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Mission No. 57

Cerinia
Altaira Valley

"Scars and Stripes"

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Fox lay on the flower-strewn grass, arms folded beneath his head as he stared up at the sky. Usually the lush valley was covered in mists from the mountains and rice fields, but on days like this the elders allowed the clouds to part and the violet sky to shine through.

The todd closed his eyes and smiled, listening to the sound of the waterfall close by. The grass tickled through his tunic; his back still felt tender and extra-sensitive from earlier that day, for he'd paid a visit to a Kaitaki who specialized in tattoos. Normally they were only reserved for warriors, but they made an exception for the strange "off-worlder" given he was a warrior in his own right.

He'd talked over getting tattoos with Falco and Slippy in the past—most likely matching red Star Fox insignia on their wrists—but after the war it was hard getting all of them together at once. The urge returned during his increasingly manic episodes, but he never got drunk enough to try it, or Fara was always there to talk him out of it. He was glad; he would have gotten something completely hideous only for it to be dated in a few years—probably the system's meme of the month—and he'd be left with a frog riding a unicycle on his ass cheek for the rest of his life.

His ears perked; the underbrush rustled somewhere on his left. He opened his eyes to see Krystal cresting the top of the ridge. She carried a large clay jar rather than a yoke with buckets for water. She beamed when she saw him and rushed down the incline towards him, dropping the jar.

Fox rose to meet her, grabbing hold of her arms and catching her when she picked up too much speed down the slope. "Whoa, careful! You wouldn't want to fall in again, would you?"

"No! At least, not while dressed," she panted. "I came here as fast as I could; I ran all the way!"

"You sound like it! That's no small distance," he praised. "How long do we have? Will they miss you?"

She shook her head. "No: I don't think anyone will notice. And if they do, they won't be suspicious; it's such a rare, lovely day anyone would understand if I dallied in the forest."

"Good! I'm glad you can stay awhile." Fox gestured to the ground as if offering her a chair, and the petal-strewn bank beside the falls was his humble abode. "It's not much, but would you like to sit with me?"

Krystal thanked him and sat with her legs crossed, looking around at the rest of the hollow. Her eyes alighted on the deep pool and the waterfall and she blushed, remembering catching Fox bathing there not too many days before. She cleared her throat and looked away, smoothing out the folds of her robe. "I saw you in the village today, on the way to the Matron's Hall. Did you meet with the Abbess?"

Indeed Fox had, but the content of their discussion was unpleasant. Mother Namah had told him of Krystal's discovery the previous day: the remains of the Cornerian fighters. It confirmed they had returned to Cerinia and were looking for them. The desert was too close to the valley for comfort, and they'd discussed the possibility the Cornerians might be closing in. But Fox didn't want to give Krystal cause for worry on a day like this; he felt she had enough stresses already.

"No, I came on my own business," he half-lied, pushing the thoughts from his head. "For the longest time I wanted to get tattooed, and I finally found a Kaitaki willing to do it."

"Tattooed? You had them do that to you? Didn't it hurt greatly?"

"Not as much as I thought it would! The Kaitaki don't have to use a needle or anything; they just gently coax pigments into your skin and follicle thingies with their powers. Having little grains of color forced through your pores still hurts a bit, but the tattooist knew what she was doing. I showed her a design I'd painted, and she was able to turn it into something that wasn't complete garbage." He chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "I'm not much of an artist myself."

Krystal cocked her head to the side. "But, why would anyone want to brand their body like that?"

He shrugged. "Because it looks cool? I-I mean… sometimes it's a permanent reminder of someone you love, or someplace you've been. Your body is just another canvas to paint on, like you might do up your hair or decorate your clothes, or I might paint my ship. Here, I'll show you:"

Fox turned around and shrugged his tunic off his shoulders. He bared his back to Krystal, revealing the large swathe of tattoos stenciled across it. At the center of an intricate, circular-shaped mandala flew a winged fox; its bright red tail and spread wings burst into flames towards the tips, and the orange licks of fire in turn bloomed into pink and purple blossoms towards the circle's edge, the likes of which adorned the trees in Altaira Valley.

"Wow," Krystal gasped. "I never knew tattoos could look like this…"

"The tattooist hated me for asking for something this detailed, but I think she ended up enjoying the challenge."

