A/N: Yo everybody, this is a great week for me. I've gotten up a chapter of this story, Chains of Fate 2, and Second Chances. Plus for the first time in months I'll have another chapter ready for Tails's Luck 2. ^_^ At least for right now writer's block goes bye bye. So enjoy the chapters, and I'll be back soon with more of 'em...
The Footsteps in the Darkness ~ SkullFox
Frag the weak hurdle the dead ~ Mykll
Chapter 9: War…
The white furred vixen had expected Reiko to show up at least some time that night; she was slowly becoming more and more irate. However, the young feline that stayed with her had a habit of being able to calm her down in even the most intense situations. She was always happy that the pink Zonessian was nearby, even shortly after first meeting her, Katt seemed to simply be a very lively spirit that Krystal found very easy to get along with…even if the vixen had never actually admitted it, she held the feline in close regard as a sister of sorts. She was glad enough that the small room that the two had chosen to stay in was plenty big enough, and the motel was located in very close proximity to a small restaurant making food easy enough to come by. However, Katt still found Krystal sitting at the small table in the room that gave her a good view of the small patch of city outside the motel…
"Is the newer you always this paranoid?" Katt chuckled as she made her way to the table.
Krystal sighed, "I've been though some rough times since that night Katt." She replied, "You weren't around; neither was anyone else. I was afraid of going to Lucy; they'd just track me down and kill her too. So I did what Fox had always told me to do if something like this were to happen. I ran to Sauria and hid my ship and myself until I thought I might be safe." She said looking to herself, "This all just happened."
Katt sighed, "I think Fox would be proud of you. Seeing what you've done for yourself."
Krystal sighed as she stared out the window, "I miss him, Katt." She said, "I dream about him almost every night. I never told anyone this but; I…I really liked him. Actually I think…..I was falling in love with him."
The feline didn't really respond to the vixen's confession…
"It felt strange being around him after he saved my life," She said, "I felt like I could hardly say a word around him without worrying that he'd think I was strange or something. It's not fair that I never actually got to tell him how I felt." She sighed, "I guess that's why I came after you guys so hard. I still can't believe that I've been after the wrong people this whole time."
Katt patted the vixen on the shoulder, "Krystal it's not your fault…and it never was. Andrew and the rest of his little crew did this, and they're the ones that have to pay for it."
…Home, Wraith hideout…
Reiko sighed as he walked into the place; there was little to no chance of anyone finding the place, the Wraiths had bases otherwise called Homes in every corner of what used to be the Trinity Accord. This place was located under a nearby hotel, whose owner was a long time supporter of the Wraiths. There were many people like the owner here that decided to help the Wraiths in any way they could, then again they were the primary source of animals that actually knew of their existence past a rough rumor or two…
The dark furred coyote slowly found a seat on a large sofa; he was certain that this was the most well done home he'd seen in some time. There was a large, leather sofa, a fairly large station for Lucy's command center in a corner of the room, and a decently large kitchen, as well as several small rooms, though clearly not enough of them for Reiko's team. It was as he sat there that Reiko looked over to the pink furred hare sitting at her computer desk that he finally exhaled irritated through his nose…
"Have you found him yet?" He asked.
Lucy's rapid typing instantly drew to a halt, "No…" She said lowering her head, "…he turned off his tracer and his communicator." She sighed, "You shouldn't have been so hard on him Reiko. You and Creed are the only two he's opened up to; you're the only two he actually trusts…"
"That's where you're wrong…" Reiko replied under his breath.
"What was that?" Lucy asked.
"Nothing…" Reiko Replied, "…what about Creed, is he out there?"
"Yes…" The young lapin responded with a sigh, "…but, I haven't heard from him in hours. Ever since he landed anyhow. The last signal I got from Seven's ship showed that he was landing on Zoness's only moon. I also tracked a large portion of Andrew's main crew there. Creed landed just over an hour ago."
"So it's safe to assume that Seven is there then…" Reiko pointed out, "…good."
Lucy leaned back in her seat, "I really miss everyone back home; I hope Seven understand how much I appreciate what he did for Katt and me. If it wasn't for him I'd be lonely and dead. Where is Katt anyhow? Is she on a mission?"
Reiko sighed, "No, she's…" He paused for a moment debating with himself whether to tell her or not, "…she's with an old friend."
Lucy sat up looking to him contently, "Really!" She half shouted, "Someone Katt knows?"
"Yeah…you know her too." He replied.
This time Lucy stood up and made her way to the coyote as he looked to the ground, "Who?"
Reiko thought for a moment, "About five foot two, nice figure…blue fur."
Lucy couldn't believe her ears, "Wait. Are you telling me that you guys found Krystal?" She asked, "Where was she? Is she alright? Why didn't she come looking for anyone after the atta…"
Reiko held up a paw, "Lucy…geez calm down and take a seat." He said causing her to sit next to him, "First off she's been here in Lylat the whole time, in hiding…sort of. Secondly she found us, cause she was hunting us down…"
Lucy instantly held her paw over her mouth, "Kursed?"
