ㅤ

Mission No. 15

Venom
Eladard Occupation Zone

"Incognito"

ㅤ⨶ㅤ

Once safely inside the limo, Fox ducked down with Krystal, pressing the button to raise the window back up. With the tinted glass in place they sat up on the faux-leather seat and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well goodness gracious!"

Fox looked across at the seat facing them, surprised to find none other than Mrs. Yaru de Pon staring back. Unlike her small, brown-furred husband, she was quite large for a tanuki—portly, even. Her fur was also more gold-colored, though still duller than Fox's.

"Fox McCloud! Never in a million years did I expect to meet you here!"

The todd managed a nervous laugh. "Can't say I expected to find you here, either!"

Glancing out the window, Fox observed the two police officers frantically searching the street for them.

"Hey, uh, would you mind driving away now? I think we're being followed."

The woman's eyes lit up. "Oh? Followed, you say?!"

"Yes, uh… by some very dangerous characters! They've been tailing us for a while now—in fact they were just about to catch us when you showed up! Would you hurry, please? It's a matter of life and death!"

The tanuki covered a paw over her mouth, gasping. "Don't tell me—you're on another one of your adventures, aren't you?!"

Cringing, Fox forced a smile and nodded.

"Oh my, how exciting! Well, as they say Harold, 'step on it'!"

At once her chauffeur swung the hovercar back into the street and drove on, leaving the bewildered police officers to wonder where they'd disappeared to. Both Fox and Krystal watched out the back window of the car, breathing a sigh of relief as they escaped the net of security forces.

Once they were far enough away to feel safe, Krystal's attention turned to their tanuki savior—suspiciously.

'Fox, who is this woman?'

'That's Mrs. de Pon, wife of Yaru de Pon. He's the president of Space Dynamics—the company in control of the labs now.'

Krystal's eyes widened. 'Is she safe?!'

'Safe? Why the only thing she'd harm is a five-tiered red velvet cake! She has little involvement in her husband's company. She's quite harmless.'

When their mental conversation dragged the silence on, and the tanuki noticed their exchanged glances, she cleared her throat. "Well, you're quite safe now, you two! But my, aren't you in a dreadful state! You look like you've been running about in the wasteland out there! I almost didn't recognize you in those clothes."

Fox swallowed, hoping she didn't actually suspect the truth. "Yeah, well, the streets of Ambrosia will do this to you!"

She placed a hand on her chest. "Oh, don't get me started on this wretched city! It's the absolute filthiest one I've ever been to! I'm glad I don't have to set foot on those horrid streets. Already it's got you dirty as sin and you've only been out there for… how long?"

"Uh, an hour?"

"Dreadful!"

She sighed, flapping an expensive Zonessian fan to cool herself. "I can't say Venom's climate agrees with my delicate fur. At night it's freezing cold, and in the daytime it's as humid as… well, you know!" she giggled, throatily. "But tell me, what are you two children doing out on the streets? Who are these mystery people chasing you—and most importantly, who is this beautiful young vixen in your company? I don't believe I've seen you together before."

"Who is she? Uh…" Fox licked his lips, stalling. He couldn't exactly tell her Krystal was a Cerinian or a prisoner from Andross's labs, nor that they had indeed escaped across the wasteland together and broken into the city. But he needed some story to cover for them. Think, Fox…

"Um, well Mrs. de Pon, I'd like you to meet Krystal! I met her here in Ambrosia. I can confidently say she's the one good thing about this city—besides you, of course."

The tanuki extended her hand, beaming a smile as bright as the jewels on her digits. "Well Ms. Krystal, it is a pleasure to meet you! You can just call me Sōzōshī, or Ms. Sōzōshī if you prefer!"

Krystal however shrank back from her extended paw, eying it with distrust.

Fox shot a glare at his companion. 'Krystal, shake it!'

'Wh-what?'

'Shake it! Grab her hand and wiggle it slightly!'

'But why?'

'It's just what—'

"My goodness dear, whatever is the matter?" Mrs. de Pon's hand slowly dropped back to her lap. "I might talk much, but I most certainly don't bite!"

Fox scratched the back of his head. "Uh, you'll have to excuse her, Ms. Sōzōshī, she's… she's not used to Cornerian customs! Or even most Lylatian ones."

