Visitors
The Reynard Mall, arguably Corneria City's largest and most busy shopping centre, was as always filled with people milling about. Yet, the sea of people parted ways for the blue-furred vixen who walked with confident steps, the heels of her boots pounding the concrete floor. Her leg muscles moved under tight black pants with every stride, and her large bushy tail, done up with three charcoal tail bands, swayed in rhythm with her hips. A t-shirt featuring the three white wolf singers of a music band, the logo Ametalasu in stylised letters above, was somewhat stretched over her bountiful chest. Her flowing hair, coloured in a purplish hue reached just below the shoulders of the black leather jacket she wore, open at the front to proudly display her affiliation... and assets.
Her eyes were hidden behind mirrored Aviator shades, but there was no doubt her gaze was locked onto her target. She headed for the back corner of the mall's third floor, walked straight past a Bathscapes outlet and a children's toy store, and into Elizabeth's Secret. Once inside, she slowed down and methodically perused the sections for female and male lingerie alike, picking a few items purposefully.
Before long, she was at the checkout and presented her selection to the cashier. Instead of paying by having her paw print scanned, which was the most convenient way, she used her personal communicator linked to an anonymous platinum credit card.
"Excellent choice," said the Papetoonean shepherd and looked at the wedding band on the vixen's finger, "ma'am. I hope you and your spouse will enjoy."
"I'm sure he will." The vixen grinned back at him.
He carefully folded the items and put them in a paper bag, but stopped and cocked an eyebrow. "Excuse me, but... do I know you from somewhere?"
With a touch of the vixen's gloved finger, her shades turned translucent and revealed a pair of sea-green irises. "Maybe," she said with a smirk.
Krystal left the man guessing as she strutted out of the store. She felt confident, content, and the happiest she had been in a long time. Finally, she had something to look forward to. An interstellar expedition was a major undertaking, and there was much to plan: personnel, provisions, schedule, logistics and other things on an endless list. It kept her busy and was a welcome distraction from the daily routine. She had a quick peek in the bag. Risqué underwear was hardly high up on the list of essential suppliers, but they expected a long journey, so they needed something to entertain themselves with, right?
Fox had offered to take care of Marcus for the weekend, letting her do what she desired. Since being a housewife (how she despised that word) was a full time job, at least, she deserved some vacation time anyway.
With another tap on the smart shades, Krystal's tail started wagging in a rhythm as they started streaming music, projecting a combo of Cornerian pop and heavy metal from her new favourite band straight into her ears. Katt had taken her to one of their concerts last night, where she'd also bought the tee she wore. She especially remembered the grand finale, the song Bojutsu, where the three girls had sung and danced, swinging their battle staffs in rhythm to crashing guitars and banging drums. Afterwards, she had spent the night at the Luna Stone hotel and enjoyed a rare sleep-in.
The chorus started and while bobbing her head to it, a strand of hair fell in her face. She pushed it to the side, happy with her new hair colour; 'Electric indigo' it was called, allegedly. She liked her new look; it was somewhat similar to a polished version of her bounty hunter appearance. While those had been her darkest years, there was something about that independence and strength that resonated with her, and she knew Fox kinda liked it too.
Her smart shades chimed, and with a tap on the frame, a message was projected in her view.
'This Wolf has learnt a new trick. It's called vacation.'
The message was accompanied by a photo of a bar overlooking a beach with palms lining the water's edge, with Wolf O'Donnell sitting by it, wearing a sleeveless white t-shirt over his buff upper body, and a smug smile on his muzzle. There was a glint in his eye as he held an arm around the waist of a straw-coloured fox, who in turn held Wolf's communicator up for the selfie.
"Where are you and who's your friend?" The eyewear picked up Krystal's speech and translated it into a reply message.
'A former Cornerian Army pilot who's turned civilian, flying cruise ships. We happened to be on Zoness at the same time, and making the most of it.'