"It's beautiful," Krystal whispered. She touched her fingers to his back, tracing the intricate designs in wonder. "What does it mean?"

Fox wet his lips. "Er, what does it mean? I guess I don't really know. When I was designing it, I kinda drew whatever came to mind. It just seemed right to design it this way."

Krystal giggled.

"What?"

"Nothing," she caught herself. "A funny thought I had. It's ironic because, just today I got my own tattoos removed: the ones the Watchers gave me."

"They were able to erase the Venomian ones?"

"Mhm! I hated having to see them every day, but now my fur is back to the way it used to be!"

Krystal rolled up her sleeves and held out her arms, turning them this way and that. Sure enough, the white barcodes were gone, leaving her blue fur unblemished.

"They removed all of them—every single one." She continued by parting the split in her kimono's hem and unabashedly presenting her leg. Her thigh no longer bore the white 28: the last trace of her old name and identity.

Finally, she turned around and shrugged her own robe down; enough to reveal her shoulders. "See? All gone! …At least, I hope they're gone." She bit her lip while he couldn't see. "Would you mind… checking for me? I can't really see back there."

Raising an eyebrow, Fox set his paw on her robe and pushed it aside to get a better look at her shoulder. What once had been several lines of chalky, white Venomian figures were now as blue and as fair as the rest of her coat.

"Yeah, they did a good job. Not a trace is left!"

"Are you sure you have a good enough view?" Krystal pressed. "You have to get close to truly appreciate it…"

Fox swallowed as his throat ran dry, but he slowly pulled the robe further down to see more of her back. Krystal's sapphire fur lulled him into a daydream the longer he stared at it. He was losing himself in her sea of azure: an ocean of clear sky no longer marred by pale clouds. Then, as if hypnotized, he reached out to lay a gentle hand on her shoulder blade, caressing the silky fur there.

Krystal sucked in a quick breath and bit her lip anxiously. She tried to hold perfectly still so as not to dissuade him, but she couldn't stifle her tail wagging. Then, as carefully as she could, she slipped her arms free from their sleeves and let the robe fall the rest of the way down her frame.

Fox couldn't help himself; now he could appreciate her true, unblemished self as she really was—not as others had made her. So he did what he did best and let his instincts take over. He looped an arm around her torso and pulled her closer, leaning over her shoulder to plant a series of kisses on her neck.

Krystal tilted her head to the side and let him have his way; she closed her eyes and smiled at the wet, tickling sensation on her neck. But before long she couldn't hold herself back and turned to face him, taking his head in her hands and rising to kiss him back. Around them the wind made the petals dance and the leaves rustle in the trees; the insects called to one another and the waterfall sang away.

But when their kisses grew more intense, and their hands began to wander, Fox broke off suddenly. He gently took Krystal by the shoulders and pushed her back. "…Wait. Are you sure no one will see us in the daylight? We're not out in the fields like… last time."

Krystal laughed and fought to continue kissing him. "Whatever are you scared of? None of the other women would wander this far upstream for water—I only got lost last time."

"I'm just worried Mother Namah or one of her servants might spy on us. I wouldn't want to get you in trouble—"

Krystal barred a fang and snarled. "Oh, damn that high-and-mighty hag! She's got her loincloth twisted too tight. Who cares about the Abbess and her stuffy elders? It's like I'm never good enough for Namah, and Sister Āni's always ordering me around! Sometimes I feel like… like… I wanted them to find us together! What could they possibly do? Just let them try and separate us; they wouldn't dare test me!"

Fox's eyes widened, taken aback by her fiery outburst. It was rare these days for her to get so fiery about something. "Krystal…" he breathed.

She loudly inhaled and exhaled, a scowl over her face as she looked off between the trees. Then she blinked and her features softened, her eyes turning glassy. "…I'm sorry Fox, I didn't mean to burst out like that. But I'm so tired of doing this in secret! I hated having to run and hide from those Cornerians, and now I hate having to sneak around my own people. I wish they'd just let the two of us be…"

The vixen sighed and fell forward into his arms, knowing Fox would catch her. He held her to his chest and rocked her back and forth. "I know it's hard, Krystal. I feel the same way. But Altaira is the best home for us—either in Lylat, or in Lilith. For all their faults and misjudgments, the people who live here were still welcoming to us… even if it took a while."

He held Krystal and caressed her back for a time, though he knew his words did little to comfort her.