"Oh? How peculiar. Why?"

"It's because she's… she's…" Suddenly a lightbulb winked on above the todd's head. "She's a foreign princess from… Eladard! She comes from a remote enclave on the planet that was only recently brought into the wider union. Her people's culture is very different from ours; they only just started letting in outsiders and venturing out into the broader Lylat. I'm afraid she doesn't know Cornerian customs or manners—in fact she can't even speak Cornerian! N-not a word!"

"My, how fascinating! An Eladardian princess… Now that you mention it, I thought she was a noblewoman from the moment I laid eyes on her! Such a beautiful, royal face… those common clothes and the city's grime can't hide it! But why in the world is she dressed in such rags? Why were you walking on foot in the streets?"

Fox continued spinning his yarn, laying down the tracks in front of the barreling train as it went.

"Well, that's where I come in. Her family is touring the Eladard occupation zone, and Krystal wanted to go sightseeing. They hired me as her bodyguard, you see. I thought traveling by car would be too suspicious, and suggested she wear something less conspicuous to blend in. That's why you uh, found us like this."

"Ahh, I see! Very clever of you! But your little charade is seen through."

Fox swallowed, feeling his blood run cold. "It… is?"

"Why yes! Those characters tailing you must have gotten wind of Krystal's identity, no?"

He breathed an internal sigh of relief. "Yeah, try as I might, they still found us. It's a good thing you showed up when you did, or they might have gotten us. We're in your debt, Mrs. de Pon! You saved us!"

She laughed jovially, placing a hand on her chest and flushing. "Oh, did I really? Well, I'm glad I could have helped! But who would ever want to kill someone as sweet as this girl?"

"Well, there are some holdouts in her clan which want to keep them isolated, not taking too kindly to the Eladard union. Her uncle in particular has aspirations to take the throne—we think he's the culprit behind it."

The tanuki clasped her hands together. "My goodness, a conflict in the royal family! How exciting!"

"We're escaping from her uncle and his entourage right now. We need help crossing into the Cornerian occupation zone, where the princess will be safe. Only problem is, we have no papers, and we have to pass through the security checkpoint to get there."

He sat up, feeling his hopes rise. "Do you think you could smuggle us through, Ms. Sōzōshī?"

The tanuki wrung her purse. "S-smuggle you through?! Like common criminals? Well, I don't know if it's becoming of the wife of—"

"Please ma'am, it's a matter of life and death! You'll be doing Krystal's clan a big favor. You could single-handedly save her people from civil war!"

"Oh, well, if it's to save her and her people, by all means, I'll do it!" She pressed the comm button on her armrest. "Harold, I've seen enough of the Eladard occupation zone. When you get down to it, it really isn't all that different from the Cornerian one. Please take me back!"

"Very good, ma'am."

The chauffeur drove them to the nearby checkpoint, getting in line to pass through. Fox and Krystal hunkered down on the floor, lying beneath the seats out of view of the window. When it was their turn they pulled up to the guard house, and the metal barrier lowered in front of them.

"Harold" rolled down his window, exchanging a few words with the guards there. Their voices reached them in the back, but they were too distant and muffled to understand. If all went well, they'd know Mrs. de Pon was simply returning from her journey and let her pass through without a hitch.

…Then why wasn't the car moving?

The chauffeur's window rolled up, but the hovercar continued to idle in place. There was no telltale sound of the barrier lifting—in fact, they heard footsteps approaching outside.

A rap sounded on the window, and Fox and Krystal jumped.

"Hide better!" Ms. Sōzōshī hissed at them. "He'll see you!"

While the tanuki stalled by powdering her face with a compact makeup kit, Fox and Krystal squeezed as closely together as they could beneath the opposite seat, the todd holding the vixen tightly in his arms.

Once she verified they were sufficiently-hidden, Mrs. de Pon scooted towards the door and rolled the window down. "Yes yes, whatever is the matter?" she blustered. "I'm in a hurry here!"

"I'm sorry Mrs. de Pon," a voice said with an unmistakable accent—not Eladardian, but Venomian. "We'll have to search your car."