"Will I see you both at Marcus's birthday party?" Krystal studied the photo of the fox, who looked slim but athletic, and was an inch or two taller than Wolf. Wearing a floral shirt and a big grin, there was something familiar about him, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
'Sorry, I've got a mission coming up, you know what it's like, but I'll promise to call.'
Krystal felt a pang of disappointment. Her former team had kept in contact ever since the wedding, even Panther to Fox's chagrin, but they never met her in person. She had a nagging feeling they were avoiding her. "Okay, you behave on your holiday."
'...Can't promise you that, Krystal. Sam is a very cheeky fox.'
Krystal rounded a corner and, distracted by her thoughts, ran straight into... herself?
The person she had bumped into wore a tight black and blue jumpsuit with matching boots, and looked as if her twin had just stepped off the Great Fox after hunting Aparoids. She did a double take, before noticing that the other person was taller than her, the tail shorter and there was a hint of a bulge below the waistline.
"Oh, sorry, didn't see you there," said the man and looked her up and down. "Nice fur colour, you really rock that Cerinian vixen look, if you don't mind me saying. Are you a Krystal fan perhaps?"
"A fan?" Luckily, Krystal's shades hid how her gaze was preoccupied by the guy's bosom, which seemed somewhat... amplified. "Eh, I suppose."
"Good!" He cracked up with a wide smile. "You know, I hate how the public treated her after the Anglar Blitz. Sure, she did some dumb stuff, but hello, she helped save the entire system! I can't believe some people still hold a grudge."
"That's... good to know, I guess." She had fans? Krystal didn't know what to think. She assumed she didn't get out enough. Maybe peoples' attitude towards her really had changed. "Nice outfit."
"Thanks, I had to have it tailor made. It wasn't cheap, I tell ya." A smug smile was plastered on the canine's face. "My friends say I should cosplay as Wolf, with me being a sled dog and all, but I'm too skinny and this is more fun anyway."
"It suits you," said Krystal with a barely suppressed giggle. He looked comical if anything.
"I'm Florian, by the way." A business card magically appeared in his hand. "We have a fan club and a Harmony server, just in case you're interested." His brow suddenly furrowed, as if something dawned on him, and he studied her intensely. "Because you're not... are you?"
She laughed softly, feeling awkward at being the interest of the man's obsession. "I'm Kursed!"
He cocked an eyebrow. "That's an unusual name."
"Yeah... I moved here from planet Kew a few years ago." The Cerinian in her was still uncomfortable with outright lying, but that didn't mean she had to tell the whole truth. "It's a few weeks away by warp."
"Ah, that explains the slight accent." He smiled at her and she relaxed. "Sorry, I shouldn't keep you. You seemed in a hurry. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise." She accepted his card, and as he walked away, she noticed that he even carried a staff on his back, a plastic replica of her weapon. Perhaps it's from that toy store in the mall, she mused. He was right though; she had an appointment to keep.
The restaurant was only a few minutes' drive from the mall. The spring air was cool and a light drizzle fell on Krystal as she stepped out of the hover cab, so she jogged towards the entrance, soon embraced by the warmth inside.
She looked around the rustic interior filled with timber and wrought iron. Tables and chairs were mismatched, but the aromas wafting through the air delighted her. The maître d' led her to a table next to an open fireplace, already occupied by three women, who all got up from their chairs to greet her.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Miyu." The lynx looked Krystal up and down. "And you are?"
"Haha, you're funny," said Krystal and pulled her friend into a tight hug.
"I love the new look," said Katt and embraced Krystal as soon as she had let go of Miyu. "I'm sure Fox will love it."
"He'll just have to get used to it. Thanks again for taking me to the concert." Krystal noticed the bags under Katt's eyes, and that her pink fur dye was a bit thin in places. "Sorry, but you're looking a bit worse for wear. Is everything okay?"
"Falco was snoring his beak off last night." Katt rolled her eyes. "Men, who'd have 'em?"
Krystal's chuckle was cut short by Fay trying to crush Krystal's ribcage. "It's so good to see you. You don't get out enough." The spaniel spotted the Elizabeth's Secret bag. "What's this?" Krystal happily opened the bag to show Fay the contents. "Oh my, is that thing... for Fox?"
