Chapter 5

5:30 P.M.

After Fox showed Cross to his room he decided to head to the bridge, when he got there he saw that Slippy was doing his daily system check on ROB, Krystal was sitting in Fox's chair while Falco was on the couch rubbing his beak, "How's your face?" Fox said to the avian with a smirk.

"Still better than yours." He replied to the vulpine with a smirk of his own.

Fox walked over to where Krystal was and kneeled down beside her, "So Krys, what do you think about our new friend?" He asked.

"Well, right now I'm wondering why Pepper wanted him to come with us in the first place," She turned to look at the vulpine, "I mean, doesn't it seem a little odd that he would send a complete stranger who we know nothing about or what he is to live with us?" She asked with a questioning look.

"Well, now that you mention it," Fox was now thinking about this himself, thanks to Krystal, "Yeah it does seem odd, I'll have to bring it up when he calls us for our mission."

"Whenever that is." Falco said, now lying down.

"I'm sure he'll call soon enough," Fox didn't take his emerald gaze off of Krystal even for a second, "In the mean time, why don't we all enjoy the peace we have for right now, I was hoping for a mission, I just wasn't expecting something this big."

"I heard that!" Slippy cheerfully said, heading for the door of the bridge.

"Where are you going?" Krystal asked.

"Back to my room of course, today has been extremely tough, and I plan to rest up as much as possible." He answered while the door closed as he left.

"Oh crap!" Fox yelled suddenly, making Krystal and Falco jump.

"What's wrong?" Krystal asked, shaken from the sudden outburst.

"I forgot to visit Peppy," Fox was disappointed in himself, "Damn, I'll need to remember to do that when we go back to Corneria."

"Well if you do forget next time don't give me a heart-attack!" Falco exclaimed as he was lying on the floor, rubbing his beak again, "Why is everyone out to get me today?"

"Karma." Krystal said with a grin.

"Whatever, I'm going back to my room," The avian said as he started to get up, "I don't need this crap right now, it's bad enough I got my ass kicked by a fifteen year old kid today."

"Twice." Fox cracked a grin as well, Falco lifted his middle finger at the vulpine as he walked out of the bridge and down the hall to his room.

"Okay, now we just need to figure out what to do about Cross." Krystal said, turning her head back towards the vulpine.

"What do you mean?" Fox asked with a puzzled look.

"Does your mind register at all? What I mean is that he can't just keep beating up Falco, even if he does deserve it sometimes." The vixen explained.

"Oh yeah...about that," The puzzled look was now replaced with a calm one, "I had a talk with him and he told me he'll try to keep it under control." He assured her.

"That's good," Krystal was glad to hear this, but she was still weary about the dark fox, "You know, Cross is the last animal I would expect to have Aerophobia."

"Funny isn't it? At least we know he has emotions." Fox chuckled a bit.

"That's what I'm afraid of, maybe he has too much emotion."

"Huh?" The puzzled look made it's triumphant return.

"Think about it Fox, you saw the way he hit Falco, it seems that anger doesn't sit well with him."

"How do you notice this stuff and I don't?"

"It doesn't take a genius to figure out others, but, of course, you're no genius." The cerulean vixen giggled.

"Hey!"

"Don't take it to heart Fox, you may not be a genius, but I love you none the less." She smiled

"Thanks, I love you too." The vulpine said as he leaned in closer to the vixen to lock his muzzle with her's.

Silence filled the room as the two showed their love for one another with a long passionate kiss, "Well, I have to go to my room now, today was fun and all, but I really need some rest." Krystal said as she pulled away and rose from the chair she was sitting in.

"Wait up, I'll come with you." Fox said as he too was rising from his position, and the two left the bridge and headed down to Krystal's room.

Pure darkness filled the area, nothing except cold, damp darkness, "Where am I?" The young vulpine wondered. As he stood up, he saw an image of himself, standing right in front of him, "Who the hell are you?" He asked, cautiously.

"Who am I?" The other vulpine spoke, "Well, I am you."

"What does that mean?" Cross was irritated, "Give me a clear answer damn you!" He yelled.

"Yes, let the rage consume you, it will be much easier that way." The other vulpine had a smirk on his face, exposing his left fang.

"Easier for what?"

"You cannot trust them, they will soon find out the truth and abandon you."

"They wouldn't do that!" He yelled as he figured out who the copy of himself was referring to.