Immediately Fox caught his breath, and Krystal did likewise; not daring to breathe for fear of alerting the guard.

"Good heavens, whatever for?!"

"Tighter security measures. Now, please step out of the car."

She laughed. "Are you mad? I'm not setting foot out there on your dirty street! I have a dinner engagement tonight, and I need to look my best."

While Fox couldn't see the Venomian's face, he could tell by the long pause he was trying to collect himself and remain patient.

"Ma'am, please don't cause a scene. We have every right to search your car; this is the Eladardian occupation zone, and under Eladard's authority—"

"Oh poppycock! You're just a Venomian provisional officer; you have no power here! What happened to that nice Eladardian gentleman who let me through a half hour ago? Let me talk to him."

"The Eladard security forces are turning over more duties to native Venomians." His voice suddenly grew louder, indicating he'd brought his face closer to the window. "Now please, step out of the car, or we shall have to use force."

This time Ms. Sōzōshī exploded at him, leaning out the window to get in his face. "No I will not get out of my car ! I am a Cornerian citizen. I'm the wife of Yaru de Pon, president of Space Dynamics! As contractors for the Cornerian government, we have immunity to travel from zone to zone without being accosted by you locals. Why, this is an outrage! You're treating me like a criminal!"

"Ma'am—!"

"Unless you are part of the Eladard occupation force, I have no requirement to show my papers—much less let you search my car! Now will you let me pass through, or will I have to go over your head to your Eladard superiors and have them boot you from your cushy job in the provisional forces?!"

A tense silence ensued. The two foxes on the floor held their breaths till they thought they would suffocate. Krystal shifted anxiously in Fox's arms, and the todd hugged her tighter; he could feel the vixen's heart pounding against his chest while her shallow breaths tickled his neck.

"…A-alright Mrs. de Pon, there seems to have been some misunderstanding. You are… free to cross."

The humiliated Venomian walked away from the car and Ms. Sōzōshī rolled up her window. The gate opened, and the car accelerated through. Fox and Krystal sighed, feeling thankful to be in motion again—but they didn't emerge from their hiding place till they had driven several blocks from the checkpoint.

Finally the foxes sat back on the seat again, facing Mrs. de Pon.

"Thank you Ms. Sōzōshī, you really saved us back there!"

Even Krystal dipped her head in thanks, smiling at the woman—but she didn't dare say a word.

The tanuki waved her sparkling paw. "Oh think nothing of it. I found it quite exhilarating!"

Now that they were in the Cornerian occupation zone, Fox felt like he could relax—at least, at first. The sight of so many uniformed Cornerians usually filled him with a sense of security, but not today.

"So… what brings a lady like you to this terrible planet?" he asked, tearing his eyes off the patrolling troop units outside.

"Hmm? Oh yes, I do believe I never mentioned my business here, did I?"

The tanuki leaned back, crossing her leg and flipping open her makeup case again. "You see, Space Dynamics' officials are here on Venom for an important meeting. My husband has much unfinished business in this dreadful cesspool. But I thought it'd be exciting to pay a visit to the planet just once in my lifetime—you know, see where the big war happened and where all the exiles used to go. So I arranged for many of the company's families to tag along too, and we'd all have a gay time together! Speaking of which…"

She snapped her makeup case shut. "Do you two know where you're headed after this? Where will you go to avoid Ms. Krystal's evil uncle?!"

Fox exchanged glances with his companion.

"Uh, no ma'am, we hadn't really planned that far ahead. We were in such a hurry to escape—"

"Hush-hush-hush! Then I have just the thing!" She leaned in close to them both, lowering her voice. "Why don't you two come back with me to the hotel? You can rent some rooms, wash up, and come to dinner if you want!"

"Well—"

"Oh please, I insist! The odds of us meeting in such a dark place are so absolutely astronomical, it must have been fate! And you don't want to go against fate, do you Fox?"

The todd's brow furrowed. She was right; the odds of them meeting were astronomical, just like all the other circumstances leading him to find Section 9 and Krystal—and he wasn't one to believe in fate. For the briefest of seconds he wondered, could Mrs. de Pon be the one behind it all, stringing him along?