"I haven't gotten a good blush out of him for a while, but that should do the trick," said Krystal with a smirk, but instead it was Fay's cheeks that turned bright red.
A waiter came around to take their drink orders, and they made some small talk while perusing the menu. A salmon salad with chargrilled vegetables took Krystal's fancy, and she ordered as soon as their beverages arrived. She took a sip of her white wine; the haredonnay had a pleasant buttery taste with a subtly oaked finish.
"You know, I never asked you how it feels," said Miyu and cocked an eyebrow towards Krystal. "Not having your telepathy anymore?"
Fay gave Miyu an elbow under the table. "You can't just ask that," she said, not loud enough for Krystal to hear, but her senses picked up the meaning clearly.
"It's alright." Krystal gazed at the liquid in her glass as she swirled it around. It was hard to explain her sixth sense, which even her closest friends thought she had lost forever. Even when she wasn't actively listening to other peoples' thoughts, emotions of those close by were ever present, permeating her mind. "Quiet. I mean, listen to the background noise: people around us talking, the crackling from the fire over there, clanging of pots and plates from the kitchen... Imagine if all that went silent."
"I like the parallel," said Katt, while Miyu nodded and Fay scrunched her face up in concentration.
"It's kinda like my telepathy had a passive and active mode," Krystal continued. "There was always that white noise, but if someone thought about me, I knew right away."
"That's why I could never get a jump on you while sparring, huh?" Miyu asked, looking up from her foaming pint of ale. Krystal nodded. "Could you, like, talk telepathically as well?"
"That's the strange thing..." Krystal frowned. "I could only communicate with Fox." That had become second nature, as if spending all her time around Fox and Marcus had tuned herself into them, making her powers stronger.
"How are things between you, anyway?" Katt spoke softly and put a hand on Krystal's shoulder. "You didn't talk much about Fox yesterday."
"Honestly, it hasn't been great." Krystal picked up her glass. "I haven't found a job, failed my exam, had this stubborn depression since Marcus's birth, and Fox has been working too much. That's why I have an announcement." She drained her wine and licked her lips, savouring the smooth finish. "I'm leaving."
Her friends gasped and three maws fell open in unison.
"What?" Puzzled, Krystal looked from one to the other. "Oh blimey, Fox's foot-in-mouth disease has rubbed off on me, hasn't it?"
Shocked expressions were replaced with confusion.
"I meant that we are leaving." Krystal laughed softly. "In a few months, when we've planned and prepared. We just need to try to find Cerinia, and if we don't, then at least I can come back knowing that I've tried."
Fay sighed deeply in relief, while Miyu just raised her beer glass and grinned.
"That sounds like a good idea." Katt put an arm around Krystal's shoulder.
"Thanks." Krystal leaned in towards her friend and whispered, deliberately loud enough for everyone to hear, "And you were right. Make-up sex is good."
The bright red on Fay's cheek shone through her fur and her ears stood up for once, while Miyu did a spit take and doubled over in laughter.
Katt just winked at Krystal. "It's good to hear Fox is up for some adventure."
"We're gonna need a crew though." Krystal's gaze darted between her friends, studying their response.
"Oh, please, can I come?" Fay practically bounced on her chair like an excited preschooler.
"Count me in." Miyu raised her glass again.
"Can you get leave from Bill Grey's squadrons though?" Krystal's brow furrowed with concern. "We'll be away for at least three months, up to six if we have to, and we won't be able to pay much."
"Of course we'll help a special friend like you." Fay beamed at Krystal. "Plus, it helps when our boss is old buddies with your hubby."
"Sorry, but I'll have to decline," said Katt with a crooked smile. "We'll have our own ship to pay off soon."
"Yes, Fox told me about the Peregrine," said Krystal, aware that it would sort out their own ship situation. "I bet you are excited."
