A/N: Hello everyone! Sorry for the SUPER long wait for this chapter but its finally up! Also, I wasn't really feeling ok with this chapters direction so comment if you like it now or if you think it needs revising, Enjoy!
2: Old Friends
Fox was gazing over the countless assorted vehicles gliding in several lines going every which way over Corneria City, his face lying against the translucent glass of the Falco's small flying car. He was completely exhausted, the press conference after the race was tiring enough, then he and Falco had to attend an after party. Fox sighed and turned his face so that he was observing Falco. He was keeping his eyes planted straight, not daring to look away from the vehicles in front of them. Fox turned his head back to look over the city, and he fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.
"Fox! Hey, Fox! Wake yourself up", Falco was clapping in front of Fox's face, causing Fox to suddenly wake, not knowing what was going on around him. "W-What is it Falco", Fox yawned and rubbed his eyes. "C'mon buddy, were at the spaceport", Falco said as he wrapped his arms around Fox's and helped him up. Fox stood up and yawned again, he was still tired from everything that happened that day. Falco had already started towards the entrance to the spaceport and Fox followed suit. They continued down a long corridor, blue and white light illuminated the silver walls and floor. Fox could hear Falco press something which made a beep sound. "Hey, we just pulled in, can you get someone to store my Flyer while were away? Alright, thanks. Yeah, we will be there soon. See ya then", Falco had re-pressed the button down, but this time causing a microphone to retract back into the headset Flaco refused to remove. "Who was that", Fox asked. Falco only smiled as he entered a certain code he must have memorized after years of use, because he never looked away from Fox. "Hey. wait a second. This isn't the main entrance to the spaceport", Fox was now half-awake and could at least recognize a few things. "You don't say? Well, me and the rest of StarFalco have rented this lot when we came by Corneria", Falco was still smiling and still watching Fox when the door behind him quickly opened. "You said, you and the rest of StarFalco are here", Fox inquired as they entered a form of elevator. "Top", Falco said and caused the elevator to move. Fox sighed at Flaco's silence over his question.
The elevator had slowed to a halt, opened its doors and revealed a very large hangar that overlooked the ocean beside Corneria City. "Wow, you guys must really be loaded", Fox said as he peered upwards wide-eyed. "Yeah, we are the richest group of people over at Venom and fourth richest in Lylat", Falco chuckled and walked forward and Fox once again followed suit. "Aren't you guys forgetting something", a lighter toned, female voice came from behind Fox and Falco. Fox turned his head in no surprise back towards the wall, and said, "Hey Katt".
"Hey, Fox", Katt had responded and proceeded to hug Fox, whom hugged back. "Yeah, yeah. You two got your chance to say hi, where is Dash", Falco asked. Katt let go of Fox and came over to Falco and repeated the same thing. "Nice to see you, too Falco", Katt said and tightened her grip on him. Falco released his hands and lightly pulled her arms away from him. "He is in orbit with the ship", Katt had pointed behind her to emphasize his absence, "I'll call him down when you two are ready to go". Fox and Falco exchanged glances, "Sure, bring him down", Fox said, and with that Katt had reached into her left pocket on the tight, faded blue skinny jeans she was wearing. She removed a small silver, diamond shaped object from her pocket and held it in her hand. "Oh yeah, Dash wanted me to tell you Fox that he wants you to come and see his new place back at Venom, I must say, it is very worthwhile", Katt had encouraged as she turned and walked towards the tan and heavily waxed wall of the hangar, only turning back around to signal Fox and Falco to follow her. Fox took one last look up at the gigantic room before he felt his legs move in the same direction Katt and Falco were heading.
There were several stairs that jutted from the wall, all tan and enclosed between twin railings, one was a half-wall to the left and the other was just a rail that was attached to the large back wall of the hangar by small hinges. At the top of the ascension was a cozy, and compact control center. Several holographic and monitor screens were scattered throughout the room, which overlooked most of the hangar, and Katt hap plopped herself on a comfy seat with a large sigh. Fox was still standing, but Falco had also taken advantage of another seat right beside Katt, kicking his feet on top of a monitor and putting his hands behind his neck. "Sit down Fox! Dash isn't going to be here for about another thirty minutes, make yourself comfortable", Falco said without making eye contact with Fox, he just slowly shut his eyes and attempted to drift off. Katt was watching the monitors, their screens blank due to no ship being in the dock, they only presented a blue button with green letters that read "Enable Gravity Lock". Katt turned to meet Foxes' eyes, smiled, and then turned back to face the hangar. Fox put his right hand on a seat that faced ninety degrees away from the rest, it overlooked the stairway they had just climbed up. Fox sat down and lied back in his seat. He was not prepared to fall asleep again, but their wasn't much to talk about or do. All Fox could do was think, and think, and think.
