Note: I'm getting closer to the end of this, and, outside of Love Or Lust, this will be my last major Star Fox story for a while. Until I come up with an idea for the next one, I will be working on stories for other franchises. If you want to read them, do so, and tell me what you think. Want to talk to me in general? PM me. Before we move on, I have something to say to three reviewers.

King Tutanfoxenkhamen III: Or maybe Wedge is next. Also, I doubt that Falco would investigate on his own. Star Fox is, after all, a team of mercenaries, so they have to do everything together. Even if they do find out what Krystal's been up to, they probably won't have her put in jail. After all, her attackers deserve everything they get. Stay tuned for what happens.

Big Bossk Man 92: Actually, I never thought about how Wolf will react to the revelation about Krystalbeing the killer. If he's shocked, it might lead to something else. If he's proud of her, then it's likely because she showed how merciless she could be. If he's not proud of her, then it's probably due to her taking the opportunity of killing her attackers from him. I don't know for sure. I hope you're ready for what goes on in the chapter.

The White Wolf named Alex: It's easy to root for her here, is it? Well, it's hard to blame her for going to such extremes. I hope that you like this chapter.

I'm not doing a gore warning, because it feels kinda redundant now. And now that I've said that, it's time for chapter eight.

Chapter 8: An Investigation Begins

Ever since the murder of both Lieutenant Vicks and Randall Grizz, the citizens of Corneria were in a panic. While the police and the CDF assured them that they would find the murderer, there was the fact that they could have been hiding anywhere on the planet. For all the people of Corneria knew, the killer could've been on a different planet, anticipating their next attack. Unless they were found, the Lylat System was forced to keep an eye out for anyone suspicious. To someone walking down the street, it could have been the person they had just talked to, or that weird friend they had. To the CCPD and the CDF, it was more likely that it was a repeat offender, rather than a random person.

With a murderer on the loose, Star Fox decided to start their own investigation. Before they went out, they used a lie detector. They questioned each other, trying to see if one or the other was the murderer. None of them were, so the team was clean. However, now they had to interrogate all the people on Corneria. It was easier said than done, but they figured that they could knock it out.

To begin with, Fox and Falco interviewed their former teammates and a few soldiers from the CDF. While they had motivations for killing Vicks and Mr. Grizz, there was no proof that any of them were the murderer. Fox had a list of those who were in the CDF, but he figured that it would take all day to interview everyone. As for Falco, he simply spoke to Fay and Miyu, as Fara was still on vacation with Sabre. Like Fox, no one he interviewed turned out to be the murderer. However, they weren't letting the investigation go to a dead end.

Peppy and Slippy focused on people living in Corneria City. While they started out with anyone walking down the street, they soon transitioned to business owners. Slippy decided to speak to anyone who the killer could have gotten their weapons from. The only person who provided an answer was the owner of a sporting goods store. While he was unable to describe what the purchaser looked like, he noticed that they were dressed in black clothing and a mask that looked like a doll's face. They even refused a receipt, as if keeping everything incognito.

After meeting up in Corneria City, Fox and Falco decided to speak with Katt, thinking that she was a likely suspect for the murders. She had promised to scratch the eyes out of the criminals when visiting Krystal, so it made sense that she could have been the murderer, given how Vick's and Mr. Grizz's eyes were ripped out of their heads. However, something told Fox that Katt wasn't the murderer. The pink cat had killed people before, but it didn't seem likely that she would become an outright serial killer. If she was, then Star Fox would have to turn her in to the police. All they needed to do was get a confession out of the feline.

Once they arrived at Katt's house, Fox and Falco spoke with her.

"I don't see why I'm a suspect for the murder, boys." Katt said. "I didn't kill anyone."

"That's what we're trying to figure out, Katt." Falco said.

"Now, where were you during the murders of both the disgraced Lieutenant Vicks and Randall Grizz?" Fox asked.

"I was here on both occasions." The pink cat said. "When Vicks' murder happened, I was just making some scones. As for Grizz's, one of my favorite shows came on, so I decided to watch it."

"So, if you haven't killed either one of them, then are you planning to go after the other two?" Falco asked.

"Of course not, hon!" The Zonessian said. "Do you guys think that I'm just some serial-killing vigilante?!"

"Never mind," Fox said, "forget we asked."

Finishing their interrogation, Fox and Falco left Katt's house. They walked back into Corneria City, meeting up with Peppy and Slippy. With Star Fox back together, they were ready to head back to the Great Fox. Krystal wasn't with them, as she was at her apartment at the moment. That only made the investigation harder, as, without the telepathic vixen, they couldn't find the culprit. Of course, they had no idea what she was really doing.

Just as Star Fox were about to get in their Arwings, they heard a voice behind them.

"Fox."

