had just exited one of the ships that had just landed. It was obvious because she was still dressed in the one-piece suit for pilots, the helmet tucked between her left arm and torso.

Krystal of course didn't know her but she seemed to know Fox. And by the look on his face it was clear he knew her to. But it was Bill who addressed her.

"Miyu." He stepped in front of Fox and before her.

"That's Major Lynx." She corrected him with a smile. She extended her helmet which he took. Now with her hands empty she put a hand on Bill's shoulder and pushed him aside." Fox McCloud, so it is you."

"Hello Miyu." He said." It's been a long time." He smiled.

"Yes it has." She moved her hand through her black hair. It was short and military style but she wore it well." How long have you been back?"

"We've only just gotten back." He motioned over his shoulder to the rest of his team. Miyu looked over and viewed them for the first time. She recognized Falco and Slippy but the blue vixen was a stranger to her. She leaned passed Fox and held out her hand.

"Major Miyu Lynx." Krystal starred at the gloved hand a moment and then the owner.

"Krystal." She said taking the hand. Miyu stood there silent waiting for more but never got the last name.

"So how long will you be in town?" Miyu asked turning back to Fox.

"Well we live here."

"I mean how long will you be on base?" Miyu kept her eyes on Fox and her back to the rest of the team, as if they didn't exist. And Krystal thought all of this strange. Evidently this woman and Fox had some history, but whatever it was Krystal had never heard it. So she tried to find it out.

"Who is she?" Krystal asked turning to Falco.

"Why don't you ask Fox?" Falco questioned.

"Because I'm asking you." She said with a stomp of her foot. And Falco could sense the franticness in her voice.

"She's Miyu Lynx." He told." She was in our class when we attended the Academy…. and she and Fox used to date."

"What?!" Krystal jolted.

"You asked." Falco said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"We'll be around for a few hours." Replied Fox to Miyu." Just got back from a mission."

"Well." Miyu said." Then we must catch up. How's dinner sound?"

"Dinner would be great." Fox replied.

"Wonderful." Miyu turned back and took her helmet back from back from Bill." I'll make sure the Lieutenant sets you up properly for the night." Bill had hardly said a thing before Miyu pointed him in the direction of the barracks.

"Come on then." Bill said after watching her go." I'll show you to the best we have to offer." Fox turned and followed him but Krystal was slower. She continued to watch the Major go. And there was something in the pit of her stomach that made her feel uneasy about that woman.

"Krystal." Fox said. He turned back to her." Are you coming?" And when he asked he reached out and grabbed onto her hand with his. Bringing the life back into her with his touch.

"Yes, let's go." She smiled.

"These are the Officer's quarters." Bill told as he showcased this sector of the base to them." We have some rooms available, help yourselves to whichever ones you like, I know that's what the Major would ask of him."

The rooms weren't very luxurious. Simple military structure style rooms with a single bed, shower, two desks and one lamp. It compared more to a cheap motel than anything else.

"I'll let you freshen up." Bill said as the team began to choose rooms." I'll be back when you're ready." And with that he took his leave of them. And since there was only one bed to a room the team had to split up into four separate rooms.

Krystal however found the small, cramp room having a lot to be desired. There was no color to the curtains or feelings with the painting on the walls except that of Dred. She had no doubt her teammates were accepting it well. No doubt Miyu did as well. They all went to a school similar to it for four years. Even now nearly ten years later their rooms still had the traces of this military bearing. The place seemed lifeless to her and she didn't like it.

Feeling alone in her own room Krystal left to go into Fox's room. Which wasn't locked but he was in the shower with his cloths draped all around the floor. So she just sat down on the bed and waited for him to get out. Within a few minutes Fox emerged steaming from the shower with a towel around his waist. He jolted slightly to see Krystal there, her fingers twiddling the laces to one of his boots.

He recovered himself quickly and smiled at her.

"Hey you." He said.

"Hello." She replied. Fox reached down and picked up his discarded underwear off the floor and pulled it onto himself.

"You ready to go?" He asked.

"Yes." Krystal said continuing to play with the boot lace. Fox said nothing as he pulled his pants on and began buckling them." That woman seemed very nice."

"Miyu?" He questioned not looking at her.

"Falco says you knew her." Fox straightened out.

"We were in the same class together." He answered. Krystal thought it was curious that he didn't mention the romantic history that Falco did." And we used to date."

"You don't think that's odd?"

"Why would it be?" Fox said bending down to pick up his shirt.

"The New girlfriend meeting the old one." Fox stopped dressing himself and faced Krystal fully now.