"Falco is agitated like a broody hen." Katt sighed and shook her head. "He's calling Fara every few days to check on progress, but in typical Phoenix fashion, it'll be delivered on time and on budget."
She was interrupted by the arrival of their food. Krystal tried a piece of salmon; it was just cooked through, still moist and delicious, and she decided to have another glass to go with it, even though it would dull her sixth sense a little. Katt licked her chops at the sight of her seafood pasta, Miyu cut a thick slice of a medium-rare steak, and Fay noisily sniffed her meatballs with a happy grin on her face, nearly dipping her white ears in the tomato sauce in the process. They made smalltalk while relishing their meals. Miyu asked about practicalities like locations and travel times to Kew and Arctos, while Fay fussed about what flight suit and other gear to bring. While it could hardly be called mission planning, it was progress, and Krystal just relaxed and enjoyed the company of her best friends.
Fox put the deep fryer back in the cupboard and wiped the last of the batter off the kitchen bench. Marcus and himself had made a right royal mess cooking teriyaki chicken and tempura vegetables, but it was worth it. Dinner had been a hit, and the deep-fried greens was a great way of getting veggies into Marcus, especially since he for once had gotten the tempura batter just right: light and crispy. They had all licked their plates clean.
While Krystal had come back from the city just in time for dinner, there were still a few hours left of her weekend off, so Fox had taken care of the washing up. He dried his hands on a towel and looked around the kitchen. It was clean enough, but he saw that there was some wine left in the decanter. He looked around for a glass, but they had been stacked in the dishwasher, which had been set to run on automatically during off-peak hours at night. Instead of fetching a clean glass from the cupboard, he simply put the decanter to his muzzle and drained the deep red fluid.
He nearly stumbled when he had to side-stepping the cleaning robot zooming across the floorboards, and wondered if he might've had a glass too many. Reaching Marcus's room, he slowly opened the door to check if Krystal had finished reading bedtime stories for their son, and found him sound asleep. They'd had a big day playing and preparing for mommy coming home, after all. The kit had kicked his comforter off, and Fox tucked him in carefully so as not to wake him. Fox's tail wagged behind him as he crept out of the room, looking forward to some quality time alone with his wife. There had been a glint in Krystal's eyes ever since she arrived home; He suspected she was up to something, and he was eager to find out what.
Entering the master bedroom, he immediately spotted the Elizabeth's Secret bag sitting on a bedside table. His table. With trembling fingers he opened the bag to find a pair of fishnet stockings, and felt the soft fabric between his fingers. It was a sophisticated two-ply material, where the bottom layer would stop hair poking through the fishnet, while being translucent enough to let the fur colour shine through.
They're for you, said a voice in his mind, and the heat rose to Fox's cheeks. Of course Krystal had found out about his little kink, and she took full advantage of it. Do you like my new look? she continued.
He had to admit, he'd been quite taken aback at seeing her walk into the house that afternoon after her shopping spree. He had always admired her strength and confidence, and with that Kursed edge, she was simply hot.
She emerged from the ensuite, casually leaned on the door frame, and Fox's heart skipped a beat. Apart from her new black boots and leather jacket, she wore nothing but black lace underwear, leaving little to imagination.
"You've done well to tire Marcus out." Her bushy tail swayed slowly behind her as she approached him. "It's about time we had a moment to ourselves."
Putting her hands on his shoulders, she pushed him onto the bed and crawled on top of him. She lowered herself, putting her weight in all the right places, and he put his hands under her jacket, running them through the soft fur on her back. Her hair fell around his face, and their muzzles met. She was hungry, pressing her lips firmly over his, and her tongue explored his mouth. His nose drew in the smell of her delicate perfume, but even more so, her own scent. It was strong. Very strong!
His eyes opened wide when he realised she was in heat... and on top of him.
"You're still a bit slow to catch on sometimes, Foxy." She licked his chin before whispering in his ear, "There aren't many Cerinians left, you know. One kit would never be enough."
He was left speechless, unable to take his hands off her as she started undoing his shirt buttons. She was intoxicating, and also, he'd always wondered what it was like to have a brother or sister. He wanted Marcus to experience that.
