Chapter (III) Estrangement
It was raining there in Coneria.
It was one year, 2147 Earth year since the incident and the Earth Federation discovered who was the culprit of the crime. It was a group of remnants of the Angulars and Aparoids which fled to earth during the Angular Blitz. Knowing Fox and his team will travel to Earth, they attacked them. It was a group even Earth Federation did not know anything about since ALW 6 or Earth year 2142. Although that organization was demolished and the government paid insurance to the two as a help, plus the President gave his deepest regards, the two did not chat too much after that. They felt as if there were a barrier. An invisible, intangible yet strong barrier, forcing the two apart.
Then that day, at the Tempest.
Fox was out to take Krystal back home from work. Fox had been in a depression that time. That he was often late. The glowing sun had lost its brightness. And it dimmed into a candle - not even a candle, but it went to a state so dim, so dim that it just vanished itself. But you still see bits of light coming out.
He saw her standing outside the complex looking at her watch when he finally drove his car to the workplace. A tall skyscraper. Shaped as a triangle when looked from above. When she walked out, she was carrying her purse while going near Fox.
"I'm late...again." Thought he.
"So, you'd expect me to be kept hitting by the cold rain?" Asked Krystal, a bit gross.
Fox then regained his senses. He was daydreaming. Indifference filled his mind.
"Uh, let's go home." Said Fox. Then went in his car. When the two are well seated, he looked back and saw Krystal was not in a good mood either.
"So, how's work?" Said Fox.
"I'd fight in my Arwing than facing these annoying bosses." Said she.
"Alright. Let's go." Said he. As he started up the car's engine, then switched the gearbox to the first gear.
He still couldn't resist the urge looking at her. So he adjusted the rearview mirror, to let himself see her. He saw a beautiful, yet dim figure. They had been very far apart almost a year by now. She had gone to the hospital for half a year after that accident. She was in a coma. At that time, Fox stayed at her side, repeatedly blaming himself for letting Krystal be hurt. Falco, who was working for the Earth Federation as a free agent (for private reasons. He said.), had visited Fox when he was at the Coneria's Central hospital. He brought Fox out for lunch. But he seemed to not wanting to eat anything every time. Since Krystal had been cured, Falco did not visit Fox anymore. Work, play, fun, Fox don't know why he would remain busy. But he did not want to ask. Falco is an avian. And a free avian he should remain. Hyacinth was surprisingly busy. That he did not even write or phoned him. But, like Falco. A free avian Hyacinth should remain. Falco transferred quite a lot of money every month to Fox's account for he stopped working. But he said that it was mainly from Hyacinth who paid the most. For he mentioned: "I will not hesitate to help my friend plus giving care. I am just too busy every day. That I cannot visit you like Falco does. If you need any help, just call me. And...sorry for everything."
Thinking those, it was time for him to go. He stepped on the gas pedal lightly, then the car started to move forward.
Arriving home, The two walked to the door, and Fox opened it.
The house was not as pretty as before anymore. It did not change. But you could sense the feeling of the dim surroundings. Everything was very faint. like the state in Fox's mind. Furthermore, everything went differently. There was never again romantic music playing in the CD player. Never again had a doorbell rang then a handsome figure saying that he's back. Never again had a little vixen reading a book, humming a little tune while cooking.
It was 7:00 in the evening. Now that she was watching TV. They did not talk much or whatsoever. They just interacted very little between themselves.
Fox did not watch TV with her. He was upstairs. Gazing at the screen of a camera which had made their once happy times into eternity.
It was when they were shopping. Happily in the shopping center in the cities on the Earth Federation. That day was the 6th month of their relationship. And Falco even volunteered to be the cameraman that day. Making that moment to be eternal. A wonderful sonata of eternality.
"Today is Earth year 2145, May 24th, 9ALW. And it's the sixth month of my furba-no. My best friend and his love's sixth month anniversary. Hehe, cannot be calling him a fur-you-know-what."
"Oh, stop it, you."
"And now we can see Fox here carrying a lot of bags which are all things like clothes and stuff. Whoa. We can call it 'the Fox mountain of clothes.' Even Hyacinth helped. Are those shoes, you are carrying? My twin?"
"Mostly shoes." Said Hyacinth. Trying to pop his head out. "But there are some clothes. Fox cannot take so much by himself. But I am enjoying this." He said smiling.
"Hey! You know that these things are for Krystal! You know that! Huh? Hyacinth?"
"Alright. Alright. You're my good brother to me. And how come won't I be happy about you two?" Said Hyacinth, laughing.
"You said it! Not me!" Said Fox playfully.
"It looked real heavy, man. I have to help you get some of the clothes. Those bags are massive! And either that, congrats Fox for having a new opportunity for a new life. I have never seen Fox having a good time, and I can even be the cameraman and Hyacinth is here to help. That's good." Said Falco.
"Thank you, my dearest blue. And what do you have to say?"
"Well, I only have one thing to say. If you have any problem that needed my help, give me a call. I'll see you in the Coneria Intergalactic Port with my Sky Claw."
"You made that promise! Make sure to be trustworthy!"
"I will! I will! You orange furball!"
"Wait...what did you say?"
"Nothing...my dear sun!"
Then the film ended with laughter.