"They're scared of me, you know…"

Fox's blood ran cold. He remembered the conversation he'd had with Namah about Krystal's powers. Indeed, the matron was afraid…

Krystal looked up at him and smiled. "…But you're not. You're not scared of me anymore, right?"

He kissed the top of her head, shutting out the thought. "Of course not. Why would I be? I know you better than Namah or any of those other elders and warriors. And what do they know? Only a month ago they were deathly afraid of me. They should feel stupid for being scared of either of us."

"Yes, yes you're right! What do they know of us?" Krystal hugged him and giggled. "Who would ever be scared of you, you big teddy bear! Now, are you still worried about them catching us here?"

Fox thought for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "No, I guess you're right. I don't think any of the other women would wander this far upstream—not unless they wanted to catch a dirty foreigner like me bathing."

"Oh?" Krystal returned slyly. "What makes you think they wouldn't? I know many curious girls who would walk for miles to see the things I saw here…"

"Is that so? Well, if any do happen to wander our way, the sound of the fall will cover our conversation and… anything else."

"'Anything else'?" she repeated playfully. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

He gulped. "Uh, well—"

"You don't think I ran all the way here just to talk to you…?"

"I-I mean, of course not—!"

"Then come on!" she cried, standing and dropping the rest of her garments to the grass. She took hold of Fox's hand and struggled to pull him to his feet. "Let's go for a swim!"

"Hey, wait!" He tripped along while she guided him to the water, laughing all the way. "Let me get this off first—!"

Krystal released him and ran ahead. She dove straight in with a splash while Fox continued to stumble towards the water as fast as he could, struggling to get his shendyt the rest of the way down his legs.

Krystal momentarily resurfaced, flinging her long hair back and brushing it from her eyes. She was just in time to see Fox's undergarment tangle up his ankles so that he tripped and belly-flopped unceremoniously into the pool. The vixen shrieked before bursting out in another fit of laughter, covering her mouth with a paw. Fox rose back to the surface and spat out a stream of water, then smiled sheepishly.

For a time they played together in the pool: swimming, splashing and otherwise rough-housing. But when their touches strayed from teasingly playful to dangerously intimate, Krystal slipped behind the waterfall and sprawled against the mossy rock wall, inviting Fox with a look over her shoulder and a flick of her tail. The todd took his place behind the vixen and shielded her from the falls, sharing a kiss over her shoulder as he positioned himself.

But as Fox's hips began to gently rock Krystal's against the mossy wall, the pair of lovers respected one unspoken boundary: even as they gleefully united in the flesh, they made sure to separate their minds and senses completely, avoiding that same frightening loss of ego they'd experienced the night of the festival.

The curtain of water hid each stage of their passionate wrestling, and the thunder of the falls drowned out their joyous cries. And for those blissful moments, they forgot about their tattoos, past and present, along with the oppressive village, the specter of the Cornerians, and all their other worries as they made love.

Once Fox and Krystal thoroughly exhausted themselves, they crawled back onto the shore and flopped onto the bed of grass and fallen petals, drying their fur in the dappled sunlight that trickled through the leaves.

Krystal rested beside Fox with her head on his chest. For his part the todd tried to hold perfectly still, as if worried he'd startle a butterfly that had settled on him. The wind shifted the leaves above, and he closed his eyes when the sun shone through. The two lay in silence and tranquility, just taking comfort in their proximity.

After a time the winds seemed to pick up, disturbing the branches. The bright red against Fox's lids darkened. His bare fur and skin felt cold, and he sensed a cloud passing between them and the sun.

He peeked through his eyelids but found the bright jewel staring pleasantly back at him, untarnished by any clouds; the leaves hovered still. It hadn't been the clouds or the wind he'd felt at all; he had only imagined the change in atmosphere. Unless…

"Krystal, you're worried about something, aren't you?"

"…Yes," she admitted. "I didn't want to mention it now, but… the nightmares haven't stopped. I-I feel like I'm having more of them. It's hard for me to sleep at night, knowing when I close my eyes I might see them again." Her voice grew strained and desperate. "Sometimes it happens even during the day; I'll catch myself sitting or leaning against something while doing absolutely nothing, without knowing how much time has passed."

Fox's heart ached, and he cursed the fact that he couldn't be by her side whenever those spells happened. But at least he could relate.

