Chapter 1

Hard Knocks

A brutal, solid punch connected against the face of the unlucky canine, sending the lad crashing into several trash bins in a back alley, knocking several over like bowling pins and spilling their contents. The puncher, a rough looking ruffian wolf with pitch grey fur and a serious attitude problem, snickered a smirk as his goons backed him up.

"You had enough, pup?" The punk spoke with a rolling drogue, cracking his knuckles. "Or are you thirsty for more?" The lad that got decked rolled out of the trash and onto his front. "Well, Marcus?"

Marcus held up a single finger as he climbed up to his knees and elbows. "Just... just gimme a moment." He panted. Like his gorgeous mother, he had inherited stunning blue fur, but his was more faded away, like the sky during a summer day. He had a white streak of fur running between his ears, with a tuft sticking out atop his forehead like a curled tail. "I need ta... catch my breath..." He exhaled several times as he looked around for a quick fix. He found one, but he needed to be stealthy about this.

"Well, hurry up, McCloud." The ruffian scoffed as he confidently strode on over. "My fists are getting lonely. They miss that punchable mug of yours."

"Gee, Argo..." Marcus panted as he wiped his mouth. "When you put it that way..." He got his left leg up and pushed himself up with it. "...how can i say no?!" He quickly swung, carrying a garbage can lid in the hand he was swinging. He caught Argo off guard, striking him across the face and sending him onto his back. "HA!" Marcus cheered. "How do you like them apples, ya jackass?!" Argo pushed himself up off the pavement and wiped blood from his mouth. He felt something hard rolling around in there. He spit it out, and a broken fang scattered on the ground. It took a second for Argo to connect the dots, but when he did, he was furious. he got up and his goons got ready to give a pummeling to the dumb lad who is instantly regretting his life choices. "UM... my... mom knows a good dentist."

They didn't like that answer as one of the goons picked up a rusty piece of pipe. "Best say your prayers, boy. Cause once my father hears of this, you're gonna be begging for death."

That didn't bode well. He really stepped in it now. If he doesn't apologize, he'll become an obituary in tomorrows news bulletin, but Marcus never apologizes- he never backs down. "Um... hey... Argo... surely we can talk this out? I mean, there's no need to kill each other, is there? What's past is... no, you don't like that answer. Um..." He needed a way out, and he needed one stat. "Um... umm... ummmm..." He pointed up to a billboard they were under. "Hey, look, the Knights lost!" That worked as they looked. With that distraction, he bolted as fast as he could. The distraction didn't work long as they were chasing him seconds later.

Knock Knock.

...

Knock Knock Knock

...

Knock knock knock knock knock knock...

Tying up her robe, a very tired and very drowsy Krystal made her way down the stairs from the second story of her and Fox's humble abode. Even after all these years and two children, she is still the same stunning beauty she was all those years ago. Wherever she is from, glamour seems to be a evolutionary trait. Too bad it can't stop bed head. "Who is knocking at this time of night...?" She sleepily asked herself as she rubbed her eyes. She opened the door...

...and saw Marcus standing there, covered in bruises and his hands in cuffs. Behind him was a officer of the law, with flashing lights coming from the squad car that brought them here. Krystal lowered her head in disappointment and gave a defeated sigh. "Again...?" She asked as she lifted her head back up.

"I'm afraid so." The bloodhound officer replied, keeping Marcus in his place. "He and that Argo kid got into a major fight downtown. According to them, it started in a alleyway, but moved into a plaza where they caused some damages, even wrecking a Cleaner Robo. The impact made it go on a rampage. Several people got caught up in collateral damage; he's lucky they're not pressing charges."

"That's because Argo was the one that did all the punching." Marcus replied with a smart-mouth attitude. "It's not my fault they are bad at dodging." The officer undid the cuffs as Krystal pinched the bridge between her eyes and sighed. Once his wrists were free, Marcus raised them up and rubbed them. "You should've seen Officer Pepper here when he arrived- he looked like he had just gotten out of a bad date."

"You're lucky you're not spending the night in jail." Krystal replied as she pulled him in. "Thanks for bringing him home."