Then he took another look at the jovial, if air-headed tanuki and nearly snorted out loud. No, there was no way on Venom it could be her.

Fox weighed his options. If they went with Mrs. de Pon they'd finally be off the streets, with somewhere safe to stay. Both of the foxes could use some rest and another meal, and it could be Fox's chance to pump a Space Dynamics' rep for information on the Cerinians. On the other hand, it would further delay their escape, and someone working for the company might recognize Krystal for what she was… but he had to take that risk.

"…Alright, we accept. After all, we owe you so much for saving us, ma'am."

The tanuki beamed at them. "Splendid!" She pressed the intercom button. "Harold, please take us back to the hotel. I think I've seen all I want to of this dreadful city!"

"Yes, ma'am…"

A few minutes later they pulled up in front of a twenty-story luxury hotel; gold-plated letters above the entrance indicated it to be the Hotel Nolda. The battle for Venom left the building mostly unscathed; Venomians in the city had used it for their headquarters during the war, but surrendered long before the violent street-to-street fighting reached the block. It was said that the Venomian Minister of Defense Guereza kept most of his personal treasure collection here, having taken the best of the war spoils for himself. The Cornerian occupiers found the interior furnished with rare paintings, antique sculptures, and ancient artifacts passed down through centuries, each one stolen from their home planets—though most had been returned to their rightful owners by now.

When they entered the lobby it felt like they had stepped onto an entirely different planet. The hotel's spacious first floor was two stories tall, with polished floors, columns, and arches carved from green marble and sparkling white granite. Terraced, bronze fountains babbled away in the center of the floor, surrounded by leafy green plants. There was such an abundance of fresh flora and moving water that the lobby smelled like a temperate forest back on Corneria. After coming from the jungle enclosure in Andross's labs, however, Krystal anxiously watched the dark corners behind the arches, expecting something to come crawling out.

Mrs. de Pon led the way through the lobby, with the two taller foxes trailing behind. The rotund tanuki's girth effortlessly parted the crowd of hotel guests around them like an ocean, clearing the way to the front desk.

When the woman reached the counter she pinged the bell, startling Krystal. The clerk—a green gecko in a navy-blue suit—hastily appeared from the back room.

"We've reserved the top three floors for Space Dynamics families, including the penthouse ballroom for our dinner tonight," Mrs. De Pon explained. "Of course you two can't attend in those dirty rags! It's short notice, but I'm sure I could locate a dashing suit for you Fox, and a gorgeous gown for Ms. Krystal."

"Uh, nothing that shows too much fur," Fox rushed to say, worried it might reveal her arm and shoulder tattoos.

"Oh, of course! I'll have them delivered to your room before the gala starts. Now, would you like to stay on floor 18 or 19? Or do you have a preference?"

"Uh, 18 is fine."

"What about rooming arrangements? Would you like your rooms to be far apart, across the hall, or adjoining? I'd also be happy to let Krystal stay in my suite. I'd love the chance to get properly acquainted with her!"

That would be disastrous…

"Oh no, that's alright Ms. Sōzōshī. Just uh…" he coughed, "one room will suffice."

The tanuki's eyebrows climbed so high up her forehead they rose into the air. "Oh, is that so?" She glanced between the two young foxes, till she smiled knowingly. "I see, I see. I thought as much…"

Krystal looked at Fox questioningly, while the todd's face blanched in horror.

"Oh no, it's nothing like that ma'am!" he blurted. "It's just… I'm her bodyguard and I need to stay by her side. I can't leave her for any reason."

Mrs. de Pon nodded slowly. "Of course, my dear! Why else would you stay in her room?"

Winking, she accepted a tablet from the clerk and let Fox choose their room. But at that moment he panicked, realizing he might not have enough credits on him to even afford a single room at a hotel like this, let alone a (synthetic) ham sandwich. Damn you, Peppy. There certainly wasn't enough in his bank account or Star Fox's treasury—and if Krystal, a supposed daughter of royalty, didn't have any funds, that would look doubly suspicious…

Gulping, Fox slowly reached for his PDU, but the tanuki waved him off. "Oh, nonsense, Fox! You are my guests. I wouldn't dream of making you pay."

