Meanwhile with Wolf and Fox at that moment. The two had stayed in silence the whole trip over and now that trip was coming to an end.
For the two had finally reached Venom.
"Wolf." Said Fox.
"Hm." Grunted Wolf turning to Fox.
"We've arrived." Told Fox. Wolf turned and looked out of the cockpit, and he and Fox saw it. They saw planet Venom, just as horrific as when they had battled there all those years ago. It still had that same color of yellow."prepare for landing." Said Fox as he began to pilot down into the planet's ozone.
Wolf sat in the background and watched on. Then Fox passed down just under the clouds.
"Alright Wolf." Said Fox."Where do I touch down now?"
"Just land anywhere." Told Wolf."We'll continue on foot from here." Fox looked back to Wolf suspiciously, but he really had no choose. This was the only way for him to see Krystal again.
Meanwhile at Leon and Panther's camp.
Leon had trailed off somewhere not too far while Panther was close to the fire with Krystal next to him.
Leon rested with his head rested in his hand, but then his attention was drawn to the sky. He saw a hovering craft coming down from the sky.
It didn't take long for him to realize it was an arwing and he knew whos'. Leon then turned back to Panther and whistled.
Panther quickly came on alert and looked over at Leon. Then he saw Leon pointing up to the sky. Panther looked up. Krystal caught up in all the commotion looked up as well.
And there she saw the Arwing. It lowered down from the sky and onto the ground.
At that moment Leon ran over to Panther.
"He's here." Said Leon gruffly to Panther.
"He's here." Said Krystal softly to herself."He's come for me." Just then Leon leaned over and stood Krystal up.
"Time to go." He said."Move!"
"Leon that's no way to treat a lady." Commented Panther. Leon looked to Panther and let out an exaggerated sigh. Then he stormed off in the direction the arwing landed."Let's go." Said Panther to Krystal. This time she was more than happy to comply.
Then the trio went off to find the landed arwing.
At that moment Fox flew his arwing down and landed. He turned the arwing off and turned around to Wolf.
"Let's get this over with." He said. Then Fox stood up and pulled out his blaster.
Wolf turned around and walked."Yes." he whispered to himself."Let's."
Then the ships' gangway came down and Wolf walked out followed by Fox.
The two stepped out and looked at the barren wasteland of Venom.
"Well where are your men Wolf?" asked Fox.
"Don't worry." Replied Wolf."They'll come with your woman."
Fox then dug his blaster into Wolf's back forcing Wolf to walk forward. They walked a few feet and then they made contact.
Out from straight in front of them they heard a call. It was a bird call.
"Over there." Told Wolf. Then he and Fox continued forward.
Sure enough there were Leon and Panther with Krystal. Leon making the calls to them.
The groups stood about ten feet from each other. A good enough space so that they could see everything.
"You've brought Wolf." Said Leon. Fox ignored Leon and worried about his own matters.
"Krystal are you hurt?" asked Fox to her.
"No Fox, I'm fine." She replied. Fox did fell comforted knowing she was alright.
"She." Said Wolf as he turned his head back to Fox."Just as I promised."
"Let's get this over with." Said Fox." How should we make this exchange?"
"I'll walk forward with the girl." Told Panther." You walk forward with Wolf. When we're close enough we'll switch."
"How do I know Leon won't shot me after the exchange?" asked Fox as he noticed Leon there holding his gun.
"He won't." said Wolf." I give you my word, and a man of honor always keeps his word."
Fox had certainly bought into what Wolf said. Fox nodded to Panther and then walked forward with Wolf. Panther did the same with Krystal.
Leon couldn't help but feel on edge. All the years he'd known Wolf he could always figure out what he was thinking but he couldn't this time.
Fox and Panther continued to walk forward with their hostages. Soon they were only inches apart.
Then Fox reached out and grabbed Krystal while Panther grabbed Wolf.
The first thing Fox did was undo the rope that bound her hands. Once he did Krystal quickly jumped on him and kissed him.
"I knew you'd come." She said. Perhaps her feeling of something bad happening would not happen after all.
At the same time Panther untied Wolf's hands.
"Good to have you back." He said patting Wolf on the back. At that moment Leon walked over.
"Yea." Said Wolf as he glanced back at Fox." Now to tie up some loose ends." Then Wolf reached down onto Leon's belt and grabbed his pistol, then he pulled it out and pointed it at Fox. Then Wolf fired one shot.
At that exact moment Krystal had just stepped out of the way, the bullet blew right past her and hit Fox right in the chest.
Fox suddenly felt a cold feeling in his chest and a warm liquid pouring out of him. Fox looked down to see blood coming out of his chest. Then he felt dazed and fell back onto the ground.
"NO!" shouted Krystal. Then suddenly Leon grabbed her and restrained her, while Wolf walked over to Fox's body." You said you wouldn't hurt him!"
"He said I wouldn't hurt him." Said Leon." He said nothing about himself."
Wolf then kneeled down beside Fox's body.
