Hi, everyone! I haven't updated in a while, but I won't let this story die. Actually, there are some people who won't let me. =) Oh, and for future reference on this chapter: the first part is not from a charatcer POV, then it's in X's POV for a little, and then Fox takes over the rest of the time. So...I'll just jump in. Enjoy!
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For just the smallest second, there was blackness. For a second, that was all there was. And, if the darkness had prevailed, this story would have ended how it began – in ebony emptiness.
But of course, no story ends along the same premise as it's start, and this tale was no different. So, though it may seem the antagonist has finally been subdued to shadows and his evil intentions are finally put to rest, it is fairly obvious that the end is not yet in sight.
This fact is particularly unfortunate for our two protagonists, though there are many who wouldn't stretch to refer to them both as the "good guys." Both were of the same genus, and yet could not be more different. One was hailed as a hero: instinctive, focused and calm. The other was considered a threat: angry, merciless and deadly.
At the dawn of storytelling, the distinctions of these two protagonists would have been a deciding factor that would have set this story apart from the rest. In classic tales, the hero is pitted against the threat. But now, as our minds mold into modern thinking, more tales are told of the hero and threat fighting for a common goal.
However, even though the heroes of this story wouldn't admit it, they have more in common than they think. It was the antagonist, ironically enough, who brought this to their attention. Both thought quickly and logically, using wits to get out of situations. They both had the blood of leaders flowing through them, able to command both their small teams efficiently. If the chance came, both could probably lead a full battle squadron without a problem.
And of course, both the hero and threat are connected by their determination. Combined, it could form a flame hot enough to burn a forest to ash, a wind strong enough to pull continents apart, or waters vast enough to engulf the universe. No matter what challenge stood in their way, rather than hide away they ran forward, daring the enemy to face them as they swore they would.
It was because of this immense determination, above all other factors, that they were still standing, breathing heavily and dwelling in their immense pain. Bruises, cuts and scratches decorated their bodies like paint on a canvas, and their bones ached from exhaustion. But still they stood, glaring at the motionless body of their antagonist from across the room.
Their already taut muscles tensed even more as the villain slowly shook his head and rose from his sprawled-out position on the cold ground. Facing away from them, he cracked the knuckles of his claws, their iron coating slightly catching the glint of the dim light. Face first, he turned, and the two protagonists were met with a face of fiery rage and insanity.
As the protagonists mentally prepared themselves for what was going to happen, both they and the antagonist knew what the outcome of all this what to be. There was no way to avoid it, and though nobody could accurately determine which side would emerge victory, one thing was clear.
Someone wasn't getting out alive.
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Emotions and thoughts flashed through X's mind, numbing his other senses as he coldly and blankly stared at Fox and Wolf. Both body and mind spoke out to him. His spine felt like it went through a blender, and his side had met with the walls so many times the bruise began to swell, creating a miniature bubble of pain.
His mind, however, told him to ignore the sting. His plans of dominating this futile system were almost complete, and he could feel success just out of his reach. All he needed was a small push, and he could grab it...and his push was murdering the two canines staring him down.
As usual, the tones of malice and pure insanity took over all of his senses and emotions, since X simply could not ignore them. They spoke louder in his head as his eyes met with the green ones of his enemy. Years of exile, working under a useless leader, watching all of his technological expertise and painstaking efforts wiped away by one meager creature and his team. And here that creature was, standing before him, in as bad a condition – if not worse – than X himself. Death was near, X could sense it.
Slowly, X shook his head from side to side. A look of grief replaced the evident anger on his muzzle. He really would have rather taken down these two personally, but it seems as though he had no choice. The condition he was in left him barely able to walk, and this way their bodies could be preserved for further experimentation.
His voice was rough and raspy, yet still strong as he spoke. "This has gone on long enough. If we keep going as we are, nobody will walk out that door." His mouth curled into a sinister grin. "And I wholeheartedly intend on seeing the light on another day, and making sure you three do not." For a second, his eyes glanced down at the bound and unconscious General, still on the ground, but quickly his eyes returned to meet the ones of the two canines who were conscious.
