Unlike some of my other projects, by the time you're reading this it'll already be finished!

This was originally a larger AU intended to be a longer story, but it ended up working out a lot better as a series of shorts. Essentially, all you need to know is that the Lylat System Slopestyle event is a snowboarding freestyle event, in which Fox and his friends compete in under the team name of Star Fox (go figure). Think of it like SSX meets Star Fox. Wolf does go mentioned once or twice, though I don't have any scenes with him. I'll let you draw your own conclusions about Star Wolf.

Krystal is on the snow patrol, and because I have willingly chosen to rot my brain further with each upload, there's going to be some (lots of) Fox/Krystal present. As far as her planet is concerned in the AU, Cerinia is still around, known for producing gear that enhances its user via magic.

These are in chronological order, albeit with some gaps in between each short. There will be a few jumps within the text, but I hope it won't be too jarring.

I'll be spacing these uploads out about a week each, so each chapter should have a good amount of time to marinade before the next one drops.

That said, I won't bore you with any more details. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it.


"Snow Shorts"

by SpaceCat010


Chapter I - "Snowglobe"

Fox sighed in content as he felt his board glide atop the fresh powder. The heavy evening snowfall added inch after inch of snow to the mountain, leaving a good foot or so of the good stuff to blanket the slopes. His weight shifted left to right, swaying in long, gentle carves akin to the perfect sine wave. Soft, white lights shone further down the slope, outlining the mountainside cafe. Powder coated its sloped, A-Frame roof; waiting for someone to climb up the side and brush them off in the morning.

He checked his watch as he continued carving down the hill. It was around twenty minutes to midnight. Snow patrol usually changed shifts right around now for night sessions. Fox's eye caught a small slope to the side, near the treeline. His weight shifted his trajectory towards it; instinctually winding up and spinning the other way as he cleared the side hit. He spun a full rotation before landing again. A nice cloud of powder shot out from the sides of his board as his tail end slapped the snow.

Approaching the cabin, he unhooked his back foot and skated up to the rack. Another board was stowed nearby; a sky blue top with a white base, adorned with patterns of swirls and brackets across the deck. It seemed to give off an otherworldly glow under the moonlight. Fox recognized the board belonging to Krystal, the foreign vixen on snow patrol who ended up being the most common help he and Falco got when they'd get stuck.

'I hope she's not just like that for everyone.'

He smiled as he stomped the snow off his boots on the cabin's deck. Mental images of seeing her gracefully dominate the backcountry flashed in his head. He'd have to see if she was single before the season ended. Fox pulled the cafe door open, letting the heat wash over him as he pulled his backpack off. A big stretch and a blissful sigh followed, popping a few vertebrae once he'd set his stuff down. His gaze scanned the room out of curiosity. Sure enough, on one of the couches surrounding the fireplace on the back wall, there she was. An empty mug sat on a small end table next to her, flowing locks of azure hair spilling over her shoulders. He walked to the counter near the door, ordering a hot chocolate in a low voice. Next to the register he saw a small box of snow globes, each housing one of the resort's many cabins. Like most resort amenities, it was way overpriced. Despite that, his heart told his wallet to can it, and that it was worth it.

'You're worth it.'

Setting the steaming cup down on a bar table, he grabbed a sharpie from his backpack and scribbled some digits on the bottom. Krystal's daypack lay behind the couch, its zipper still slightly open. Fox quietly padded over and slipped the snowglobe inside. Only after did Krystal notice his presence, smiling once she saw his face.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey. Kinda figured I'd find you here," Fox smiled.

"Oh?" Krystal said, stretching her arms over her head. "Normally you'd be asking me to come find you."

Fox grinned, shaking his head. Ever since their first few interactions on the slope, Krystal loved to tease him at every opportunity. He took a sip of the hot chocolate. It burned his tongue, but he didn't react.

'Do I come off as too friendly?'