With a jolt, she sat upright and gazed straight ahead. "Someone's coming!"
"Wait what?" Dumbfounded, Fox's brain took a moment to shift into gear. "Who? Where?"
"I don't know. I think there are two of them, and they're out the front, but I can't sense them clearly." She closed her eyes in concentration. "Dammit, I shouldn't have had that last glass of wine... unless... they can block me."
Fox panicked. What if the Cerinians had returned? What if Eldey had sent assassins? Krystal rolled off him and he reached under the bed, his fingerprint unlocking and opening a hidden compartment. He picked up the blaster, checking the charge as he bolted for the door. "I'm onto it!"
"I'll get my staff and protect Marcus." Krystal threw her boots aside and ran after him down the stairs on silent feet, hot on his heels, before she veered off towards the basement.
A quick tap on his temple switched Fox's bionic eye to infrared, improving on his already good night vision. When he reached the main entrance, he paused and listened before turning on the monitor next to the front door. Pressing a button, he scrolled through the security camera feeds: the porch outside, the driveway, the garage, and the backyard. He stopped when one camera showed two hooded figures huddling in the light drizzle by the gate, on the edge of a circle illuminated by a streetlight.
It's okay, said Krystal over the mind link.
He zoomed in, trying to make out the persons' species and gender. It was odd behaviour for assassins to reveal themselves like that, but still... Are you sure?
Yes, let them inside.
Puzzled by emotion of assurance from Krystal, he pressed a button to open the gate, and slowly opened the front door, blaster still ready in one hand, when he heard footfalls on the porch. Two women stood outside, their clothes soaked from the falling rain. One was a sad looking snow vixen, her face a moulting mess of white and brown fur. The other was an older red vixen, whose facial features Fox recognised, despite her tinted glasses. She put her hands together in front of her face, then unfolded them, palms facing up, as if opening an invisible book. It was a gesture Fox knew well: the Cerinian greeting.
"Kayuq?" Fox's maw fell open. "But... we thought you were dead?"
"I'm not that old," said Kayuq with a smirk.
There was an awkward silence in the McCloud living room, apart from the patter of rain on the roof and the muted crackling of the open fire spreading its warmth. Their guests needed it for sure. Kayuq and the snow vixen sat in an armchair each next to the fireplace with towels wrapped around them, fabric and warmth drying their fur.
Krystal emerged from the kitchen with two mugs of steaming hot tea. Kayuq accepted hers with a smile and outstretched hands, while the snow vixen's gaze darted back and forth between Krystal and Fox, as if she was uncomfortable with him being there. He tried to gauge his wife's mood as she sat down on the couch next to him, but she only gave him a poker face, and the mind link was quiet. So many questions, thought Fox, but where do we start?
"This is marvellous, thank you." Kayuq spoke Lylatian with the same accent as Krystal, only thicker.
Fox faced the snow vixen and smiled a friendly smile, while trying not to ogle. Of course, he couldn't help noticing her generous curves. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name before."
She turned to Kayuq, a confused look in her eyes. Kayuq smirked. Fox wondered if she knew something he didn't.
"The name of this fair lady is Hope. She does not speak your local language, but I will translate." Kayuq motioned towards her own head, implying telepathy at play.
"I'm honoured to meet another Cerinian," said Fox and made a clumsy attempt at 'My Mind Is Open', as the greeting was called, towards Hope.
"Hope is not Cerinian, but she has been all too kind in guiding me here from Kew," said Kayuq and removed her glasses.
Judging from Krystal's gasp, she was as shocked as Fox at seeing Kayuq's cloudy irises. "I assume that's Eldey's work," he said.
Kayuq nodded. "Each Cerinian battle staff is tailored to its owner, often with a unique combination of powers. Eldey's is equipped with a particularly blinding flash, which is debilitating at a distance, but can cause this up close." Kayuq pointed at her eyes. "My lenses and retinas are burned. It was... excruciating. I can still distinguish between light and darkness, but that's all. Hope has been my eyes for the last part of my journey."
