"All right, team," Fox McCloud addressed his team. They were currently in Venomian airspace in their new flagship, the Superior Fox. Fox, Wolf, Lucy and Leon, were currently in pursuit of a reptilian geneticist known as Kirthmore who was using his research to create a horde of monsters known as Krelzyns, that were genetic hybrids of various species found amongst the planets of the Lylat system. His goal was clear. Use these monsters and some illegal weaponry to force the other planets under is rule.
The team had taken out most of the threats on the other planets on the way. It was like he had stolen Andross' playbook and decided to copy almost everything, even making his base on Venom, the planet furthest from Corneria and thereby the planet least likely to face the Cornerian Army in combat. They had been assigned to the mission by General Hare, leader of the Cornerian forces, with full confidence in their ability to deal with the problem.
"For this mission, we'll be taking Leo's modified Landmasters. DEVIN, bring up the image," he gently ordered.
"Right away, sir." the AI system responded. The image of the Landmaster in question seemed like the same old thing.
"We'll use tank mode to make our way to the surface, as soon as we reach Venom soil, we'll switch to PRIMAL mode," Fox continued to explain.
PRIMAL mode was a configuration designed by Leonard himself. It took the Landmaster and gave it two forms. Tank mode, which allowed for major canon fire and extreme durability and balance was the original configuration. In PRIMAL mode, the tanks transformed and took the form of what Panther would look like if he ran on his hands and feet. It allowed for graceful and quicker movements and more physical based attack rather than ammunition. It was astounding to watch in action.
"Our satellite signals have confirmed that he's lying in waiting for us. We have to get in there and take care of this guy once and for all." Fox finished.
"Well, how about the three of us launch an aerial assault. That'll give you the cover you need in order to get in there and take care of business." Wolf proposed.
"Hm, you're right. All right, good plan. Any other suggestions?"
"Nope, I'm just ready to get this done and get home!" Lucy said punching her hand. The girl's bloodlust was a bit of a concern.
"No, Mr. McC-Fox, sir." Leonard stuttered out. After almost a year of being on the team, he still was so uptight and professional. It was driving Wolf crazy.
"Alright. DEVIN, ready three Arwings and a Landmaster for takeoff." he commanded and the ship's system sprung into action. "OK team, this is it. We ready to kick some tail?"
Everyone whooped and cheered. "Star Fox, prepare to launch!" They all ran towards the hangar and hopped in their respective vehicles. Wolf pulled Fox in for a kiss before he climbed into his Landmaster.
"Don't get reckless, pup. You and me still got a wedding to go to." he winked pointing at his engagement ring.
"Of course. Try not to miss me too much." he joked. They entered their machines.
"All vehicles prepped for launch. Arwing G-Diffuser systems are at maximum operation. Launch sequence initiated." DEVIN announced over the loudspeaker. "Good luck team and I wish you a safe return."
With that the Arwings shot out of the hangar and the Superior Fox made its descent to launch the Landmaster from a safe height.
By the time, Fox made it into the atmosphere, his teammates were already engaging the enemy. He watched as the aircraft known as Arwings bobbed and weaved gracefully through the sky and took down enemy after enemy.
"Fox here, making final descent. I'm heading straight to the lair." he said, engaging PRIMAL mode. The treads spread out and the transformation began. The cockpit transitioned from Fox sitting in a chair to him lying on his belly with his arms at the controls. Fully prepped and with a gang of enemies making his way to his location, Fox sped off and engaged them in battle.
After fighting off literally hundreds of the Krelzyns, Fox finally approached the base. He patched himself through to his teams' comm links and let them know he was off to face Kirthmore himself.
"Alright team, hold them off for just a bit longer. I'm going in."
"Be careful, sir!" Leonard said. "I look forward to playing you once more in holo-chess."
"You got it, Leo." he smirked.
"Don't forget, we're going tux shopping when this is all done!" Lucy practically sang into her comm.
"How could I possibly forget?" he chuckled.
"Don't die." Wolf plainly said.