Pulling his bloody knife from it's sheath, X tossed it into the air and watched as the blade sank into the ground, about a foot away from the vulpine and lupine. They looked from the blade to X's face, their own showing confusion and suspicion. Smirking, X pushed in a small section of the wall, and a concealed button suddenly revealed itself beside the hidden exit. He watched as the vulpine cautiously grasped the blade, walked over to the sleeping General, and cut his binds. The whole time, his gaze was still locked on the psychotic cat.
"I don't think there was any point in you doing that," X said, bringing up a feeling of foreboding in the two standing canines. "I press that button, one of my experimental gases will come out of those vents." He lifted a finger up to the ceiling, pointing out the vents that prior to the exact moment had gone unnoticed. "I call it Molecule Monoxide. What MM does is it attaches itself to the oxygen molecules in the air and slowly sucks them in, then reformulates it to turn into carbon monoxide, which then is admitted back into the air. Basically, you'll be breathing in poison for the next three minutes or so, until you die." He gave a sadistic grin, gesturing towards the knife. "I have a feeling you'll need that."
Making a fist, X forcefully pushed the button in, and a section of the wall pulled up to reveal the same hallway X had entered the dark fortress in, when he had revealed himself for the first time. His eyes remained focused on the canines. "Your time has come. Enjoy your final moments, knowing that the whole world will never see Wolf O'Donnell and Fox McCloud again."
With that, X turned and walked out, his eyes wide with disbelief and a crazed smile stretched on his face. For the first time in his whole life, something was actually going his way. He had defeated the two best mercenaries in the system, and now his dream of controlling Lylat would be complete.
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So close. Fox practically had seen the rays of Solar nearly blinding his eyes, the warmth of the blazing star warming his fur. Just seconds before, he'd seen the exact opposite. He saw the end, as that knife was held high above his head, the fresh blood oozing down the blade and dripping crimson onto his white muzzle. Just as his last grip of hope began to slip from his weak fingers, Wolf flung himself in and saved him. For just the slightest second, he felt on top once again.
Now, he was back on bottom. And, for the slightest glimpse of time, he felt it was for good. Again. At first, he immediately pushed that thought out of his mind. But, as he saw X press the button that was supposed to end both Wolf's life and his own, something inside him snapped. He wasn't going to die. Not here, not by the cruel hand of this psycho, and not without putting up a fight.
Not really thinking, Fox darted towards the knife. Sweeping his foot up, he kicked the blade into his hand. Spinning from the momentum, Fox pulled his arm back, held his breath, and released the blade. To his surprise, rather than arc it glided forward in a quick, straight line. From behind him, he noticed Wolf wipe the look of surprise off his face and sprint to the door, and Fox darted a few steps so he ran beside the lupine.
The doors were lowering quickly, so Fox and Wolf had no choice but desperately land in a slide and propel towards the shrinking gap separating their personal hell from freedom. Still, Fox saw the slightest glint of hope – as he went down, he watched the blade cleanly slice through the side of X's neck. The cut was exactly as he had hoped – not deep enough to kill X, but it hit a pressure point deep enough to throw the cat into a state of unconsciousness. The single most satisfying sight Fox had seen since he showed up on this miserable planet was watching the cat collapse to the ground.
Right before the doors shut in their faces.
All of the pent-up anger, hatred, fury, rage...Fox felt all of these twisted emotions claw their way into his bloodstream, flowing through his fist as strength and forming into sounds that were carried up his throat and up his mouth. He yelled louder than he had in his entire life, pounding the steel door with a fist so taut with anger, it created a massive dent that the average being may have accomplished with a sledgehammer.
Teeth bared and eyes glowing, Fox turned to see a startled Wolf, eyes wide with confusion at Fox's extremely out-of-place state. Fox opened his mouth to make a sound – words or another roar, he guessed the latter – when a low hissing echoed through the room. Both canines looked up to see a thin, white smoke wisping through the vents. Fox and Wolf made eye contact, than immediately took a deep breath and held it.
Fox watched as the cloud of smoke spread from the ventilation system and began spreading throughout the room. Fox let out his air and took another deep breath of fresh oxygen as the ceiling was coated with smoke. His eyes widened as the dense substance grew closer and closer. He shut his eyes, thinking about his life, his accomplishments, his failures. His team, his family, and his memories. Slowly, he opened his eyes again, looking over at Wolf. The lupine had a dazed look on his face, showing that his mind was occupied sifting through various memories as well.