"It's no problem, but i recommend keeping a tight leash on that pup. This is his second offense. One more and he will be going in the slammer regardless." He gave a tip of his cap... "Mrs. McCloud." ... and started back for his hover car.

Krystal closed the door behind him and crossed her arms as she glared towards her delinquent son. He pursed his lips and clapped his hands together as if nothing was wrong. "So, if there is nothing else, i'll just head up and go to bed." He quickly turned to go to the sitars.

"Hold it, young man." She said in a commanding tone. He froze when he heard it- that is never a good voice. That always means someones gonna get their ass kicked. He slowly turned back around. "Sit." She demanded.

"But i.."

"Sit."

"I just wanna..."

"Sit!"

Now she was getting angry. And she is ruthless when she is angry. Rather then fear her wrath, he complied. "Ok..." The two headed towards the kitchen, which was just a few steps away from the front door. The cooker bot, or Robo's as they tend to be called, was deactivated in the corner, recharging. He plopped down in one of the seats surrounding the dining table as Krystal stayed up, pinching her eyes once again as she took it all in and formulating punishments. "... ok, i know what you are going to say, so let me just preface this by saying... it wasn't my fault."

"When is it ever your fault?" She sighed. She lowered her hands and looked at him with a disappointed look. "Another fight, Marcus? That's the 10th time this month."

He sank back in his seat and fidgeted with the tassels on his coat. "More like the 7th..."

"It doesn't matter. You cannot keep doing this."

"It was Argo's fault. He's the one who started it."

"I don't care who started it. I care about the repercussions. If you get into another brawl, you will go to jail. Or worse, end up in the gutter, dead. I don't want that; none of us do." He continued fidgeting with his coat. She sighed in exasperation; why is he like this? Neither she or Fox were this violent, so where was he getting this from? "Marcus... are you even listening to me?"

"Yes..."

"Then what did i say?"

"You don't want me to go to get hurt- i heard this a million times already."

"Then why keep doing it? You know it scares me to death, so why keep pressing your luck?" He stayed silent, not because he was being rude, but because he didn't want to look her in the eye. She wasn't going to get anywhere with him tonight, not with the drowsy state she was in and the bruised state he was in. SHe pinched her eyes one final time before lowering her hand. "... head on up to your room. Your father will decide your punishment in the morning." He got up and headed up the stairs without another word; what would be the point?

Krystal stayed downstairs for a time, slowly shaking her head. "What is wrong with that kid...?" She said to herself, wondering how her son got like this. She was never like this when she was his age, and his father... well, he wasn't like this at this age. So where is it coming from?

When Marcus reached the top of the stairs, it split off into two directions: the left led to his room and his sister Emily's room. To the right was his parents room, several guest rooms, and the bathroom. He turned left to head to his bed- he needed sleep after the night he had. He opened up the door, rubbing his eyes as he readied to conk out the moment he hit his mattress, only to find that his room was occupied by two unwelcome pests playing his games, illuminated only by the light of his television.

One of them was his little sister, Emily. She was only a year younger then him and was as much a troublemaker as him... just not in the usual sense. Emily had inherited her mothers good looks, sporting sapphire-blue fur, matching jeweled hair that extended past her shoulders, stopping at her shoulder blades, and a sculpted body that can send men howling, one she has no shame showing off. She inherited her fathers eyes and, like her older brother, his courage. The one thing she developed herself, however, was no filter. She will say what she wants, even if it is a bad moment. Little children can be devious when they want to avoid trouble; when you start pinning blame on your sibling, the action sticks.

The second was Aero Grey, a grey colored finnick fox with red stripes and pierced red eyes who was in the same class as Marcus. Structurally, he was the smallest of the three of them- finnicks have always been smaller then pure foxes. Not that they mind; it just means they're more nimble. Aero and Marcus hit it off the first time they met in kindergarten and have been inseparable ever since. He's been like a brother to them and a son to their parents. And just recently, he and Marcus took it to the next level after years of 'will they, won't they'.

"What the-!" Marcus exclaimed in exasperation.