"You either." he snorted and blasted through the walls of the base. He leapt out of his Landmaster and whipped out his blaster, preparing for any and all attacks. He saw the reptile standing in front of a giant tank with wires inside.
"So, I'm being stopped by the great Fox McCloud, am I?" Kirthmore hissed, not turning to make eye contact with Fox.
"As if there was ever any doubt. What no speech about how I'll never take you alive or if you go down you're taking me with you?"
"I've no need for idle threats, Mr. McCloud. I'm surrendering."
"Is that so? Well why not turn around so I can see that pretty face?"
"As you wish..." His tail suddenly jerked and pressed a button. Guns attached to the ceiling began to fire directly at Fox, who quickly took cover behind one of the scientist's work benches. The flurry of lasers served as a perfect distraction as Kirthmore took the opportunity to grab Fox by the throat with his tail and hold him above the ground.
"You'd actually thought you'd won? Silly boy." he picked up the blaster and aimed it at the asphyxiating Fox. "Oh I do love to see you struggle." he smirked.
"D-Do you now?" Fox tapped his wrist communicator and it began to glow light blue. Suddenly a blade shot out and sliced Kirthmore's tail almost in half, freeing Fox. Fox fell to the ground and began to catch his breath.
"AAAARGH!" the evil scientist screamed in agony. He fired a shot at Fox who got out of the way, but just barely. He was hit in the shoulder. Fox rolled under the nearest bench and ripped off his sleeve and tied it to the wound. He then turned and found a pipe on the ground. He jumped out from behind the bench and launched an assault on the wounded lizard. He knocked the blaster out of his hand and the two fought, each dancing around the other like a game of cat and mouse.
Their fight led them closer to the vat that Kirthmore was standing in front of when Fox came in. The closer he came to the vat, the harder Kirthmore fought. He used the pipe to trip the lizard, then picked him up by his feet and threw him across the room. He then pulled out a sensor bomb and held it in front of the vat.
"Whatever's in here must mean a lot to you. I wonder what would happen if I put this bomb here..."
"NO! That's my greatest work!"
"Is it?"
"You can't do this! He's perfect!"
"He?"
"That's none of your business, mutt!" he hissed, but calmed down as Fox moved the bomb closer.
"It may not be...but I'm curious. I mean, I'd like to know more about what I'm going to destroy before I do. Makes for a better drinking story to tell later, y'know. So enlighten me."
"...He's the perfect warrior. Advanced strength, psychic abilities, ability to absorb and distribute energy at will, but most importantly, a clean slate. His mind is mine for the programming. He is the ultimate creation!"
"Hm, cool story, bro. Soooo...I'm gonna blow it up now, 'kay?"
"You really are an idiot. If you set that bomb off here, you'll kill us all!"
"Oh this? No, I'm not using this." Fox said. He then slammed his fist through the glass. The sustaining liquid began to pour out.
"NOOOO!" The scientist yelled and made one final lunge for Fox. Fox grabbed a shard of the now broken glass and slashed across the lizard's stomach. Kirthmore just gurgled in pain and writhed on the floor until he bled to death.
Fox turned back around and was about to continue to smash whatever was inside the machine, when he heard...a baby crying? He looked down and saw something he hadn't expected.
At the bottom of the now empty vat was a wailing baby white tiger cub. Fox carefully approached the baby and gently touched the wet fur. Before he knew it, he was stroking it's fur and the crying began to cease.
"This is the ultimate soldier?" he whispered to himself as he picked up the infant. He cradled the baby out of sheer instinct and held it close to his uninjured shoulder. "Hey there, tough guy. You're not so bad are ya?" he cooed.
"Ya all right in there, pup?" Wolf called through his communicator.
"Y-Yeah...everything's good here." He looked over at the dead scientist. "Mission Accomplished." he declared.
"Well, it's about time. How's the Landmaster? Can you make it back?"
"Yeah, I can make it." He looked down at the baby in his arms. He couldn't very well leave it there and the kid was already growing on him. "I'm actually bringing back a surprise."
