Last update before this chapter was December 12th, 2022; it's been too long
I swear, there are times my dumb ass wishes for updates to this story, before I recall I am the one writing the story and it's my fault it's so slow. I keep having trouble focusing on writing a single story because I have so many ideas I wish to do. I have been writing many other stories lately I neglected this one. Sorry about that. I am trying to tighten things up as we get to the third act. After the Walled City is where the third act officially starts I guess. Or is it the 4th quarter of the story?
Sorry about a long lapse between chapters. My interests shifted from adventure stories to focusing on found family stories and such, but I still enjoy writing stuff like this.
Sorry this chapter is shorter than usual, I did not want to cram to much in a breather chapter. I will say more at the bottom.
It was a bit over an hour since they had entered the shrine. By this point, the pair of vulpines were making their way back out to the rest of this group.
"You sure you're ready, Krystal?" Fox inquired, looking at the cave entrance leading back outside from the warp pad.
"Of course. I've had enough time to think. Let's get back to the hallow." She responded.
She walked ahead and exited the cave, all to eager to see her friends and family again. She wanted the catharsis of knowing they were just outside, safe and sound.
And sure enough, they were.
Randorn was seated on a rock a bit away from the cave's entrance. He seemed to be telling a story of sorts to the kids.
"And after that I had to sit in the hollow for a whole day." He finished with a laugh. Both kids chuckled. Krystal smiled at the site; it was nice the pair could get along so well, after only a week or so of knowing each other. It was amazing to her how fast they could overcome their tribes' prejudices that they could share a laugh like this. Kyte seemed to have noticed the vulpines out of the corner of her eye and waved at them. Fox and Krystal hurried over to greet them.
The blue vixen smiled at the group, mentally relieved to see them unharmed. She first greeted her father with a hug. He looked a bit surprised but reciprocated it.
"Glad to see you made it." He said.
Krystal nodded. She released the embrace and looked to her wards. To their surprise, she brought both children into a hug.
"I'm glad you two are ok. " she said, catching a curious brow (or dinosaur equivalent ) from the royal pair.
"Promise me you both will be careful from here on." She said, looking both. The kids exchanged a glance but nodded.
"Of curse." They each said, almost in unison.
Krystal breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. You know I will protect you, but just in case I am not around, I want you two to not put yourselves at risk." She said.
She let go and looked forward, as the two shrugged as best they could.
"You ok, Krystal? I sense.., well…" Randorn trailed off. Krystal could tell he wanted to give her privacy by not stating her emotional state out loud. Krystal got the feeling she should put the others at ease.
"I had to face more fears in the spirits test. I… I don't wish to recall. Losing those I care about…" She said. "It was not pleasant but I overcame it."
Fox looked at her and to the others, sending them a look not to press her.
"It's fine now. I just want to get out of here now. The sooner we get these spirits to the palace, the sooner O can have my mind at ease."
Kyte looked up at Krystal.
"Krystal… I'm worried for you. Are you sure you are ok?" She pressed.
The cobalt vixen hesitated for a moment. She pondered her answer for a moment. She didn't want them to worry but she could not lie to her group either, especially not Kyte.
Krystal sighed and knelt down to Kyte's level. "Look… it was not a pleasant experience in that trial. But what I experienced is behind me. It's a painful reminder of what I lost…." She noted. "But, it's also a good reminder of what I am fighting for here." She said. She took Kyte and placed her in her shoulders "I will not let anyone else know the pain of losing their home world." Krystal insisted.
She was quiet for a few moments again. Lost in thought. Everyone noted the forlorn expression on her face and did not wish to press him further.
After about half a minute Krystal shook her head.
"Let's get back to the hollow." The vixen insisted.
With that, the group began making their way out of the village, the lightfoots they passed waving by as they passed. A bit of an awkward silence would fall over the group soon after, no one sure of what to say. The weight of the ordeal Krystal had suffered began sinking into their minds. Perhaps a bit of silence was best.
It had been a bit of a journey, navigating back to this edge of Lylat. He had to stop to refuel a few times but now he has finally reached the coordinates his friends had left for him.