He reached up and began combing his fingers through her hair. "You know, I've been through the same thing. Unfortunately it's normal for people like us: people who've experienced what we have."

The vixen looked up. "You have these nightmares, too?"

"It's been a while since I've had one," he admitted. "In fact, I can't remember having any since we've been together. But before then, it was terrible. I saw a lot of things I wish I hadn't during the war. They often reappear in my dreams, and sometimes those images wouldn't go away even when I awoke."

"Then, how did you deal with them?"

"Well, I had a therapist who taught me not to be so afraid of them. They're only visions, after all—and at their worst, memories of things already passed. They can't hurt me anymore… although in the middle of one, it's hard to remember that. But perhaps what helped the most was just having someone to talk to."

"I know what you mean," she sighed. "It comforts me most to know someone else is with me. They help remind me of what's real, and where I am. The safest I've ever felt is when you're by my side, even when there's a storm outside or in my head. That night you let me stay with you was the most I've felt at peace in a while. I… I was wondering, if it wouldn't be too much trouble…"

Fox's ears perked. "Yeah?"

The vixen crawled further up him, tucking her muzzle beneath his chin and snuggling into the soft fur of his chest. "I wanted to spend more nights with you. In fact, every night. As many as we can."

Fox smiled as her warmth spread into him, and he wrapped his arms around her. "I'd love that. It's the only time we can really be together without anyone else watching. But… you can't risk running away to Itoro's house every night, and I can't risk being caught in the village after sundown."

She raised up, folding her arms on his torso and resting her chin atop them. "I've already thought it over! We can meet halfway in the forest somewhere—maybe even here! It might be fun to go swimming when the stars are out."

"Wouldn't they be suspicious if they caught you sneaking away that late?"

She kicked her legs absently, circling a finger in his chest fur. "Not at all! Some of the Kaitaki like to go up to the mountains after sundown to find solitude for their meditation. It gives me the perfect excuse!"

"Well, I see you've already plotted this whole thing out!" Fox grinned slyly and ruffled her hair. "You're becoming a real schemer, you know that?"

Krystal's tail wagged. "Then, it's settled? I'll bring my blankets and pillows, and you can bring yours?"

"Sounds like a plan. I'll make sure the old man doesn't catch me on my way out."

Krystal smiled and nuzzled back into the crook of his neck. "Thanks for being there, Fox. I feel at peace already…"

She trailed off quietly, and the two fell silent, resting again. But after a time, Fox felt an old, longing hunger return to his heart, and he licked his lips. "Krystal, could you…?"

The vixen shifted and hesitated for a moment. "…Alright. An old memory again, or a new memory of her?"

"A nice one: the most peaceful one you can think of. Please."

Krystal slid up him till she could press her temple against his. "Okay Fox. I'll try…"

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"Nrgh!"

"Oh hold still and keep quiet, you big baby!"

Falco lay face down on Katt's bed as she treated his wounds from the previous night. He had serious lacerations on his shoulders, back, knees, and chest from that wild ride with Scrimmer, the road having torn through his feathers to his skin. At the moment, Katt had the bandages peeled away from his shoulders and back and was applying a soothing ointment before she changed them.

"You sure it wouldn't be better to have Pukes take a look?" Falco asked.

"Are you kidding? She's a chemist, not a physician."

"And you're a mechanic, not a medic."

"Psh!" Katt waved her hand. "Cars, people: same thing. I fixed up Bruiser, didn't I? Now tell me, doesn't this stuff make you feel better?"

Falco focused on his back. "I dunno… still feels like everything's on fire."

Katt frowned. "I asked if it felt better, not if it felt good."

"Yeah, well, I guess it does…" Falco grumbled.

Katt continued applying the ointment further down his back, the cold goop admittedly easing the fire in his wounds. "You almost got yourself killed, Falco," she remarked in a softer voice after a time. "I don't know if you'll survive another encounter like that."

"Come on, I drove circles 'round 'em! I bet most of the goons we chased out of the city ain't coming back anytime soon. Only reason I got like this is because Scrimmer played dirty. I was just… distracted by the attack on the shop is all."

Katt lowered her voice. "Falco, don't underestimate Grimmer. I know him better than you do. You might've made a dent in his forces, but they still outnumber you. And what happens when Grimmer gets angry and decides to toss out the Code? If he wanted to risk it, he could squash the Free Birds, just like that." She snapped her fingers.