Both were thinking the same thing...was this really the end? Was their time in this life up? Sure, being mercenaries, there were too many times to count when it seemed that their clocks were stopping for good. But, as they stood alone in that closed chamber, the fatal gas above them creeping ever closer to their open throats and the memories of their lives flashing through their minds, the foreboding feeling was more real than either canine had encountered before.
He closed his eyes, forcing the doubt from his mind and trying to concentrate on not dying. His lungs hadn't shown any sort of resistance yet, but he knew it was only a matter of time. He looked up at the cloudy substance slowly absorbing the remaining oxygen left in the sealed fortress. It was a white tint, about as dense as fog.
Seeing the gas come closer and closer to where he stood, Fox quickly let out his breath and sucked in new oxygen. He grimaced as he felt his lungs struggle with the force in the gas. The struggle for air was beginning.
One minute had passed. Fox saw Wolf kneel to the ground, trying desperately not to cough. Feeling the oxygen slowly being sucked up from his throat, Fox began leaning towards the ground as well. His vision was blurry, his muscles were numbing...and the images of his life flashed by in a quicker, clearer parade through his head.
He felt them move faster and faster, almost as though they were spiraling around his head like some kind of sick merry-go-round. His past and present, from the first time he remembers seeing the light of day, to going to his first day at the Academy, hearing his father speak for the last time: it swirled through his mind, blurring at the edges.
And then, there was her. The sapphire gaze of Krystal suddenly appeared, and everything else, all reality and fantasy faded to black. His heart, barely thriving on the lacking oxygen, still soared deep in his chest as the image of Krystal came closer. But, just as quickly as she came, she disappeared.
Fox made a fist, eyes squeezed shut. That couldn't be the last time he saw her. A figment of her, nothing more than a recreation from his own thoughts, was not to be the last thing that flashed through his mind. This was not how it was supposed to end.
Though his senses were still clouded, he somehow made out something resembling footsteps come closer and closer to the panel. A resounding explosion echoed through the room, but Fox didn't hear anything for a few seconds as the blast forced him back a few feet. Somehow holding his balance, he saw one of the guards – the one who had watched Wolf – standing where the wall once stood.
Wolf began coughing, "Pax. Wha-"
"Come on!" Pax interrupted him, gesturing towards the two canines. "Wanna get out of this hellhole or not?" Without a word in response, Wolf followed the guard. Fox stumbled forward, than turned back to see General Pepper still knocked out on the ground.
Fox concentrated on keeping the room as still as possible, and shakily approached the unconscious General. Weakly gripping the lapel of the hound's official military jacket, he mustered up as much strength as his arms would allow and dragged the General forward.
Gasping for breath, Fox finally managed to get to the hole. It had only been a distance of about a dozen yards, but to Fox it felt like countless miles. Three seconds between releasing the General and collapsing to the ground. It was then he saw X, awake and tinted red with fury glowing in his eyes, Wolf snarling back at him, and Pax with a knife in his chest, spilling blood like a ruby waterfall cascading to the ground.
It took another two seconds for the familiar blackness to take over.
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Though to Fox it felt like an eternity, his stay in the realm of darkness was considerably short. About forty seconds after he blacked out, his subconscious came flooding back to him. He heard faint grunting, growing louder as the seconds ticked by. Soon he found the strength to open his eyes, and his hazy vision cleared to a bittersweet scene.
Pax, the hero for about two seconds, lay dead on the ground; the scent of blood radiated from his still form. Against the wall, a much more satisfactory scene met Fox's gaze. X was gasping for breath, but his windpipe was blocked by Wolf's paw. Two claws were digging into the tiger's neck, oozing blood, and Wolf was muttering something in the cat's ear, and they sounded like death threats to Fox's reviving ears.
As feeling began to flow into him, so did the cries of his exhausted muscles. He gritted his teeth, somehow fighting off the screams of his limbs and slowly standing. As soon as he did, his empty lungs eagerly gulped in oxygen.
Wolf turned, seeing Fox stand. "Oh, great. You're up." He tilted his head towards the struggling cat. "Got anything to say to him?" The lupine then stepped on the cat's tail, making X's face contort into one of extreme pain as tears rolled down his cheeks.
