The weather during the evening walk from Ca Jouja's government hall to Krystal's family home was beautiful. The pleasant cool of the evening combined with the gentle sea breeze and smell of the waves, and the lovely company of Krystal and her family relaxing after an eventful meeting gave Fox plenty of good vibes to think with. He was relieved the questioning was over, but he was more relieved the knowledge about his family didn't change anything between him and his gracious hosts. So often in the past, people treated him with kid gloves when the topic of his parents came up. They walked on eggshells, gave awkward glances, and tripped over carefully picked words. It was annoying and disquieting. Fox didn't mind sympathy, but anything more than that was too much. Blessedly, Krystal and her family were treating him just as warmly as before. Azu, Lapis, Krystal, and Garnet talked freely and pulled him into conversations hither and thither as they walked home.
As they stopped at a street to let traffic to pass, Fox felt something warm and soft wrap around him. A big and fluffy blue tail, which scooted him closer and placed him beside the owner, that being Garnet. She looked down at him with a kind smile and patted his head, and then looked to the side to answer some cheeky remark from Lapis.
Here was the one exception; Fox did not mind Garnet's attention to him. The matronly vixen was, in little ways like this, already pulling him closer under her wing. She was keeping an eye on him. With her this care didn't come from some awkward sympathy or guilt, but rather her naturally kind and motherly demeanor. Twice now, Krystal gave him a knowing look when she caught her aunt keeping her tail around him and giving him attention.
At another busy street, Fox looked away for a moment before stopping and-
"Ah?"
-bumped gently into Garnet.
"Be careful, dear," she said, frowning gently. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," said Fox. "Just thinking."
She nodded. "So I could sense." She took his paw in hers. "Stay close to me, dear. I can lead you along if you need to ponder."
"I…" said Fox, a little startled. Sure enough, as they started walking again, Garnet held his paw and lead him along.
"You're spoiling him again, sister," said Lapis.
"Hush," said Garnet.
Fox just blushed.
When they reached the residential quarter, evening had just about faded into night. In a park Krystal pointed out a curious sight to Fox: A small group of odd-looking flightless birds, pecking the grass. They were brown, vaguely oval shaped, with very long beaks. One came up and, with remarkable bravery, gently pecked at Fox's boot once and stared up at him.
"Behold, the Kiwi," said Krystal. "The signature bird of Cerinia! Only found on our planet, as far as I know."
"The oddest bird I ever did see," said Fox. He knelt down, and the small bird cocked its head at him. Then it walked back to join its flock. "Rather brave, aren't they?"
"They have nothing to fear from us," said Azu. "Lovely little fellas."
They continued on to family home. There, at the doorstep, was a well-dressed todd, looking relieved to see them. Beside him was a package wrapped in brown paper, tied with twine.
"I recognize that symbol on your toga," said Lapis with a smile, calling out to the todd. "You're of Lady Emerald's household! What can I do for you, young man?"
"An invitation," he said. "The Lady Emerald would love to have Mr. McCloud, Krystal, and her family over to tea."
"You mean Lady Emerald is willingly letting me into her home, after hours?" said Lapis. "It's a miracle!"
"Sister, calm yourself," said Garnet, though she smiled at the joke. "This is rather sudden, however."
"Lady Emerald wishes to meet in light of topics discussed at the meeting today," said the messenger.
"That explains it," said Azu.
"Has she ever called you guys over?" said Fox.
"No, at least not besides the tea times she keeps with Garnet," said Lapis. "Emerald and my sister go back some years. We must go, though! If it's enough to invite me over and all the mayhem associated with me, something good must be afoot."
"You're enjoying this too much, dear," said Azu.
For his part, Fox was also eager. "We should go. Anything she might to say could help us."
"I agree," said Krystal. "Though, what is this package?" She walked up to it, and then looked up at Fox with glee. "Oh! Fox, it's the things we ordered from the tailor for you!"
"His clothes came in? Lovely," said Garnet, smiling and gently clapping her paws together. She faced the messenger. "Send our reply if you could? We would love to have tea. I'll just dress Fox in his formal toga, and we will be on our way."
"Huh?" said Fox. "I mean, I could figure it out myself. Surely it would only take a moment."
"I insist, dear," said Garnet. "I won't take long, and I do want to teach you how to put your toga on. Once you learn the first time, and after practice, it stays with you." She took his paw and led him to the front door, while Krystal and Lapis giggled. Fox had to admit she had a point; he didn't know the first thing about putting a toga on, and he wasn't about to say no, after Krystal's family with through the trouble of ordering him new clothes.
"Azu?" said Fox. "Don't let them laugh too much."
"I'm not sure I'll succeed," said the todd.
Letting Garnet fuss over him like this wasn't as hard as he thought. He took off his Cornerian clothing and blushed as Garnet hummed and draped him in the fabric and worked on the clasps. The linens felt breezy and heavenly against his fur, and Fox even felt peaceful as Garnet went about her business. When she was finished, the white and light blue toga looked fetching on him, he had to admit. He smiled confidently.