"I assure you, it will happen, and then they will cast you aside like nothing."

"No! That won't happen!" Cross lunged at the other vulpine, ready to strike, but stopped as if he was turned to stone where he stood.

"Oh it will, you are nothing but a killing machine, it's your only purpose in life," The exact image of Cross faded into the darkness.

"No, I can be more than a killer, these ones are nice, they trust me. THEY TRUST ME!!" The dark vulpine screamed as tears ran down his face.

Cross awoke, panting heavily, the sides of his face wet with tears, he jumped out of the bed, running to the bathroom as quickly as possible, hoping no one would see him, he remembered the way to the bathroom from when Fox showed him to the guest room, he had seen a door that read 'Restroom' on his way. When he arrived, he looked in the mirror, staring at the black 'X' on his head, "They trust me." He whispered to himself.

He wiped the tears from his face with his arms and left the bathroom, he noticed a digital clock in the hall on his way back to his room that read 12:45 P.M. and then his stomach let out a growl loud enough that anyone in the halls, no matter how far they were, would be able to hear it, so he decided to look around the ship for the kitchen. It wasn't long before he found a door that read 'Mess Hall', so he went inside to find something to eat, what he found instead was a certain blue furred vixen standing beside the sink holding a small glass of water in her right paw.

Cross noticed that the vixen was only wearing a pair of red shorts that went a few inches down her thighs, and a white tank top, she looked very attractive to him. He realized that he was staring and quickly turned the opposite direction, facing the door, "Oh crap! I hope she didn't see me, please Goddess I hope she didn't see me!" The vulpine thought to himself, he heard footsteps behind him and when they stopped, he felt a paw land on his shoulder.

"Turn around Cross." The vixen ordered in a strict tone.

The dark vulpine did as he was told, closing his eyes tightly and gritting his teeth in the process, "Oh man, I'm screwed! Nice job Cross, look what you did now!" He thought to himself, awaiting his punshiment.

"Open your eyes Cross." The vixen ordered him again.

He shook his head, his eyes still tightly shut.

"Now!" She demanded loudly, and in an even more strict tone than before.

"Dammit!" He thought as he slowly opened his eyes, he turned his head and quickly looked away soon after he realized that he was looking at the vixen's chest, though it could not be seen through his fur, his cheeks were red from embarrassment, "Great job! not only did she see you staring at her but she would have to be blind not to notice that one! Slick move idiot!" He scolded himself.

"Look at me Cross." She ordered again.

Every time she ended a demand with his name it made him cringe a bit, but he did as he was told, the vulpine looked up at the taller vixen, only to see a friendly smile.

"Don't worry Cross, I'm not going to hurt you, I take it as a compliment that you find me attractive." She said in a comforting tone.

Cross blushed, making his dark red fur start to turn a normal red.

"Come with me Cross, I would like to talk to you." She said with her left paw on his right shoulder, directing him towards the round table.

"I'm sorry if I offended you or made you feel uncomfortable." He said, trying his best not to look at her.

"It's okay Cross, no need to apologize, I think it's rather cute." She said, still looking at him.

Cross was blushing deeply now, his cheeks a bright red, the last thing he wanted was to be referred to as 'cute'.

As the two made it to the table, Krystal sat Cross down, and walked to the sink where she stood before, "Would you like a glass of water?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes please." He said, not taking his eyes off of the table in front of him.

The vixen turned the fosset and filled the glass with the liquid, when it was full, she walked over and set it on the table in front of the vulpine, and he took a drink.

"You can look at me Cross, I don't mind." Krystal insisted as she sat down beside the vulpine.

"It's okay, this is a lovely table." He said in a sad attempt at an excuse.

"Don't feed me that crap, I just want to talk to you, and I can't do that when you have your attention on the table, please Cross?" Krystal asked in somewhat of a pleading tone.

The words from the vixen were like a force pulling his head to look her in the eyes, and he had no control what so ever. When he saw her eyes, his tensed muscles soon became relaxed.

"That's better, I just want to try and get to know you better." She said, smiling.

"May I ask you something?" Cross said almost immediately after she spoke.

"And what is that?"

"Why does the door say 'Mess Hall', isn't that usually used in prisons or military bases?" He asked.

"Well actually, Falco thought it would be funny, I don't really care either way." The vixen answered.