"Hey, there he is." Emily laughed, leaning back as she paused the game. "Took you long enough, trouble-maker."

"What are you-" Marcus almost yelled at her, but if he did, he'd risk waking their father up. He silenced down to where there was no way here could hear. "-What are you doing in my room, playing my games?"

"Keeping Aero company, of course." She chuckled. With a single button press, she kicked Aero's butt in the game of Bash they were playing, emerging the winner yet again- 33 wins for her, a paltry 4 for Aero.

Marcus grunted in aggravation, puffing air out his snout. He made his way to his console and shut it off before they could start another match. "Get out of my room."

"Well, that's rude." Emily tossed the controller over to Aero, who barely had enough warning to catch it, and pushed herself off his bed and onto her feet. "You could at least say thank you."

He tapped his foot on the floor for a moment before dramatically pointing towards the door. "Oooout."

"Sheesh. Fine. Argo did more damage then i thought if he's got you all moody." Marcus gave her the stink eye, which she playfully gave back, along with sticking out her tongue. She reached the door and spun around on one leg. "And try to keep it down, will ya? I have a test tomorrow and i don't need to hear you two into the dead of night." He shut the door in her face. "Worth it." She said from the other side.

Aren't siblings just the best?

Marcus grunted an annoyed exhaled as he kept one hand on the handle while the other slowly began to shake. He kept it hidden from Aero, closing his hand into a fist. A nice little distraction came when his left shoulder began to hurt. Not enough to send him to the floor, but enough to make him wince.

"She is right, you know." Aero said as he set both controllers down to his side. Marcus ignored him for a moment as he kicked off his shoes and approached his bed. "If this keeps up, he will put you in a hospital."

"It's fine."

"Fine? Was there even a reason tonight?" Marcus stayed silent as he fell onto his bed. "... that's what i'm afraid of. I swear, you two will kill each other before this is said and done, and i don't want that."

"I'm not going to die."

Is this kid delusional tonight? He almost was. "... you will if Argo has his way."

Marcus repeated what his mother did and rubbed his tired eyes. "It all depends on him, ok?"

Aero sighed, leaning back to rest his head on the side of the bed. "I was afraid you were going to say that..." He sank into his depression, worried that Marcus was going to be taken away from him by his own stupidity. He suddenly felt a hand on his head, ruffling up his hair. He leaned his head back.

"You know i am too stubborn to die. And even if i do, you, or my mom, or Krazoa forbid the both of you, will get angry enough to drag me back, just to kill me again."

Aero softly chuckled to himself as a smile slowly cheeped across his face. "You know i'm not much of a fighter."

"I know. But you are one hell of a support, and that's all i need." Aero snorted a laugh, which made Marcus chuckle in embarrassment. "What?"

"You can be so cheesy sometimes."

Again? He's being infected by sappy melodrama! "Blame all the romance movies Emily forces us to watch! They're rubbing off on me and it's creeping me out!" Aero snorted again, trying to keep it suppressed so as to not wake up the patriarch. "Oh, come on. Really?"

"Well, you could learn a thing or two from those bad movies. There's nothing wrong showering someone you love with lavish gifts or some cute gesture. It should happen at least once in a relationship."

He knows where this is leading. "I'm not buying you that new game, if that's what you are leading into."

"That's a birthday kind of present." He crawled over until his face was level to his. "I'm talking romance stuff."

"I don't think a good chunk of those gifts will work on you."

Aero facepalmed, slowly shaking his head at how playfully dense Marcus was being. Or this was genuine. Either way, it's facepalm worthy. "I swear... you are denser then starship metal..."

Sunlight twinkled in through the windows the following morning, hitting the slumbering bodies of the duo, snuggled up tight under the blanket in each others arms. They felt the warmth from the sun, but didn't want to wake up or move.

Sadly, there were other plans for them today, none of them pleasant. The door to their room opened up and a load of dirty laundry was tossed on them. The smell alone woke them up, making them gag. "Time to wake up." Emily snickered, standing in the doorway with the laundry basket hanging over her bare shoulder, wearing a very stunning purple sundress that showed off her curves.

