Star Fox: The Harmony of the Many

by NamaFox

The Aparoid Wars are over, and the Lylat System is recovering. Team Star Fox receives a distress call from just beyond the edge of the Lylat System. What starts as a rescue mission soon becomes something much more than the team anticipated. Fox McCloud soon finds himself contending with horrors beyond imagination, and it will take all his wits and courage just to survive.

28. Bonus Chapter - First Date

(If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you found it a worthy adventure for the Star Fox team. After all the pain and misery I put Fox through, I made this final chapter to give him a bit of a break, a simple date with Krystal. Those two deserve to be happy together, and this is just a small taste of how that happiness might begin. It's a strong shift in tone, I think, so bear that in mind. I hope you enjoy, and if not, that's okay. Once again, thank you for making it this far! I intend to see Star Fox set upon another adventure. Eventually. It took me over a year to write this story, so I figure it'll be a bit before it continues. I hope to make it a trilogy of sorts. If you stick around, you have my deepest gratitude. And if you leave here, you still have my gratitude. Thank you, and I wish you all well, even if there's only one of you!)

Another day, another job.

Star Fox had a new mission waiting for them, a search and rescue. Much simpler mission this time, at least as opposed to the last. Small space station that had gone dark, they needed to save whoever was on board. There would only be a few people.

He was with Fara. She had his back. They went in together, searching for the crew. It was quiet. So quiet that one might hear a pen drop. There was no sign of the old crew. It made Fox uneasy, wondering what was awaiting them.

As Fox checked the empty bridge, he found nothing of note. There was no one there. Something dripped down on his arm. He stared at the spot the liquid had touched, now with a dark stain on it, then another drop came down. He reached out with one paw, letting the next drop land on his finger before bringing it up to his face. Blood?

Looking up, he saw a grating for some kind of vent. Blood was dripping from it. Fox had a terrible idea of what might be in there. He didn't want to open it. In fact, he knew that he shouldn't. But his body wouldn't obey him. He reached for the grating, finding it loose and easily removed. No sooner did he pull the thing free than a number of bodies slid down, all stacked together above it, all mutilated in horrible ways. The last to fall was a child, a young bird girl staring upward, eyes unfocused in death.

Fox lowered his head, shivering as he felt deep waves of pain and guilt wash over him. He found his paws stained crimson, covered in blood. He couldn't save them. Their blood was on his hands. He had failed.

The bodies started to move. They were not alive. They couldn't be alive. But the bodies were starting to fuse together and form something horrific. An amalgamation of flesh and fur. The bodies were joined in an unnatural union, limbs disappearing into one another as the flesh and fur and feathers began to merge. He heard a familiar voice whispering to him, a voice he desperately wished he could forget. "We are one of many."

Fox would have drawn his weapon, but his blaster was gone. He was unarmed now. He heard the sound of a gun cocking behind him. He turned and found himself face to face with Fara, her weapon leveled at him. He tried to speak to her, but no words would come out. They were frozen in his threat, refusing to emerge. He wanted to plea with her, to beg her to stop, to try to find out what was wrong, why she was doing this. But he couldn't.

She never said a single word. She simply aimed at him, waited a few moments as Fox desperately tried to speak, then pulled the trigger, a smile on her face. The last thing Fox heard before being shot was the echoing and twisted laughter of an unseen entity, an artificial voice that stuttered and repeated itself as it mocked him. "Est-esta-establish trust, insect (inseeect). As the blaster bolt hit him, Fox opened his mouth to scream.

With a loud panicked gasp, Fox lurched upright in his bed, his heart hammering in his chest. That same damn dream again. He didn't always have that particular variant, but they were all quite similar. They were all nightmares stemming from his experience aboard the Von Dross. He hadn't slept properly since he had returned from that mission. Every time he tried to sleep, the dreams returned. It always ended with him waking up like this.

His head fell back against the pillow, and he just lay there panting heavily. It took a long while for his heart beat to steady, for him to no longer hear the rapid thumping of it roaring in his ears. It did eventually settle down. The severe anxiety and fear started to give way. He was calm again, he told himself, as if trying to will it somehow. He was calm. He was alright now. The mission was over. He could relax. It was just a dream.

No matter how many times he told himself that, no matter how convincing he tried to be, it never seemed to make any difference. The fear was so strong, so powerful. He could barely breathe. Panic set in, growing alongside a twisted combination of intense fear and guilt. It was threatening to overwhelm him again.

Then he felt something soft touch his chest. Blinking, he turned to look at whatever had touched him, momentarily distracted from those terrible thoughts and feelings.

There she was. His jaw dropped a bit, having almost forgotten that he was currently sharing his bed with an absolutely gorgeous vixen. Her paws were on his chest, her eyes closed. She had been turned away from him, but had rolled a little bit in her sleep, now facing him. She looked so peaceful, so sweet. She was breathing softly, her warm breath against his chest.

For a moment, it all vanished. All the fear. All the hurt. All the guilt and frustration. It was all gone.

He couldn't believe how wonderful their intimacy had been. It was the most pleasurable and amazing thing he had experienced in...he genuinely didn't know how long. Years, at least. It had taken his mind off of things. He checked the time, noting his desk clock which was on the other side of the room. He blinked as he saw it, it couldn't be right. According to it, it was almost 12 hours after Krystal and he had fallen asleep. But he hadn't slept for more than a few minutes at a time ever since he came back from the Von Dross mission.

This was the first good sleep he had gotten since then. He wondered how Krystal managed to stay here all this time. Maybe she hadn't. Maybe she'd slipped away and had come back later on. Fox doubted he would have been aware of her departure.

He pulled himself away from her a bit so he could get a look at her. She was still just as naked as the last time he had seen her. So was he, come to think of it. Before he could pull any further away. her arms wrapped around him again, hugging him and nuzzling into his chest, just beneath his throat. He bit his lower lip, then slowly reached out for her, gently curling one of his arms under the side she was resting on, holding her close.

He'd still had bad dreams, they had still woken him up. But because of Krystal, he managed to get a good night's sleep. Before the nightmares had returned, he suspected that his dreams had been rather pleasant. A pity they hadn't lasted, but that was not unexpected. It would take a while before he fully recovered from what happened over there.

He sighed softly, then closed his eyes again, being very careful not to wake Krystal up. Even though he'd slept for so long, he still didn't want to get up. He wasn't sleepy, that wasn't the problem at all. In fact, he was quite wide awake now. Rather, it was that he didn't have anything he wanted to do or anywhere he wanted to go. He just wanted to stay in his room and shut himself off from everyone for a while longer.

Well, everyone but the one sharing his room right now. He was glad she was here. Maybe he'd talk to her more about it later. For now, he just wanted to make sure he didn't disturb her at all.

"Fox?"

So much for not disturbing her. He opened his eyes and saw the vixen gazing at him, a faint smile on her face. "Good morning."

"Oh, uh..." Fox cleared his throat. "Good morning, Krystal. I, um...I hope you..."

Before he got to finish his sentence, Krystal moved her muzzle forward, giving him a tender and gentle kiss before laying back down on the bed. She smirked at him before speaking, "You were quite sound asleep earlier. You did not wake even as I departed. Yet I heard you stirring not long ago. Your dreams grew dark."

"Yeah." Fox admitted. "Yeah, they did. I didn't mean to wake you."

She shook her head in an emphatic manner. "You did not wake me. This is why I stayed, Fox. I wanted to be with you when these dark spells come upon you. You went through a lot, and I do not wish to see you accept this burden alone. I wish to assist."

"You already have, Krystal." Fox said quietly. "You've already helped me more than you can possibly know."

The vixen giggled at his words, appearing quite amused. "Mmm, you did enjoy yourself last night, didn't you?"

"Uh...is that a trick question?" Fox arched an eyebrow. "That was amazing. I...I don't think I've had a better night in my life."

"Oh, now you're just flattering me." The blue furred vixen offered coyly. After a moment of looking playful, her expression changed to one more earnest. "But yes. It was wonderful for me as well."

"I, uh...I know this is a stupid question, but..." Fox cleared his throat. He wondered if he should ask what he had on his mind. But why not? He had already gone this far with her. He might as well see it through all the way. "Um...are we, uh..." He struggled to get the words out, though he knew he needed to. "We're...we're dating now, right?"

"We'd better be." Krystal narrowed her gaze at him. He couldn't tell if her next words were just playful or if they contained a dire warning in them. Perhaps both. "I would be quite cross if I mated with someone who I did not consider myself romantically attached to."

Whether she meant those words literally or not, he didn't want to leave anything to chance. "Well then, I'd like it very much if uh...if we could start seeing each other...regularly. If that's okay with you."

She giggled again, seeming quite amused at Fox's rather shy discomfort in broaching the topic. "I have awakened in you an appetite then?"

"Huh?" Fox's eyes went wide, and he blushed furiously at what he might have just implied. "Oh! No no no no no! No, I didn't mean it like that! I didn't mean that at all, I just meant that we'd be, you know, seeing each other! Like dating and..."

She pressed a finger to his lips, shushing him before grinning, her tail swishing behind her. "You're cute when you're embarrassed Fox. I was only teasing you. I would be most pleased if we would date. I have hoped for it for quite some time."

"You...you have?" Fox gulped. "I...I was afraid that, uh...you know. I wasn't sure if you really liked me or not."

"You are a silly fox, Fox." Krystal shook her head while chuckling to herself, then rose to her feet. Fox was treated to the rather wondrous sight of her back and backside. He tried not to stare, he still felt funny about ogling her. But she was so beautiful, and she had just agreed to date him! He just didn't want to come across as some kind of creep. He was very attracted to her, sure. He thought she was an absolutely gorgeous vixen. At the same time, he didn't want her to think this was all just physical. He didn't want her to get the impression that he was that shallow. Still, even though he tried not to look, he couldn't help but notice those supple curves of hers, the roundness of her rump, how incredibly soft she appeared to be. He wanted to reach out for her right now, but he managed to hold himself back.

As she searched for her clothes, Fox sat up himself, careful not to bump his head on the compartment above him. He wasn't sure how Krystal had avoided hitting her head on the thing when they had...gotten intimate. But she was also the most graceful member of the team, so that probably had something to do with it.

He wasn't sure where his clothes were. Krystal had tossed his pants off somewhere. Or maybe he had kicked them off, he didn't remember. Either way, they were gone and he'd have to get out of bed and search for them. He wasn't entirely sure if he should or not. Even though they'd just shared something so special and intimate together, for some reason he still felt a little shy about being entirely naked around her.

She clearly didn't have any such hesitations. She made absolutely no attempt to cover herself for Fox. She was such a compassionate and caring member of Star Fox, it was easy to imagine her as the quiet, shy type. Yet that really wasn't who she was at all. In fact, Fox was quickly realizing that she was far more bold than he had ever given her credit for. All Fox could do was stare at her as she worked. He hadn't meant to stare, he really hadn't. But he had just mated with her last night. And she was just so beautiful and alluring!

She caught him gazing at her. He quickly looked away, as though to pretend his eyes had not been lingering upon her form. He saw her moving toward him out of the corner of his eye, turning just in time to see her place her paws on his shoulders, then sink down so that she was resting on his lap, wrapping her legs around his lower back. He was more than a bit surprised to find himself in this position. He stared up at her with wide eyes, wondering just what she was planning.

"Fox." She stated his name simply, then placed her paws on either of his cheeks. "I have long hoped for this day. The day that we would become more than just friends."

Her words managed to clear up some of the fog in Fox's head. He smiled up at her. "Really? I mean...I've, uh..." He cleared his throat again, struggling to get out the words. "Did I...did I ever say what happened when I first saw you?"

