Chapter 2: Enter, John Stafford

Images swirled around his head as he floated in the void he assumed was death. It was cold; the black spandex that were like shorts were the only thing to cover his bare body and millions of years of devolution had left his fur coat useless. Suddenly he was bumped, he turned to be greeted by a familiar face similar to… his?

"Fox," it said grabbing him. "W-what are you…? You need to leave, now," he felt a shove as the fox began to fade leaving him alone again. A rhythmic 'bu-bum' sounded in the distance as it grew the void shook violently.

Fox sat up, gasping as his eyes darted around the… White… Sterol… Hospital. He was back and, by the looks of it, free and clear. He looked down at his paws to see pitch black fur. His ears twitched in curiosity as he looked at the dye that had coated him. Clever, he thought pulling at the fur, anodized fur. There was a knock at the door, a short, stocky bird came in and fluttered onto a stool.

"Greetings," he said, voice nasally and high. "I am doctor Blumstein, and I must say that it is an honor to have the privilege to create you, Jonathan Stafford," He opened a folder and clumsily pulled papers and documents from it. "I have taken the liberty to create a history and any papers you may need to function; I just require that you sign them. Preferably as Jon Stafford,"

"Thanks doc." Fox said taking the papers and placing them nearby.

"Anything for a Lylat War veteran," Fox nodded and moved to stand, only to fall back on the bed. He clutched his knee only to feel cold hard metal. "Mm, yes, the leg; we were… unable to save it you did fall about fifty stories."

Fox sat and clutched the knee as the robotic leg twitched and spasmed he sighed when he felt it release and attempted to stand again, the metal making a dull tap as it struck the ground. He adjusted quickly and began to move about the metal food clicking loudly.

"Hey doc," said Fox. "You got anything to quiet this leg?"

"Why yes," said the doctor moving to a drawer and pulling artificial pads. "If you would," he said gesturing to the bed. Fox sat as the doctor applied the pads to his foot. "If they try to come off here are some replacements," he handed the vulpine a box.

*-Somewhere out in the Universe-*

A blue vixen sat in front of a mirror and stared deeply into her own soul. She knew he was out there, the only question was where she searched her heart and mind for the where but she found no one in the general galaxy with even a remotely similar type of thought pattern as her beloved. The search goes on she thought. She stood and walked over to a jute box in the corner of her quarters in, The Vixen's Revenge and put a random song on there. She knew them all, he had played them at one point in time for her, and she was willing to keep them alive. This one though was her favorite. A soft piano began the piece.

Company, always on the run,

Destiny, mm with the rising sun,

Oh, I was born, six-gun in my hand,

Behind the gun, I'll make my final stand,

That's why they call me.

Bad company, but I can't deny

Bad company, till the day I die,

Till the day I die,

Rebel souls, deserters we are called,

Chose a gun, and threw away the Son,

Now these towns, they all know our name,

Six-gun sound is our claim to fame,

And I can hear them say,

Bad company and I won't deny,

Bad, bad company, till the day I die,

Till the day I die, till the day I die.

The song faded into the next but the vixen knew now why this had been the first son the vulpine had played for her. He was bad company, he was trying to tell her from day one to stay away because of the things he did and the life he led. He just couldn't bear to tell her that, so he let her stay. The fatal mistake that not just he made, but her as well, was to fall in love... with a doomed man.