Chapter 2:

Enter the Little Burden

Fox walked next to the child's bed, he was conscience but looked a little dizzy, so he decided to speak with him anyway. He still couldn't get over the fact that kid looked just like his dad.

Fox: Wow, you looked pretty banged up, you alright?

Child: Yeah, I guess I'm not very popular around here, maybe I should run. eh heh heh...

Fox: Come on kid, you need your rest. By the way what's yer name?

Child: Ummm, hold on it will come to me... I'm so pumped with ana...steezia. I are a wee bit stoned right now. I'm hungry. OH! That's it!! (the little vulpine held out his hand and cheerfully said) My name is Roka Embers! Good to meet you.

Fox: My name is Fox McCloud, good to meet you. (his name is Embers?)

Roka: OH! So yooouuurrrrr Fooooooox! Well... I wanted to speak to you... I thinks... Ummm, can I speak with you later when I'm not so freakin high and in a grandma robe? I AM SO SORRY FOR BOTHERING YOU, MAYBE TOMMORROW?! Hehehehe. -passes out-

Fox: Yeah, er... ummm... see you tomorrow... I guess?

Fox left the room and spoke with Peppy. "So how did it go Fox?" "Well, he's a tiny bit dizzy from the drugs, but I was able to learn that his name is Roka Embers, and he looks just like my dad."

Peppy: Embers? Ahh, I remember Roz Embers, I never met him myself, but he was the test pilot for a newer arwing prototype back in the day... Ofcourse, prototypes don't always do what they should. Thats a day we all remember. "

Fox: What do you mean?

Peppy: Well, when the engineers were finished working on the kinks of the arwing, Roz took it on its final test drive, everything was working perfectly, but, when he was using the new booster that was designed, the fuel cells burst into flames and it blew up in midair. When scientists went over the wreckage, it appeared though as if something got caught into the intake, it wasn't the arwing's fault but a freak accident, so with this in mind, the plane was finished and shipped out for combat use. The only thing we have left of Roz is the video taken on the day of the test flight.

Fox: Why don't we watch it? The arwing is a good fighter, why would it do something like that?

Peppy: Ok, lets head down to the archives.

The team headed for the archives and found the video. At the time of the explosion in the video, Fox yelled "STOP!, REWIND IT!" They rewound the video and played it in slow motion. A faint blue streak hit the arwing right before it exploded. This was no freak accident, it was a murder.

Fox: Well, If we told him that he would be devastated.

Falco: Someday he needs to learn the truth.

Slippy: Poor kid, thats terrible.

The team headed back to Fox's apartment and went to sleep, Falco on the couch, Slippy on the floor, Peppy on the extra bed, and Fox... with his teddy. The next day they headed back to the air base to ask Roka about the letter that Fox had found.

Fox: Hey Roka, what were you doing with this letter? How did you get it? And what do you want with us?

Roka: Well, it's obvious that you read it, so I'll tell you: James and my dad were pen pals for a while. It's kinda funny, but they met on an online RPG of some sort. They hit it off pretty well and soon became good friends. Ofcourse, people who knew Mr. James McCloud didn't really know my dad because of their particular relationship; but, for a little while they met each other at the airbase. A few days before Dad died I was just a toddler at the time, he receieved a letter from Mr. McCloud. I wanted to show that letter to you because I thought that James might let me join the team sometime in the future. I haven't seen him anywhere, I would think that he would still be alive, he probably would be in his fifties maybe, but I'm not sure.

Fox: Roka, my dad dissapeared not too long after your dad died in the ummm... accident. He was going after Andross and we haven't seen him since.

Roka: Fox? "yeah?" I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your father, I had no idea, I didn't mean to impose. I had no idea about this, that's why I came here. Well any-hoo, I guess that makes us allies, I hold a grudge against Andross myslef, along with plenty other people. You see, my mom was an intelligence officer for the secret service, Mom and the team were able to sniff out the real plan by Andross, but, Andross cought wind of this but was banished to Venom before he could do anything about so the case was closed.

Mom died a few years ago in her sleep, it almost seemed like that "sudden death syndrome" that one in a billion gets, but I had a strong suspicion that andross was behind all of it. I could be wrong, but still... I WANT HIS HEAD ON A SILVER PLATTER, THAT BASTARD, THEY SAY MY FATHER'S DEATH WAS AS ACCIDENT BUT THAT'S A LIE!! (breathing heavily, got a little teary) huh,huh,huh. I'm sorry for such a foolish outbreak, forgive me.

Fox: Ya' know what? Don't apologize! I know how you feel!

Roka: (Calms down) Well, anyway, I was hoping to join the team, I'm only sixteen but I have some good credentials, oh. and sorry about yesterday, I was in a tizzy. It was a horrible first impression, I know.

Fox: Dont worry about it. When you get out of this hospital we shall see what you can do.

Falco: You have credentials? I have credentials kid.

Roka:(sticks pinky in ear) What?! You have croutons? Oh, I'd love some!!

Falco: Why you little...

Peppy: (chuckles) Don't lose you head Falco.

Slippy: I like croutons too, they are good on a salad!

Falco: Slippy, you like everything!

Peppy: Well team, we had better get back to the ship and check up on any missions that have been sent.

The team headed back to the arwings and flew to the Great Fox.

Fox: The doctor said that he would be out by the end of the week, we can test him then.

-End of chapter 2