"Don't worry, we'll get you a pair of these." Fox's bionic eye clinked as he tapped it.
"I'm delighted that your bodies seemed to have healed well." Kayuq turned to Krystal. "Last time I saw you, you were in quite a bad state."
"Patched up using Cerinian technology we learnt from The Protectors." Krystal pulled off a glove and wiggled her fingers of metal and composites, drawing a startled yelp from Hope.
"How ironic," Kayuq mused. "Yet fitting."
"I'm surprised Eldey let you live," said Krystal solemnly.
"It took all my persuasive efforts." The old red vixen took another sip of her tea, slurping with content. "Even though Eldey silenced the uprising, she knew there was discontent with Kamuy's rule. People on the ship were divided. I managed to persuade her that a staged truce between the two of us, with her as new leader, would unite the crew."
"Didn't she take any... measures... to keep you in check?" Krystal's eyes narrowed.
"Oh, of course she did." Kayuq nodded. "She had me equipped with a tele-neuronic implant, but I still had a secretly loyal follower, who disabled it at a crucial moment. She also thought my blindness would stop me from doing anything foolish." She chuckled. "Eldey might have been Kamuy's protege, but her psionic powers were only a fraction of her benefactor's, and certainly no match for mine. I don't need my own eyes to see."
Krystal smirked, obviously familiar with what the sly old vixen meant, but then she turned serious. "While I really appreciate you coming here, I'm sure you didn't do it just to pay a friendly visit." She glared at Kayuq, and from the way the red vixen looked up, Krystal had locked on the gaze of her mind's eye as well. "Who am I?"
"Straight to the point." Kayuq turned her attention to the tea, slurping it leisurely. "I'm not sure-"
"Oh, come on!" Krystal's outburst made Fox jump.
"-but I'm quite certain you are Kursed."
"Do you think you're funny?" Krystal growled.
"I bet you think it's coincidence you took that name, that it somehow sounded right." Kayuq turned in Krystal's general direction with a shrewd grin on her muzzle. Krystal's face fell. "Kursed is the term we use for someone who has committed a serious crime against the traditions and values of Cerinia, severe enough to be banished from society, occasionally taking their families with them." She carefully put her mug down on the coffee table. "For example, while Cerinians are no strangers to love affairs, I should know"-she laughed softly-"family is sacred and extramarital children are taboo. It's unthinkable around... nobles."
"Nobles?" Fox had picked up on the tone Kayuq had used when speaking the word. "Blue blood matters, does it?"
"Or blue fur in this case," Kayuq huffed. "Yes, for all our talk about an equal and prosperous post-scarcity society, the Vixon tribes have remnants of a caste system. I'm obviously not blue, and it used to bother me, which is why I sided with Kamuy who cared less about fur colour, but still, Eldey was always going to be her favourite."
"What happened to the Kursed?" Krystal asked.
"They were exiled to Northwood Forest, a no man's land bordering both Vixon and Wolven territories, where they tried to cut out a living for themselves amongst wild beasts and other dangers. Incidentally, you said that you were found by a wolf in the forest, a wolf who then adopted you."
"So, we've met before?" Krystal cocked an eyebrow.
Fox remembered Krystal telling him about her dream when she got the tattoo on her back, the dream that had Kayuq and Kamuy in it.
Kayuq nodded. "You grew up amongst the Wolven. While you didn't know your birthday, I'd say you were about sixteen years old, in Cornerian time, when you returned to the Vixon tribe. That was three years before The Doom. While you said you grew up with an ordinary family, you knew too much. With that I mean that we couldn't see your memories clearly, like you had learnt how to block them, perhaps taught by the master"-Kayuq tilted her head-"Randorn."
Krystal wrapped her arms tighter around herself and linked up with Fox's mind for comfort, letting him feel the shiver running up her spine.
Kayuq leaned forwards with her ears pointed towards Krystal. "You really don't remember anything, do you?"