As Sauria came into view, Falco took in the site from his cockpit window. The planet looked, dare he say, almost beautiful. Besides, too rather large hunks of it floating away from the surface. Falco stared at it in shock for a moment.
"They weren't joking. This place is falling apart." He thought. He knew Fox had returned half the missing pieces to the surface but still…
In orbit around the planet, he saw the Great Fox. it had been a while since he had seen it last, and it had certainly seen better days, but he was happy to see it all the same. A smile formed at the side of his beak. He flipped on the comms and tuned them to the team's old comm channel.
"Hey guys, what's up?" He said almost casually.
He heard static for a few seconds, followed by the sound of snoring on the other end. Falco rolled his eyes. He turned up the volume.
"Helloooo?" he tried.
He heard what sounded like something getting knocked off a table by accident, and what sounded like Peppy scrambling out of a chair.
"Falco!? That you? You surprised me." He said.
Falco laughed. "Sleeping on the job eh?"
The old hare growled a bit, before shifting his tone to a more cordial one. "Yes, well you kind of need to at my age sometimes. Anyways, it's good to have you back, we'll prep the landing platform for you." He said.
Falco acknowledged and hung up the comms, preparing the landing sequence for his Arwing. In secret, he cracked a smile at being back. He would never let his friends see this but was almost ecstatic to be reboarding the ship. He had a lot of good memories with this crew, and he was glad to see they had been up to something vs all of his dead-end jobs as of late.
He parked the ship in the docking bay and began to docking sequence. After finishing that up, he opened and hopped out of the cockpit.
He looked around; the whole ship appeared at least somewhat rusted and it's once pristine corridors dulled in color.
"Man this place has taken a beating." He thought. Part him was saddened to see his friends fall on hard times as bad as he did. Amazing ti think they used to be Lylat's golden boys…
His thoughts were interrupted as an all too familiar of familiar voice called to him, followed shortly by a door opening. A certain hare and Toad walked out.
"Hey, Falco. Been awhile." Slippy said, in a half sarcastic voice.
Falco smiled. "Eh, my old partners in crime. How's it been? Hope the years haven't been to hard on the ship." Falco said, noting the rusted, dirty frame of the hallway."
Slippy sighed as he walked closer. "Good to see you haven't changed." He said.
Falco turned his gaze over to the Landmaster and Spare Arwing to the side of the hanger, surrounded by tools and a step ladder, as if it had been worked on recently.
"See you haven't either. Good to know you haven't lost your edge eh? " he said.
He swore he could have seen the toad smile slightly at that. This was just how the two got along, or the closest thing to getting along the two had.
Peppy meanwhile just chuckled a bit.
"Good. Let's keep this casual." Falco thought. He knew there was a lot more to say between them all but for the moment they just wanted a half-decent greeting, nothing more. No need to unpack their drama right this moment.
Slippy made his way over to Falco's Arwing, and checked the storage container in the back.
"Checking for stowaways, eh Slip?" Falco jested.
Slippy chuckled. "Knowing you where you have been, I would not be surprised." He said.
Falco laughed. "What were you expecting, a common thug in my undercarriage? Maybe one of those A secret girlfriend." The bird laughed.
"No, but knowing you it never hurts to be sure." Slippy snarked.
Falco took it in stride. He finished grabbing his stuff from the back and looked at the others.
"Well, if its cool, I'll start getting situated," he said,as Slippy finished looking through the back. His friends started escorting him towards the bridge. There was alot he needed to get caught up to speed on, and it would probably take a while. To say nothing of mentally preparing ot see Fox again. The bird secretly started bracing himself for his inevitable reunion with Fox.
Sorry about the cut-off here; I had delayed this chapter for months as is. I wanted to get his out there for the 21st anniversary of Star Fox Adventures.
Look the rest of the chapter was just gonna be the others getting back to Thorntail Hollow, and breaking off. Then it would end with Tricky's mom teasing the Walled City journey. I didn't want that big of cliff cliffhanger. The next chapter will cover that, and the first part of Wall City, as well as Falco and Fox reuniting.