"Y-you're too generous, Mrs. de Pon!" He shuffled his feet. "Uh, I'd also appreciate it if you didn't record our names."

"Why no problem at all! I'll put you down as my guests."

While the clerk entered "Mrs. Sōzōshī de Pon and Guests", the tanuki glanced back at them, shaking her head and sighing sweetly. "Oh to be young and in love again…"

When Fox picked up their room key, he turned and marched away with a quite-confused Krystal in tow, his tail tucked between his legs in shame.

Though relatively small, Room 1885 was nothing to sneeze at. A soft white carpet covered most of the floor; it looked so thick it could come up to their ankles when they waded in. A large floor-to-ceiling window made up the entire outer wall, revealing Ambrosia's skyline. The hotel was nestled in the heart of the city, so all the other buildings blocked out the putrid horizon with their sparkling yellow windows.

In the bedroom portion of the room sat a luxuriant king-sized bed with a red satin duvet and a curtained frame. After an exhausting day, it sure looked inviting, but Fox didn't plan on staying long enough for it to be used. Even if they did spend the night, he wouldn't get to experience it; he'd have to sleep stretched-out on the couch, sprawled uncomfortably over some extra pillows and blankets while Krystal took the bed.

As the vixen had done with every new location, she scanned the interior with fascination—though whenever Fox caught her gawking at the room's furnishings, she acted disinterested.

Fox plopped down in the armchair, leaning back and kicking off his boots. "Ahhh… finally a chance to rest." He almost felt guilty for getting the city's dirt on the immaculate furniture, but he was too tired to care.

Krystal removed her shoes as well, hopping onto the bed. She was surprised when the soft material gave way before springing back up, though she tried to hide it. When she was sure he wasn't looking, she bounced a few times to further test the surface, giggling quietly.

'Fox…' she began, 'why did that woman make such a big deal about us sharing this room?'

His ears burned. "It's… not important. You wouldn't understand."

Krystal lay down on her stomach, pouting at his non-answer. Then she looked at him again with sparkling eyes, her tail beginning to wag slightly.

Fox raised an eyebrow as she crawled across the bed. "I don't think I like that look on your face. What're you—?"

Before he could finish, Krystal reached into Fox's mind again to see the answer for herself. The todd grimaced upon her sudden intrusion, knowing everything he thought or imagined would be laid bare for her to see. He tried everything in his power not to think about sharing a bed with the attractive, blue-furred vixen, in a luxurious room all to themselves, hiding under the blankets while they—dammit!

Krystal's eyes widened curiously at the stream of images he was supplying her, but before she could reach out and pull the imaginary covers off the bed, Fox loudly stamped his foot. He pounded it several times, as if shaking the sleep from it. The sudden noise succeeded, dislodging Krystal from his thoughts and preserving her innocence a little longer.

"Would you stop doing that!" he hissed, shielding his head.

'Why? Because you're afraid I'll find out what you really think about me? That you're embarrassed when that woman sees us together? That you don't want other people to know the "Hero of Corneria" is associating with a freak?'

Fox wrung his hands. "It's not like that. You've got it all wrong. You just… don't understand."

Krystal sighed, rolling onto her back and looking at him upside down.

'But if you won't even spare the breath to teach me, this is the only way I can learn! I want to understand you.'

"Please, any other subject I'd happily teach you about, but… not that."

Fox leaned forward, steepling his fingers and staring out the window at the skyline. "Besides, we have more important things to discuss. It may feel safe now, but we're not out of it yet. There's only so much time we have before Space Dynamics puts two-and-two together and figures out I ran off with one of their research sub—"

Krystal glared at him before he said it.

"…Er, Cerinians," he corrected. "Either that, or those Venomians might kiss up to their Eladard overlords long enough to rat me out."

'Then help me leave here while you still can.'

He sighed. "It's not as simple as that…"

The vixen curled up on the bed, yawning. 'Why not?'

"I told you; I want to figure out what the hell is going on before I make my decision. I need answers. I can't just go running off with you based on your word alone. Whatever's going on here seems bigger than you. Maybe what they're doing is for your own good—maybe it's for everyone's good."

'If you won't help me, just let me go. I'll live on the street and find my own way out.'

Fox shook his head. "I can't do that either. It's too dangerous for you."