"Nah, once the guns come out, Grimmer knows he's toast. He'd be dealing with an ace mercenary and war hero, two heavy weapons fanatics, and a murderous mechanic bot, while he just has common street thugs by his side."

"Still… I think he'd try it anyway. I've seen people from the Black Dragonfish visiting the hideout."

"If he strikes first, our guns come out. If we strike his base first, his guns come out. And in both cases, the Bureau arrives to clean up what's left of us. If we got in a live fire fight with Grimmer, I couldn't guarantee anyone's safety—especially Kitt's and Pukes'… and, well, yours. We have better weapons and better soldiers, but he has the numbers to even things out. I don't want to risk any of you, and I don't want to put any of our fellow 13's in the crossfire. But… I think I have a way of preventing any further violence…"

Katt's ears poked up. "Oh? Do tell."

"It's simple. I go one-on-one against Grimmer. Winner takes the North End. Loser beats it."

The feline's hands froze on his back. "You're not serious… right?"

"I'm dead serious."

"Falco!"

Grimacing, he rolled onto his side to face her. "It's the only way we can resolve this without more blood getting spilled!"

"Oh there'll be a lotta blood—and it's all gonna be yours!"

"Maybe, but it doesn't have to be. I know I can take Grimmer."

"Are you crazy? With you in this condition, he'll wipe the street with you."

"I just need a couple more days to recover—"

"A month at least, you moron!"

"—Then with Corruption, I can see Grimmer's attacks coming, just like I did with Dimmer—and he was nearly twice my size!"

"Ugh!" Katt pushed Falco's shoulder down and got back to work, not wanting to have to look at his stupid face. "You know, you're getting too cocky with that drug and all the 'wonderful powers!' it grants. It sure didn't do shit to stop Scrimmer from chaining you up and dragging you around the city."

"Again woman, I just got distracted! If I'd been payin' attention, I woulda heard his thoughts a long way off."

"It's a bad idea to rely on it, especially when you don't even know everything it does!"

"Didn't stop you from relying on it last night," Falco smirked.

"I… I don't know what you're talking about—"

"I know you took it; that's how you tracked me down when Scrimmer drove off with me."

Katt clenched her fist. "Look, it was… it was one time: just to save you! I told you, I'm not gonna kick Allusion just to get on Corruption. But that's beside the point. Why the hell would Grimmer even take you up on that challenge?"

"Why the hell wouldn't he? To him, an offer like this is too good to be true. He thinks he could squash me like a gnat in a fair fight, plus his own men would laugh at him if he turned down a challenge from 'Little Lombardi.' It also means he doesn't have to risk a full assault on our hideout—"

A knock at the door interrupted their argument, and the pair hushed. Katt drew her pistol and rose to stand by the door.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"It's Shani," the canid's voice reached her. "There's someone here to see Falco. Says she's a nurse?"

The two of them exchanged glances. "I never sent for a nurse," Katt said.

"Well don't look at me! You know I ain't left this bed since last night."

Taking a chance, Katt unlocked the door and opened it—but instead of allowing their visitors in, she only opened it wide enough for herself to squeeze through, then shut it behind her. She stood in front of the door and crossed her arms, looking the guest beside Shani up-and-down.

The "nurse" was a morning dove looking to be in her late forties. At the very least she didn't seem dangerous, nor the hooligan-type. Her clothes were old and worn with patched-up holes, but then again, whose weren't on the North End? Still, she could have been sent by Grimmer…

Katt turned to Shani. "Was she carrying anything on her? Weapons? Poison?"

"Well…" Shani held up a black medical bag and opened it to reveal a variety of instruments—some of which were quite sharp. "She does have these, but they're all the usual tools a nurse would use. Has a medical license, too."

Katt eyed the array of instruments in the bag, then scrutinized the nurse, who she hadn't heard speak a word yet. "I dunno, Shani. I'm not inclined to trust her—"

"Hey-hey-hey, what's takin' so long?" Falco's muffled voice came from behind the door. "If it's Grimmer, tell him I ain't in!"

The feline visibly cringed, but decided to open the door anyway.

"You came to help?" Falco asked, craning his head to face the door, which was difficult given his prone position.

