Note: I'm really plowing through this part of the story, aren't I? I expected it to be harder than hell to write, but it isn't. Maybe it's because I watched some clips from the actual game. Or maybe it's that I'm approaching the closing chapters of the story. Either way, this portion of the story has been easier to write than I thought. Before we move on, I have something to say to four reviewers.
Owyn Ross: Yeah, and Sauria might not be able to repel the Aparoids without Star Fox's help. I wouldn't say that the team is being sidetracked, because things might go differently than how they did in the original Assault. I can't tell you anything about Kyte, or even what the Aparoids are planning, so you'll have to read the chapter to see. I hope you like it.
Big Bossk Man 92: I figured that it made sense that Peppy would get the final blow on Pigma. Considering everything the swine had done, Peppy wasn't willing to let him have the last laugh. As for why the battle was so short, it was because Star Fox was done with Pigma at that point. They were done showing mercy, and decided to give it their all. It was enough for the boar to finally get what he deserved. Stay tuned for what happens next!
UltimateCCC: Krystal might have been upset and angry because Sauria was coming under attack. Or maybe she was angry at Fox for stalling and not immediately setting a course for the planet. Maybe we'll find out in the chapter.
King Tutanfoxenkhamen III: I'm glad that you like the story. Star Fox is going to have some trouble when it comes to the mission on Sauria. But, if they can fight off the Aparoids in other places, they can deal with the parasites again. The people of Sauria? They'll have a harder time dealing with the evil space bugs. I hope that you're ready for what happens next.
Now that I've said that, it's time for chapter twenty-two.
Chapter 22: Back to Sauria
Upon hearing that Sauria was in trouble again, Star Fox became worried. Knowing how the planet wasn't as technologically advanced as the other planets in the Lylat System, then they knew that its residents were in grave danger. They barely survived the planet falling to pieces when the SpellStones and Krazoa Spirits were removed, and it was unlikely that they would be unable to survive an attack by the Aparoids. If Star Fox couldn't help them, then either the planet would be assimilated, or every trace of life on it would be rendered extinct. That was something no one in the team wanted to have happen, especially Krystal. She was worried about Sauria, but also angry that the Aparoids would dare to attack it.
By having ROB64 steer the Great Fox near Sauria, Peppy made sure that it was directly above the planet. Star Fox had no time to waste, as they needed to get this mission done and head to the Aparoid Homeworld in order to finally end the terror that was plaguing the Lylat System. With everyone (sans Fara) in the docking bay, they were ready to fly down to Sauria. Before they went down there, they had a conversation.
"We should really move it, guys!" Slippy spoke. "Sauria might be getting clobbered down there!"
"Before we go down there, we need to know how we're going to do this." Peppy said.
"So, what's the plan, Fox?" Falco asked.
"I want you and Slippy to stay in the sky." Fox said. "I'll be on the ground, fighting the Aparoids and helping anyone I come across."
"What about Peppy?" Slippy asked.
"I'll be taking Fara to Corneria with me, staying behind to keep watch for any threats." Peppy said. "Before you go down there, Fox, keep an eye out for any of the hatchers. Considering how they barely last in the sun, the Aparoids might lay eggs in the caves. Keep your eyes open for them."
"That's what brings me to the next part." Fox said. "Krystal, you'll be on the ground with me."
"A mission alone, at last!" Krystal said.
"But what about us?" Falco asked.
"I mean that Fox and I will be alone on the ground!" The cobalt vixen said.
"Let's not waste time, everyone!" Fox said. "Star Fox, move out!"
Climbing into their Arwings, Fox, Falco, Slippy, and Krystal kicked them into gear. One by one, they flew out of the Great Fox, flying down to Sauria. Peppy stayed behind, deciding to go get Fara ready for her flight to Corneria. If there was a threat on the planet, then he would call his teammates. The hare doubted that the Aparoids were only targeting Sauria, given how they were parasites that would assimilate any organism they came across. He only hoped that he would make it to General Pepper before any were seen on Corneria.
As they flew down to Sauria, Star Fox agreed to split up. Fox and Krystal landed their Arwings on the ground, while Falco and Slippy continued flying in the air. Upon getting out of their ships, Krystal made sure that she and Fox had everything they needed for the mission. If not, then the Aparoids would not only kill them, but would also destroy Sauria. The planet's defenses were already limited, so they would not be able to fight off the invaders. With that in mind, Fox had to make sure that no Aparoid was alive by the end of the mission. With Falco, Slippy, and Krystal, he figured that the mission would be easy.
"There's barely anyone here." Fox spoke. "I hope that we're not too late."
"From what I can tell from my telepathy, most of Sauria's population has escaped into the forests." Krystal said. "But, there have been casualties and terrible destruction all around the planet."