"Can you hear me McCloud?" he asked. Fox was dazed, his vision and hearing would fade in and out but he could make out what Wolf was saying." Do you understand it now? Our connection. If you do you will rise above this, hunt me down and face me. If you don't you will die here." Then Wolf stood up and walked away."Let's get out of here." He said to Leon and Panther.
Panther turned and followed Wolf. Leon let go of Krystal and did as well.
Krystal fell to her knees. She hated them so much, but her first priority was to help Fox.
She quickly raced overt to his side.
"Fox, Fox can you hear me?" she asked. Fox was now breathing heavy, his sight and hearing began to leave him."Fox stay with me, stay with me."
Then suddenly everything went black, the last thing he saw was Krystal's concerned and crying face. Then everything was cold and black.
It felt that way for a long time. But then suddenly Fox felt life in himself again.
He took a huge gasp and opened his eyes. He saw a shining bright light. He lifted his hand to shield his eyes but then became adjusted to the brightness. All around him was bright shining light, he could not see or hear anything.
But then he smelt something. Smoke blew past his nose, tobacco smoke. Fox turned to the source of the smoke, then before him stood a figure. Fox adjusted his hand from the light to make out the figure.
Fox looked up saw someone, a Fox a cigarette in his right hand.
"Dad?" said Fox.
"Hello son." Replied James. Fox slowly rose to his feet."You've grown since I last say you."
"Dad." Said Fox."Where am I? Am I-" his voice trailed off.
"No son." Said James putting his son at ease." You're not dead."
"Then where am I Dad, what's going on?"
"You're having an epiphany son." Told James." And I am your voice of reason."
"Epiphany?" questioned Fox."Reason? What's this about? What's going on? Where's Krystal? Where's Wolf?"
James took a puff on his cigarette."I understand this might be hard to understand." He said." But sit down and listen to me, and I'll explain it best I can."
Fox obeyed his father. Real or not, he never got to really know his father and this moment was truly precious. So Fox sat down and listened to James McCloud.
"You don't believe in the concept of purpose do you?" asked James.
Fox sighed and looked at his father with an annoyed look.
"Humor me." Said James."Why don't you believe in purpose?"
"It's not that I don't believe in it." Told Fox." I just don't like to believe that it's been determined for me, I'd rather have chosen it myself."
"Noted." Said James as he took a puff on his cigarette."But whether you know it or not things have been put into motion that cannot be undone. You've already created a purpose for yourself all those years ago when you went to the Cornareain Flight academy."
"What are you talking about?" asked Fox.
"You shot Wolf in the eye, blinding him in it for. He now wears the cybernetic one." Said James.
"So?" asked Fox.
"So you created a purpose for yourself on that very day." Told James." The fires of hate drew Wolf to learn his purpose, and he lives every day with the hopes of fulfilling that purpose."
"What are you talking about?" asked Fox." I don't understand any of this." James sat back for a moment." If I have a purpose it's to lead the Star Fox team."
"But that still leaves a lot of room for other smaller things." Said James."Didn't you think your purpose was to kill Andross?"
Fox fell silent as that question hit him. He had lived a good portion of his life wanting revenge on Andross." After killing him what did you do with yourself?" asked James." You drifted longing for another purpose. It is not uncommon for someone to have more than one purpose; in fact you can have many." Fox rested his head in his hand as the realization hit him. Wolf was exactly the way Fox was when he wanted to have revenge on Andross." Do you understand now son?" asked James.
"Yea." Said Fox softly." I think I do."
"Good." Said James as he puffed on his cigarette."Now go and do it." The suddenly the bright light began to shine again.
"Wait Dad!" shouted Fox as he stood up and shielded his eyes form the ever growing light."Will I ever see you again?"
"Someday son." Replied James as he walked into the light."Someday." Then the bright light shined.
Fox opened his eyes once more and found himself looking up a white ceiling.
Then Fox sat up and realized he was in a hospital bed aboard Great Fox. He look out the window at the darkness of space. Then Fox sat up straight and recalled the conversation he had with his father.
Just then the doors burst open and the remainder of the Star Fox team walked in. Krystal ran up and threw her arms around Fox and kissed him.
"Fox I thought we'd lost you." She said. Fox did not reply at first.
"Yea, yea." He said in a soft tone after a few moments and he softly embraced her.
"Fox are you alright?" asked Krystal as she looked him over. Then she felt his forehead.
"Never better." Said Fox as he rolled over and got to his feet."I've had an epiphany."
"A what?" asked Falco who stood next to him.
"An adumbration." Said Fox to Falco.
"My mom told me don't use words like that or she'll wash my mouth out with soap." Replied Falco.
"A manifestation." Repeated Fox.
"Doesn't that come after puberty?" asked Falco.
"Don't worry about it." Said Fox as he patted his friend on the chest." The point is I know what I have to do now."
"What do you have to do Fox?" asked Peppy.
"I've got to hunt down Wolf." Told Fox.