The morning dove nodded. "Yes sweetie, if you'll let me." She spoke with an air of confidence unusual for someone in the heart of a gang's hideout.

"Honestly ma'am, I feel like shit and I'd love your help. It ain't safe for me to visit a hospital, but it's just as risky letting some stranger off the street in to visit me. It's a bit suspicious you just happened to show up right after I got the feathers and skin torn off my hide. So tell me—who sent ya? Who told ya I was hurt?"

She shook her head. "This may sound strange, but no one told me. No one sent me here. It's… it's hard to explain. I was just passing by your garage, on my way to the hospital. When I walked in front of the shop, I had this funny feeling someone inside was in great pain, so… I decided to come in."

Katt's eyes widened, and when she locked gazes with Falco she saw his had too.

"You say it was just a funny feeling?" the avian repeated.

"Yes, almost as if I could feel the pain myself." She laughed, perhaps nervously. "Call it a nurse's intuition if you like, but whatever it was, it brought me here."

When Katt glanced back at Falco again, he had a smug look on his face. Both of them knew exactly what was up.

"Alright, Miss… what's your name?"

"Tosca," she said.

"I think I have no other choice but to trust you, Miss Tosca. Let 'er in, girls."

The pink feline debated for a second, then opened the door the rest of the way and nodded. Shani handed her bag back but didn't return to her post, instead leaning against the doorframe in case the nurse tried to make trouble.

Tosca knelt by Falco's bedside, setting her bag down and removing a few supplies. "I see you've bandaged him so far. Ointment seems like it's just to soothe. I hope you cleaned the wounds before applying it?"

"Yes, with warm water and soap."

"Hmm, well, it's a start—but it needs to be treated with antibiotics, and the larger wounds may require stitches."

The nurse began wiping the ointment away with a cloth. She hissed when she saw the full extent of Falco's wounds. "How did you do this? I have a feeling it had to do with all the commotion last night, but it must have taken more than a simple fall from one of those silly bikes of yours."

Katt clenched her fists and set her jaw, though the woman couldn't see. She felt miffed—both at how she'd brushed aside her work on Falco's wounds, and at how she'd dismissed their riding as 'silly.'

"As a matter of fact, it was more than that," she explained, perhaps too argumentatively. "We spent the night driving Grimmer's Gang out of the North End. One of the bastards caught Falco and dragged him a good distance. If you're wondering what did that to him, the street did."

The nurse gently applied her own medicine to Falco's wounds. "Did you? That's a surprise to me. It's been years since any of the other street gangs challenged that hooligan. I've treated many a victim of his—and even a few of his brutes as well when they got their comeuppance. That lizard isn't good for this neighborhood, so… more power to ya."

When she finished rubbing the ointment into his back, she drew out her needle and thread. Falco couldn't help the sharp grunt that escaped his beak the first time the needle went through. Neither Katt nor Shani looked away: the former worried over her mate, the latter morbidly interested.

For a good half hour, Tosca continued to work, sewing Falco's larger wounds closed before applying antibiotics over his lacerations. When she'd finished with his back, Falco turned onto his side so she could get at his chest and knees. Then, when she'd completely finished, she replaced his bandages with clean ones and began packing her tools.

"I'll be back tomorrow to check on you. Stay in bed as much as possible, and don't move around too much."

"Thanks Tosca, for doing this. If there's any way we could repay you, I'll see to it."

"That's not necessary, young man. But… as long as you're offering, get rid of that Grimmer punk for me."

Gingerly, Falco raised his head up on one elbow. "Oh, I intend to, sister. But I still want to do something more. Tell me, who do you get your Corruption from?"

The nurse froze, her instruments halfway in her bag. "'Corruption'? I'm sorry, I don't know what you're—"

"There's no use hiding it. You already gave it away when you came in here on 'just some whim.' In fact, I don't even have to argue with ya. You know I know, because you can sense it."

Tosca's cheeks flushed. Silently, she returned to putting her instruments away. "B-Before you go judgin' me, it ain't like that Allusion stuff. In fact, it helped me kick—"

"I know. So from now on, you get it free from us."

Tosca sighed. After closing her bag she rose to her feet and bowed slightly. "Thank you. But I didn't do this for any reward. It's just what I do."

"And that's exactly why I'm giving you something in return." Falco waved her off. "You better be going; you're probably late as it is. Stay safe out there, and keep your head low—but know that you won't have to keep it low for much longer."