The vixen tilted her head, looking both curious and eager to hear what he had to say, her tail wagging behind her, thumping against the floor. "I do not believe you have."

"Well, uh..." Fox continued to struggle to speak, finding this subject a difficult one broach. It wasn't just the subject matter. It was also the fact that he'd been keeping these things to himself for years now. It was hard to let it all go at once. "Well, when I first saw you, I..." He swallowed hard, then finally decided to just blurt it out. "I saw you encased in that crystal. And I thought "This is the most beautiful vixen I've ever seen in my life."

"I seem to recall you saying, 'she's beautiful.'" The vixen answered him with a mischievous grin.

He blinked, his eyes going wide. "Wait, what?! You heard that?!"

She giggled again, nodding. "I did. I was aware of most everything happening around me. I simply could not react."

"Ah." Fox rubbed the back of his head, feeling awfully embarrassed about that. He had no idea that Krystal was aware of him during that time, he had thought her to be completely incapacitated, unconscious. "Well...then you know it's true. I meant what I said. I thought you were beautiful. I always have."

"I suppose the outfit helped? You've expressed a fondness for it in the past. Or rather, I've noticed that you seem to enjoy it."

It was a good thing Krystal couldn't see Fox's cheeks beneath that fur of his, because they felt like they were absolutely stinging from the embarrassment. "You...you noticed, huh?"

"Fox, first of all I'm a telepath and can sense emotions and occasionally even thoughts." She answered him, still seeming more amused at the conversation than anything.

"Right. Right, I should have-"

She interrupted him before he could continue. "And I did not need to be a telepath to know. Did you believe I never noticed your gaze? I saw you. I always saw how quickly you turned, pretending as though you hadn't been looking. You did it just now, when I was turned away from you."

"Then..." Fox frowned, mulling over this new information. "Then why didn't you say anything? You could have told me to stop. I never would have wanted to make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry, Krystal, that was unprof-"

Again she interrupted, this time with a kiss, pressing her muzzle to his for a brief moment before pulling away. "Fox, if I didn't want you to look at me, I would tell you to stop. Why do you suppose I would wear things like that on occasion?"

"I just figured you liked the outfit."

She shook her head, chuckling. "Of course I like the outfit. But you know what I like most about it? I like the way it affected you. I liked the way it made you look at me. Because I have liked you for a long time, Fox. Ever since we first met. When you rescued me from that prison."

"Ah. Yeah." Fox studied her for a moment, then shook his head. "Sorry, Krystal. I guess I should have said something earlier. I'm...I'm not the best at stuff like this. I've only ever had a couple of relationships in my life, and the only serious one was with Fara. And that was a long time ago."

'It's fine, Fox." Krystal continued to stroke his cheeks, parting his fur with her thumbs. It felt wonderful. He closed his eyes for a bit, just enjoying the sensations that she offered. "I am just glad that you finally spoke the words I wished to hear."

"Yeah. Well...I mean you probably know this, but I've had those words in my heart for a long time, Krystal. I've wanted to be with you. I wanted to say something, I was just so scared. I even had nightmares about it. Dreams where..." He closed his eyes, sighing softly before continuing. "Dreams where you left. Where I took too long to tell you how I really felt, and you ended up leaving because of it. Either you just didn't want to deal with me anymore, or you found happiness somewhere else." He paused for a moment, frowning before finishing his thought. "I hated those dreams."

"You do not need to fear, Fox." She leaned down and kissed him right on the forehead. "I am not going anywhere. I have wished to be with you for some time now. Now that we are together in this way, it is my hope we may explore our relationship in ways that will prove both pleasurable as well as bonding. I hope that we shall now be bound together in ways that mere friendship cannot."

"Yeah." Fox nodded absently at her words. "That sounds nice. I just hope you'll forgive me if I'm not, you know, exactly real smooth when it comes to this kind of stuff."

"It's fine, Fox. Truly, you needn't worry yourself."

"No, no, I want to make it up to you. For making you wait so long, for pushing you away without meaning to. For trying to hold you back on missions for fear of your safety without ever giving you a good reason why."

"Fox, there's nothing to make up for. You have not done anything wrong." She straightened up a bit, stretching her arms over her head. That gave Fox a perfect view of her chest. Was she doing this on purpose?! He almost felt his mouth watering just looking at her. Lusty thoughts immediately took root in his mind, and it was all he could do not to pursue them right then and there. He didn't feel that would be appropriate, not right now. His gaze was drawn back up to hers when she continued to speak. "Fox, I know I was upset with you when you did not allow me to join in the last mission. And I won't pretend that I want you to keep doing that. However, that decision may have saved my life. I know for a fact that had I been in closer proximity to the Many, it would have easily overwhelmed me. It was drawn to me. I would not have been able to help you. I would have been a liability at best.

Fox was quiet as she spoke, thinking. He frowned as he considered her words. While she was not wrong, he still didn't feel as if he had treated her right. "Maybe. But you also proved yourself in the fights to come. I saw the logs that were kept before making my report to Peppy, about how you guys handled the Dominion. What you did was nothing short of amazing. That goes for the whole team. But there's no reason for me to attempt to hold you back or try to protect you as if you might get hurt." He took a deep breath, growing quiet for a moment before continuing. "I guess the reason why I was so protective is because I had those feelings for you. I've had them for a very long time. I couldn't bear the thought of seeing you hurt, of putting you in harm's way when I could have prevented it."

"I know." Krystal stated, still gazing at him in an affectionate manner. "I know. That is why I did not hold it against you. I knew your reasons. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say I expected that I knew your reasons."

"Yeah." Fox chewed on the corner of his muzzle for a bit, then looked up at her again. He looked a bit hesitant for a moment, then decided to go with his thought. "Listen, Krystal, I...I know I've done a few things poorly lately. I was a bit too protective of you. I've shut everyone else out and kept to myself for the last week. But I was wondering if maybe I could make it up to you. I, uh..." He cleared his throat before proceeding. "Look, I know this place on Corneria, I haven't been there since I was a teenager. It might not even still be standing after the Aparoid invasion, and if it is, it might not even be open. But it was a nice little place to have a quick meal, and they made some amazing shakes and ice cream there." He once more found difficulty in getting the words from his brain to his tongue. "So...I guess what I'm saying is...er, what I'm asking is if..."

The vixen arched her eyebrows. "You wish to take me on a date?"

He thought about protesting the use of that particular term, simply because it felt like such a strong word to use! Then again, it was not inaccurate, so he just nodded. "Yeah. A date."

She seemed to consider his request for a moment, then nodded. "I accept. I would be delighted to join you for a date, Fox McCloud."

"And I will be delighted to take you, Krystal." He smiled up at her, feeling rather excited about all this. The night terrors he had suffered from just a short time ago seemed to be a thing of the distant past, no longer weighing on his mind. It didn't even matter anymore. All that mattered now was going on a date with the vixen of his dreams! He felt excited, his heart beating faster. This time it was due to a pleasant sensation, not anxiety or fear. "So, uh...when are we arriving at Corneria?"

"We're supposed to be there later today, actually." Krystal informed him. "Unless something has changed since when I last checked."

"Oh, good. Then, uh...how about tonight?"

Krystal blinked, now looking a bit taken off guard herself with how forward Fox was, with how quickly he wanted to take her out. But instead of protesting or even teasing him about it, she simply nodded her head with a smile. "I would find that most pleasing, Fox."

"Outstanding!" Fox's tail wagged and thumped on the bed as Krystal extricated herself from his body, unwrapping her legs and twisting so she could get off of him. Fox remained on the bed, keeping one of the sheets covering his more sensitive parts. This seemed to amuse Krystal, as she watched him for a bit while smirking at him. She soon found the rest of her clothes. She stepped into her jumpsuit, zipping herself up as she managed to squeeze inside the thing. He still wasn't sure if he should or not, but Fox could not help but stare. Again and again he was reminded of how beautiful she was. He had never seen anyone that could match her beauty, none that he could think of at any rate. Her body had delightful curves, very feminine and sensual, particularly when she was undressed. Every part of her was incredible, and he couldn't believe he had just spent the night with her.

He hoped it wouldn't be their only night together. He wanted to be able to appreciate it properly, to be able to enjoy each other fully without the traumas of the recent past weighing down on them. Or on him, at any rate.

Once she was fully dressed, she turned toward Fox. "When and where would you like to meet?"

He was staring at her again. He suddenly caught himself, shaking his head back and forth before raising a paw to his muzzle, clearing his throat. "Oh, uh...say...1800 hours, Cornerian City time? I'll get us a ride, my Arwing is still being repaired. That and I'm not entirely sure people would be pleased with me parking a starfighter in front of a diner."

"Perhaps not." Krystal snickered to herself before tapping her chin thoughtfully. "1800 hours. That is only a short time from now. As long as there are no delays with the Great Fox landing, we should be fine. Where shall I await you precisely?"

"Oh, uh..." Fox rubbed the back of his head, wondering where he should meet her. He could meet her there at the diner where they'd be enjoying a meal together, but then again, why should they both meet there separately? They lived on the same ship, after all. "How about we just leave from here? I'll call a cab. It's not far, and it'll be good to be under the Cornerian sky again."

"Of course. I look forward to it, Fox." With another nod of her head and a gentle smile on her face, the vixen padded out of his room, the door hissing open for her as she left, then sliding closed once she was gone.

Fox was left alone once more, but his mind was on very, very different things now than they were earlier. All he could think about was Krystal. His heart beat loudly in his chest, and he felt something stirring in him, something he hadn't felt in a long, long time. It took him a bit to place what it was.

It was raw, unadulterated joy. A joy combined with excitement and urgent anticipation. He had just spent the night with Krystal, sleeping in each other's arms, and he was going on a date with her today! He couldn't believe it! He found himself wondering once more if he was going to wake up and it turn out that all this was just a dream, a deception that was intended to make him feel good for a while, only for it all to be cruelly ripped away from him.

He got out of his bed, or he tried to before bumping his head on that stupid compartment again. "Ow!" He shouted, rubbing at his head again. Every time. Every damn time, he hit that stupid low hanging piece of crap above his bed. He sighed and grumbled to himself as he rubbed the returning bump. It wasn't all bad, he supposed. That kind of pain just told him that he was indeed awake, that all this was real. Even though his head hurt like heck, he couldn't stop smiling. This was really happening!

The dark spell was all but forgotten now, his once raging emotions and terrors now quelled. He even started whistling to himself as he got up, searching for his clothes! He found his undergarments bunched up by his dresser, they had been tossed pretty far. He couldn't remember if it was Krystal or he who had gotten them off. He vaguely remembered kicking them away as Krystal found her place atop him. So it was probably him.

He was about to slip it back on when he remembered that he was going on a date tonight, and he would want to wear fresh clothes anyway. More than that, he needed to shower! Seeing as how he was already naked, all he needed was a towel, which he had in his bathroom.

It didn't take him long to get in. He set the temperature of the water with the little panel on the side, then turned it on. He paused long enough to allow the water to reach its optimal temperature, then stepped inside.

The water felt so good. He had, of course, taken care of himself during the last week. But everything he did was just going through the motions. He barely ate or drank, and when he cleaned himself, it was half hearted, perfunctory. He did it because he had to, because he was expected to. This was the first time he'd actually enjoyed it since returning from the Von Dross. It truly felt as though the stains and terrors of his experience in the Von Dross were at last melting away. That he was finally freed of the horrors that had attempted to claim him there. The water felt so soothing as it washed over his bare fur. For a little while, he didn't even wash himself, he just stood there and absorbed it as the water poured over him, relishing in how it felt.