"That was six years ago." he told her." Miyu and I are passed the time when we could have been together." There was earnest in his voice and Krystal liked hearing it. It made those feelings that were plaguing her in the pit of her stomach to lessen.

There suddenly came a knock at the door. Fox let his shirt drop down to the ground and walked over to answer it.

And when the door open Krystal did not like the looks of the situation. There stood Fox shirtless and exposing himself to the world. But before him stood Miyu in a tight red dress that didn't go any shorter than her thighs. Krystal did not like the look of this one bit.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

And so the group headed out to a bar close to the base. This was probably because it offered a military discount.

So there they were hunkered around a table. The StarFox team and two of the Officers in the Cornerian Military.

So with a round of drinks they discussed their most recent careers. And the entire time Krystal noticed Miyu's attention was on Fox. Whether he was talking or not.

Finally she gave a glance to Bill and with a blink of her eyes she seemed to relay a message to him. Bill whether he wanted to or not turned away from his drinks and to his friends.

"Hey boys." He said." How about a round of pool?"

"I'm down." Falco said taking a sip of his drink." C"mon Slip!" He said slapping his friend on the shoulder. Whether he offered to Fox or not was unknown but the leader of the team didn't rise to join them. Neither did Krystal.

Which meant it was just the two of them and Miyu left.

"So Krystal" Miyu questioned looking at the couple."Where is it that you're from?" Krystal didn't like how she was suddenly put on the spot.

"Cerinia." She answered. But the answer confused the Major.

"Never heard of it." She said with a roll of her eye." Where is it?"

"It's outside the Lylat System." Krystal continued." But you wouldn't find it now." She couldn't keep eye contact with Miyu there was an aura the woman had that she couldn't handle. So she looked down and began tapping the edge of the table." It's destroyed."

"Oh." Miyu responded though her tone seems unsympathetic. That conversation loomed in the air over them until Miyu asked another question. " And how is it that you two met?"

Krystal liked this story. She thought it was very romantic and considers it a highlight of her life. And what she liked right now was the smile on Fox's face as he remembered it with her.

"Well." Fox began." She was stranded on a distant planet, frozen inside a crystal." Miyu couldn't help but laugh at the idea." And I helped her out." Krystal put her hand over Fox's and smiled indicating her support.

"Is that all?" Miyu questioned." Please there must be more." Krystal decided to speak now.

"I was in need of help and he rescued me."

"How romantic." Miyu said." How Old Fashion." She chuckled taking a sip of her drink." And what's next for you two? A small countryside house with a white picket fence?" Krystal didn't like the sound of spite she heard in her voice when she sad that. What she liked even less was when Fox chuckled along with her. Whether he was doing it good humoredly or in agreement she did not know, but she still didn't like it.

"You never know." He replied. Krystal looked from Fox and then across the table at Miyu. Ever since the woman stepped out of the cockpit of her ship Krystal felt a strange uneasiness about her. There was a way she had of moving and looking at Fox that brought that cold feeling back to the pit of Krystal's stomach. And she couldn't stomach anymore.

The sudden action caused both Fox and Miyu to look at her strangely.

"Uh Excuse me." She said." I think I might be coming down with something." She quickly turned and walked away. But she couldn't get to the door without Fox stopping her.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

"I-I don't feel well." She said to him. Before he could say anymore she moved past him." Excuse me." Fox turned and watched her go breathing in a deep of sorrow as he watched her go. As he wondered what was wrong.

But when a soft hand reached out to touch his arm he turned to it's owner. Miyu looked up at him with a smiling face. With big blue eyes and a white smile she offered him back to the table with her and another drink.

Krystal instead returned and with nothing else to do laid down in her bed. The lights were off, the door closed and only darkness as her companion.

Slowly the door opened up and the outside light came into the room. And in the silhouette of the door a single figure could be seen.

"Krystal." A voice she easily recognized as Fox's called her name. She quickly sat up and faced him.

"What are you doing?" she asked. Fox closed the door behind him and turned the light on in one movement.

"I had to make sure you're alright." he said. He took a step closer and sat at the end of the bed.

"I'm alright." She said putting her head back down against the bed. But anyone could tell by the sound of her voice and her body language that she wasn't. Slowly and cautiously Fox moved closer to her on the bed and rested his hand on her hip. But she flinched at his touch, as if it made her cold. "I just want to go to sleep." She said.

Fox looked away from her and ran his hand across his face and behind his ear.

"Alright. "He responded." Let's go to sleep." And the next thing Krystal felt was Fox's arm as it wrapped around her stomach and his head rested against her's.

And for the first time that entire day Krystal didn't have that hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. Instead she felt something else, peace.