"Just why...?" Marcus hissed, feeling the moment is completely ruined.

"Part of your punishment. In case you didn't notice, it's light out and Mom and Dad have a whooooooole slue of chores for you to do." Marcus lowered his head, groaning in agony. He slid back under the blankets, pulling the sheets over him. She rolled her eyes and walked in. She crossed her arms, pursing her lips as she tapped her foot. He was going to be a pain, as always. She looked to the other, getting an evil idea. "Aero, mind helping me here?"

"Un, no thanks. I'd rather stay neutral when it comes to this family and its inner disputes."

She rolled her eyes again. "Fine, you big wimp." She held the basket over him, then let it go. It hit Marcus hard on the stomach, making him wheeze as he poked his head out. Taking the chance, she grabbed him by the ear and pulled him out. "Come on, lazy bones." He hissed and grunted in pain as he was dragged out.

Aero sighed as he pinched his eyes. "Just once in this house, i'd like to wake up without being rudely awakening..."

Nestled out in the Cornerian countryside, on the far outskirts of the main capital, rests a small community of homes belonging to those who wanted to live with nature, to have some peace and quiet. Almost everyone lives in the loud cities that always get attacked whenever a war starts. Out here, you never have to worry about it unless a battle spreads. Among these homes, nestled at the top of a rolling hill overlooking the shoreline, was the McCloud estate.

Built long before James McCloud was born, this homely little abode started small, but eventually grew into the lovely looking estate it is now, complete with its own roundabout driveway. It was in the family for centuries and passed on to Fox when his father died, but he never used it. He never even considered it; it would work terribly as a base of operations. They'd be stuck on Corneria all the time. It does, however, work as a family home. When he found out Krystal was pregnant with Marcus, he didn't hesitate to dust off this family heirloom. It did need some fixing up: not using it for the 12 years he's been gone would make anyplace dusty.

As for the man himself, Fox was sitting at the dining table in the middle of the spacious kitchen, reading today's news on his tablet as he drank his coffee. The fur around his eyes, ears, and mouth had begun to grey out, but he was more or less the same hero he was long ago. The main headline was that a star was behaving strangely, almost as if it was moving through unnatural means. Bizarre to be sure, but he's dealt with stranger in the past, like a bioweapon he fought in Lylats own sun cyborg insects, and violent fish. The radio was originally playing a light piano number, but that had since ended for a weather forecast; it's summer and this season brought with it a nasty heat wave. It was so nasty, several people have been put in the hospital. Marcus's little brawl was in the news as well, but it was relegated to the local crime beat, and not even worthy of a full paragraph.

Emily came down the steps that led into the kitchen and slid on her socks to the table. "Please don't do that; you know its dangerous." Krystal commented as she cooked up breakfast in the kitchen.

"Sorry, mom."

"Is he up?" Fox asked.

"Forced him up, but he's awake. He's not too happy about it."

"Given what your mother told me, he should be lucky I let Aero stay."

"You were fast asleep when i came back up." Krystal sighed. "I hope Marcus isn't being a bad influence on the boy." Shel said as she chopped up onions. Normally, there is a Cooker Robo that prepares meals, but she prefers doing things the old fashioned way- there's nothing like a homecooked meal that wasn't prepared by a robot. At one point, she tried Fox's cooking once, back before the Aparoid war; she and the rest of the team were lucky to survive- it would've succeeded where the villains didn't. Luckily, she got Marcus and Emily involved in it early, with varying degrees of success. At the very least, her children won't be responsible for food poisoning... unlike her husband.

"He's taking after his old man, that's for sure." Emily joked. Fox and Krystal looked to her with distaste in their eyes. "... ok, bad joke."

"And just for that, you get to do the dishes." Fox ordered. She lowered her head in defeat; she should've kept her mouth shut... a lesson that should've stuck in her mind multiple times, but never seems to stick.

She approached the sink to clean just as a tired Marcus and equally tired Aero came downstairs. He saw his father sitting there and he knew full well what was to come. "... Mom told you, didn't she?"

