Hey you guys, sorry for the wait. I had finals this past week and my computer took the bigest shit ever so I had to get a new one... Anyway Here is a slightly longer than usual chapter as an apology to the wait.


Chapter 6: Snap, Crackle, Pop!

There was a moment where neither dared to move and they sat there, lips locked, awkward as ever. At that point, though old habits returned to the black fox and he gently returned the kiss letting his eyes, too, slip close. There was a sweetness he realized, in this kiss; he had forgotten this sensation, the tingle of his lips where they contacted the other pair, the shiver that ran though him.

On the other end, there was relief that he had taken the bait. She knew he'd never replace Fox but, for the moment, she could live a little. A cheat day, of sorts; break her years of chastity and delve into the young passion she could feel in this vulpine's old body. Soon they came back and sat silent, breathless, staring into the opposite's eyes and feeling for the next move.

"I still don't understand," started the black Fox in-between gasps. "What have I missed?"

"You don't think I dye my fur do you," said the vixen, running a blue hand through her hip length lavender hair. There was a moment's pause as he thought for a moment.

"You're Cerinian," he asked "but… there was, only ever… one, survivor…"

"I'm sorry," she giggled and pet the side of his maw. "My name's Krystal," the black fox chuckled.

"Sorry for the reaction, I just ah…" he rubbed the back of his neck. ", never expected such a great pilot to have… kissed me," there was a snort.

"Great pilot," Krystal said with a sad but mirthful smile on her face. "I couldn't pilot a wolven for shit,"

"Wolven," he questioned. "I couldn't care less about your Star Wolf career," he looked away and grabbed a strange but familiar key from his dash and dangled it in front of her nose. ", but I would like to see you pilot an Arwing again," She stared intently at the key. It was small compared to a standard car key but its round grip like texture and cylindrical key extension brought nostalgia back to her mind.

"How did you get a hold of one of those," she questioned, still not having forgot her mission.

"Eh, old first gen Arwings are a dime a dozen," he said buckling into his seat and cranking his car. "This one just happens to be the one I flew in the first Lylat war's back just after James McCloud died and right before the introduction of the G-diffuser and the Cornerian interceptor, which," he pulled his boot off to reveal a metal leg. "cost me an actual leg and my military career,"

"Oh my," exclaimed Krystal as she saw the bare metal. "I'm… sorry for your loss,"

"Eh," said fox waving dismissively. "this one works good enough," They drove in silence then and when they passed the street that she knew he lived on she tensed slightly.

"I believe," she said nervously. "that that was the last street with homes on it,"

"were not going to my house," he said turning the radio on and channel surfing. "My Arwings got a long overdue test flight," Krystal relaxed then and giggled.

"Test flight," she questioned leaning to look at his face. "As in its maiden voyage?"

"You wound me," he said, a goo humored smile gracing his features. "I know Arwings better than you might think,"

"Then prove me wrong,"

"I will," They rested into a comfortable silence as they began to travel farther from the town of West Papetoon. Soon they came to an old hanger out in the middle of nowhere. Stafford eased his car to a stop and both got out and made their way to an old door with a light that burned bright in the darkness that resided in the surrounding forest. The black fox produced a key and quickly opened the door and allowing the fox of the fairer sex to enter first.

She sniffed once and sneezed as the air was dank and musty from sitting. Stafford came in after her and went to a breaker box nearby and popped it open and slapped a few switches allowing for the lights in the small warehouse to illuminate the area.

"Here we go," he said moving to a mass near the center of the workshop. "My pride and joy, only second to that of my band career," with that the fox grabbed the tarps and pulled them aside to reveal a blue and silver Arwing. Krystal gaped at it, as she had never seen the first gen Arwing. She noticed its blocky shape and overly bulky design.

"She is quite the ship John," he smiled.

"She is," he walked over to pat the ship on the fuselage. "this bitch carried me through the first Lylat war and never once did I have any problems with her," he paused and then walked over to a yellow ladder and brought it over to the ship. "Second gen Arwings though, they have the speed to out run almost any ship in the system but…" he gripped his leg before shaking his head and climbing up to sit in front of the cockpit. "This here," he patted the ship. "is Luci or as the enemy likes to call her lucifer," Krystal laughed.

"That," she said climbing the ladder and sitting in the cockpit. "Has to be one of the most hilarious things I have ever heard," they chuckled as Krystal began to look over the controls of the Arwing. "Hmm," she said looking at the gauges. "I'm not familiar with some of these,"

"Oh," said John moving to stand on the wings. "Yeah that one is for G force, don't let it get over ten G's, and that is for laser charge," he rubbed his maw where his fur stuck out slightly more than the rest. "One downfall of the gen one Arwings is that the lasers were produced by energizing gas and refracting it through a crystal matrix and the gas is limited to about five-hundred shots," Krystal smiled.

"I could take a Venom fleet on with less," she claimed quickly flipping familiar switches and checking the gauges she knew to check. John climbed in and sat in the optional co-pilot seat that was slightly more cramped than the main seat but would do for the flight they were about to embark.

"I don't doubt it," said John grabbing his visor from the pocket next to the front seat. "just don't take us up against any of your Star Fox friends, I may think that I am pretty good but I am sure I ain't that good," Krystal laughed.

John hit a couple of buttons on his console and the door to the hanger opened and Krystal eased the ship through and began to skim the trees. John locked the wings into their cruise position and locked the gas tank and shut down the weapons computer.

"It's been too long," said Krystal revving the throttle to max the cruise speed.

"I agree," John sat back as he let Krystal play with the ship sitting quietly through the barrel rolls and summersaults making sure from time to time that she didn't over exert the old ship by limiting her speed from his command visor and keeping his civilian beacon on. Soon he too began to laugh at her antics as they began to joke about their days in battle and became hysterical when John started pretending to be a flight tower operator. Soon, though, they began their return trip to the old run-down shop and settled into a quiet atmosphere. When they got back and had run their post flight checks and returning the tarps and setting the batteries to recycle they left with smiles on their faces and with a little weight lifted from their hearts.

The drive back was also quiet but far from uncomfortable; Krystal stared out at the scenery as it passed and remembered the way it looked from above and then she looked over at John. She couldn't deny that the black vulpine was handsome and she was glad they had found some common ground on which to stand. Her smile was cut short though as they passed under a street light and she saw it; the faint tinge of orange that the light gave the fox driving. She turned quickly but unnoticeably so from him and swallowed her sorrow. She couldn't compare him to Fox, she wouldn't. This vulpine that had shown her a… wonderful evening… was a potential threat to the Lylat system.

She sighed as they neared her hotel and thought back to her assignment. She needed a drink. A strong one, possibly two… or more. Why couldn't she just forget.