All he could think about was Krystal. It was strange, it felt like his thoughts were growing more adamant about her with ever passing second. He didn't expect that to happen so quickly, if at all. He didn't realize how much he wanted to be with her!

But that was the truth, wasn't it? He hadn't just denied his feelings for her to others, which he most certainly had done. He had denied the feelings even to himself. For whatever reason, Fox had never wanted to admit to anyone just how deeply he cared for Krystal. He had no idea why, it seemed so silly and foolish now.

No, wait, he did know why. As he reached for the soap to start scrubbing at his fur, those feelings all came back to him. He had been so afraid of rejection. Somehow he had convinced himself that saying nothing and not telling her how he really felt would somehow end better than being forward and revealing his heart to her. The possibility of losing her or pushing her away was more than he could bear.

And yet refusing to address such matters would cause just that, would it not? It would ultimately have driven Krystal away. She had wanted this, she had said as much! All this time, if Fox had only been honest with both her and himself...

Well, he didn't need to worry about that right now. He had finally told her, and she had accepted his words. And he was going on a date! With Krystal!

He had lathered himself up by this point. He had to use a special soap and shampoo for foxes. That was the problem with having so many different species in the Lylat System. Different things worked for different people. It wasn't just a matter of it smelling or looking appropriate, there were all sorts of unpleasant side effects when people used something not intended for them. Fox didn't have the expensive stuff, he always made do with a cheap generic brand that worked. Mostly.

He did have something a little fancier. Something that was more expensive. He couldn't even remember when he had bought it, he'd done it a long time ago. He had all but forgotten about the thing. He rubbed the water out of his eyes as he momentarily stepped out of the shower, reaching for where he thought the soap was.

He found it, right where it belonged. It was made specifically for foxes, and it was a rather expensive kind of shampoo, advertised to make the fur both as soft as silk and to smell as pleasant as a sea breeze. He wasn't sure if he believed that, but he might as well look, smell, and feel his best before his big date tonight. He seriously doubted he was going to see a more fitting occasion for this stuff anytime soon.

Lathering himself up again, he made sure his fur was absolutely coated with the sweet smelling soap. He hoped it wouldn't be too strong after he dried off. The last thing he wanted to do was to bring too powerful or unpleasant a scent upon him before his date tonight with Krystal. He had to trust that the people who made this stuff knew what they were doing.

After washing and cleaning himself thoroughly, he turned off the water before stepping out of the shower. Reaching for one of the nearby towels, he soon managed to dry himself off from his neck down to his ankles. Once he was satisfied, he cleaned up some of the water that he had inadvertently brought with him out of the shower, then placed the towel in the appropriate receptacle and went to leave.

Just before he left, he caught sight of himself in the mirror and stopped, staring at his reflection. He was reminded of the last time he really looked at himself, just before the last mission. He had seen an aging pilot, no longer at the top of his game, overburdened with the many troubles and threats within the Lylat System. They were low on funds, the team was looking up to him when he had no answers to give, and he felt like he was really slowing down.

As he stared at himself in the mirror, he didn't see that anymore. Sure, there was a tiredness in his eyes, and he would swear that he saw a darkness reflected in them, one surely born from the horrors he had witnessed on the Von Dross. But he also saw something else. Something he hadn't seen in a long, long time.

He saw a young fox who didn't give up. Someone who fought to the bitter end in order complete the mission, no matter the odds. He saw someone that could still do great things, could still make a difference in the galaxy. In this moment, he saw someone that had hope for a better tomorrow, both with the future of Star Fox in general as well as whatever might come of the coming days with Krystal. He hoped it worked out between them, that they could continue seeing each other.

He noticed something else about himself too. Before, all he could focus on were the negative traits. He saw how tired he looked, some of the gray furs appearing in his fur coat. That was what he had noticed first and foremost.

Now, though, he was seeing other things, things he had either not seen before or had ignored. As he studied himself, he began to realize that he really was in good shape. He wasn't exactly a bodybuilder, but he actually looked pretty strong. He had to be, considering his job. He needed to be in peak physical condition for a lot of the things that he had to do. The latest mission had clearly demonstrated that. While he was not quite so self assured so as to think of himself as looking particularly good, it did give him a small confidence boost. He didn't look perfect, of course. There were blemishes, there were tufts of gray fur. There were spots on his fur that were blackened and singed, probably from where he had been shot. He didn't remember too many shots getting quite that close, but his body bore the mark of them regardless. He really had gotten lucky on that mission.

Well, there wasn't much more he could do to fix himself up now. Just wear something nice and kill some time. But what to wear?

He had a few different outfits he could try on. There weren't a lot of things he had that would be good for a date. Sure, he could dress the way he normally did, either for a mission or for casual wear, but that didn't seem right to him. He wanted something a little nicer, something that would mark the occasion as special.

As he went through his wardrobe, however, he found precious few options available for him. He simply didn't have any formal attire. The one suit he did have was a little -too- formal for his tastes, and this wasn't a wedding or anything like that. No, he needed something a little simpler.

Ultimately, he just decided on something casual that he often wore for recreation. It was a nice vest and pair of dark green pants. The shirt showed off his arms a bit, which suited him fine. Besides, the weather was warm in Corneria right now, he wouldn't want to wear too much or he'd overheat.

Well, he had picked out what to wear. He slipped his clothes on before adjusting them as needed. They fit perfectly, just as he hoped. That was good, he was still keeping himself in shape and around the same weight as he always had.

That was that. He had showered, changed, and was now simply waiting for the moment when it was time to take Krystal out. He checked his watch. He still had over an hour and a half. Of course, that was still running under the assumption that they would be docked by then. It would be easy for something to go wrong and delay them for a while. He just hoped that wasn't the case.

Perhaps he should check in with the rest of the team. He couldn't believe just how much better he was feeling right now. The darkness was gone, at least for the time being. Krystal had helped to pull him out of it. Now that he was thinking clearly again, he realized that he should talk with the others. He could find out from Slippy if the Great Fox was arriving on time, and he could check in on Falco and see how he was doing. It would be good for him to let them both know that he was okay.

After opening his door, Fox paced up the halls until he reached the bridge. It seemed that no one had heard him approach. ROB was at his console, busy with most of the mundane yet necessary tasks of keeping the ship maintained and on schedule. Slippy was at his console with some kind of device lying on his head, what looked to be some sort of electronic tablet or something of similar nature. The thing was covering his face, and he was snoring.

Fox shook his head, concealing a grin. This happened a lot with Slippy. He tended to get carried away with his work at night, spending long hours tinkering and fixing things. The next day, he'd be a bit tired and would often fall asleep while tending to other tasks. This only happened on rare occasions and never when anything important was going on. At the very least, Slippy was able to snap back to attention if trouble should rear its head.

Fox wasn't entirely sure if he should wake the frog up or not. He didn't really need to disturb him from his nap. Fox just wanted to say hello and let him know that he was back, but it could wait. Slippy would find out one way or another anyway.

Fox had just taken his first step toward the exit when ROB's voice sounded off. "Entering Corneria air space. Beginning approach. Standby." That woke Slippy up. He jumped with a start, the tablet falling from his head and bouncing on his console. It had mostly been repaired, but it was by and large a patch job. The thing worked, but it didn't look pretty.

Slippy turned his head left and right in rapid movements, as though in a panic. The robot had really caught him by surprise! As his head swiveled, he caught sight of Fox. He blinked, his mouth dropping open for a moment before he gave Fox a wide grin. "Fox! You're okay!" Fox couldn't even get a word out before Slippy bounded out of his chair and closed the distance between them, practically jumping up and down in excitement. "Oh my gosh, Fox! I was so worried about you! We all were! Are you okay? It's so good to see you! Do you need something? I'm so happy that you're out and about, I..."

The frog was just so excited, he couldn't stop babbling, not allowing Fox to even get a word in edgewise! Fox just let his friend babble on for a bit. Soon enough, Slippy managed to calm down, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, realizing that he was speaking a little too fast and asking too many questions. He managed to rein in all that energy, then smiled at Fox. "So how are you holding up, Fox?"

"I'm doing a little better, Slippy." Fox answered him. "I'm sorry about that, I was sort of...well, I wasn't feeling very well for a while. I just had some stuff to deal with."

"Oh, yeah. I understand." Even as Slippy nodded, Fox very much doubted that Slippy really did understand. Granted, the Star Fox team had all dealt with their share of problems, he wouldn't contest that. The whole team had done an amazing job and had conquered near insurmountable odds on more than one occasion. Yet Fox couldn't quite be convinced that they understood the ordeal that he went through, that they knew even half of the horrors of which he faced.

He decided to just let it slide for now. "Yeah. It was rough. I think I'm recovering though."

"Oh, that's great! Since you're up, you wanna maybe play some games with Falco and me tonight? Or we could go out on the town, celebrate! Falco wants to hit up a bar. I mean, I'm not really big on drinking, but after what we just did, I'm pretty sure I can stand a few rounds!

"Oh, I'm sure you can, Slippy." Fox chuckled, shaking his head back and forth as he did so. "And as tempting as those offers are, I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline tonight."

Slippy blinked. "Oh." He stood there for a while, saying nothing before eventually asking, "Are you going to go back to your room then? Do you want to be alone for a while?"

"Oh no, not at all. Actually, uh..." Fox cleared his throat, realizing that he was going to have to admit something to Slippy that he wasn't sure he wanted to yet. He decided to give an answer that was at least somewhat honest. "I...sort of made plans with Krystal."

"Oh! Oh, okay." Slippy's smile was back. "That's great! I'm just glad you're doing something and going out with people. Isolation isn't good for you, you know!"

"Yeah, so I hear."

"So where are you going?" Slippy asked. "Do you guys want some company? Falco and I could go with you. We could make it a group thing!"

"Uhhh..." Fox wasn't sure how to answer that. He had kind of hoped that Slippy would figure out that Fox wanted to be alone with Krystal, but then again he hadn't quite spelled it out for him either. He wasn't sure just how to proceed here. He could just bluntly tell Slippy that he was going on a date with Krystal tonight and he didn't want anyone else around. Or he could go with the tactful approach, trying to politely reject Slippy's offer without offending him or going into great detail about the date.

It was at that moment that Falco showed up, entering the bridge from the far door. He paused for a brief moment when he saw Fox, but that was about the only reaction Falco gave to his presence. Falco simply nodded at Fox, and Fox nodded right back.

"Well, well, if it isn't our illustrious leader, finally coming down to mingle with us commoners."

Fox snorted. "Right. Yeah, that was the reason I was in my quarters the whole time. Didn't want to be around people beneath my station."

"Ha!" Falco grinned at the joke, rolling his shoulders before approaching Fox. "Well, it's good to have you back. I figured you were going to be a hermit for the rest of your life."

"Trust me, I was tempted." Fox joked back at him. "But then I figured there wouldn't be anyone to keep you in line. Besides, if I retired, you'd be the best pilot in Lylat, and I can't have that, I've got a reputation to maintain."

"Oh, uh huh, sure." Falco narrowed his eyes, though Fox could tell by his body language that he was not truly annoyed. "You know that I'm the best already. People just think you're better because you're the face of the team. If we were called Star Bird or Star Hawk or something? Guarantee you everyone would know I was number one."

"So it's an image thing?" Fox arched an eyebrow.

"You know it. It's the only thing holding me back."

Fox shook his head, chuckling. It felt good to talk about lighthearted things again. To joke around and just talk, have fun. In truth, part of him was starting to wonder if he should have hung out with them tonight instead. They weren't just friends, he considered each and every one of them family.