"What about the resistance?" Slippy asked. "They had to have a resistance against the Aparoids, right?"
"A majority of the resistance has been killed!" Krystal said, practically shaking. "And an untold amount of Sauria's history is now lost, thanks to those space insect bastards!"
"Don't worry, Krystal, we'll take them on!" Fox said. "If it's the last thing we do, the Aparoids will be wiped out, and Sauria will be saved!"
"I'll blow them away!" The cobalt vixen said, rage and bloodlust distorting her voice. "I'll destroy their eggs before they even have a chance to hatch! We need to do this as fast as possible, Fox!"
"Alright, but should we start here, or in a cave?" The orange tod asked.
"There isn't any Aparoid presence on the ground, so the eggs haven't hatched yet." The Cerinian said. "For that matter, we need to get to the caves before they do hatch."
With that in mind, Fox followed Krystal on the ground. Given how she had lived on Sauria for months, he had trust in her. The cobalt vixen's telepathy was on, allowing her to detect any thought patterns from anyone she had known ever since she first landed on the planet. Her hands tightened on her staff, eager to slaughter any Aparoid who dared to attack her friends. Fox watched as the Cerinian's face glowed with determination, her eyes narrowing. He felt happy that she was on the ground with him, and she probably felt the same way.
Upon reaching a cave, Fox could tell that it had been visited by the Aparoids. Krystal practically dragged him into the area, wanting him to help her clear out all the Aparoid eggs. When they were inside, the two foxes saw that there were eggs everywhere, even on the walls of the cave. Having no time to lose, Krystal fired several blasts, destroying most of the eggs. Fox aimed towards each egg that he saw, firing his blaster without hesitation. They did not stop until every single incubating Aparoid was dead.
"It's amazing that we didn't cause a cave-in." Fox said, looking at the wreckage around him.
"We've got no time to admire our work, Fox!" Krystal said, running out of the cave. "Let's move! I'm sensing Aparoids on the ground!"
"Did they hatch?!" The orange tod asked, running after her.
"No, they were the ones who laid eggs in the cave!" The cobalt vixen said. "Take care of them, I'll destroy the eggs!"
Once they were out of the cave, Fox saw several strange creatures moving. They were the Aparoids that Krystal was talking about, so he knew that his team had to stop them. By getting a closer look, the orange tod could see what the new Aparoids looked like. They were beetle-like creatures that were larger than a normal person when they stood on their hind legs. When they stood up, they were shown to have mechanic arms on their underbelly, along with red machinery that looked almost like flesh. Not only did their underbelly appear to be where their eggs came from, but it also appeared to be an extra mouth.
Firing at the Aparoids, Fox distracted them long enough for Krystal to fire a powerful blast into a cave. As the Aparoid eggs were destroyed, Krystal aimed her staff at one of its parents, aiming for the underbelly. This proved to be its weak spot, as it was destroyed almost instantly. Seeing this, Fox fired at another one, hitting the right area to kill it. He rolled away from it, avoiding being crushed and caught up in the following explosion. Now that they knew how to kill these monstrosities, Fox and Krystal were more eager to destroy them and the eggs that they had laid.
Meanwhile, Falco and Slippy were flying in the air, shooting down any Aparoid that came their way. As Fox and Krystal were on the ground, the pheasant and the toad had to rely on each other. Peppy wasn't with Star Fox at the moment, so they all had to do what they could. If they were unable to stop the Aparoids, then not only would the space parasites take over Sauria, but they would also kill and assimilate anything in their path. That was something the team could not let happen, and it was only by working together that they would complete the mission. All they needed was to keep their guard up.
Upon being surrounded by several Aparoids, Falco had Slippy blow them out of the sky. While this managed to destroy the evil parasites, it also caused several eggs to fall from the sky. In a rush, Falco immediately contacted Fox and Krystal. He had to be quick, knowing that they couldn't let the eggs hatch.
"Eggs falling down from the sky, guys!" The pheasant warned.
Back on the ground, Krystal had destroyed dozens of eggs, while occasionally providing Fox some help with the Aparoids that were running around. That was when she heard Falco's message, causing her to look up at the sky. Upon seeing several specks falling closer to the ground, the cobalt vixen fired several blasts from her staff, destroying each egg she saw. She signaled for Fox to do the same, not wanting him to be unprepared. Once all the eggs in the sky were destroyed, they were ready to move on. However, more Aparoids were rushing towards the two, clearly enraged by the loss of their offspring.
Krystal was about to charge up her staff again, hoping to fire a massive blast. Given how it would've left her unable to use it again, Fox signaled for her to refrain from using the attack for the time being. He threw a grenade at one Aparoid, only for it to catch the explosive in its mouth. Undeterred, the orange tod fired his blaster at the monster, causing the grenade to explode. This not only killed the Aparoid holding the grenade, but also its companions. With their direction clear, Fox and Krystal were free to continue.