Falco had removed his headset, and he twirled it in his hands. Katt had fallen asleep, her cheek pressed against the seat, and Fox was now standing up and he watched over the hangar. It had felt like more than thirty minutes and the Great Falcon was nowhere in sight. Fox turned to look over towards Falco, his arms lolling by his sides, "shouldn't Dash be here by now". Falco sighed and set his helmet down on the blank monitors, and he started his ascension from the comforting chair, "Yes, he should be". Fox and Falco both looked over the hangar now, wondering where the ape had got off to now. Falco blinked, something had caught his eye. He maneuvered his head to look directly at a light that shown upon his eye, and he grinned. "Fox, look there", Falco pointed at the light, "that's it". Fox looked directly at the source of the small light, it was coming directly at them. The light had blended in with the stars and moon that had dotted the night sky over the ocean, but it was soon visibly larger than the rest. Falco proceeded to grasp Katt's shoulder and give her a gentle shake, "Katt, wake up. Dash is here". Katt let out a somewhat muffled moan and opened her eyes. She put her hand on Falco's right arm and grasped tightly to pull herself up, and she was soon standing just inches away from Falco. "Come on! He'll enter the hangar soon", Fox said, he was waiting on the top stair. "Right. Katt, stay up here and wait to engage the Gravity Locks", Falco had gestured towards the inviting blue and green button on the middle monitor. Katt nodded, and Falco walked over to the staircase to join Fox.
The light in the distance was replaced with a absolutely colossal, dark green and silver ship that dwarfed everything else in the hangar. The twin wings contracted inward as the ship approached, allowing more clearance between it and the walls of the tan room. Soon, almost all of the light didn't reach the ground and was replaced by a massive and gigantic dark shadow. "Oh", Fox gulped and stared up, almost falling backwards, "my". "Alright Katt, enable the Gravity Locks", Falco turned to look up at the small control center in which Katt resided. She had heard and reacted, initiating the Gravity Locks by pressing the button in front of her. Several large doors within the wall opened and revealed large and circular clamps that extended towards the ship. The ship came to a sudden halt as the several large clamps began to emanate a strong faded blue, the gravity locks suspended the massive craft in air.
Fox had heard a mechanical drone coming from the bottom of the ship and faced towards it, a large walkway was extruding from the ship towards the ground. Katt ran up to Falco and Fox to join them in greeting the new emperor of Venom and second in command of StarFalco, Dash Bowman. Soon, a large and thick door began to open and shed a new and great bright light over the three who stood at the bottom of the halted walkway. As the light shed became wider, three distinct silhouettes had begun a decent down the walkway and to the hangar, the one it the middle wore a dark grey jacket and thick jacket with large black boots and black pants, it was Dash. The two other men were not recognizable, they had green helmets with a thin orange slice for a visor, the royal guard. The two guards both wore large green capes that scraped against the walkway and both carried staffs. The staffs were both colored a deep black, and extended in a long rod that met at a sleek triangle on the top. within was some form of red crystal. Fox peered at them and thought, 'those look almost exactly like-'
"Fox!", Dash called down to him, causing him to shift his focus. "Dash!"
"You crazy fool, you", Dash said as the two chuckled and shaked hands. "How have you been Dash? I haven't seen you since you left to terraform Venom six years ago", Fox folded his arms but kept his smile. "Well, I've been great! I'm the new emperor of Venom so I get pretty much everything I ask for, but right now, I'm more interested in you. The one who made an impossible comeback during that race, I was watching it up on the bridge! You did absolutely fantastic!", Dash proceeded to fold his arms as well, mimicking Fox but he did not mind. "Yeah, I thought I was a goner for a while, but I pulled through. Yeah", Fox started to lose his smile, "Yeah".
"Well! How about we head on up to the ship!? Fox hasn't seen it yet", Falco clapped loudly so that it echoed through the hangar. "Yes", Dash and Katt said at the same time, and they exchanged glances with each other. Falco put his hand on Fox's shoulder, "they do that sometimes, but anyways, this way oh great Fox". Falco pointed to the large and bright entrance to the ship, and Fox began his ascension into this new and humongous behemoth.