He himself did not anyone to approach him at that time. He just wanted to have a bit of lone time. As he thought. His mood was like the rain- no. The tempest outside. There was not a ray of light coming in. What remained was inky blackness outside. The window had some raindrops attached on it. Reflecting the dim, orange-yellow light from the small lamp at the side of the table near the window. The light, which gave a beautiful but small glow, had some of its light blocked by Fox. Who cried miserably. His hands covering his eyes, sobbing. The shadow had made his body looked bigger. The shadow in your heart that makes you cry and weep.
It was eight at night already, and Fox felt hungry. He remembered that he saved some microwave food in the fridge. So he walked down to the kitchen. The microwave was bought recently for Krystal stopped cooking for the little family. He can only reheat frozen food he brought from the supermarket nearby.
"Krystal was still angry at me." Fox thought to himself. Not knowing he was sitting on the ground, just down the stairs. At the right wall of the door.
When he finally regained his senses he stood up and went to the kitchen. He opened the Dilution refrigerator, which was in a quite bad condition. It just could not stop buzzing once in a while. He chose to eat a frozen microwave meal. And another one for his love.
He put it in and set the timer: 20 seconds, 200 degrees Celsius. And waited. He looked at Krystal again. Her face was calmer than ever before. Her eyes are no longer shining. As if they were dead. Lifeless. Just like a body without its soul.
The timer rang before Fox could see more clearly. So he used his gloves which were put beside the oven, took the two boxes out, and placed it on the table. Under the table is a tray which placed clean, eating utensils. He took two spoons out, and the dinner's ready.
"Dinner's ready." He said. Not wanting to be too loud. He had been like that these days. He was quite afraid of speaking too loud. In fact, he has been a lot more passive and introverted these days.
The vixen walked in, sat on the table, and ate by herself. Fox was not in the mood of eating. He wanted to see her face clear and well. More than eating. He sat at the other side of the table, looking at Krystal as she ate. But he left his meal on the table. It was still hot. And steam was coming out from the box. With the silver-colored spoon put beside it.
While eating, Krystal gave a sneeze.
"You got a cold." Said Fox.
"Sort of. The very cold CADS (Center-Air-Dilution-System. Same principal to the Helium-3 fridge.) Froze me up while I was at work. Even with my jacket on." Replied Krystal.
"I'll get you some meds." Said he. As he walked to the washroom to get the meds in the mirror cabinet.
He gazed himself in the mirror after he took the meds and closed the cabinet door. He did not recognize himself. He was not the happy, blissful, bright orange Fox before. He had been blaming himself for everything since the accident. Krystal usually lives in a different apartment from Fox's. But sometimes she wants to live with him just for the sake of it. They did not know they still love each other very much.
When Fox arrived with the antibiotics Krystal was reading a book. Which was about a book of marriage and love. A love story. However, opposite to the situation with the two.
"Oh, you brought it, thank you. Just put it at the table. I'll fetch them up later." Said Krystal. As she coughed a little bit.
It was ten at night. And the tempest outside still did not weaken itself. The wind whistled and rain scattered itself on the window glass. "Clack! Clack!" They shouted as they attacked the window but with no avail of breaking it.
An hour later, the two had all done their washing and it was time for bed. But Fox wanted to check out the mail before going to bed. After "escorting" Krystal to bed, before Fox left the room, Krystal told him: "That accident, it was not really your fault."
"Yeah, but I..." He said. "I really cannot forgive myself like that." Then he went out of the room, closing the door as lightly as he could.
After going out, he then checked the mail for the day.
"Promotion, promotion, advertisement, advertisement, two letters. Two letters..."
He used the letter knife to cut out the letter. The first one was a letter from Falco. Which was handwritten in English. The letter said:
"I am sorry for not coming back for the past years. But I really was busy try to solve the "Lover's killer" here in Coneria. I wanted to stay on the Earth Federation for investigation as I wanted to have more manpower and technology in there. But staying in Earth to investigate has little to no avail. So the following week I will go to Coneria..."
"The lover's killer..." Fox thought. As he rushed to the table to get the morning paper back on his hands. The headline said: "The lover's killer's victim has killed again in the Tempest- 9th murder in two years since 8ALW. Yet the police did not find anything."
He then looked at the letter again. Not knowing his hands were trembling. As he grabbed the letter more tightly.
"...to investigate it myself. Do not need to worry me. Hyacinth treated me well when I was in the federation. And gave me permission to conduct it privately. Do not try to find me. For I will be working with the Conerian Department of Crime Investigation. But if you really do found me...I will be really happy about it. Be careful out there, Fox, my friend. The murderer is getting crazier and crazier. I do not want you and Krystal to be separated from each other by fate. By the way...I hope you and Krystal are going well. The last time I visited you, you weren't even eating because of her. I know that you love her very, very much. But... take care of yourself. I know you were depressed by this. But please do not get that too long. You will hurt yourself by that, which is a thing I really do not want to happen.
Yours Sincerely
Mr. Falco Lombardi
Free Agent from the EFID"
That was the end of the letter.
He then, anxiously, opened the second letter with his hands. There was no sender written on it. But it's not hand-written but printed by a printer, it said:
"There was a pair of foxes, running happily around.
But not until the hunter. How the wind, strange sound.
He went to the fields. Crying aloud in frown.
The truth remained hidden, in the faraway clouds.
When the male finds her, she was still while dowd.
Heaven and Earth, the two remain shrouded."
Fox did not know what that meant. He was too scared. Yet so anxious about what was going to happen next. "Heaven and earth, the two remain shrouded..." his heart only filled with such sentences. And he fainted before he can even realize that he was.