"Yeah…" Reiko replied, "…she thought we killed McCloud and the others that night. According to her the guy that was inside the building was dressed like one of us. McCloud had apparently always told her to run if something should happen to him."
"Why would he do something like that?"
Reiko sighed, "Think about it Luce." He said, "She just joins the team, then this happens. Who's the first person everyone would blame?" He asked, "The outsider. So given that she lived, the best possible means for her to stay out of a public execution would be for her to get lost."
Lucy chuckled a bit to herself wiping a tear from her eye, "Fox…he really had it all planned out didn't he?"
Reiko chuckled, "Yeah looks like it. She says she wants to join us now…" He said, "…what do you think I should do?"
Lucy's expression turned serious, "I see. You don't know whether or not you can trust her because of all the people she's hurt." She pointed out getting a light nod in return, "Reiko…we've always trusted you and so did the others. This seems like one big misunderstanding though…I know what you think, but, Katt and I both know her…if she says she wants to help you, then she does. She doesn't lie; I don't think she's capable of it."
Reiko sighed, "Fine. I'll bring her here; I just hope you and Katt know what the hell you two are talking about." He said standing up and heading out of the room, "Just keep an ear out for Creed."
…...Zoness…...
Creed had spent hours searching for Seven, as the locator that all the Wraiths wore was not completely being accurate at the time. That however eventually stopped impeding the large fox's success as he entered a narrow alleyway. The signal was strongest near where he was, yet he couldn't see anything resembling his team mate. Suddenly a dark figure fell from the rooftops crashing into a small mess of metal trash bins; Creed hesitantly approached the mass of destroyed cans, only to activate his communicator…
The vulpine sighed, "Reiko…Eight was right, he's here."
"Is he with you?" Reiko's voice came back over the communicator.
Creed looked down to the beaten, bloody, and otherwise ravaged animal that lay there among the ruined trash bins. His robes were tattered and bloody, and he seemed to have trouble breathing…
"More or less…yeah." He replied.
Reiko growled, "Let me talk to him."
Creed sighed, "There's a slight chance that he can't really talk to you right now." He replied, "He's in a pretty bad way right now. Looks like someone beat the hell of him. Funny though, I've never seen him like this before…"
"Get him back here as soon as possible then." Reiko replied.
Creed sighed as he lifted the injured animal off the ground and onto his shoulders, before what felt like a bullet ricocheted off the metal of his left arm. Causing the large fox to duck back behind a Dumpster…
"Fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK!" He swore at himself flipping his communicator on, "Reiko I've got a problem here." He half shouted flipping the trash bin into the air causing it to rain down on the small group of animal's that had initially shot at him, "Looks like Andrew's men know I'm here. I'm headed to the Zoness home…hopefully there's someone here on a mission already that can help me out of here. If not I'm gonna need you to send someone."
Suddenly another shot grazed the animal's right leg and as he dodged around a corner a single soldier seemed to be waiting with a small group behind him. Creed quickly reached out taking the animal by the back of the neck as he had attempted to run at the sight of the huge fox; who held him into the line of fire as his friends let a hailstorm of lead off in Creed's direction, causing his new shield to squirm and scream with each searing round that plunged into his body before Creed lobbed the corpse into the small front of animals who toppled over from the force of the body slamming into them. As Creed kept running the large animal realized that the soldiers on his tail were gaining on him, he admitted that he was larger than other foxes but, he was none to light on his feet. It was unfortunate that the animal suddenly found himself at the center of a bridge with a group of the soldiers to his right or left who all slowly moved in holding their sights on his vitals…
"Alright just put him down and get on the ground…" One of the soldiers demanded, "…this doesn't have to get any bloodier than it already is."
Creed scoffed, "Yeah right…" He replied, "…any worthless fuck willing to sell out to the walking piece of shit Andrew, is someone I can't trust."
"What are you gonna do then?" The animal asked
Creed chuckled, "Allow me to answer that with another question…" He replied, "Don't you bastards just love how silent modern day trains are?" He asked hopping backward off the bridge.
Creed's feet instantly slipped from beneath his body causing him to roll over the side of the train car he'd landed on, barely managing to catch Seven by the scruff of his robes, while sinking his metallic fingers into the roof of the car…
"Good thing you're not awake right now." He called out to his friend, "Or that could have been really embarrassing." He said looking to the soldiers, "SO LONG ASSHOLES!"
Creed quickly pulled himself up onto the roof of the train car, laying Seven on his back. He realized how deep Seven had dug them into this time. Usually it was Katt or Reiko getting them into trouble. The large vulpine simply sighed; at least there wasn't anyone to shoot at him this time…
…...Xenass, Red Rose Motel…...
Krystal had finally settled down it seemed, and oddly enough actually taken advantage of the motel's room service, that is after hearing that Reiko would be covering all costs. Katt was astounded by how much the vixen was actually eating, and still managing to keep her figure. Then again she'd noticed that the vixen always had a very healthy appetite…
"You know…" Katt said looking to the vixen from across the room, "…you sure can eat for a girl with your figure."