"Yes... she did. And even if she didn't, you made the news thanks to that Robo you and he broke." He set the tablet down. "Let me tell you, hearing that my son was almost killed in a fight was not the first thing i wanted to hear today."

"I wasn't almost killed. Jerkwad never even pulled out a switch blade."

"That's not the point." He rubbed his eyes. "... you can't just go around, picking fights all the time. It'll get you hurt, or killed, or worse."

"There's something worse then death?" Aero asked, innocently unaware of their past.

If only he knew. Fox and Krystal both know what there are worse things out there, but they are in no way going to tell their own children that, let alone their sons boyfriend. It was hard enough explaining they were former mercenaries that saved the day time and time again. There are a lot of things their kids don't know, and they want to keep it that way. "... you could say that." Fox innocently took a drink of his coffee while Krystal attempted to whistle nonchalantly. It was not subtle. "Ahem... the point is, Marcus, is that that Argo boy is dangerous. I know his father and he is a nasty customer. If given the chance, i am afraid that he will kill you and i don't want you dead."

"It was Argo's fault."

"Really? What did he do to incite this?"

Crap, Marcus thought. Dad's going straight for the big one, and he never had time to think of a good story. "He... um... called my fur poofy?" He smiled innocently... that nobody was buying, not even for a second. Even Aero wasn't believing this. That's because he knew the truth.

"... he didn't give a reason, did he?" The boy couldn't bare to look his father in the eyes. The look and the silence said it all. "Oh, lords, Marcus, don't tell me you started the fight..." He kept looking away. Fox sighed in defeat as he pinched his eyes yet again. "You did... what am i going to do with you...?"

Emily snickered with a grin; this is better then soap operas. "Ooooo, i sense a bigger punishment incoming. And me without my camera."

Fox turned around in his chair. "Really?"

"You're not helping." Krystal commented.

"I'm not here to help, i'm here to watch." She set the cutting knife down to her side and leaned forward, putting her head into her hands. "I only wish i had popcorn."

Krystal sighed again, slowly shaking her head. "Where did we go wrong...?" She said softly under her breath. "Emily, please don't get involved... otherwise you'll get the same punishment as Marcus."

Emily instantly backed away, clapping her hands once and raising them up. "I'm out." She said as she headed for the exit.

"You're going out dressed like that?" Aero commented. Emily looked at him with lidded eyes, with intent to kill for speaking up about her gorgeous new outfit. "Isn't it a bit too revealing?"

Luckily, she already had an excuse, and it's not even a full lie. "It's going to be boiling today and i'm gonna be inside a hot box- this is the only thing i have that will leave me remotely comfortable once the heat hits. That satisfy ya?" Aera took a step back, knowing full well not to get on her bad side. "I'll be back." She told her parents before heading for the patio exit.

"Remember to be back by 12." Krystal called out. "It's Georgies birthday today and Slippy wants us there in time to surprise him."

"I'm not going anywhere, not without breakfast. Besides, i have my drivers test today and i don't know if i'm gonna make it. If i don't, send the toad my love." She said, closing the door behind her.

Now with her out of the way, they can now have a talk with Marcus and try to get to the bottom of his recent string of aggressiveness. All that was in the way was Aero, and he knew it. "Un, i'll be elsewhere. I, un, need to beat a boss in the game i'm..." The awkwardness was palpable and he wasn't helping matters. "... or i can go home, take a shower, and change clothes..." He exited out the same door Emily took.

Fox set his coffee mug and tablet down and leaned forward in his seat. "Marcus, is there something you want to tell us?" He stayed silent, looking away as he slouched in his seat. "Talk to us."

"What's the point...?" He pouted. "You'll just ignore me, as always."

"When have we ever ignored you?"

"Again, what's the point..?"

Krystal set the burners to the lowest setting possible so that she could approach and join in on the conversation. Maybe all this boy needs is a little motherly love. "Marcus, you can tell us if something is wrong. We won't judge. We're just worried. And if this keeps happening, it's going to hurt us. It hurts me to see you hurt, and it hurts your father too, especially when you ignore or belittle him. Did you even consider what Aero will feel when he loses you to some random thug you picked a fight with?" He continued to stay silent, but it looked as though her words did get through to him as his eyes softly moved. "You didn't, did you?"