Then again, he considered Krystal family too. He was starting to think that they could be even closer than he had ever dared to dream. He really wanted to spend tonight with her, and only her.

"Fox is going out with Krystal tonight, Falco." Slippy stated with a solemn nod of his head. "I think it's good that he's out socializing and stuff."

Falco regarded Slippy with one raised eyebrow. "Oh yeah?"

"Uh huh! I asked him if he wanted us to go with him, make it a big group thing."

Fox sighed, rubbing at his forehead. Well, it was looking more and more like this date wasn't going to be private after all. By the time Slippy was through blabbing about it, he figured he'd have a full entourage following them.

Falco put a stop to that idea then and there. He looked at Fox with an inquisitive gaze, then just grinned at him. It was the grin of someone who knew something, like a terrible secret that they now took power from, holding it over the poor soul that they now had in their grasp. Fox wasn't sure he cared for that look. Then Falco gave Fox a thumbs up before turning back to Slippy. Fox just rolled his eyes at that. "Right, Slip, that's all well and good, but I think we need to give those two a little privacy."

"Oh. Oh, okay, I guess that makes sense." Slippy scratched his head, not seeming to quite understand. "Was just thinking we'd want to hang out all together soon, that's all."

"And we will." Fox interjected before anyone could steer the conversation away. "We absolutely will, and soon. I just want to spend a little time with Krystal. I promised her. I've got to make up for a few things. Like how I told her to stay here and how I got trapped over on the Von Dross. Just after she specifically told me not to do that."

"Oh yeah!" Slippy exclaimed. "I remember that! She did say that, didn't she? She was mad. Mad as heck!"

"We have been cleared for landing. Beginning docking procedure." ROB announced to the team, seemingly ignoring the conversation taking place behind him. Fox turned to regard the viewscreen, which he had not been paying any attention to up until this point. Sure enough, they had approached Corneria. The last time he had looked, it was still just a blue ball floating in space.

Now, though, they were descending into the atmosphere, approaching one of the many hangars that dotted the edge of Corneria City, the biggest settlement on the planet.

"So you're finally doin' it, eh?" Falco was regarding Fox with a sly smirk now.

"Huh?!" Fox sputtered, not sure if he'd heard Falco right. Had Falco already figured out what they had done? How did he know?!

Falco just grinned at him, and Fox could just tell that the bird knew. Fox didn't know how, but Falco knew. Falco's next words came out in a taunting drawl, going right for the gut. "Goin' on a date, I mean. You're finally taking her out. Why, what did you think I meant?" Judging by his tone of voice and his expression, Falco knew EXACTLY what Fox thought he meant.

Fox's cheeks burned with embarrassment, which was mercifully hidden behind his fur. He struggled to gather his wits and form an answer. "I, uh..well that's exactly what I thought you meant, I was just making sure!"

"Uh huh." Falco just grinned at Fox. "I'm sure you were."

Slippy seemed completely lost in the conversation, just looking between the two of them and trying to figure out just what he was missing. "Uh...what are you guys talking about?"

"Forget about it Slippy. It's nothing to worry about. Just Fox's love life. You know, the usual stuff."

"Ohhhhhh!" Slippy seemed to catch on now. Well, almost. "Okay, I get it. I get it! You guys want to go on a date! That's cool! I think that's great, Fox. I hope you guys have a great time tonight."

"Yeah, so do I." Fox cleared his throat, grateful that Slippy hadn't caught on to whatever innuendo that Falco had been insinuating. He wanted to give Falco as few opportunities as possible to embarrass him.

There was a voice that came from one of the speakers in the room, evidently from air traffic control. "This is Hangar 17-A. Please state your identification and business here."

"This is ROB 64." ROB stated in that flat mechanical voice of his. "Star Fox intends to land for repairs and recreation. Identification code is..."

"Whoa whoa, Star Fox?! Why didn't you start with that?! You guys are clear to land, just go on ahead! Enjoy your stay in Corneria!"

"Affirmative. Will attempt to enjoy stay." The robot answered, then closed the communications channel. Falco, Slippy, and Fox just exchanged glances with each other. Then they all just busted out laughing. It was quiet at first, then gradually grew to a more powerful and boisterous laugh. There was something about the way ROB said it that made it seem so humorous! The entire exchange had been funny to them.

Maybe it wasn't all that funny, maybe he and his friends just needed a good laugh. Either way, it felt good. They would be in Corneria soon.

"Alright, well I promised Krystal I'd meet her at 1800 hours. I guess I'll just wait around until then."

"Sure thing boss." Falco grinned, then gave Fox a solid clap on the back. "Good luck out there. Stay out as late as you want, Slippy and I will hold down the fort. By which I mean ROB will take care of everything while the rest of us do our own thing."

"Affirmative." Fox was surprised to hear ROB answer, as they hadn't been addressing him and Fox had just sort of assumed that ROB was ignoring them. Evidently not. There was a faint rumbling sound as the Great Fox made contact with the ground. They must be in the hangar now. "We have arrived. Engines powering down. Docking complete."

Returning his attention to Falco, Fox gave him an answer. "Well, I don't know about that. I don't know how late we'll be, but I'm hoping to take her to a nice place for dinner and just...see where the evening takes us. I'm, uh..." Fox hesitated, tapping a couple of his fingers together in a bit of an anxious gesture. He hadn't planned on sharing any of this with them, but he decided that he might as well. "I'm sort of nervous, to be honest."

"Pfft. Our fearless leader? Nervous? Ridiculous." Falco still had that smug smirk on his face, and Fox leveled a glare at him. Falco held up his hands in a peaceful gesture. "Easy man, I'm just messing with ya. But seriously, I got one piece of advice for you. And I mean this." He looked at Slippy for a moment, then at ROB. He seemed to be debating what to do, whether to tell Fox in front of the others or not. He eventually just shrugged his shoulders and went ahead with it. "Listen, I ain't some kind of expert on love and all that stuff. But I do know one thing." He stared hard at Fox, his expression turning quite intense. Whatever he was about to say, he would mean every word. "Just remember to be yourself, pal. That's the person she likes. Don't pretend to be somebody else, don't try to be fancy, don't try to impress. That's the kind of crap that girls see through REAL fast. If a girl's interested, it's because she likes what she already sees."

"Yeah." Fox rubbed the back of his neck, already finding the conversation a bit awkward. He didn't really want to share any of these details with them. It's not like it was sensitive information or anything like that, he just didn't really want to talk about it. Either way, Falco was right. Fox would just have to try to relax and be himself around Krystal. He'd take that advice to heart. "Thanks, Falco."

"Hey, no problem bud." Falco smiled. For once, it was a more genuine smile, not one that was filled with pride or mischief. "We're here for you if you need us." He then nudged the frog next to him. "Ain't that right, Slip?"

"Oh yeah!" Slippy nodded his head enthusiastically. "Absolutely! Good luck Fox. Hope it goes well! I think you guys will make a cute couple."

"Uh..." Fox cleared his throat, now starting to feel a lot more embarrassed. "Thanks, I guess."

Falco shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Come on Slippy, let's go before you embarrass yourself."

"What did I say?" Slippy asked, looking confused.

Falco didn't answer, he just moved toward the door. "I know a good bar. I guarantee you'll love the place. They got karaoke."

"Karaoke?!" Slippy hastily followed Falco out after offering Fox a brief wave. "I don't sing, though! I've never done karaoke before!"

"Trust me, it gets easier after you have a few drinks. You'll see. And it's a great way to meet girls. There was this one time, back on Titania, I was in the bar, drinking alone, and there were these twins, see, and I-"

Fox didn't hear the rest of the conversation, both of them had vanished down the hallway. He looked around the now empty bridge for a bit. ROB was still there, though he wasn't working for once. He had leaned back in his chair, the lights on his robot-body dimming for a bit as he went into sleep mode. There wasn't much more for ROB to do right now, he probably had run all his checks and scans. Proper repairs would proceed later. The worst of the damage had already been fixed, or at least patched up until they reached an appropriate facility. Nothing was in danger of exploding, there was no risk of a catastrophic systems failure. Everything was more or less stable. Sooner or later the team would fix the thing properly. Until then, they could relax and unwind a bit.

Fox took a deep breath, then went down the hallway. He had told Krystal that he would meet her elsewhere, but now he realized that he didn't want her to have to go looking for him. He'd just wait for a while. He would knock on her door and hope that she wouldn't mind him escorting her from there, even if he had to wait a bit.

He checked his watch. He still had some time to kill.

There were plenty of things he could have done during this time. He could have hung out with Slippy and Falco for a bit. He could have gone in his room and rested. He could have gone over some reports and information that Peppy had sent him.

The truth was, he couldn't take his mind off of Krystal. Nothing else seemed to matter in this moment, and he couldn't refocus. He started to pace around the ship, not really going anywhere or doing anything. He just couldn't help himself! He was so nervous for what was to come. Would she like where he took her? What would they talk about? Would he embarrass himself? His mind ran rife with all the possible things that could go wrong. He couldn't stop dreaming up the worst case scenarios!

He wasn't aware of the time passing around him as he muddled through his fears and worries. All he knew was that at one point he still had plenty of time, and then it seemed as though the very next moment, it was time for their date! When he realized this, he hurried toward Krystal's quarters.

He was in the hallway now, just outside her door. He had been down this hallway countless times, but he never once tried to enter her room. He didn't think he had even knocked on the door before. If he wanted to speak with her, he either waited until she was available or he sent her a message, either through her communicator or by the ship's communication system.

This time, though, it was going to be more personal.

He stood outside her door, wondering what he should do. It was only now that he thought of how nice it would be if he had gotten a gift for her. He wasn't sure if she'd like flowers or not, but it wouldn't matter if she did.. He'd have to run into the city, find someone selling them, then run back before he ran out of time. There was absolutely no way that he could do that now. He couldn't think of any other gifts. The ones he could think of would all take too long to buy, if he could buy them at all.

That's when it hit him. There was a gift he could give her! It was something he had picked up just for her and had completely forgotten about when he came back from the Von Dross! He raced down the hallway as fast as he could go, this time barreling toward his quarters! He opened his door and squeezed inside before it had even opened all the way. Turning on the lights to his room, he frantically searched for what he was looking for. Where was it?

There were a few old articles of clothing strewn about the room, but none of those were the right ones. He checked his dresser drawers, hoping to find some clue in there. Nope, there was nothing. Just clean clothes. He sighed, not sure what else he could do. Then he remembered something. When he'd first arrived back in the Great Fox, he'd had a severe attack of some kind, around the same moment the implants had failed. It was possible that the team had pulled him out of his old clothes. That would mean that what he was looking for would be wherever they left them. Where would that be?

There was one place he hadn't looked, perhaps the most obvious place of all. He bent down, then looked under his bed. There they were! The clothes he'd been wearing when he got off the Arwing, including the space suit! They must have taken it off and left it in here. Placing his paw under the bed, he fished around, at last settling his digits on his pants. He tugged them out, then quickly felt for what he was searching for. Sure enough, there was something large and solid in one of the back pockets. He quickly withdrew the book from where he was keeping it, holding it up in the light. Yup, it was that book that he had found in the captain's quarters, the one that appeared to be in the Cerinian language. He wasn't sure if Krystal would like it or not, but he could hope!

He didn't have time to wrap it up like a present, nor did he have the material to do so. Even if he had both of those things, he wasn't sure if he should wrap it up anyway!