Turning around, Star Fox saw Star Wolf standing near them. Surprisingly, the team looked like they were going incognito. Wolf was dressed in an overcoat and a fedora, looking like a detective from a movie or TV show, primarily one where the detective wasn't the protagonist. Leon wore casual clothing and a pair of sunglasses, not even bothering to disguise himself. Panther was dressed up like an undertaker, presumably in order to investigate the corpses of the recent murder victims. Or, maybe it was for another purpose.

"Nice costumes, guys." Falco said out of sarcasm.

"Don't flatter yourself, bird!" Leon said. "We're only here to find the murderer!"

"You guys are after him, too?" Fox spoke. "Figures."

"Or her." Panther said.

"The killer could be anyone, you do realize." Wolf said.

"Well, it's no one we have spoken to." Slippy stated. "The only person who gave us evidence was the owner of a sporting goods store."

"So, you've spoken to everyone on Corneria?" Wolf asked.

"Everyone except Krystal." Fox said. "I don't think that she's the killer, though."

"The Blue Rose probably wishes to be left alone, considering all that's happened." Panther said.

"I don't know, she seemed okay when I spoke to her yesterday." Slippy said.

"But still, it's a good idea to check on her." Falco said. "Even if she wants to have some time to herself, it's a good idea to make sure that Krystal's still okay."

"Looks like the buzzard has gained another soft spot!" Leon taunted.

"Whatever, let's just go talk to her!" The pheasant scoffed.

Heading to the apartment building where Krystal lived, Star Fox and Star Wolf agreed to not ask her about the murders immediately. Rather, they decided to check on her, wondering how she was doing. Once they got to the door of her apartment, the two teams discussed who should be the one to knock on it. Fox was the one to do it, only pounding on the door twice. Inside the room was the sound of someone getting up from a piece of furniture, either a couch or recliner. Soon after, the door came open, revealing a casually-dressed Krystal.

"Hello, everyone!" She greeted.

"Hey, Krystal." Peppy spoke. "Mind if we come in?"

"Sure!" Krystal said. "You guys are always welcome in!"

Upon stepping into Krystal's apartment, Star Fox and Star Wolf sat down on her furniture. The cobalt vixen didn't mind that they had come, but she was a bit taken aback by what Wolf, Leon, and Panther were wearing. While Leon was dressed in casual clothing, Wolf and Panther looked like they had dressed up for a costume party. It was rare to see them out of uniform, though Panther was the one most likely to dress in formal wear for a special occasion. Putting that aside, Krystal was happy to see her teammates and the rival team. She was especially happy to see both Fox and Wolf.

"Krystal, we've come to ask you some questions." Falco said. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."

"Ask away, guys." Krystal said.

Having sensed what was on their minds, Krystal knew the questions that they were going to ask. She decided to answer them once they were spoken, even if she had to lie. The cobalt vixen had to answer dishonestly, as she didn't want her teammates, her father and his friends finding out what she was up to just yet. While both Star Fox and Star Wolf were used to killing, they weren't outright serial killers. Leon was arguably close to one, but he wasn't the kind of person to bait people into helping him, then kill them when they were at his mercy. He was a torturer, not your usual serial killer.

"Krystal, where were you when the murders of the former Lieutenant Vicks and Randall Grizz occurred?" Fox spoke.

"I was here at my apartment, catching up on the mindless chatter on my TV." Krystal lied.

"What kind of shows were you watching?" Falco asked.

"Just some dumb sitcoms that made me wonder why people even watch them." The cobalt vixen said.

"Yes, television is full of terrible programs nowadays." Leon stated.

"Are you sure that you weren't up to anything throughout the night?" Slippy asked.

"Of course not." Krystal said.

"Honey, we'll understand if you did something to those bastards." Wolf said. "Pretty much everyone wanted them dead."

"You guys have nothing to fear." The Cerinian said. "I'm not the killer."

"Well, what are you planning to do this evening?" Peppy asked.

"I'm going to try and find an abortion clinic, because I want the spawn of those monsters out of my body!" She said.

"Well, good luck with that." Panther said. "You shouldn't be forced to bear their children anyway, Blue Rose."

A little while later, Star Fox and Star Wolf left Krystal's apartment, promising to speak to her later. Once she was alone again, the cobalt vixen reached under her bed and pulled out a suit case and a box that was smaller than it. Inside the suitcase was various pieces of clothing, all of which were covered black. In the small box, there were various knives and daggers, some of which had been used. Walking away from the boxes, the Cerinian pressed a button near the closet, causing a container to slowly descend from the ceiling. It had already been in the apartment, so she found it necessary to put something in the container. The vulpine opened it up, revealing a picture of her late mother, Estelle.

"I know that you wouldn't approve of me doing this, mother, but I cannot let them get away with their crimes." Krystal said to the photo. "Even if I can't fulfill your wish of going to college, at least I can be happy knowing that I've killed those four sick bastards."