"You wanna WHAT?!" Wolf yelled.
"You heard me. I want to keep him. We'd make good parents." Fox said.
"Have you LOST YOUR MIND?! That thing was created in a test tube to be the utlimate weapon of evil!"
"No, he was created to be TRAINED to be the ultimate weapon of evil. We can raise him, show him right from wrong, have him on our side. Do you know how much of an asset he'd be if even half of what Kirthmore said is true? Besides...I've always thought about s starting a family."
"Yeah, in a few years after we retired from our ultra dangerous jobs!"
"Well, what if...I did want to retire?"
"Fox, you just got this new team of Star Fox up and running last year, you can't give that up for some creature you've grown attatched to!"
"Ok so I won't retire...but come on, it's not often we get a job like this past one. We spend most of our time at home anyway."
"And what if another threat appears, hmm? A threat that they need Star Fox for?"
"Who knows when or IF that'll happen?! We are mercenaries. We take over for what the military is either too busy or too outmatched to handle. That's pretty rare."
"But it's happened. What if something does happens and one or BOTH of us don't survive? We both know what it's like to lose parents at a young age."
"You think sending him away to a 'normal' family would be any better? He's not normal! He's got gifts, talents, and abilities that sometime in the distant future should we need them would be more than helpful."
"Fox, this isn't going to work! You know it's not."
"Funny, I remember being told the same thing about us, but we did all right. I remember hearing the same thing when I restarted Star Fox after my dad died...did alright then too."
"This is different!"
"Why?!"
"Because I can't be a father! That's a lot of pressure to just spring on me all of a sudden. This isn't a decision you just make and you're just ok with."
"I've made decisions like this before. Even knowing all of the risks I choose to believe that somehow it'll work out. This little guy...no one can do a better job of teaching him right from wrong that us. With what we've gone through, separately and together, who would make better teachers than us?"
"Yeah, but Fox..."
"I don't want to have to choose between you and the chance to become a father. I know this is a lot to take in, I understand that. I'm nervous about what's to come too, but when it comes right down to it, I know that this is the right thing to do."
Wolf stayed silent for a long time. He paced back and forth and thought about everything. Sure, he could just give up and call the wedding off and break everything off with Fox, but where would that leave him? Alone. He loved Fox with everything he had, was that enough to raise a child together? Financially, not even an issue. Even if they stopped working that very minute they'd be set for the rest of their lives. Their lives would utlimately be changed. No more making plans for just the two of them, now there would be a baby...a baby to change, a baby to feed, a baby to console when it was crying.
A baby to make laugh...a baby to teach the ways of the world...a baby to love.
He was 30 years old now. He was about to get married anyway and if Fox was right about the kid's powers, their lives would be anything but boring.
Wolf finally exhaled and stared Fox in the eyes, then looked down at the sleeping cub in his arms. Fox just looked so right cradling a baby, as if he'd done it his whole life.
"This has got to be the craziest, most foolish thing you've ever done, pup," he started, "...and I guess, I'm just as crazy as you are." he grumbled.
Fox's face lit up like the sun. "Crazy is good. Keeps you on your toes."
"But you're changing all the diapers, ya got it?"
Fox just chuckled. "OK, OK, so what do you say we make it official. What'll we call the little guy?"
They both looked at the child, trying to get a sense of a good name. Wolf came up with an idea.
"Why not name him after our fathers?" he suggested.
"'Maddox James...', I like it. What about the last name?"
"Uh..." Then it dawned on them that they hadn't really discussed who would be taking whose last name.
"We'll hyphenate." Fox declared.
"O'Donnell-McCloud?" Wolf asked.
"McCloud-O'Donnell." Fox corrected. "I think it sounds better that way. Boy, it's a mouthful, isn't it?
"Yeah, but I suppose we'll have to get used to it, Mr. McCloud-O'Donnell".
"Indeed we do, Mr. McCloud-O'Donnell." Fox replied.