He checked his clock again. 1758. He was out of time. With the book in his paw, he raced from his quarters and sprinted down the hallway, praying that he could make it to Krystal's door before 1800. He was not going to be late for this!

It was fortunate that there was no one else wandering around the halls, otherwise Fox might have barreled over them! He moved as fast as he could, making his way to Krystal's quarters, stopping just short of slamming into her door. He paused, taking a moment to compose himself, taking a few deep breaths. He could do this. He didn't know why he was so nervous. He had just faced monsters beyond imagination, a new unknown enemy force based somewhere else in the Lylat System, an insane artificial intelligence, and the treachery of a dear friend. It felt like he had been through hell and back. He couldn't imagine facing much worse than what he had already faced.

Why was he still so nervous? Why did his heart beat so loudly in his chest, why did he have that strange sensation in his stomach, like there was something fluttering around in there? His paw hovered over the door, but he couldn't move! He was frozen in place! He swallowed hard, willing himself to knock. "You can do this." Fox mumbled to himself, having to give himself a little pep talk now. "Come on. You can do this, Fox." Mustering every last bit of strength he had, he pulled his paw back and then gently tapped on the door.

So far so good.

---

Krystal had been busy the past few hours freshening up. Her tail wagged behind her as she got ready for the evening with Fox. She had done everything she could to conceal it, but the truth was that she was nervous. She wasn't sure if Fox had picked up on that or not. She had been looking forward to this day for so long. Granted, it wasn't happening exactly as she had envisioned, but then again, did it need to? That was the way of life. It rarely went the way one planned, for better and for worse.

She couldn't believe what the two of them had done together. It had been wild and exciting, thrilling. Magical, even! More than that, she could sense that it brought some peace to Fox, that it had allowed him to escape the dark thoughts and feelings for a short while. The fact that she could make him feel such joy, to make him forget his woes for a short while, that made her feel very good indeed.

Even so, she wasn't sure if they had done the right thing or not. It wasn't for her own sake she worried, but rather Fox's. She was a little afraid that he might think less of her now. After all, she had been rather aggressive in their shared passion last night. She sighed softly to herself as she remembered. She didn't know exactly why it had happened that way. When she heard that confession, when he finally told her those words that she had wanted to hear from him for so long, she just sort of lost control. She was a little bit ashamed of that. Granted, she didn't regret what they had done, not for a moment, but she feared what Fox might think of it all.

In truth, Krystal wasn't sure she knew much more of romance than Fox did. She had been involved with a pawful of lovers before joining Star Fox, but they had never been anything more than flings. People were more direct where she came from, she remembered that much. Cerinia was not a place where people minced words. There was no long courtship, no prolonged relationships before intimacy was achieved. It had simply been part of life. Love was not always attached. It was all very different out here, away from her home. It scared her just a little. She had felt rather lonely for quite some time now. She had kept hoping that Fox would eventually tell her how he felt, but it had been starting to look more and more like he never would.

Yet Krystal never found herself drawn to another during this time. She hadn't really even fantasized about a relationship with someone else. She had fallen for Fox quite some time ago. She liked to think that if Fox had chosen not to pursue a relationship with her, she would have been able to move on without too much difficulty, enjoying their friendship together for as long as it might last.

But she wanted more. She wanted to be more with Fox. She had felt this way for quite some time. Now the two of them had a real chance at it. He had finally admitted his feelings for her, she had done the same for him. Now they could only wait and see what fate had in store for the two of them.

In the meantime, she had to get ready. She needed every single minute of the time she had to prepare herself. She felt a little silly, as if she were a young vixen going on her first date, desperate to find the right thing to wear, to look, feel, and smell absolutely perfect.

She had, of course, showered and cleaned herself thoroughly, even applied a perfume that she so rarely used, a brand that had been labeled as "Vivacious Vixen." She had no idea why it was called that, but it was specifically designed for foxes. The advertising said that it was a scent that tapped into a male fox's primal instincts, though she doubted that very much. Everyone in the industry seemed to claim that whatever they offered would attract a mate and was foolproof. It was a strange concept, and she didn't believe such a thing were possible. That being said, she found the scent rather pleasing, and she hoped Fox would find it agreeable as well. Best not to wear too much, she thought. She applied a very small amount. Enough perhaps to be noticeable, but only to those with a keen nose.

It wasn't easy picking out an outfit for the evening. It was a first date, and she wasn't entirely certain how she should dress. Granted, she didn't exactly have a lot of outfits to choose from. She had her old clothes from before Sauria, but they seemed somehow inappropriate for this. No, she'd save that for something more private and intimate. She eventually had settled on an outfit that she liked. A black dress with a somewhat low-cut top and did a great job of showing off her figure. It was one of the very few outfits that she possessed outside of what she wore either for or in between missions. If Star Fox hadn't hit such hard times lately, she'd have loved to get more clothes. Considering the massive payday they had just gotten, perhaps Krystal could talk Fox into letting her spend a little bit of it on expanding her wardrobe. She didn't need much, just a few nice things to wear once in a while.

She did have a little surprise for Fox, one she had prepared just in case they should have a second night of passion. She hoped he would like it. Assuming that they spent another night together, of course.

At last she was ready. She had washed herself, combed her fur, put on her best / only formal dress, and had done the best she could to both look and feel presentable. She wasn't sure what Fox had in mind for the two of them this evening. She would have been fine with almost anything, so long as they got to spend more time together.

There was a knock on the door, a gentle tap-tapping. There was only one person that could be.

She took a deep breath, calming herself. Her tail continued to wag furiously behind her, and she had to concentrate hard in order to get it under control, to keep the thing relatively still. She took another deep breath, letting the air out slowly before going to the door. She pressed the button, causing the door to slide open and reveal what was on the other side.

Fox looked like an animal caught in headlights. He just stared at Krystal with his mouth open, unable to speak. Krystal couldn't help but giggle at the sight. He looked kind of silly standing there. Handsome, but silly. He was in a rather casual outfit, but it suited him. She was just glad he wasn't wearing what he usually wore on a mission.

When Fox didn't say anything for a while longer, Krystal tilted her head with a smile. "Is something wrong, Fox?"

This finally snapped him out of his daze, and he quickly shook his head before rubbing at the back of his neck with one paw. "Oh, uh...yeah, sorry about that, I uh...well, you, uh..." He cleared his throat. She raised her own paw up to conceal the big grin on her face as she enjoyed his reaction. The fearless leader of Star Fox, repeated savior of the Lylat System, was scared of Krystal! The thought amused her to no end. He stammered and stuttered for a while before finally managing to answer her. "I...you look great! You look really great, Krystal!"

"Thank you Fox. You look nice too." She waited for him to continue. He didn't, at least not right away. He just stood there awkwardly. He really didn't seem to know where to go from here! As she waited for him to collect his thoughts, her eyes settled on something he was holding in his paws. It seemed to be a book of some sort. An odd thing to bring to a date, she thought.

He seemed to notice that she was looking at it, as he almost immediately offered it to her. "I meant to give you this earlier. I found it on the Von Dross. I figured this would be as good a time as any. Since, uh, I didn't get anything else for you."

"Oh, you didn't have to get me anything." Krystal shook her head, that warm smile still on her face. She reached for the book as Fox handed it to her, then blinked as she saw the cover. It was an old book. Very old. The author was not named.

It wasn't the words themselves that had seized her attention, but rather the language that they were written in. She couldn't believe it! Cerinian! She hadn't seen anything from that language in years. This wasn't the typical language spoken by her people and travelers. Rather, this was the written language by the Old Ones, the ancestors of Krystal and her people. It was a dead language that very few understood. Tattoos and other markings would often be drawn onto the fur of any Cerinian that grew to adulthood. The meaning of the words and symbols was known, of course. But the language had not been used properly for centuries.

Krystal clutched the book in her paws for a few moments, staring at it. She then looked at Fox, unable to contain her wonder. "You...got this for me? Where in Lylat did you get it?"

"The Von Dross, like I said. It was in the captain's private collection. Is it Cerinian?"

"Yes. Yes it is." Krystal stared at the book for a while, quite thoughtful. "This book is a relic of the past. Almost everything from this era was lost in the destruction of my world." She looked up at Fox, her eyes watering. "This is...do you realize how valuable this is? You realize if you sold it, your financial troubles would be over forever."

"Well, that might be true." Fox shrugged his shoulders in response to her. "But I'd rather give it to you. It seems fitting. It's yours now."

"Oh, Fox." Her tail wagged behind her again, she couldn't help it! "Just one moment, please." He nodded, then she disappeared inside her room. She'd have to look at this book more closely later, examine it. She had no idea what it was or who had made it. Perhaps she would be able to uncover the truth later.

Not right now, though. She found a safe place for the book, a small book case located in the corner of her room where she kept whatever books she found interesting, old favorites of hers. Many of them were from her own culture, but there were a few of different origins in there. Now she had another book to place inside, though this new one was worth a thousand times more than her entire collection. That is, of course, assuming that it was authentic.

It didn't matter to her at the moment. She was far more concerned with the evening with Fox. After putting the book away, careful not to damage it, she went back to the door and opened it again. Fox was looking at her expectantly when she appeared. "Ready to go?" He asked. He extended his paw, as if to take her hand in his.

"I am, Fox." She reached for his hand and squeezed it. She could see his tail wag a bit behind him, even though he tried to keep looking serious. She could see right through him of course. She didn't just see it with her eyes, either! With her abilities, she could sense the emotions and even certain thoughts emanating from him. He was nervous. Very nervous. In truth, she found it to be a bit endearing. It wasn't just his nervousness that caught her attention. She was trying not to pry into his thoughts, trying very hard to respect his privacy, but it was almost impossible not to feel it. It was so obvious, so strong within him. Nervousness, yes. But also attraction. Excitement. Anticipation. It was wonderful.

As he took her paw, he led the two of them away, out of the room and toward the exit of the Great Fox.

The hangar was not terribly busy. It wasn't a military hangar, just something designed for smaller craft, usually civilian. The Star Fox team were always granted special privileges whenever they docked in Corneria. They were welcomed with open arms, and there was always an empty spot waiting for them to park their ship. There were a few people around the Great Fox, but most of them were not paying the couple any attention, nor their ship. They were occupied with other matters, unloading other craft and running maintenance. Slippy didn't like anyone working on their ship without his supervision, so they wouldn't be tending to the Great Fox until everyone was back on board.

Either way, that wasn't their concern at the moment. The Great Fox was safe. ROB was powered down, but he would wake if anyone were to come aboard.

Upon exiting the hangar, the couple found themselves within the outskirts of Corneria City. Even the outskirts were busy, however. This was the single largest city in the entire Lylat System. It was next to impossible to guess just how many lived here. Krystal believed it was somewhere in the millions. When she first came to this city some time ago, she had been absolutely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of thoughts and emotions emanating from such an enormous crowd. Cerinia had not been a large world. The entire planet had significantly less of a population than this one city. Krystal had never been around so many people all at once in her life. It had taken her some time to adjust. When they came to Corneria the first time, shortly after their adventures in Sauria, it had taken days before Krystal managed to leave the ship.

Somehow though, it felt so different now. In part it was because she had learned to better hone and focus her abilities. It was much easier to sort through thoughts and push them away from her, to let them be a low drone in her mind, much like the sound of traffic or distant conversations carried out in public.