Fox nodded, relieved at getting enough strength back to walk up to X. His green-tinted eyes met with the gold one of the insane feline. Fox's eyes narrowed, and he turned away. Anger coursed through him, and it seemed to flow into his leg. A snarl formed on his muzzle. He clenched his fists, turning his head to the side to look at Wolf. "Move," he whispered, listening for Wolf's step back.
Not a word passed Fox's lips as he pivoted and sent his foot into X's face with a force he didn't even realize he possessed. He heard bone crack as X's neck snapped to the side, and watched the consciousness fade from the tiger's eye. As the cat collapsed, Fox looked over to Wolf. "When he wakes up...kill him if you want. I'm gonna look for radar, a communicator...something."
Turning on his heel, Fox gave a small smile at the look of glee that had appeared in Wolf's eyes. Sure, he proved to be a valuable ally, but some things about Wolf O'Donnell would never change.
Busting open random doors, Fox grew impatient. "Where the hell is it?" he muttered, opening up the next door. "Bingo," he sighed. A control room illuminated by computer screens stood before him. He searched the room, looking for ways to contact the outside world.
His eyes drifted over an interesting phrase: Intruder Prevention. It showed a map of the base and the area around it, with different pink arrows scattered around. His mind thought back to the stray laser that had sent him spiraling to the ground. He quickly went through the options, selecting 'abort'. The pink arrows disappeared, leaving Fox half satisfied. He continued searching for a method of communication, finally locating a device similar to the one on the Great Fox. He sent out a scan, hoping he'd finally hear the familiar voices of the crew he felt he'd been separated from for years. But then he blinked, playing that time span back in his mind. It had only a few days. Dramatic blood loss really could mess up you up like that.
His prayers were answered as a transmission seemed to go through. A encrypted message scrolled onto his screen, stating that the message was from the Great Fox. It asked to state his name and position, and of course threatened to take him out if he proved hostile. Fox grinned. Same old cautious Peppy.
Fox opened up an audio with his team members, even though he highly doubted they'd accept his call. So he was most surprised when his call went through and Peppy's voice echoed through the control room. "This is Peppy Hare of Team Starfox. State your name and position."
Fox never thought he'd be so ecstatic hearing Peppy's voice. Even without seeing him, Peppy's fatherly nature was evident in his voice. Fox's grin widened.
"This is Fox McCloud," he responded.
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The computer screens faded to black as the door slammed closed. Fox turned and dashed back the way he came, a feeling closely resembling happiness within him that he hadn't felt since...he couldn't even remember. But now he had a good reason to be elated. He found his team, and they were coming. He had found home.
"Wolf, I got in contact wi-" Fox skidded to a stop as the words faded from his mind. Wolf stood there, his breaths coming out ragged and heavy. Blood dripped from his claws, and crimson streaks decorated his silver fur. But it wasn't Wolf's disheveled state that Fox immediately noticed.
Sprawled out on the ground, X lay without any metal covers adorning him. The gray-pink, rotting flesh oozed a gruesome mixture of puss and blood that coated the striped fur of the insane cat. Small punctures from Wolf's claws – and possibly his fangs – created a stream of red that flowed down the cat's neck. But it was the unnatural angle of the cat's head that caused Fox to wrinkle up his muzzle in disgust. While the tiger's body lay flat on the ground, his lifeless eyes were parallel to the ground, as his head was disturbingly twisted to the side.
Fox crossed his arms and slowly shook his head, rolling his eyes at the blood-soaked lupine. "You really can't help yourself, can you?" he sighed, looking back at the mangled feline's lifeless form. Though the defeat of this insane adversary was supposed to be a victory, inside Fox found himself feeling empty.
He looked back at Wolf. "So. Want out of here?"
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I'm a horrible person. I don't even want to think about how long it's been since I posted. And I'm deeply sorry for that. Next chapter's the epilogue, so I'll put in mentions and stuff later. But, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to KrzyKrn K and Foxkong, for pushing me to keep going. I owe you guys, big time. As for everyone else – read and review! You know, before it all ends. =) P.S. I kinda rushed the end, feel free to ignore it. Okay, later!