"Only fragments..." Krystal's ears flattened and she looked down. "And I can't understand why."
"I think I can." Kayuq lowered her voice, and her eyes moved slightly from side to side, trying to lock their gaze on what she could not see. "The Doom was... awful. The last thoughts of everyone who perished"-Kayuq closed her eyes and shuddered-"caused mental scars that will never heal. Everyone who survived suffered. We had to do our best to support each other, even Kamuy and myself." Krystal looked up, glaring at Kayuq, who ignored it and continued, "Still, some went mad, and in Kamuy's defence, she became obsessed with resurrecting Cerinia. You, on the other hand, had no one to guide you, so your mind might have locked those memories away, just so that you would survive."
"I just wish I could remember." Krystal's voice trembled. "I... I was there... when The Shield failed... I saw Kamuy and Randorn, but I don't know what happened."
"You think you caused it. I can sense the guilt in your mind." Kayuq nodded and continued in a calm voice, "Do not assume the worst. Legends have it that The Shield was built by a civilisation that discovered Cerinia before us, and may even have brought us there. It was ancient, worn, powered by technology we do not yet understand, just like the Spellstones on Sauria." Krystal looked up in surprise. "Yes, I know about them. All we could do was to patch The Shield to the best of our abilities and pray."
"I... I need to know who I am."
Kayuq nodded. "Even though she tried to hide it, the Matriarch took a special interest in you, as if she knew something."
"And her secret died with her." A tear trickled from Krystal's closed eyes.
"The Shield has faltered before." Kayuq smirked. "That's why there was a backup plan, a safe haven, or at least a liveable place, away from the deadly flares of Kandesca." Kayuq took a deep breath and exhaled. "Four starships were permanently on standby, prepared to make an escape. People had been chosen, some randomly, some because of their position." Her ears drooped. "But Kamuy had rigged the selection, getting many of her loyal followers, like me, onto one of the ships, and followed her own secret plan." She looked up again. "Still, I'm convinced the Matriarch made it out. That's why I'd like to take you back home."
"Luckily, we have a ship," said Fox and met his wife's excited gaze. The tip of her tail wagged behind her as she picked up a glass from the table, taking a sip of water. "We're already gathering a crew and supplies, because we were gonna go looking for Cerinia, but now you can show us the way."
"I wish I could," said Kayuq with a casual shrug.
"For fox's sake!" Krystal bared her teeth.
"Please excuse me. While I can pilot a small ship, I am not an interstellar navigator. But Ryuga would know."
"Ryuga?" Krystal cocked an eyebrow and fidgeted with her drink, bionic fingers clinking against the glass.
"He's my acolyte, and has many skills." Kayuq rubbed her chin. "I'm surprised I haven't been able to contact him. I was actually expecting him and Mitsuru to be nearby you. They were in the other escape pod."
"I'm sorry." Fox looked down. With a heavy heart, he still remembered that last battle as clear as day. "They didn't make it."
"We stayed linked until the starship warped. They were alive and well then." Kayuq turned to Fox and tilted her head. A frightening thought struck Fox; neither Krystal nor himself had been shown the Cerinians' bodies, only the urns allegedly containing their ashes. "Of course, if I was in Cornerian shoes, I would like to know my enemy better, if you know what I mean."
Fox tensed up and ran a hand through his hair. Could they still be alive, kept captive, while who knows who did who knows what to them? Surely, Peppy wouldn't allow that?
His thoughts were interrupted by a loud crack. Krystal had a furious scowl on her face. Fragments of shattered glass fell onto the floor from her clenched fist.
Author's Note: There are some silly references in this chapter, because I'm at a point where, if I don't have fun writing, I'll just give up. First of all, I borrowed the setting in the mall from The Mall by the eminent K.S. Reynard. Secondly, the music Krystal enjoys is inspired by the official video for Karate by Babymetal. Finally, yes, that's Samuel Swift from Cat and Mouse making a cameo with Wolf (who said Sam was cute after all). Thanks again to Erold for beta-reading.