It wasn't just that. The Many's repeated invasion of her mind had been so much worse than anything she had experienced prior. It had violated her thoughts in a most disgusting way, it had tried to take control of her, to bend her to their will. She also heard the voices of the people trapped inside it. So many voices, all screaming for a merciful end. It had been horrifying. Sometimes, in her dreams, she still heard those voices. She'd wake up, wondering if they were real, if the Many still had a hold on her, even in death. They would fade afterward. They always faded. With every passing day, the voices grew quieter. She wondered if she would ever truly recover from what that entity had done to her, what it had forced her to see and to hear. She believed she would heal in time, though perhaps she would never be able to forget the ordeal.

The one positive aspect was the perspective it brought her. What she faced on Corneria now seemed far less intimidating. The stress was still there, it still made her uncomfortable, but it didn't seem quite so overwhelming now. She was grateful for this.

This allowed her to focus almost entirely upon Fox. He was still holding her paw, though he was trembling a bit, very nervous about what the two of them were doing. She could sense how anxious he was. She could even sense why. He seemed to really want this to work, to give her a good impression. The thought made her smile, as he didn't have to worry about that. He had already made a wonderful impression on her. Not just today, but over the past year or so they had spent together as a team.

He had led them to the corner of the street they were on. Lots of vehicles were going by, various cars and bikes and trucks. Almost all of them were hovering above the street as they went to their destination.

Fox hit the button to call for a vehicle. They didn't have to wait for it long. In just a few moments, a hover-vehicle arrived, a cab. It was empty. It had no driver, at least not one of flesh and blood, but it didn't need one. Everything was programmed to be automatic, pay was delivered before transportation was authorized. It was a robot at the wheel, though she was pretty sure it was just an extension of the vehicle, something that the passengers could see. Perhaps it was comforting to some.

Fox and Krystal went to the back. Fox was about to go around to the other side, then he stopped short and turned toward Krystal, as if remembering something. He went to the door, then pressed the button to allow it to swing open, holding the door for her and allowing Krystal entry.

"Such a gentle-fox," she said teasingly.

He rubbed the back of his head before shrugging. "Well, yeah. I, uh...I try to be." Once she was in, he pressed the button to shut the door. Of course, she could have done all this for herself, but she rather liked the earnestness that Fox was displaying, wanting to show good manners and consideration to his date. It was the thought that counted, after all.

He soon joined her on the other side. Once he was in, he leaned forward to say something to the robot, who was awaiting their input patiently. He then paused, blinking before returning his attention to Krystal. "Uh...I forgot the name of the place."

"Oh dear." The vixen arched an eyebrow at Fox, wondering how he would deal with the situation. "What shall we do?"

"Erm, hold on let me see here." He turned to front of the cab again, clearing his throat. "Alright, I'm looking for a little diner? It's near the ocean, it's got a bit of a view there. They used to sell sandwiches and ice cream soda and stuff like that. It was run by a couple, a bird and a mouse. Does any of this compute?"

The robot said nothing for a bit, but there were a few electronic chirps emitted as the machine processed his request. "Of course sir. Allow me to adjust the parameters. Please wait one moment, sir."

The robot didn't appear to do anything. It was apparently running some kind of scan or search. Either way, the robot was correct in saying it would only be a moment. Before either Fox or Krystal could talk, the robot spoke again. "Parameters acceptable. Would you like to go to 773 Ocean Drive? That destination matches your description."

"Oh, yes, that sounds right. I knew it was ocean something." Fox cleared his throat before continuing. "Let's go."

"Of course sir. As soon as your payment is processed."

"Ah. Right." Fox reached for his credit chit, a small device that most everyone carried on them for various everyday transactions that they might make. He ran it into the scanning device.

There was a brief pause, then the robot spoke again. "Payment accepted. We thank you for choosing Cornerian Fares. Please enjoy the ride."

With that, the two of them were off. The cab slid easily into traffic, then made its way deeper into the city. Krystal was not as familiar with Corneria as Fox was. Then again, she wasn't sure how well he knew it either. He had grown up here, but as long as she had known Fox, he had never gone to Corneria unless on a mission or a brief shore leave. She supposed his knowledge of the city would depend on just how good his memory was.

The cab hummed as it moved along. The robot did not move. It did not need to actually adjust the wheel or dials in the front. It was all automatic, a computer took care of it all. The two were basically alone now.

Krystal turned to Fox, curious as to what he was doing. She turned just in time to see him jerk his head away from her, which forced her to stifle a giggle. He had been staring at her and was trying to pretend that he hadn't! He was now gazing at the city beside them, keeping his focus on their surroundings rather than on her. She could feel his emotions again, a shyness and embarrassment that amused her to no end.

It was fun seeing Fox like this! He was always so calm, so brave, and in control. He took command of almost any situation with ease. He was a shrewd and fearless leader, an expert pilot, and a faithful friend. He was one of the most impressive individuals that Krystal had ever met. It wasn't an exaggeration to say he was a hero. He didn't act like he considered himself as such. He had humility, a trait she admired. A rare trait, too. He never let fame go to his head, never basked excessively in the glory of triumphs new or old.

In fact, that was sort of the problem. It wasn't just that he didn't view himself as a hero. It was that he constantly reflected on his failures rather than his successes. She knew that he was a bit of a perfectionist, that he demanded absolutely everything of himself. He didn't expect the same of others. He was a good leader, knowing exactly what the team was capable of, what they could handle and what they couldn't. As for himself, he always had to be better, to be the best. He constantly sparred with Falco to improve his skills as a pilot. He trained physically to keep himself in top condition. He did everything he possibly could to better himself.

Though perhaps his greatest weakness was how cagey he was with his innermost thoughts. He didn't like to open up to others and rarely would. It was the way he viewed leadership, perhaps. This was blended with his own need to be the leader everyone looked up to, that they could trust and count on. She couldn't help but imagine that such a burden must surely weigh heavily upon him at times.

The thing was, Krystal knew that he had those feelings. As much as he tried to bury them and keep them concealed, he could not hide them from Krystal. Her abilities allowed her to sense things that others could not. His emotions were often laid plain before Krystal. She didn't usually read his thoughts, as she preferred not to do that to anyone unless it were necessary or she had permission, but she occasionally caught little glimpses into his mind. All accidental, of course. When she saw them, she caught the briefest glimpse of the more vulnerable fox underneath, the person behind the heroism. The fox within the hero.

Now she might be getting a chance to get to know him better. Perhaps he would one day be able to open up to her in a way that he could not with others. Of course she was likely getting too far ahead of herself. She should just focus on the moment here and now.

Speaking of this moment, Fox was still staring out the window. She couldn't see his face, but she was sure he was blushing. His emotions certainly seemed to indicate such! She looked down at his paw, which was laid on the seat between him. She grinned, then reached for it, clasping it between both of her own hands. He twitched, jerking his head as he looked at her, eyes wide. He looked like he had just frozen, his face lighting up with panic for a moment. Krystal shook her head before saying, "I didn't think it would make you so uncomfortable. I apologize."

"Huh?" Fox blinked, looking down at where she was holding his paw, then looking back at her. "Oh! No no no, you're fine. You're fine, Krystal. I'm just a little tense, I guess."

"I understand." Krystal nodded. "You can relax, you know. I won't bite. I am simply happy that you are taking me out like this."

"Yeah." He seemed to relax a little bit at her words, then nodded. "I...I am glad. I really am. Honestly, I wasn't sure where we should go. I was thinking a fancy restaurant or something, but I don't really know any and I'm pretty sure you have to make a reservation for a lot of the good ones. Which we definitely haven't made."

"That's fine, Fox. I honestly don't care where you take us. I'm eager to see this place you have guided us to."

"Yeah." Fox took another deep breath, running his free paw over his head, between his ears. "It's been years. My dad used to take me here, back when I was a kit. It's probably the only restaurant I really remember growing up. We'd go and get a meal and a dessert. It was a special treat, then we'd just sit there and watch the sea for a while, the waves as they came upon the beach."

Krystal continued to hold his paw, stroking him gently. "That sounds lovely. Your father must have meant a lot to you."

"Yeah. He did." Fox leaned his head back, closing his eyes. For a moment, Krystal wondered if she should stop holding his hand, but before she could pull away, he curled his fingers around hers, holding her a little tighter. "He was busy a lot. I remember that. He wasn't home often. When he was, he'd always take me somewhere special. Usually the cafe. It was nice."

"What was he like?" Krystal asked. She had always wondered about this, but Fox had always been a bit tight lipped about his father in the past. She wasn't sure it would change here, but it didn't hurt to try.

"Well, like I said, he was busy. I think I got that from him." Fox spoke without looking at her, keeping his eyes closed. "He was always on another adventure with the team. He was saving the galaxy before I was even born. I think he kept doing it afterward. He loved flying. He loved it more than anything. Mom used to say he loved flying more than he loved her." His eyes opened for a moment, and a wistful smile spread across his face. "She might have been right."

"You never felt neglected?" Krystal pressed.

"Never." Fox shook his head. "Not once. It's true, he wasn't always there. But I always knew that he loved mom and me. I never doubted that. He'd prove it to us both whenever he got home. He'd spend a lot of time with both of us. Sometimes together, other times apart. Then he'd take off again on another mission."

"I see." Krystal continued to squeeze his paw gently between her own. "I am glad you had such a relationship with him."

"Me too. He was a good fox, I was lucky to have him as a father." Fox was quiet for a bit, then sighed softly before turning to Krystal. "What about your dad? What was he like?"

"Hmm." Krystal lowered her head, thinking for a moment. Her initial reaction was to not answer, as thoughts of home often turned painful for her. Then again, she had just asked Fox of his family, it was only right that he asked of hers.

"If you don't feel comfortable talking about it, you don't have to answer." Fox started. "I don't mind. I don't want to-"

"No, no, it's fine." Now it was Krystal's turn to take a deep breath before turning to Fox with a distant smile. "My father was a chieftain in Cerinia. Not the most important of the tribes, but certainly prominent. He was...distant. He expected great things from me. I fear that I rarely was able to appease him."

"Ah." Fox frowned. "That's...well, I'm sorry to hear that."

Krystal shrugged. "It's fine. In truth, I think he was disappointed in me from the day I was born. I believe he wanted a son, not a daughter. Our tribes were quite antiquated in respect to certain views. It is strange, is it not?" She let out a single note of strained laughter, shaking her head as she did so. "Strange that a culture with such technological advancement can still be so backwards in other ways. But I am not bitter or angry. It simply made me train harder than anyone else. I fought harder, I studied more, I always had to do better, just to prove myself. I do not know if I ever impressed him."

"I see." Fox didn't seem to know what to say, he just stared at the floor for a while before turning back to her. "Do you miss him?"

"Yes." Krystal stated simply. "I do. I loved him, as I loved my mother. As I loved our tribe. They were all part of me and helped to make me who I am, both the good and the bad." Now it was her turn to be quiet, lowering her head and sighing. The memories were returning now. The painful ones. They started well enough, good times with her mother, who taught her everything she knew. Her father watching her with a critical gaze. Her friends training, playing games together, her extended family visiting and wishing them well.

And then the last message she ever received from her family. A message she would never forget.

"I know he loved me because of...I've never shown you this, have I?" Krystal pulled her paw away from his, then reached for her communicator. She fiddled with it for a moment, scrolling through the various options it had. It was more than just a communications device, it also recorded messages and important information that she might desire.

She offered her paw to Fox, bending it so that the communicator on her wrist was fully visible and exposed to him. There was a message there, waiting for Fox to read. He stared at it, then read it aloud. "Krystal. We love you so much. We are proud of you. I'm sorry I never told you. Don't come home." He blinked at that last part, then looked up at her, appearing quite confused. "I don't get it. What was wrong, were they angry?"