Johnston was just walking down the sidewalk, hidden from everyone else. He had seen that Star Fox and Star Wolf were in town, so he knew that he would be in trouble if they saw him. The Husky had heard about what had happened to Vicks and Mr. Grizz, so he wanted to be cautious. While he was disturbed by how brutally they were killed, he was also glad. Now that the two of them were dead, the canine figured that the killer wouldn't go after him. After all, even a murderer needed a break every now and then.

Once he got back to his place, Johnston decided to have a cup of coffee and relax for the evening. The coffee tasted funny, but it was something for him to drink. All of a sudden, the Husky started to feel drowsy. It was almost as if he were under the effects of a really strong medication that was used to treat the flu. While the canine wanted to relax, he didn't want to relax like this. His body started to feel numb, and he went limp. That was when it hit Johnston's mind: he didn't make coffee.

Realizing that he had been tricked, Johnston tried to fight off whatever had been put in the coffee he had drank. Throughout his time in the CDF, the Husky was put through multiple drug tests, so that he could build up a tolerance to them. However, he had never tested out a drug like this one. Whatever it was, it worked like chloroform or ether, given how it was knocking the canine out. Soon after consuming the drug, he collapsed, his eyes slowly dropping. Before falling unconscious, the disgraced former Sergeant heard someone speaking to him, their voice sounding distorted.

"Now you know how it feels to be drugged."

Opening his eyes, Johnston felt as though they were on fire. He tried to rub them, but he felt as though his hands were tied. The Husky soon found that his hands were tied, as they were tied behind his back. Not only that, but he appeared to be strapped to a table. Luckily, the canine was not gagged, so he could scream for help. However, something told him that he wasn't gagged for a reason.

Upon hearing footsteps, Johnston knew that he was about to meet whoever drugged him and brought him here. He half-expected it to be a member of the CDF, but he was wrong. From above, two angry green eyes were staring at the Husky. They happened to be attached to a familiar cobalt vixen, who Johnston had not forgotten about. She was a recent victim of his, though he had help from Vicks, Wedge, and Mr. Grizz. Her name was Krystal Bodimead, a member of Star Fox.

"Hey, how have you been?" Johnston asked.

"Ah, yes, trying to ask a question even when you know FULL WELL how I have been!" Krystal snarled. "I have been in hell ever since you and your group of bastards ruined me! Now, thanks to you, I'm pregnant, and no amount of therapy, support, and incense-loaded devices will ever change that!"

"Oh, come on, we all know you enjoyed it!" The Husky chuckled, only to scream when he felt a knife to his shoulder.

"No, you enjoyed it!" The cobalt vixen screamed. "I was in pain, screaming, crying, and begging for you to stop! You and your fucking perverted monster accomplices didn't stop, nor did you bother to get me somewhere! If the guy who found me didn't call an ambulance, I would have died in the woods! I WOULD'VE DIED OUT THERE, SERGEANT!"

"Look, what do you want?" The canine asked. "Do you want money or something? Should I apologize to you?"

"I want you DEAD!" The vulpine said. "Also, I want to know where you put those photographs you took of my soiled body!"

"I'll never tell you that, you crazy slut!"

"Oh, wait! I know where they're at! You kept them in your dresser! I'll get those later!"

Johnston's eyes widened, realizing that he was unable to escape. This was the end for him, and he was not going out peacefully. Krystal approached the Husky with a knife, clearly aiming it at his throat. Upon slicing her victim's neck open, the cobalt vixen went to grab something else for her to use. Pulling out a package of raw meat, she threw it on his body, then whistled for something. A few footsteps echoed through the room, belonging to a ravenous animal that had smelled the meat. That animal turned out to be a RedEye, and it looked ready for its meal.

"Go ahead and eat, sweetie!" Krystal said, sounding like an affectionate mother. "I'll come and get you when you're done!"

Walking away from the dead Johnston, Krystal allowed the RedEye to consume her victim. Once it was done eating, the cobalt vixen took it back to Sauria, having it put in the Walled City. She made it back to Corneria before morning came, heading to her apartment. Jumping into the shower and getting herself clean, the Cerinian decided to head to bed immediately after. After putting her pajamas on, she did so, getting under the covers. It didn't take much for the vulpine to drift off to sleep, as she had become exhausted from her plan. All Krystal needed to do now is recharge her batteries and come up with a new plan.

Three down, one more to go. Krystal thought to herself. Fox, everyone, I hope you understand why I'm doing this.

Note: Well, Krystal, if they don't understand the motivation for killing Mr. Grizz, Vicks, Wedge, and Johnston, then your teammates are bound by the same no-killing rule as superheroes. Now that there's one target left, how will Krystal kill him? Will Star Fox find out what she's been doing, or will she escape? How will everyone react to hearing that the cobalt vixen is the killer? Can anyone convince her not to carry on with her idea? How will this nightmare end?

Until next time, guys, this is Newcomer24, signing off. Peace!