"You look very handsome, Fox," said Garnet, clasping her paws together and beaming at him. "Now, let's rejoin the others."
Outside, Azu and Lapis concurred with Garnet's appraisal. Krystal couldn't hide a blush, and Fox swore he caught her staring more than once as they made their way to Emerald's home.
Lady Emerald's stately house was two stories tall and slightly larger than Lapis's, and to Fox's surprise it wasn't all that far away; considering the differences between the two women, the close proximity was a little funny. After a knock on the door, Lady Emerald herself opened it. Even off the job the vixen carried herself with dignity, with her walking stick in one paw, and herself dressed in a comfortable looking evening robe.
"Good evening," she said. "Please come in, tea is just about ready."
In her tearoom—a comfortable space with a lit fire place nearby—they were seated, and a set of servants placed cups and saucers before them. As the tea was poured, Fox's nose was filled with warm scents. Clove, cinnamon…all very heavenly. He took a sip, and sighed. It tasted as good as it smelled.
"Now, Emerald, what did you want to say?" said Lapis. "Surely something important, if it's on short notice."
Lady Emerald set her cup down. "Yes," she said. "First, I need to stress more apologies to you, Mr. McCloud. I…I am so sorry for my coldness when we first met. You, just like so many others on our planet, know the pain of loss brought by that mad man."
Fox smiled. "It's fine."
"You are quick to forgive," said Lady Emerald. "Admirable."
"Yes, yes, he is quite the gentlemen," said Lapis. "Please, keep praising him. Vindication feels lovely."
"Mother," said Krystal. "You're laying it on a bit thick."
"…she is justified," said Lady Emerald, while sighing. "Her move of bringing in outside help worked. We still have our differences, but, as far as Mr. McCloud is concerned, you have my support. The support of my whole party, I should say." She smiled. "You made quite the impression on my people during your questioning."
Fox nodded demurely. "Lapis and her colleague Onyx told me I would be fine. I just did my best. Public relations were never my strong suit."
"They told him his good character would show through, and it did, Emerald," said Garnet. She chuckled. "You really should have more faith in yourself in that regard, Fox."
Lady Emerald nodded. "Alas, apologizing and making amends was not my only reason for calling you all here." She cleared her throat. "I have some rather choice intelligence about the Expanse."
Fox's ears twitched.
"Done your own snooping, hm?" said Lapis.
"Yes," said Emerald. "A contact of mine in the royal city got his paws on some information." She smirked. "I assume, Lapis, that the origins of the Fortress are less interesting to you compared to the origins of the Expanse? The Fortress is mostly xenophobes and reactionaries finally seeing a place for their ideas in our new place in Lylat. It was always the Expanse that puzzled both of us the most."
Lapis nodded. "They are a wealthy and small group," she said. "We know they are funded by powerful noble families, and they recently tried to spy on my daughter and Fox."
Lady Emerald's eyes widened. "What? Spy?"
Lapis explained everything.
"That…oh, that is on brand, especially with what I know now," said Lady Emerald.
"What's the info?" said Fox.
"The Expanse and Fortress are working together on some level," said Lady Emerald.
"Working together?" said Krystal, gaping. "But they hate each other!"
"You would think that," said Lady Emerald. "I did too. But thanks to that friend of mine and one Expanse member with a convenient crisis of conscience, we know now they don't hate each other that much."
"Their goals are opposed," said Fox. "One is isolationist, the other believing in control over Lylat. "What could they have to gain?"
"…popularity, I suspect." Said Lapis. All eyes turned to her, as she rubbed her muzzle.
"They might be working to stop the two of us," she said. "Consider it. Me and Emerald are easily the two most popular leaders of the two most popular parties on Cerinia right now. On some level they likely know that trying to stop us without some cooperation amongst them is impossible, much as they would like to believe the contrary.
"There is no way they are working together across the board, however," she added, frowning. "My daughter is right, because I've seen it. The rank and file of those two groups loathe each other. But the leaders at the top probably realize that mutual disdain is nowhere near as profitable as clandestine cooperation."
"I agree," said Lady Emerald. "We're left with the frustrating problem of trying to figure out what exactly they are planning, and how much of the top leadership is in on it."
"They are likely hiding how much they are working together," said Azu. "Their people demand ideological purity, from what I've seen and heard. Meetings with the enemy wouldn't go well with the public."
"Which means their goal is important enough to risk losing members if their cooperation were discovered," said Fox.
"…I don't like this at all," said Krystal.
"Neither do I, dear," said Garnet.
"Emerald, would you be willing to keep sending us information?" said Lapis.
"Yes," said Lady Emerald. "Any work between those two camps bodes ill for the rest of us."
"Indeed," said Lapis. Then she winked at Lady Emerald. "See, dear? Diplomacy isn't so bad."