"Keep your eyes open, everyone!" Fox said. "At the rate we're going, we can't lose!"
"It's not over yet, Fox." Krystal warned. "I'm sensing faint brain patterns ahead of us."
"Do you think it's Prince Tricky or Princess Kyte?" Slippy's voice came out of the communicator.
"No, it's something else." The cobalt vixen said. "Let's just keep our heads together. We WILL save Sauria, and the Aparoids will pay!"
"How are you so certain we'll win?" Falco asked.
"You just watch and see." The Cerinian said.
After a bit of walking, Krystal's telepathy picked up something massive. Upon seeing her face contort in pain, Fox could tell that they were getting close to an Aparoid much larger than the others. He warned Falco and Slippy to stay in the sky, in case the upcoming fight would be too tough for only him and Krystal to handle. A silhouette was in the distance, and it got larger the more Star Fox moved closer to it. It was difficult to make out at first, but its shape became more apparent. The creature looked like a Tyrannosaurus rex, but it also seemed to have machinery on its body.
"Fox, get ready!" Krystal said.
"Is it an Aparoid?" Fox asked.
"Yes, but it has taken the appearance of a RedEye!" The cobalt vixen said. "It's going to be like fighting King RedEye again, but the Aparoid has given this creation some extra power!"
Upon seeing the Aparoid creature in front of him, Fox could finally see what it looked like. It was a massive beast that resembled a Tyrannosaurus rex, but with several differences. It had silver scales with purple glowing veins showing all around its body. On its back was a massive machine that had two laser canons on each side. Clearly, the Aparoids weren't satisfied simply copying King RedEye's appearance, so they gave their creation another means to defend itself. This battle was going to be much harder than the others.
Running under the Aparoid RedEye, Fox threw a grenade, hoping that it would do some damage to the monstrosity by exploding. However, the attack ultimately did nothing but annoy the creature. In response, it lifted its foot up, hoping to crush the one who dared to attack it. Krystal fired her staff at the pseudo Saurian, distracting it long enough for Fox to get out from under it. Falco and Slippy rained fire on the monster, hitting it in its eyes. However, while their attacks annoyed the creature, they weren't doing any damage to it at all.
Focusing its vision at Falco and Slippy, the RedEye Aparoid charged up the laser cannons. As Fox and Krystal were on the ground, trying their hardest to keep it from shooting down their teammates, they couldn't make it back to their Arwings in time.
"Falco, Slippy, watch out!" Krystal warned.
Hearing Krystal's voice, Falco and Slippy dodged the Aparoid's laser cannons. The creature focused its attention on Fox and Krystal, letting out a powerful roar as it fired at its other enemies. Seeing an opportunity, Krystal fired her staff into the fake RedEye's mouth, causing it to let out a roar of pain. This made it stop firing its cannons, which meant that Falco and Slippy could attack again. Before the laser cannons closed up, Falco fired at one of them, which seemed to damage the Aparoid creation more. It stumbled back, with one of its feet wobbling.
"Two weak spots?" Slippy asked.
"Dammit, the Aparoids are getting stronger!" Falco shouted. "How can we keep fighting them when they're finding ways to increase their power?!"
"We keep fighting and increasing our defenses until there's nothing left, that's how!" Krystal said.
"Alright, everyone, attack both weak spots on this monster, and don't stop until it's dead!" Fox said.
Upon being given the order, Falco and Slippy began to fire at the laser canons, trying to force them open. Fox and Krystal continued on with their attack, trying their hardest to force the Aparoid RedEye to open its mouth. This caused it to roar, allowing Fox to throw a grenade before it could stop. Once it exploded, the monster fired its laser cannons at Falco and Slippy. The moment the attacks dispersed, the pheasant and the toad immediately launched charged shots at the cannons. The Aparoid roared again, only to be met with gunfire from the Arwings.
Seeing her opportunity, Krystal began to charge her staff for a massive attack. Knowing what she was about to do, Fox got behind her, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. He also wanted to help the cobalt vixen up in case she fell, knowing how strong a charged blast from her staff was. The RedEye was being shot at by Falco and Slippy, which made it angry. Aparoid or not, it was still an animal with instincts and aggression. It knew that, by roaring, it was allowing its prey to attack it, but the urge to do so was too strong.
Unable to contain its rage for much longer, the Red Eye Aparoid roared. This allowed Krystal to air her attack at its mouth. It surged, drawing in all the power that she needed for it. Fox came closer to the cobalt vixen, wanting to catch her if she were to fall. He knew that she knew what she was doing, but he was worried that she would get hurt. That didn't matter, as they were running out of time to attack.
"Krystal, fire the attack!" Fox said, holding onto her.