He still didn't response, but it's clear to them both that he was listening. Even if he was acting rudely. Still... that doesn't change the fact. "Did you get into more fights that we don't know about?" Fox asked. "Is Argo the only one you've been fighting with? Because not everyone is as restrained as him. I know his father- he prefers fisticuffs over pistols and blades and brass knuckles, but others are not like him. They will not hesitate to do worse to win."

"Like you care..." Marcus finally said.

"I do care."

He got out of his seat. "No you don't..." Marcus bitterly scoffed as he went back up the stairs. "I'm taking a shower..." He said as he disappeared from their view.

Fox softly exhaled in defeat, placing a hand to his face as he leaned on it and the table. "What's wrong with that kid...? He hates me for some reason and it's worrying me." A thought he had considered before crept in. "You don't think he's doing this to act out, do you?"

"There could be a number of reasons why he's acting like this."Krystal said. "I heard someone say 'boys will be boys' or that all teenagers are like him, but Aero, Georgie, and Cecilia are proof enough that's a lie." She took his hand. "But i know that it has nothing to do with you. At most, i hope it's just an excuse for whatever his true reason is."

"I hope so..." He pursed his hands against his snout and sighed, breathing into them. "I know he's a teenager and teenagers can be nasty, vicious customers, but... sigh, I miss it when he was young and cute."

They all do. "Were you as nasty as him when you were his age?"

"No. By the time i was his age, i had enrolled into the Cornerian Flight Academy. Dad and his crew would be out, being mercenaries, and i would be training to be a pilot for the army. And even then... i don't think i ever was that violent or vicious towards my parents, or my comrades, anyone for that matter. I had no patience with anyone who got me angry, but i didn't throw the first punch." He rested his head on his hand. "Maybe... there's something we're overlooking. Or we're making a mountain out of a molehill. And Slippy will be no help- Georgie is too nice, so getting any advice from Slip or Amanda is a no go."

"Well, Georgie did go through that phase in his sophomore year..."

"Being too engrossed in a fantasy game isn't a phase."

Krystal gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "We'll figure it out sooner or later." She got up and went back to the kitchen. "Right now, i gotta make sure this doesn't burn. And just let Marcus tell what it is at his own pace. He'll open up eventually."

There's all that therapist training coming out in full force. She's getting too good at it... though there is one they they are overlooking. He turned in his chair, putting an arm over the head of it. "You're a telepath. Can't you read what he's thinking about?"

She shook her head in response. "It doesn't work like that. I can sense when someone is in danger or distress- i can't read minds or gauge a persons emotions. If i was capable of that, i would've sensed a lot of things."

"But you did sense the Aparoids minds when they first arrived. Remember the moth that wrecked Andrew? You commented 'such strange thought patterns', so you could read its thoughts."

"It was easier for the Aparoids because they were a hive mind. And even if i could read peoples minds, i wouldn't because it would be immoral and wrong and a breach of their privacy. I don't even use it in the office, so using it on my own family is doubly wrong."

"Hm... understandable."

Several hours later...

Marcus grunted a groan as he took a mop to the floor, washing the entire houses floors by hand. It didn't help that Emily intentionally tried to make things more difficult by "accidentally" spilling her food, but they all caught on quick to her shenanigans. And moping is only part one of his punishment for today. Then he has to dust each and every item in the kitchen, living room, and patios, then mow the lawn, sweep the porch, scrub the bathroom- he was going to be in for a very busy day. And after all this, he's grounded from his games for a month.

Fox and Krystal couldn't stay to insure that he complete his tasks. As Krystal said earlier, they had to go to Slippy's for his kids birthday. Marcus couldn't go, obviously, but they said they'll bring him back some cake if they can. instead, the task of making sure Marcus was doing his punishment duties was Aero... which, in hindsight, may've been a bad idea. He is a honest lad, often to a fault, which makes you wonder why he's dating a bonehead like Marcus.