The nurse left, and Katt kicked an inquisitive Shani out of the room with her. When the other women were gone, she shut the door and returned to sit beside Falco. Right away she noticed a new fire in his eyes—a look she'd become all too wary of.

"We can beat Grimmer's Gang now. I'm sure of it."

Katt sighed and placed a hand on his wing, gently stroking his feathers. "I want to believe that, Falco. I don't want to go back there again—back to him. But how can you know that for sure?"

"She proved it to me. I've been out and about enough to see the effect Corruption's had on the people here. Everyone's waking up; they feel a connection. We all live on the same island floating in this storm: the Free Birds, our buyers, the people in the North End—even the well-to-dos and the cops in the city center. And hell, even me and Grimmer."

"But what if Grimmer can't see things that way?"

Falco scowled.

"Then my only option is to put him down."

ㅤ⦼ㅤ

Hours later, Grimmer wadded up a piece of paper and spiked it at the ground. He stood in front of his penthouse windows, bare-chested and covered with numerous bandages from his own spill that night. He crossed his arms, looking over his city and fuming.

"…Well, the bird has guts, I'll give him that."

"It's a trick!" Scrimmer hissed from behind him. "There's no way in hell Lombardi would try you in a fair fight! They're luring us into a trap, or he'll find some way to do you dirty!"

Grimmer shook his head. "No, no Lombardi's not like that. He ain't like you, Scrimmer. That idiot really means it."

"But he does cheat!" Dimmer exclaimed. "I can't put my finger on it, but… he cheats!"

"He got lucky against you; that's all. But still, this is unlike him. He's stupid, but he ain't this stupid. Something's up…"

"You're not scared of fighting him, are you, Grimmer?" a third, aristocratic voice said behind him. It sounded like leather dragged over sandpaper, and it even made Grimmer's scales crawl to hear it.

He turned around, finally facing their guest: another reptile standing like a physical shadow on the opposite side of the room, his stooped form covered by a black cloak; his face, by a gas mask, even though the air inside was clean. He stood a full head-and-shoulders shorter than any of the three iguana brothers, but somehow he managed to appear more intimidating.

Grimmer gnashed his teeth and marched towards him. "Don't talk down to me, you shady fuckin' slime. That bird could never take me in a fight. I beat him before; I ain't yellow."

The hooded figure steepled his claws, the scales on his skin seeming to change color as they passed different surfaces. "We are anxious to have this matter dealt with. Due to your mishandling, the situation has gotten out of hand. It's escalated far more than it should have. The citizens of the North End are turning on you—and by extension, us. Corruption is cutting into our market, and you're failing to sell your Allusion quota. Lombardi's rebellious acts have caught the attention of the Bureau, along with your late night 'carousing.'"

"Yeah?" Grimmer barked, favoring his bandaged arm. "Well whaddya expect me to do about it that I ain't doin' already?"

"We gave you that tattoo for a reason, Grimmer…"

The iguana's eyes lowered to the black dragonfish ink curling up his arm—part of which now lay beneath bandages.

"We expect you to maintain order in the North End."

Grimmer clenched his fist, almost sinking his claws into his palm. He looked to his two brothers.

Scrimmer shook his head. "I still think it's a trick. We could effortlessly crush the Free Birds' base if we wanted to."

Dimmer smacked his fist into his palm. "Yeah, and that'd be the fun way, too!"

"It would be costly," their guest warned. "There would be much bloodshed, and make even more of a scene for the Bureaus."

"Oh? And what do my esteemed friends down below want me to do?"

"Accept. We're beginning to rethink our choice for the North End's ruler, Grimmer. Winning this fight in a swift, painless way would restore our confidence in you. We have the cooperation of the Bureaus to that end as well."

Grimmer gnashed his teeth, turning to face out over the buildings again. It used to be that he watched over all the scum in the North End; now it felt like those rows of black, gaping windows stared back at him.

"…I'll fight him. I'll wipe the streets with that bird's guts."

"Good—"

"But I ain't doin' it for you. I have a score to settle with Falco. I wanna ground him into the pavement again. I want him to watch while his girl comes crawling back to me for her fix—and I want that traitorous cunt to watch as I do her boy in for the last time."

He cracked his knuckles. "Tell that to the Black Dragonfish, Mr. Powalski."