Chapter XVII- Never like that.

Fox slept peacefully on the bed. He did not appear irritated or anything. But there was an impatient Falcon at the side. Going around and around. Hoping that his friend will be alright.

The analyzer was taking information of Fox's body. Reporting Falco every five minutes as he demanded. The analyzer kept telling Falco that Fox's status is not too severe: the antibiotics are working, and the well bandaged Fox was over his critical phase and was just too stressed and sick in the same time, he just needed some rest.

"Your friend, Mr. Mccloud," said the analyzer, "is a brave person. When I took a glimpse in the room, I calculated what had happened: Fox was forced, or ordered to cut his finger down. Piece by piece. I cannot analyze his movements for there was too much blood on the ground, and there are too many possibilities that Fox would have moved. One possibility, I calculated, is he curled up into a ball after cutting his finger off in severe pain.

Falco still remembered how he carefully bandaged Fox. Using his hands to slowly wrap Fox's wound. As slowly and as gently as possible. He never treated someone with care that much. Falco did not want Fox to experience too much pain, or anything in his sleep.

But Falco did not know that Fox is having a peaceful dream. He dreamed that he would have his finger back on, and every friend of his went to his wedding with Krystal. To show them how much they love each other. He promised her that he would make their wedding be very big. So Hyacinth, with his power, had ordered several squadrons to conduct a space show, and the destroyer Sirius to be their wedding place. When he promised her, it was a fantastic scene. Smells of lavender, the beauty of the inner garden. Colorful and magical. Falco was standing with Hyacinth, both looking at them with joy. Even Peppy and Slippy had come. And Wolf O'Donnell standing far, muttering:"Alright. This time, I'll let you do that, Fox Mccloud."

But that dream did not last long. He opened his eyes, not knowing that it was a dream.

"He's awake." Said the analyzer.

Fox turned left and saw the hologram of words on a device.

"Greetings, Fox Mccloud." The words said.

But soon, quick footsteps appeared in his ears. What happened is Fox never seen before.

"Fox, are you hurt? Are..." He saw Falco appearing utterly compassionate. Rushing to Fox to hold his shoulders. But then quickly turning back and slowly walked away. His hands crossing.

"I...went mad. Albert Einstein. And you, Sleeping sun. Can't you sleep less?" Said he afterward. Appearing somewhat skeptical and a bit regret. His mouth, which was always fluent in English, went suddenly staggering and struggling to go on.

Fox giggled. "So it is you who saved me from all this mess? My right hand can move again. That was some good bandaging skills, Falco."

Falco never was given any applause like this except Hyacinth, who always like his free-spirited-and-spitfire-but-can-be-very-sensitive-sometimes personality. He blushed a little bit. his crossed hands falling down. A little smile appeared on his face.

"Even suns know how to like me apart from my twin, isn't it?" Thinking that even Fox likes him like Hyacinth do. Like, as a friend.

When he finished his sentence, Fox got up and stood beside Falco. Looking at his arm.

"I see, it stopped bleeding, right?"

"You think a bullet is enough to knock me down, don't you? I'm not a chicken."

"Not as weak, right?" Said Fox. In a giggle. "Come on, I'll do the bandaging for you then."

Falco then followed. He thought: I helped him. And he helps me back. Isn't this good enough? Not knowing, since he lived in the Earth Federation after he left the team had made him more mature.

Fox, using his unskillful hands, tried to bandage Falco well. But his loss of his 5th digit made him somewhat awkward. Still, he managed to wrap up the avian's arm with bandages. Which will not be bleeding for a while then.

It was Fox who broke the ice.

"How did Hyacinth treat you when you left the team years ago to the Federation? And does he even have a surname?" Fox knew him after the Lylat wars, when Hyacinth was rebuilding Coneria City, he kindly introduced himself as they met. Hyacinth treated him well, he gave Fox the position of freelance air marshal of the 2nd army air force of his help towards the Earth Federation in the accident with the allies in the Orion Nebula, gave him the things he wanted as he desired. Although he knew Hyacinth for quite a long time, and they even have a good friendship, he still wanted to know more about him via Falco plus knowing what he had treated Falco when he was at the Federation.