"Everyone, brace yourselves!" Krystal screamed. "Fox, in case this kills us both, I'm sorry for calling you an idiot!"
Firing her attack, Krystal made sure that it entered the Aparoid Red Eye's mouth. It connected, causing an explosion that quickly took down the monster. The resulting explosion was punctuated with a bright light. Everyone covered their eyes, trying their hardest to shut out the light. Once it had dissipated, Star Fox could see that their enemy was practically ash. The power that Krystal had used was enough to not only destroy the Aparoid, but also cremate its body.
"It's dead!" Falco said.
"Alright!" Slippy yelled in excitement.
On the ground, Fox let go of Krystal, seeing that she was still standing. After that, he took out an area scanner, checking to see if there were any hostiles left. All the scanner picked up were the inhabitants of Sauria, and Star Fox themselves. Everything seemed to be alright, but the team kept an eye open for anything on their radar.
"Looks like all the Aparoids have been wiped out." Fox spoke.
"Sauria should be safe for a long time to come." Krystal said.
All of a sudden, Krystal's telepathy picked up something coming towards her and Fox. Knowing who it was, she kept quiet, wanting it to be a surprise for Fox. Of course, it was hard to call it a surprise when the specimen approaching them was big enough to make the ground shake. Fox turned his head, hearing the noise. Krystal did the same, but mainly because she was happy to see her friend. They were just near the bushes, until they jumped out and revealed themselves to be a familiar face: Tricky.
"Fox!" Tricky shouted.
"Tricky!" Fox shouted, trying to signal for the Saurian not to land on him.
"Fox!" The EarthWalker spoke, landing on Fox. "Krystal! I knew you'd come! Thank you so much!"
"Tricky ... so heavy ... ouch!" The orange tod said in pain.
"Okay, Tricky, get off of him, he has to breathe!" Krystal laughed.
As soon as Tricky had gotten off of Fox, he had him and Krystal ride on his back. While doing so, Fox began to tell the EarthWalker what Star Fox had been doing. Sauria hadn't been the only planet to be visited by the Aparoids, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. Fox even told Tricky about the variants of the space parasites his team had been fighting. However, they paled in comparison to the massive beasts that they had created, perhaps as a last ditch effort to annihilate those who dared to attack them. Despite everything the Aparoids had been throwing at them, Star Fox prevailed and kept up the fight.
"So Fox... You're going to fight 'em, right?" Tricky said. "Well, I'm going with you!"
"I appreciate it, but you're needed here, old pal." Fox said. "Besides, I'm leaving Sauria in your care. Remember, you're the leader here now, Tricky."
"Okay." The EarthWalker said. "I'll do it! Yeah, yeah! I'll take care of things here so you two can come back on your honeymoon!"
The last thing Tricky said had taken Fox aback. As for Krystal, she only smiled at her friend's words. Clearly, the Prince of the EarthWalkers could dream, even if he didn't know everything. The cobalt vixen decided not to correct him, finding it rude.
"What?!" Fox shouted. "What are you, nuts?! We're not dating! We're not yet!"
"Not yet?" Tricky asked, clearly humoring his friend.
"Let him dream, Fox!" Krystal giggled.
"This isn't a conversation for children!" The orange tod snapped.
"I was hoping that you weren't gonna treat me like a kid anymore!" The EarthWalker said.
"Then stop acting like one!" The Papetoonian yelled.
"You're just mad because you don't want to talk about it!" The Saurian chuckled.
"Alright, that's enough, boys!" Krystal said, both finding humor in the conversation while not wanting Fox to get angrier at the same time.
With the mission finally completed, Fox and Krystal got back into their Arwings and entered the Great Fox. Knowing that Falco and Slippy would be coming at any moment, the two decided to wait for their teammates. Once they arrived, Slippy was the first to enter, with Falco walking behind him. Star Fox was ready to take a break, but that was until they decided to contact Peppy. He had went to Corneria to take Fara home, so they wondered how he was doing. Sauria was pretty far from Corneria, so Krystal couldn't use her telepathy to sense for him.
"Too bad we didn't see Kyte there." Fox said.
"She's alright, but the SharpClaws are gone." Krystal said.
Taking out his communicator, Slippy decided to call Peppy.
"Hey, Peppy, how are -!" The toad spoke, getting interrupted.
"Slippy!" Peppy shouted. "Fox! Falco! Krystal! Come quick, the Aparoids are approaching Corneria!"
Note: Looks like the Aparoids are targeting Corneria now. This time, Sauria was not a distraction, but only the destination the Aparoids wanted until Star Fox stopped them. Can they make it on time to fight the Aparoids? Do the space parasites have a few dirty tricks up their sleeve? Will Star Fox be alone for the battle? If not, then who will help them?
Until next time, guys, this is Newcomer24, signing off. Peace!