"You have beautiful eyes, Krystal." The vulpine said suddenly, his eyes widening as he realized the words that left his muzzle.

"Wait, are you hitting on me?" She asked, glaring at him.

He turned his gaze back down to the table, "No, I'm sorry, that was...I'm sorry," He closed his eyes again as his cheeks turned bright red as before, waiting for the inevitable, Crap!" He thought to himself again, "You were in the clear but noooo you just had to mess it up didn't you? Good going dumbass!"

Silence filled the room for a moment until it was broken by the laughter of the vixen, "Oh my Goddess! You fell for it!"

Cross was shocked and confused at what had just occurred.

"I just wanted to see your reaction," She explained as her laughter sub-sided, "Thank you for the compliment."

"Um...your welcome?" He said, still confused.

"Anyway, I noticed that you are Aerophobic," She said, "Why is this?" Krystal was curious, and wanted to know more about Cross.

"I don't know, really," He said, his cheeks turned back to their original dark red, "Honestly I just don't like flying or heights, I just get terrified."

"No offense, but I wouldn't have guessed you would be afraid of anything." The blue fox told him.

"Yeah well, no ones perfect I guess." He said before taking another drink from his glass of water.

"You know, you're awfully polite for someone who punched Falco's lights out a few hours ago."

When Cross put the glass back on the table after taking another drink, Falco walked in the kitchen, and noticed the two foxes talking, "What do we have here?" He said in an interested tone.

"Speak of the devil." Was all the vixen said.

"Is Fox's engaged lover hitting on the new guy?" The avian asked jokingly.

"No, we were just talking about how Cross knocked you senseless out on the docking bay." She answered with a victorious smirk.

"Lucky shot, plain and simple." Falco said as he made his way to the refrigerator.

"It looked pretty clean to me." The vixen assured him, not changing her expression.

"Hey Falco? Cross asked.

"What?" Falco replied, opening the refrigerator door and reaching for a bottle.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for hitting you earlier, I let my anger get the best of me."

"It's alright, I was bein' a jerk anyway." The avian said while closing the refrigerator door and taking a swig from the bottle that read in large letters 'WILSON'S', and underneath that read 'The best beer in all of Lylat', after Falco pulled the bottle away from his beak, he turned to Krystal and Cross, "You want any?"

"No, I hate alchahol." Krystal turned down the offer.

"No thanks, I'm too young anyway." Cross did the same.

"C'mon, you know you want some." Falco tried to convince the vulpine.

"Nope, I'm good." He re-assured the avian.

"Eh, whatever, more for me." Falco said as he was leaving the kitchen.

Shortly after he left, Fox walked in, clad in a pair of black sweatpants, yawning loudly, he went over to the sink seemingly not noticing Cross and Krystal at the table as he grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water before walking over to the table and taking a seat on the opposite side of the other two foxes, "What's up?" Krystal asked, startling the light brown vulpine.

"Oh just waking up," He answered as he looked at Krystal, then Cross. "I see you two are getting to know each other,"

"We're just talking." Krystal informed him.

"What are you doing up anyway?" Fox asked the dark vulpine.

"I had a nightmare, don't really wanna talk about it." Cross answered

"Well if you don't want to, I won't make you," Fox said, "Oh yeah I almost forgot, I had ROB configure the door for your room to match your paw print, all you have to do is put your paw on the scanner, and the door will open."

"Hey Fox, want to spar?" Krystal asked out of nowhere.

"Sure, we can give Cross a demonstration," The vulpine answered, "But first, I think we need to get some decent sparring clothes on." He added as he looked down at himself, and then at Krystal.

1:45 A.M.

The trio of foxes were now in the gym, Krystal wasn't wearing anything different, except for a pair of sneakers and a sports bra, while Fox had a pair of black athletic shorts and a navy blue tank-top, Cross was still wearing his black tee-shirt and a pair of red athletic mesh shorts that Fox had given him, as Fox and Krystal took their spots on the mat, "Tell me, what's the point of this 'sparring' thing again?" Cross asked, intrigued.

"Well, mainly it's for fun, you know, to pass the time." Fox answered his question.

"Even if he knows he can't beat me." Krystal said, sticking her tongue out at Fox.

"Interesting." The dark vulpine was paying very close attention.

"Shall we?" Fox joked with the vixen, taking his fighting stance.

"Yes we shall." The vixen took her own fighting stance.