She shook her head. "No. That was the last communication I ever got from them. I went home as soon as I received the message, despite his warning. I found what was left of Cerinia." She closed her eyes again, struggling to keep herself calm. The emotions were flooding in now, the memories always caused a terrible lump to form in her throat. She hated thinking about it. She hated feeling it. Of the pain being dug up again and again and again. But she wanted Fox to know this, at least this part. "There were no survivors. Everyone was dead. I still have no explanation for what happened."

"I see." Fox lowered his head, looking rather troubled. He then looked at Krystal again, squeezing her paw. "Listen, I...I'm here if you ever need to talk. Anytime, I'll listen. I didn't realize how..." He paused, trying to find the right words but failing. He eventually cleared his throat and tried again. "For some stupid reason, I never realized how much that must have hurt you. I'm sorry. And I wish I could do more."

The vixen shook her head, willing all those feelings down. For now, she could keep them at bay. She then managed to give Fox a wry smile. "You already are, Fox. I am very happy that we are sharing this moment together. That we are going on a date."

"Yeah." He ran a paw through the fur on his head again, between his ears from the front to the back of his head. She found the gesture cute. "I am too. I...I've really looked forward to this for a long time. I just struggled to say anything to you."

"I know." The terrible pain in Krystal had been pushed aside now, making room for the time she was spending with Fox. She was getting pretty good at burying it deep down, not allowing it to interfere with her life. One day she would have to deal with those feelings properly. Not today. "You need worry not. I am happy to spend this day with you."

"Yeah. Me too." Fox said this just as the cab pulled to a halt, announcing its arrival. "We have arrived at destination, 773 Ocean Drive. Primary designation, Gray Nest Cafe. Please enjoy your visit."

The doors popped open to either side of Krystal and Fox, and they both got out of the cab. The robot driver turned to Fox as he got out. "If you wish the cab to wait, please deposit the appropriate fare. We will be happy to-"

"No no, don't wait around. We'll call another cab or something. Alright?"

"Very good sir. Please have a safe and enjoyable day." The robot gave a polite nod of its head, then the cab doors sealed as it rose above the ground, hovering a safe distance before taking off.

Well, they were here. This was the first time Krystal had seen this place before. She wasn't sure what she was expecting to find.

The place looked old. Not in a bad way, it didn't appear to be rotting or falling apart. Rather, the building had been designed in a much more old-fashioned style. It didn't really match much else in the city and stood out. There was something welcoming about it. The walls were painted with a faded red color with a bit of yellow around the windows. There was a big sign mounted nearby, a real sign made of wood, swinging gently in the breeze, showing a picture of a mouse with a spoon in a bird's nest. The Gray Nest, she supposed. The "open" sign flickered on and off a few times, barely managing to stay functional and in dire need of a replacement. There were large glass windows on the sides of the building, giving the customers a good view of the outside. The beach was nearby, on the opposite side of where they landed, stretching out as far as could be seen from left to right. There was an elderly couple inside, just behind the counter. A bird and a mouse, with graying feathers and fur respectively.

Fox smiled at Krystal, then reached for her paw. "Ready to go in?"

"Of course, Fox." Krystal smiled back. Together, they went inside.

There were a handful of other patrons in the building as Fox and Krystal stepped in. They were all in various groups, talking with their companions, some of them laughing and carrying on, while others looked a bit more somber. The aroma was heavenly, the smell of freshly cooked meat combined with all manner of spices and condiments. It had been a long time since Krystal had eaten in a place like this.

As she looked around the diner, she realized that perhaps she never had partaken of a meal in such an establishment. Her people had markets and they had gatherings where they would eat. There was nothing quite like this.

The old mouse woman smiled at the couple as they approached, her whiskers twitching as she gestured toward one of the tables. "Welcome to the Gray Nest. Just sit anywhere, I'll be with you just as quick as I can, alright dearies?" She never indicated which of them she was talking to, she simply turned away and shuffled into the back, where the husband appeared to be cooking, her pink tail hairless dragging behind her.

Fox and Kyrstal watched her depart, then Fox jerked his head toward one of the nearby free tables, indicating where he had in mind to sit. It was by a window, a booth. It was quite plain in appearance, but the table appeared to be made of real wood. Krystal wasn't sure if it was authentic or not, it might just be a high quality synthetic material.

Fox sat on one side of the booth, then Krystal sat on the other. They both sat there for a few moments, as though not sure what to say to one another. Fox was rubbing the back of his neck again, something he seemed to do whenever he was nervous. Krystal simply smiled at him. "Fox. You may relax, there is nothing to fear. I am already enjoying myself."

Fox blinked, staring at her for a few moments. "Really? We haven't done anything yet. I mean...it was just a cab ride and now we're just waiting for food."

"That's true. But..." Krystal paused for a brief moment before continuing on. "But it has already been quite wonderful. I've learned things about you in the last few minutes that I have not known after spending more than a year living on the same ship. It was quite interesting, and I welcome any knowledge that I might gain of you and your background."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess that makes sense." He nodded as he acknowledged her words. "It's the same for me. I...you've never really talked much about Cerinia, and I didn't think it was appropriate to ask, even though I've been curious about what happened and what your life was like back then.

The vixen nodded her head with a soft smile. "Of course. And I appreciate that. It is true that I tend to keep those things to myself, it is not something that is easy for me to share. But I also believe that if I am to share them with anyone, I would like it to be you."

"Yeah." Even Fox managed to give her a smile this time. "I feel the same way. It's...I still can't believe it, you know. That last night we..."

He trailed off, unable to finish that thought. They both looked away from each other for a moment. Krystal closed her eyes fighting back a blush. In truth, even she was surprised at what had happened. It was not that she didn't want it! She most certainly had! But she hadn't really planned on being so forward with him, of moving so quickly. One thing had just led to another, and they had gone far beyond mere friendship.

"Okay, dearies. Here's your menus." The mouse woman had returned, placing the menus before the two foxes. "Now you just order any time you're ready, ya hear? We ain't going nowhere. Take yer time." Krystal nodded gratefully to the older woman, who had a very warm smile on her face. She certainly seemed friendly! "And the second you're good n' ready, you just give me a shout, okay dearies?"

Fox gave a respectful nod. "Thank you. We will."

"Of course." The woman didn't leave right away, instead lingering around as she looked at the two. "Y'all on a date? Hope ya don't mind me pryin'."

"Oh, uh, well, I mean, we..." Fox stammered for a bit, causing Krystal to smirk, hiding her muzzle with her paw so it was not visible. Finally Fox got the words out. "Y-yeah. This is, uh...this is a place I used to hang out with my dad. And I thought I'd take Krystal here. This is...well..." He paused for a moment, then said what he wanted to say. "This is our first date."

"Aww, that's just sweet. Don't worry, we'll give y'all a good meal. You ain't walkin' away with no empty belly, that's a Nest Guarantee." She started to move away, then stopped in her tracks. She turned back to Fox, then reached for some spectacles she had hanging from her apron pocket. They were on some sort of string so she didn't lose them. She stared at Fox for a moment, squinting in order to get a good look at him. "Say...didn't y'all used to come in here? I 'member a couple a' foxes, a pa an' his boy. Awful polite, they was. Awful polite. I think his name was..." She furrowed her brow as she tried to remember. "Jim?"

Fox shook his head, a bit amused at the woman's friendliness and her attempt to remember him. "James, actually. Yeah, that was my dad."

"James! That's Right, James Cloud! I 'member, got a mind like a steel trap, yessir." Krystal sneaked a peek at Fox, grinning as she watched him fight the urge to correct her use of the wrong surname. He ultimately managed to behave himself, instead just letting her speak. "Such a nice family. Always got his lil' boy some fine food, a burger n' shake. Y'all want those?"

"Well, uh, we haven't quite decided what we want yet." Fox cleared his throat again, studying the menu. "It's been years since I've been here, I don't remember what I got."

"Oh, why didn't you say so, hon? Ya always got the burger. All the fixin's 'cept the onions. I 'member, 'cuz yer dad was crazy about 'em. Always gave a nice tip, he did. Think I saw him on the news years back. Somethin' about Andross n' such. Never did hear from him again. Always made me sad. Good customer. Nice fox. Whatever happened to him? He still around?"

Fox looked a bit less comfortable with this question. "No. No, he's not."

"Oh, well here I go pryin' into yer business and pokin' my nose where it don't rightly belong." She seemed to be scolding herself. "Never you mind me, hon. I recommend you both try the burger n' fries. Best in town. And seein' as it's yer first date and first time seein' ya in, golly, I dunno how long, shakes are on the house. Sound good, dearies?"

Krystal barely even got to look at the menu, it sounded as though the proprietress had decided for them! In truth, Krystal didn't mind, as she wouldn't have known what to get here anyway. Considering how much time had passed since Fox had been to this place, she wondered if he would even know what to get for himself. She found herself in agreement with the friendly mouse woman. "That sounds wonderful. I'll try that with Fox."

"Sure thing, honey. You want me to hold the onions on that burger, Mr. Fox?"

Fox shook his head. "No thank you. I kinda grew out of that. Just give me the regular burger."

"Sure thing, hon. Be about five minutes. I'll get y'all a drink. What are y'all havin'?"

"Do you have any tea?" Krystal asked politely.

The mouse shook her head sadly. "Afraid not, hon. Got iced tea, though it's more like a soda. Nice girl like you, I bet yer wantin' the real good tea that ya brew and such. We don't got none of that here. Want some iced tea?"

"Yes, that would be fine, thank you."

"Sure thing, hon." She turned her attention back to Fox. "And for you?"

"Erm..." He studied the available options carefully, narrowing his eyes as he attempted to decide upon what he wanted precisely. "I haven't had a real soda in years. I don't usually drink the stuff. But I used to get some with my dad. How about..." He studied the options for a few more moments, then pointed at one of them, tapping on the selection with a single digit. "How about this one? One large Polar Cola."

"Sure thing, hon. Y'all used to get that every time. I 'member." She pointed at her head again. "I'm tellin' ya. Like a steel trap. Well, y'all be sure to tell Jim that Nancy said hello. Dunno if it'll mean nothin' to him, but you tell him anyway, y'hear?"

Once more Fox looked like he wanted to correct her, then simply nodded. "Sure. I won't forget."

"Still a good fox, I see. Bless your heart!" She turned to Krystal and grinned at her. "I think he's a keeper, hon. 'Course, I'm bettin' you are too! I'll be back lickety split with yer food, dearies." She smiled warmly at them, then walked away, going to the back to give the order to the cook, presumably her husband. Once she had done that, she went to some of the other tables, checking in on the other customers. She seemed to be on a first name basis with them all. Everyone in the establishment seemed to like her being around. She was probably a fixture here, she and her husband. Both rocks of stability in an otherwise unstable and unpredictable world.

"How is it that she can't remember my father's name ten seconds after I told her, but she has a perfect recollection of what I used to eat over ten years ago?" Fox asked, looking and sounding perplexed.

Krystal giggled. "Memories are funny things. They are not always sensible or work in the expected ways."

"Yeah, you're telling me." Fox frowned, shaking his head. "She's right, by the way. About what I ordered. It took me a bit to recall, but yeah, I used to eat burgers that way. Didn't like certain vegetables. Again, I'm amazed she remembered that."

"Steel trap." Krystal grinned at him. He just rolled his eyes at her. She could tell that he was equally amused by the situation. "She is nice though."

"Oh yeah, she's very friendly. So is her husband, if he's the same as I remember. He'd come out once in a while when he didn't have any food to prepare and talk to some of the customers. He and his wife have always been very outgoing. I think that's why this place is still around. I don't think they do a lot of business, but the business they have is very loyal and they like the place. I'm pretty sure the owners love what they do."