Krystal's brow darkened. 'Since when have you cared about what happens to me?'

"I dropped everything to save you, didn't I?"

'Then why won't you let me go? Why won't you take me away from here?'

"Look, I might. I'm… considering it. But before then, I need to ask them more questions about you—and the other Cerinians."

'Can't you just trust me?!'

"Only if you trust me. If you want me to release you, you need to convince me you aren't dangerous, or that they have no reason to keep you captive. Tell me more about yourself; stop hiding things."

'Fine,' she pouted, 'I'll… answer your questions.'

"Alright, let's start with this." Fox leaned forward in his seat, counting off on his fingers. "Why did you keep it a secret from me that you can read minds, and that you can speak Cornerian?"

'I told you, I can't speak Cornerian; I have to use the part of your mind that matches images to words to talk to you like this.'

"Then why did you wait so long to do that?"

'I… didn't know if I could trust you. I was told the Cornerians were cruel and heartless, and that you would torment me. If you found out I could read minds, you would… try to use me for something. You would want my abilities, just like the Venomians.'

He raised his eyebrows. "Then, is that what Andross did to you? He somehow made you a telepath?"

Krystal snapped in his mind. 'Andross did nothing to me! …But he did want to use me. All of my people—my sisters—can hear others' thoughts, which is why he wanted us.'

"But it's more than just telepathy," Fox pressed. "That Cerinian did far more than read my thoughts. Are all of you like her? Can you do the same things she did? The telekinesis, the evisceration, the—"

'No!'

The vixen was breathing heavily now, her fists clenched. 'I am not like her. I tried to tell you before, but I don't belong to Andross. I'm not his; he didn't make me. I'm not an experiment; I'm his prisoner. We all are! W-we were captured recently, before the war ended. If the Cornerians won't let me go, that means they're no better than the Venomians! They just want to use me to read people's minds, too! They-they think I'm a monster, but you know I'm not! Fox, you've seen how I am! I haven't hurt you; I'm not dangerous!'

He raised his hands. "Alright, alright! No, I don't think you're a monster just because you can read minds, nor do I think you're dangerous. You're right, you've proven that to me. But maybe the Cornerians haven't seen that yet. Maybe they're afraid all the Cerinians will end up like that other one, and they're scared of you too. And maybe they have a reason to be afraid. I'm sorry Krystal, but I don't really know you. For all I know, you could be lying—and unlike you, I can't just read your mind to check."

For a moment her face froze in shock—then, it soured into a scowl.

'If they convince you I should be their prisoner, will you save my life just to hand me back over again?'

She stared into his eyes, a sapphire flame burning in hers. Was she reading his mind again, right now, without him knowing it?

Fox looked away first, shifting in his chair.

"We'll… cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now we have bigger obstacles to hurdle: like that dinner party Mrs. de Pon expects us to attend. I'm worried about it. The more you interact with people here, the more chance you have of being discovered."

'Why?'

"Because they'll see through you. You're obviously not Eladardian, and certainly no princess. You don't behave like anyone else: like normal people. You're…"

'Different.'

He flinched. "I didn't say that."

'But you thought it.'

"Stop reading my mind!"

'Fine.'

They reached an impasse, staring darkly at one another.

Fox sighed. "Look, we're tired and need rest. We're also absolutely filthy, and if there's any chance we get roped into that dinner date, we need to wash up beforehand. There's a spacious bathroom with a shower here. Would you like to bathe first?"

Krystal looked at him blankly.

He raised an eyebrow. "I said, would you like to wash up first?"

No answer.

Feeling like an idiot, Fox thought, 'Krystal?'

But her voice was gone from his head. She'd completely severed their connection.

"Fine, give me the silent treatment. It's weird hearing someone else's thoughts in my head anyway…"

He stood, walking to the bathroom but pausing before he disappeared inside. "I'll take my shower first. While I'm busy, do not open the door for anyone. When I'm done you can have your turn."

Stretching out on the bed, Krystal lay facing away from him, showing no indication she had heard or understood.

Fox rolled his eyes, entering the bathroom—but he missed the vixen's shoulders beginning to tremble, while her quiet sniffs filled the room in his absence.