"Sister," said Garnet, giving Lapis a hard look.
Emerald sighed. "There is one more thing I wanted to do. It concerns you specifically, Mr. McCloud," she said.
"Yes?" said Fox.
"I am curious about your past," she said. "I'm under the impression that your team, Star Fox, is no longer operational."
"That is correct," said Fox.
"If you are comfortable answering," she continued gently, "I want to know why. I'm curious about the noble group that ended the man who caused us all so much pain."
Fox stared into space. It had been some time. The hurt over those days was still there, and yet…had these days on Cerinia soothed him this much already? He thought about Krystal.
"…you all are familiar with the Anglar Blitz?" said Fox.
"Yes," said Lapis. "We know of it, though the Angler's never came close to Cerinia. We've had little contact with the Angler's at all, really, only knowing that they exist and were a…inhospitable people."
"That's putting it mildly," said Fox. "They attacked Corneria and all of inner Lylat quickly. Worse, by this time, I…was the only active member of Star Fox."
"What happened to the others?" said Krystal.
"Slippy, one of my oldest friends, was retired. Settled down with a girl. He was defending his home planet, Aquas, so he couldn't be with me. Falco, another old friend, had formed his own outfit some time before the Blitz, and he gave his own orders. And…well, the last member, Fara…"
Pain. Not as raw as before, though. He saw Krystal lean forward, worry in her eyes.
"…she was a really close friend of mine, and we…we had some disagreements. About the team, and…us, really. It was not an easy time."
"You don't have to explain that to us," said Garnet. She was quite worried as well. They all were.
"It's all in the past, now," said Fox. "So, I was alone. I tried…I tried my best, but it's not the same without friends."
"You didn't try to shoulder the burden of stopping an entire invasion on your own?" said Krystal, incredulous.
"I did," said Fox. "Star Fox always was the team to beat the odds, so why not now? At least, that was my thought. But…" and he sighed, feeling the weight of those stressful weeks once again, "it was all too much. When your private relationships are all changed or frayed and ripped at the seams, and who you once were is not who you can be to the public, and your alone…"
Fox leaned forward and put his face in his paws. He heard, rather than saw, Garnet stand up from her chair. He felt someone's paws on his shoulders. Krystal's, he realized.
"Fox…" she said.
"I'm fine," he said, sitting up. "Those days just make me very tired.
"Then there was the sting of being beat by a rival," said Fox. "Star Wolf. Rival merc outfit. Wolf and his boys took advantage of my malaise and swooped in to defeat the Anglers and save the day. Once I saw that, I fully understood that there just wasn't a Star Fox anymore. There couldn't be one if it was just me, burnt out and sad. I needed to get away." He leaned back in his chair. "I moved to Sauria, built a little cabin, and settled down. I had no plan. I just wanted to be alone."
"And then mother found out about you," said Krystal.
"Yeah," said Fox. "Pepper came calling, and here I am."
There were sympathetic faces all around the table. When he first left Corneria behind Fox wanted to escape this very situation. He didn't need his friends pitying him or trying to reach out to him. He was frustrated and angry, and he didn't have time for talk. Now, however, he had the feeling he was wrong. Gosh, what were Slippy, Falco, Peppy, Fay, Fara, and all the others thinking right now?
When this was over, he needed to see them. Maybe Krystal could come along.
"It must be Maira's workings," said Garnet.
"Hmm?" said Fox.
"Maira, the mother goddess of Cerinia, one of the three Great Goddesses. She has home, hearth, and motherly affection under her dominion." Garnet bowed her head. "I am a close follower. I believe you being here might be a blessing of her's. You've become, in so short a time, like a fixture of our family. I do think this assignment was exactly what you needed."
Krystal squeezed Fox's paw. In her eyes he saw warmth, reassurance, and something else…something that made Fox' heart flutter.
Emerald took a sip of her tea, the ghost of a smile on her muzzle.
"You're in good paws," she said.
They all walked back home shortly afterword. Krystal's home seemed…cozier now. Even more homely. Krystal asked him to sit with her on the back porch and look at the ocean together. He agreed.
They watched the sea in silence for a time.
"You know," said Krystal, "I'm not sure if you going to Sauria alone was a good or bad idea."
"I was thinking something like that back at Emerald's place," said Fox. "I don't think it was. What do you think?"
"Well," she began, "on the one paw, you probably worried your friends sick. Running away like that all of a sudden wasn't fair to them. But if you didn't run, maybe you wouldn't be in the position to take my mother's job. And frankly, I can understand emotionally why you felt you needed to run. After all of what you went through, well…I would've ran to, I think."
Fox shrugged. "It won't do me good to think about it too hard. It's in the past."
"That is true," said Krystal. "I do know this. You look so much better than when I first met you."
"Really?" said Fox.
"Oh yes," said Krystal. She smiled. "It's your eyes. They have a light in them that wasn't there before."