Neither of the two budged from their respective spots, each guessing who would make the first move, until Krystal lunged at the vulpine, her left leg approaching the side of his head in an attempt at a roundhouse kick, Fox ducked, avoiding the kick which would have certainly knocked him out had it connected, Fox then tried a sweep kick at the vixen's right leg, which she saw and quickly jumped into the air, dodging at the last second, she flipped and extended her left leg as she descended towards the vulpine, hoping to land an axe kick, but he saw this coming and moved out of the way, grabbing her leg and pulling her down hard to the mat, the vixen landed with a grunt, Fox quickly moved on top of her, trying to lock her into a sleeper hold, but to no avail as the blue fox squeezed out of his grasp, the two were quickly set back into their original fighting stances, "I thought you had me for a minute." The vixen said, smiling.

"Yeah, so did I." Fox replied as he lunged at the vixen, throwing a right hook, but Krystal had him well scouted as she dodge his punch and grabbed is arm, flipping him over her shoulder onto his back, keeping hold of his arm and locking it into an armbar while pressing her knee against the vulpine's neck.

"So, do I win?" Krystal asked, slightly increasing the pressure on his arm and neck.

He tried to counter with all of his strength, but the hold on his arm and the press on his neck became too intense, he could feel the circulation cutting off in his arm, and the blood rushing to his head from the lack of oxygen, so he used his free paw to tap the mat repeatedly, signaling his defeat.

"That's three in a row." The vixen said as she let go of his arm and stood up.

"That was amazing," Cross exclaimed with his mouth wide open, awestruck, "Wow, I can't believe you got beat."

"So Cross, what do you think of this?" Fox asked while Krystal helped him off of the ground.

"It really does look fun." The dark vulpine answered.

"You wanna try it?"

"Sure, I can't wait." Cross said, approaching the mat.

"You're gonna fight me, I need a win right now." Fox smirked.

"You better go look for Falco then, 'cause you won't beat me." Cross returned with his trademark smirk, exposing his left fang.

As the two took their fighting stances, Fox noticed Cross hadn't changed his position in the least, "What is he doing? He has no guard, I can easily take him down in one shot." Fox thought to himself, confused in what the dark vulpine was scheming, he brushed the thought away and jumped at Cross, spinning three times before lashing his leg out at the dark vulpine's face, who jumped clear over Fox, flipping and landing perfectly behind him, Cross turned and threw an uppercut towards his opponent, but Fox quickly grabbed his arm, jumped, and wrapped his legs around Cross neck, locking him into a triangle choke and falling on his back, taking Cross down as well..

"Looks like I'm gonna win," Fox said as he increased the pressure on the hold, "You give?"

"No." The dark vulpine managed to say, despite the blood rushing to his head.

"Alright then, have it your way." Fox tightened his legs around Cross' neck.

Cross started to feel drowsy, "I'm not giving up!" He thought to himself as he started to stand upright, lifting Fox's body in the process, his yellow eyes turning a deep red, he let out a loud growl, almost a roar startling Krystal as she watched the spectacle unfold, Cross was standing fully upright, holding the larger vulpine in the air with one arm, just then, he slammed Fox on the mat, and as soon as the grip from Cross' neck was loose, he pounced on Fox, grabbing him in a front headlock, locking his paws together in an under hook, "Now, do you give?" Cross asked, clearly having the upper hand.

"Never." Fox answered.

"You sure? I can dislocate both of your shoulders right now," The dark fox informed him, tightening his hold, causing Fox to groan in pain, "Last chance."

"Okay! I give!" The light brown vulpine yelled, ending the match.

Cross let go of his hold on Fox, "What a rush!." He happily exclaimed, extending a paw.

"Just great, two losses in one day, and it's not even past two in the morning!" Fox grabbed Cross' paw as he was helped up from his sitting position.

"Well, I don't know about you two, but that fight got me energized," Cross turned to leave the gym, but stopped shortly after, "Hey, could one of you help me find the bridge?" He asked, turning to face the two foxes, who simply laughed.

"Sure Cross, I'll take you there." Krystal said.

"I'll be with you in a few," Fox told them, after they left the gym, "Now where's Falco?" He asked himself.

Author's Note: I promised action, and I did the best I could. This chapter was fun to write, especially considering the awkward situation Cross was put in, hey it had be done eventually. Anyway, until next update, later.