"You don't seem to be complaining," Fox returned, setting the styrofoam cup down on the opposite end table. He dropped his bag near his feet and sat down next to her. "In fact," he removed his jacket, noting the brief dip in her gaze. "You almost seem happy to see me."

'I'm really happy to see you.'

Krystal put a hand over her chest, taking mock offense. Her adoring grin said otherwise. "What, me? Happy to see you? I figured you were just trying to tell me where you'd get stuck on the slope before my shift started."

Fox quickly glanced around, gauging the atmosphere as he took another sip. It cooled just enough to start being bearable. "I'm just saying nobody else seemed that happy to get Falco and I out of a tree." Her gentle laughter made some more blood rush to his face, but he kept it under wraps. Her tail flicked out of the corner of his eye, her gaze becoming more mischievous as their conversation continued.

"Only because nobody else is able to get to the places you manage to end up in," she smirked. "Not like I had the choice of clearing a jump only to climb halfway up a tree. One could only wonder how you managed to do that directly below a lift line." The vixen now rested her chin on her palm, propped up by her elbow on the back of the couch. Fox only sheepishly grinned in response. Krystal had to be the only member on patrol that didn't sigh in disappointment when he was spotted skating through the lift gates.

"Makes me wonder why you don't compete in slopestyle," he said. "You took that jump like a natural."

"Flatterer." She flashed another smile at him, before crumpling the styrofoam cup on her end table and tossing it into a nearby trash can. "I would compete if not for people like you always getting into trouble, or my board not being tournament legal."

Fox took a bigger sip of the hot chocolate this time. "How come?"

Krystal's smirk turned flat, dripping with sarcasm. Her free hand rested on her hip, conforming to its curve. What he wouldn't give, Fox thought.

"Gee, Fox. I wonder why the only planet in the system with oddly-colored foxes and supernatural creatures is known for making performance-enhancing gear?"

'You're not odd. I think you're beautiful.'

"Touché."

"At any rate, it only makes my job easier."

"Well," the vulpine said, getting up and tossing his cup in the trash can. "Hopefully I don't make it too hard for you. I'll try to stick to blues for your sake."

She grinned, playfully hitting him on the shoulder as he sat down.

"Jerk. You know I could beat your time down any of the double blacks."

Fox turned and leaned against the couch to fully face her. "But could you do it on a park run?"

"Is that your way of challenging me?"

He shrugged. "Call it what you like," he said.

Krystal giggled and shook her head. "Anybody you're dating must be very good at wrestling you under control, McCloud."

Fox turned his gaze to the crackling fireplace, keeping his composure under control. "Funny, that kind of soul doesn't seem to have found me yet."

'Yes she has. She found me in a tree a week ago.'

"Oh, come on. Surely with all those ladies checking you out at podiums you'd have to see something in one of them." Krystal's tail seemed to jump a little more, albeit suppressed as if she were fighting it back herself.

"No, not really," Fox admitted with a sigh. He leaned back, staring up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. "Once you meet a few fans it becomes painfully obvious they're only with you for clout. So far a lot of the people I've had a genuine connection with didn't know anything about me beforehand."

'People like you.'

A faint beep came from her wrist. Krystal checked the time, disappointed that their interaction was being cut short. She sighed, getting up as Fox turned his head towards her.

"Time for your shift?"

"Yep," she frowned. "As much as I enjoy watching you try to get unstuck, try not to need my help tonight."

"I'll try my best," Fox gave her a wave as she left. "Stay warm."

His eyes followed the sway of her tail as she donned her gear and threw the daypack over her shoulder. She stopped at the door to the cafe, like she'd forgotten something.

"The snowglobe has your number on it, doesn't it?"

Their eyes locked for a few moments. Krystal's loving smile would remain in his memory for as long as he'd allow it. Fox's blush returned in full force, well out of his control. He said nothing, only nodding in response.

She blew him a kiss.

The door opened, and she went into the clear, winter night.