Krystal sighed as she finished off a small bit of ham, "Cerinians burn more energy than your everyday Lylatian. Beltino explained it to me when he was studying my blood. Apparently the properties that make it possible for me to use my abilities. He said that every time I used some sort of ability, my body exerted more and more energy…" She said taking a long drink from what Katt was fairly certain was a soda of some kind, "…it doesn't take as much energy as it used to but, it still takes quite a bit out of me. It's why I was so tired after fighting that big friend of yours."
Katt chuckled, "Yeah. I'm sure Creed didn't take that too well."
Krystal sighed, "So. What's the deal with you and Reiko?"
Katt's eyes went wide before she glared at the vixen, "What the hell are you implying Krystal?"
The pale furred vixen sighed, "Don't give me that. I've seen the way you look at him, and need I remind you?" She asked tapping her claw against her forehead.
Katt sighed sitting that the small table that sat near the window of the small room, "What do you want from me?"
"I want the same thing you wanted when you pestered me all those years ago about how I felt about Fox."
Katt sighed, "Okay…yes. I think he's handsome, strong, a bit hardheaded and obnoxious sometimes but…"
Krystal sighed, "But…he treats you the way you wish Falco had. Like a person and not a liability?"
Katt lowered her head as she looked out the window, "Yeah."
Krystal shook her head, "You know I always told you that you could do a lot better than Falco." She chuckled, "By spitting out that window." She said, "I knew he was a womanizer before I even knew what the word meant. He might have been a decent enough person when you were all in high school but, people change…for him he changed for the worst."
Katt looked to the floor, "Yeah…I know. I guess I always sort of saw it. I just kept lying to myself. Telling myself that he'd go back to the way he was, but…"
The feline paused for a moment before placing a paw over her right ear, "WHAT!" She shouted, "No I understand I'll tell her."
Krystal looked a bit confused at the feline, "Tell me what?"
Katt stood up and headed for the door, "We have to leave right now." She said, "Reiko says he'll talk to you at the hanger in star port 15."
"Why are we meeting him there?" The vixen asked following Katt to the door.
Katt looked back to the white furred vixen, "Creed and Seven are both in a lot of trouble. It'll be hard for any of us to get to the planet. Reiko wants your help. He said that if you help us now, he'll help you…despite what happened with the others you killed."
Though doubtful, the white furred vixen followed the feline out of the hotel, making their way through the streets until they arrived at the dock where they'd birthed their own ship. It was there that Kursed looked to a dark gray furred coyote that stood near a small black transport vessel, who made his way toward the two of them. He looked to the vixen, which simply stared back into his eyes for a moment, showing that there would never be an ounce of fear or intimidation that he would ever pass through her; before looking to Katt. Kursed thought for a moment as she looked to the feline; Katt was refusing to look the canine in the eyes with her head turned to one side and her gaze glued to the cold floor of the hanger. She even jumped a bit as his paw touched her shoulder…
"You really worried us. You know?" He said causing her to look up at him, "Do me a favor. Never run off like that again?" He said turning to the vixen, "Krystal right?"
"Kursed…" The vixen replied, "…only my friends call me Krystal."
Reiko sighed, "Fair enough. I guess we're not what I'd call friends."
"You tried to kill me." Kursed pointed out.
Reiko shook his head, "Can you honestly blame me? After everything you did to us, do you really think that I had no right whatsoever to attack you when I was certain you were attacking Katt?"
Kursed looked away, "This isn't getting us anywhere."
"Right…" Reiko replied, "…the point is. We are the same; every single problem in our lives was caused by one small group of people. Andrew and his little fucking crew of loyal boot lickers…and right now I have two very important men on Zenass that are going to die very soon if I don't get down there and help them."
"Then why do you need me? Someone you can't even trust." Kursed asked.
Reiko sighed, "Listen. I understand that you want McCloud's killers' heart on a silver platter." He said, "Believe it or not so do I. Without him Creed and I never would have made it out of Andrew's little prison when he turned on us. It's funny, we planned on turning on him first…we were false double agents working for the Cornerian council, but, shit got deep. We had to react as quickly as possible and in the end…Andrew just proved to be a better strategist than we were." He said, "I need you, because you have been the first one to kill one of them in the past two years. You can read minds and manipulate thoughts, plus you took down Creed without getting yourself killed. That's gotta count for something."
Kursed looked to Katt, then to Reiko, before finally looking to her ship and activating her personal communicator, "Lin…you can come out of there now."
It only took a minute or so before the gangplank lowered allowing the young panda to walk out before it retracted closing off the only entrance to the ship. She quickly made her way over to the three in the middle of the place. Krystal pulled the young panda out in front of her placing her paws on Lin's shoulders…
"I'll go with you…but, Katt informed me that Lucy Hare is with you…"
Reiko looked to Katt before looking back to the vixen, "Yeah she is."
"Call her here and have her take Lin someplace safe." Kursed responded, "Then we can leave."
Reiko sighed, "Alright then." He said looking to a small communicator of his own, "Eight, get to the hanger at Emmerson and 33rd. I've got a job for you."
It wasn't long before the pink furred lapin showed up to retrieve the panda; she took her time to hug greet her old friend, and express her distaste for the plain color she'd dyed her once sapphire blue fur. It was a brief reunion