"He HAS a surname. And have one of the mildest temper and most intelligent man you had ever seen. It is 'Chan'. And he treated me very well."

"How?"

"Politeness. He is always so polite towards people. Although he can talk like me. He is the kind of person who will fix things up for you. No matter how bad it is."

"How's your life then?"

"He just gave me a card. And told me not to spend in alcohol or gambling. It's a card that can let you buy stuff whatever you want. But he did not really mind. I don't drink or gamble anyway. I hate the smell of ethanol."

"But he must have some bad traits."

"Well, sometimes he takes things too seriously. Although he is not a person who gets mad much, passing through his critical point, expect a storm."

"So he is a kind person?"

"Yep. When I first went there after I left the team, I was attacked by aliens and he saved me. After talking for a while and knowing I did not have a proper shelter, he gave me a place which I can call home. Which is, his home. He did not mind what I do much. I just wandered around. Playing video games, then when I committed crimes. He helped me to pay bail every time. He just said: 'I help you because I like you. That's all.' Not until I committed the first murder."

"So, you actually killed someone?"

"I expected jail. But he tried to compensate as much as possible. He even tried to persuade the lawyer to not let me go to jail. Not using his power as president but trying to get me out as a normal citizen. But he failed so he gave a try to a prototype tech, which he almost killed himself."

"What was that?"

"He risked losing his body's function, which he will die, and transferred his to the victim. The victim went back to life once again. But the president almost had his life gone for me...why am I talking so much anyway?..."

Fox knew that since he left the team, he was 'disconnected' from the team. But he finally knew that during his stay, Hyacinth gave much friendship to him. So much that Falco grew up by it.

"Did you do anything there then?"

"Well, I kind of cannot resist doing nothing when Hyacinth is doing so much for me. So apart from his diplomacy issues, he was studying for he is still a student, I kind of looked at what he's doing. And then after a bit of questioning, I did not know that I was so talented in science and mathematics. I also have a high military rank. Much like you do."

"So you studied again?"

"Yep. Got a five double star in the HKDSE. Integrals and electromagnetism is not that hard anyway..."

Fox was astonished how Falco grew up. Although still rebellious and stubborn at times, he embraced his fine nature deep within his heart.

"I sensed that you were in danger when I was driving my Arwing one day taking a glimpse of Hong Kong, after finishing my studies." Said Falco. "So I said goodbye to Hyacinth and went to warp space. Then I see you fighting that oversized monkey. What does he eat? Pure lard?"

"Did he went mad once? Have you seen it?"

"Well, when I and Hyacinth were eating one day, he asked me about my adversary. When I said the name out, he yelled at me to rephrase it. Of course, I did it. And, in a raging anger, he said: 'I don't know who that guy is, Falco. But I will put a price on his head so big, every specialization team will be taking him down!'. And just raged away. So shortly afterward, Leon was killed. I never saw him so mad at anything. Anyway, this is one of his bad traits. Overdoing something too much."

They felt a bit tired afterward. It was night already. But the clouds somehow vanished. It was the first time they can see the starry night in the autumn of Coneria.

They lied down on the bed. Fox never slept well since Krystal is gone. But the weather is not raining. So he is sure that she will not be able to drown at this weather. But he still snuggled up tight. Curled up for his unsafely of him being away from Krystal.

Falco, who slept at the right side, looked left at Fox. He never knew that Fox could do things like that for anyone. He was weak but strong. Weak for obeying the killer. Strong for cutting down his finger for Krystal.

Knowing that Fox has sound asleep, he stood up silently. And went to the window and looked out of it. Which, Orion and other constellations are shining brightly in the sky. Making stories of gods battling each other, fascinating people down in this world.

"Why did I want to do that?..." Said he, to himself.

He remembered his days with Hyacinth. Who protected him and served well. Plus making himself kind. He looked at the stars. Then looked back at Fox. He looked at the shimmering stars as if reassembled an unknown future. Then looked back at Fox who slept soundly.