Chapter 3: Hail the Alma Mater
Ten years after what had been dubbed 'the incident,' Falco Lombardi of the famous, and now disband Star Fox mercenary team pulled his car to a parking space at West Papetoon high school. He sighed as he stepped from his car and reminisced of times gone by here when he and his friends were younger and… among the living. He shook the thought from his head and moved toward the entrance of the school's football field when suddenly he heard a great shout that rang through the parking lot and the deafening silence that reigned soon after. He spun and ran towards the school in search of the noise preparing to draw his side arm when he saw them. Three lines of animals who wore dark blue bottoms with a line of white and gold down either sides, and a top that was similar but was split in half with a white front and a bucket of the same blue and a white feather sat on the front center of it. They stood stiffly at the position of attention with what looked like musical instruments in their hands. A dog in a uniform of similar look but with white bottoms and helmet stood at the head of the three lines. Falco watched as the Sheppard dog brought a whistle to his maw and blue a metered cadence which a snare took up. They soon stepped off out of the lot to the road that would lead them to the stadium. Falco stood in awe at the unison in which the animals stepped. Soon all that was left was a black fox with a graying chin and a blue polo with the WPHS logo on the sleeve and an instrument on his chest.
*- Some minutes before-*
Another beautiful Friday on Papetoon. A black fox stood at the door to his band room staring at the stars that glinted in the sky. He turned abruptly and strode inside and down some stairs from the practice rooms that encompassed the upstairs portion of his room, to the main band room. He smiled at the flurry of activity until a cougar teen who was mostly dressed in her uniform popped to the POA and yelled. "Attention on deck!" The room became deathly still and no one dared make a sound.
"As you were," said the fox and the room exploded again into activity. He smiled more and moved to his podium at the front of the room taking a seat he leaned back and let the buzz of positive feelings wash over him. Ah Fridays, his favorite day of the week. Soon the room began to quiet and the Fox opened his eyes and saw the eighty or so eyes that stared back at him. "Evening," he said, standing up.
"Evening Mr. Stafford," they all replied.
"Alright you know the drill get a plume on the way out and form up." There was a resounding 'aye sir' and the class stood and moved from the room grabbing their white feather like devices to the front top of their bucket like helmets. Stafford followed casually behind them and when they all made it out and into form a K-9 came up to him in his white uniform and saluted.
"Sir," said the dog.
"At ease Major, permission granted," The Sheppard nodded and turned on his heels and returned to the front of the large platoon of animals. There was a shot clapping cadence when the entire groups of animals came to attention and were soon marching silently away towards the field. Soon a blue avian in casual clothes walked up slowly.
"What was that," he asked gesturing to the band.
"That," said the Fox in a darker voice. ", Is the West Papetoon Marching Warriors."
"Ah," replied the bird eying the band. ", That's new."
"Yes, it is," the fox began toward the stadium.
"Hey, who are you," asked Falco.
"John," said the Fox sticking a hand out to the avian. "John Stafford." Falco grabbed the hand and gave it a firm shake.
"Nice to meet ya' John, name's Falco,"
"Good to meet you too Falco,"
*- Corneria -*
A light blue vixen stepped out of her cloths and into a small shower. She had had a long day traveling and was exhausted from her nonstop flight in her Arwing from Sauria, on the outer rim, to Corneria, The third sector around Sol and Lylat the two stars in the center of the galaxy she called home. She stood and let the hot water fall on her the sensation soothing her rough skin. She thought about the last six years, her escape to the only planet she could consider close to home, the death of her lover, Fox McCloud. She even thought about Panther Caruso the black feline she had used to make Fox jealous. She almost felt sorry for using the cat like that, almost.
She turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. She picked up her towel, and dried her fur. She always carried her towel, she never left for anywhere without it. The number one rule she had gotten from her family before she had left the doomed planet; always know where your towel is, never misplace it. She stepped out of the bathroom and put on her casual clothes, she had a meeting with Peppy and she needed to leave soon.