"You know... you could help..." Marcus grunted, glancing over to Aero as he sat on a stool.

"I was paid to observe, nothing more." He said with a grin. "Besides, your parents would know if i helped. You'd be done with your work when they get home."

"S... seriously? Did you not see the list they gave me? I'm gonna be at this all day!"

"I know. And whose fault was it?"

"Argo's."

Again with the blame shifting. Even Aero is thinking Marcus started it, and he's almost always on Marcus' side. "... ah-huh... Yet i seem to remember you declaring that you were going to kill him, and last i checked, you left with a switchblade." Marcus froze up. "Speaking of which, where is that thing?"

He sucked air in through his lips. He made a big mistake and he won't hear the end of it. "I had to toss it when the cops showed up. It's probably at the bottom of the river." Aero groaned as he facepalmed; he got him that knife for his birthday. "Sorry, but better not to have any incriminating evidence when you get grabbed by the cops, right?" Marcus chucked nervously, hoping Aero would understand.

"You do know how much i paid for that, right? And that you promised not to lose it, right?! You better hope its still there."

"Nobody goes swimming in that river. It'll still be there, don't worry about it. We can go get it tomorrow." A thought entered his head. "Or... we can go get it right now... if you agree to help me finish up the rest of these chores when we get back."

Aero's mind screamed 'terrible idea' just as Marcus was laying it all out. He's in big trouble and now he wants to risk more trouble? He is angry he tossed the knife so easily, but he also likes staying on the good side of this family. Fox and Krystal are war heroes and could likely find loopholes to make him disappear, as his paranoid mind would make him believe. "You are joking, right? What if your parents find out we left before you could finish? And what if they see us, huh?"

"Impossible. Slippy's place is nowhere near where me and Argo fought. We can get there and get back in a jiffy. The only way the old man is going to find this out is if he's psychic."

"Which your mom is."

"But not a very good one." Marcus put the mop to the side. "Oh, come on. It'll be quick. And when we get back, you help me finish up and nobody will be the wiser." Aero fidgeted with his fingers- this feels like it could go wrong really quick. Marcus knew the right buttons to push, though. "Help me out with this and, un... maybe we can do that thing you want to try."

"You mean..."

"Yep."

The offer was tempting, a bit too tempting, but if his parents were to find out... but the offer was too tempting. "mmmm... arugh, alright, fine." Marcus chuckled a grin as he tussled Aero's hair. "But... how are we going to get to the city? They took your keys, rem-" His eyes lidded when he realized it. "You're going to hotwire it, aren't you?"

"You know me so well."

Vicious snarling came from within the cargo hold of the transport ship, whose entire crew had been massacred by the cargo onboard. The bodies of the slain crew were gathered in a corner of a shipping crate. Another one nearby was ripped open; whoever it was that did the deed is strong enough to rip through metal with its bare hands or claws or whatever its got.

"Must... find... food..." He snarled as he tore through the crates. His hunger was insatiable- he needed to feed. Most of these crates were armaments; nothing truly edible. And the mess hall didn't provide much; he woke up in the middle of lunch and the spread was ruined during his rampage. He did get lucky on one crate, though: it was filled with water. Water earmarked for experiments, but water none-the-less. But so far, no food. He was also able to find some garments in his size that can cover him, though it would make for a terrible disguise.

So now, in order to make his 3 week-long trip to Macbeth tolerable, he was going to have what food he could scrounge up last. But... there was a way he can make it less excruciating to his animal instincts... and they were all in a pile.

"This ship... better have a freezer..." He snarled as he stomped his way over, digging his foot claws into the metal floor. He licked his lips and grabbed an arm and hauled a body out of the corner and into a open container.

And in between his feasts, he will learn; this may be a cargo hauler, but the computers will still provide him with valuable information, information he could probably one day use. He will learn, and he will plan. He was defeated unexpectedly before, but not again. History will not repeat itself twice. But he will need a ship, and this hauler is stuck on autopilot due to his smashing of the navigational consoles. No matter... he'll find one on Macbeth.

"I... am coming for you, McCloud... just be patient... i'll have my revenge on you yet."