"I wouldn't be surprised. She certainly seems to." Krystal watched the mouse woman as she puttered from table to table, taking a few additional orders from certain customers. She seemed to have shared a joke with one group, as they all started roaring with laughter after a few moments. Krystal would have liked to hear what she had said, but it didn't really matter. It was nice just being able to enjoy a moment like this, seeing people have a good time and enjoying the simple things in life. That included Fox and her too!

"So Fox." Krystal turned her attention back to him. He looked up at her with one eyebrow raised. "What are your plans now? What is it you intend to do?"

"Well..." Fox looked down for a moment, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully with a single finger. He then looked back up at Krystal. "I don't know yet. I've learned of the big payday, I saw it for myself. It's great, but it's not gonna last forever. After all the expenses for that mission, including repairs for the Great Fox, fuel, paying each member of the team their fair due, paying the ship's overhang expenses and making another payment on the still sizable debt we have, it's not much as I'd like." He sighed, looking a bit depressed. "Seems like we can't catch a break there. Save the galaxy, and we're still just hanging in there. Heck, if we hadn't rescued that particular child and that father hadn't sent us those credits, we wouldn't have been paid anything at all. We didn't even rescue that kit, the Dominion did! I'm amazed that they didn't try to take credit for that."

"Well, the one thing the Dominion seems to value over all else is secrecy." Krystal commented. "Perhaps they did not want the attention that such a reward might bring. Considering how influential that particular fox is, it could prove to be a complication in the future should the Dominion have taken any credit. This is what I speculate, anyway."

"Yeah, you're probably right too." Fox leaned back in his chair, then turned to the side, staring out the window they were seated by. "Forgot about this view. I used to stare out this window when I ate. And before and after I ate, come to think of it."

"Fascinated by the ocean?" Krystal asked him.

"Well, sort of. It's just kind of hypnotic. Easy to lose yourself staring into it if you ask me. It's a great and endless expanse, soothing to look upon and to listen to. It feels like there's any number of possibilities before you. The sky is the limit, as they say."

"Is that what you feel toward space?" Krystal inquired.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'd say so. Not just that though." Fox looked back at her with a smile. "The ocean is vast. But space is so much more so. And the pure thrill I get when I fly an Arwing...not just an Arwing, any kind of spacecraft. It's exhilarating, it makes my blood pump and everything just seems so clear. I love flying. And I love the stars."

Krystal nodded in response. "That makes sense. I suppose the ocean ignited some of that in you?"

"A little, yeah. I mean, I never wanted to be a sailor if that's what you're wondering. But I got the same feeling when I sat out under the stars and just looked upward. Overwhelmed by the vastness of it all, and the beauty. Telling myself that one day, one day I'd go up there. With my dad. See the galaxy." He smirked before shaking his head. "Never thought I'd be saving it though."

"Repeatedly." Krystal corrected him. "You've saved it more than once, and almost always with Andross involved in some way."

"Yeah, it sure does seem that way, doesn't it?" Fox was looking back at the ocean again, just staring at it through the window. "In answer to your first question, I think what I want right now is a break. I don't mean retirement. I mean a vacation. A long one. Thankfully, we've got the funds to do that. I think I'm going to recommend that the whole crew take one. I dunno if we should all go together or not, I'll leave that to everybody else, but I think we really need some rest."

"I agree with you, Fox. I think that's a wonderful idea." She tilted her head a bit as she gazed at him, then turned to regard the ocean with him. She had to admit, it was a beautiful sight. Not as beautiful as the beaches of Sauria, but beautiful nonetheless. "I have sensed the stress and burdens laid upon the crew. They are all so tired and frustrated. I believe that your decision would be wise, and the sooner the better."

"Yeah, you're probably right. We'll discuss it as a group next chance we get. And while I did say that we don't have as much money as I'd like, it's certainly a heck of a lot better than what we've had for the last few months. So other than a vacation, I'm going to see if we can buy some better food and a good amount of it, get some better medicines and first aid supplies, and maybe a few other upgrades. We won't have much after that. We'll be in a better position than before, but we're still going to need a lot more work to stay afloat."

"We will find it, Fox." Krystal insisted. "We will. In the time since we have met, I have never known you to give up. I do not believe I have ever met an individual as tenacious and enduring as yourself."

"Some might just call it stubborn you know." Fox offered her a half-grin, one corner of his muzzle pulling up.

Krystal shook her head. "Perhaps, but it is more than stubbornness. You do not give up. You cling to hope no matter what. You are determined to see things through if it means doing the right thing, no matter the personal cost. You are..." It was her turn to hesitate now. It was not that she did not mean the words she was about to say, it was just hard to voice them. "You are the bravest person I have ever met. I have admired that for a long time. You have the skills and abilities to back up your bravery. It is a potent combination."

"Yeah, it's a good thing or I'd have been killed long ago." Fox chuckled to himself.

It was at that moment that the plates arrived, the mouse woman placing one before Fox and one before Krystal. "Here y'all go, sorry about the wait. Enjoy! Let me know when you're ready for the shakes. I'll get 'em for ya."

"Sure thing." Fox responded politely. "Thank you for the meal."

"Of course, dearies. That's what we're here for. Y'all enjoy." With that, the woman walked away, tending to some of the other clients in the diner. She was a sweet old mouse, Krystal thought to herself.

Now she had the opportunity to examine her food. It certainly smelled good! The burger was a rather large size, much bigger than one might get at some of the cheaper, faster venues. It looked and smelled delicious! The burger was thick, dripping with condiments and other toppings, the bun barely able to contain all the food inside! And though she didn't know precisely what the patty was made of, she had to assume it was some sort of synthetic meat. That's what most "meat" was these days, and it was almost indistinguishable from the real thing. She didn't know of any restaurant that served real meat.

While the burger looked delicious, the fries were no less appetizing. They looked a little greasy for Krystal's taste, and she didn't like eating food like this very often. She was proud of her body, her weight, and her figure, and she hated doing anything that might compromise that in any way. But cheating her diet every once in a while wouldn't hurt. Besides, after everything they had gone through as a team recently, she was pretty sure she could justify the meal!

Fox didn't seem to have any such reservations. He eyed the food for a moment, closing his eyes and inhaling the aroma before grabbing the burger and raising it to his muzzle, chomping down. His whole body seemed to relax a bit as soon as he bit into that bun. After chewing his food and swallowing, he looked up at Krystal with a rather pleased expression on his face, red and yellow condiments smeared on his muzzle. "Jeez, I think these are even better than when I was a kid!"

Smirking, Krystal decided to tend to her own meal, though she kept an eye on Fox for a moment or two longer. He went for another bite, some of the juice from the burger dribbling down his chin. The sight made Krystal grin. It really did please her to see Fox enjoying himself so!

Raising the burger to her lips, she took a bite for herself. Her eyes widened as she bit into it, as her taste buds were assaulted by flavor. It was delicious! She had never been much of one for burgers, she had to admit that. She'd only had some on occasion, usually with a group. It had simply never been something she had enjoyed all that much.

This was different, though. She'd never tasted one like this. It was fresh, for one, or at least it tasted so. There was a pleasant seasoning on the meat, something she couldn't quite place that enhanced the flavor. There were plenty of toppings on, no skimping on the vegetables or condiments. It was an absolutely delicious meal!

Fox and Krystal both went through their meal with fervor, both of them being a lot hungrier than they expected. It wasn't just the hunger that drove them. It was also the fact that neither of them had eaten a real meal, one that was actually prepared, cooked, and served fresh, in a very long time. She couldn't remember the last time, in fact. Months, perhaps.

Everything was so delicious! While Fox ate faster than Krystal did, they both were tearing into it with gusto. Just as Fox was finishing his burger, Krystal decided to get a little mischievous. She sneaked her paw across the table, and then plucked one of his fries out of the little basket they had been set in, quickly popping it into her mouth and grinning at him. He didn't seem to know what to do. He stared at her for a moment, his head just a bit tilted to the side. "Uh, Krystal, you have your own fries, you don't have to..."

Krystal silenced him by stealing another one. It was only now that Fox seemed to catch on, grinning back at her. "Oh, I see how it is. Well, I'm going to put a stop to that!" With that, he pulled his basket away from her, putting it just out of reach. She shrugged her shoulders, admitting defeat before she started to eat from her own basket of fries. Fox never attempted any retaliation, but he did seem entertained by her antics.

The two of them soon finished their meal, having enjoyed it very much. They had conversed a little during the meal, making little small talk as they ate. The drinks were good too, Krystal thought. The iced tea was sweeter than what she usually enjoyed, but it was still nice. Not something she'd want to drink often, though. Fox seemed to be enjoying his cola well enough, sipping it throughout the meal.

Just as they were finishing, Nancy came back. "I'll have your shakes ready just after you tell me which flavor y'all want.

"Well, what flavors do you have?" Fox asked.

"We got strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate."

Fox seemed to be weighing his options for a moment, then made his decision. "I'll take a chocolate."

"Sure thing, hon. How about you?" She turned to face Krystal, awaiting her response.

She had to think for a moment or two. She was certain that they were all good and that she would find the taste pleasing regardless of her choice. She answered after a brief hesitation. "I think I shall have the vanilla."

"Sounds good. I'll get 'em right out to y'all." She paused for a moment, then turned to Fox. "Y'all wanna pay the bill now? Or wait 'til after ya finish the shakes?"

"Oh, I can pay now. Here." Fox offered her the credit chit. She had a little device attached to her belt, some sort of card or chit reader, scanning what Fox gave her and immediately processing the payment. The rather sleek and technological device looked out of place in an old fashioned establishment like this, but it certainly would make payment easier. The older woman smiled after the charge went through and was approved, handing it back to Fox. "There you go, dearie. I'll be right back."

Both of them were quiet as the woman went back behind the counter. Fox was the first to break the silence. "I've got to admit, I really needed that. That's the best meal I've had in a long, long time. And not too expensive, though I still don't think we could afford to eat here regularly."

"Indeed." Krystal agreed with him. "It was quite delicious. Thank you for taking me here, Fox."

"Sure thing. Though, uh..." Fox rubbed the back of his neck again. "Truth is, I feel like I should be thanking you. For letting me take you."

Krystal shook her head. "There is no need to thank me, Fox. I have enjoyed myself immensely, and it is in no small part thanks to you."

"Well...I'm glad." It was at that moment that the shakes arrived. The mouse woman placed them down in front of them, a vanilla for Krystal and a chocolate for Fox. The older woman then gave them a friendly, warm smile. "Hope you enjoyed your meals. Y'all can stay for as long as you want. Come on back sometime, y'hear?" With one last friendly smile, she departed, tending to other customers and getting involved in other conversations.

The milkshakes were in some rather fancy looking glass cups, wonderfully cool and layered almost perfectly all the way to the very literal cherry on top. Fox took his glass, then raised it toward Krystal in what could almost be considered a toast. She returned the gesture, and they both began to consume their sweet dessert.

Krystal couldn't remember the last time she'd had something so delicious. As they savored their tasty treat, they continued their conversation. Most of it was small talk, nothing too deep or personal. Some of it was of a bit more serious in nature. Fox talked a bit about what he had experienced on the Von Dross, though he was quite vague on certain details and Krystal didn't want to pry. She already knew some of it from the report that he made for Peppy and the Cornerian Army. She didn't want him to feel troubled, to make him dig up painful memories unnecessarily, so she just listened to him as he talked about whatever he wanted to talk about.

They were in that diner for a long, long while. They both ended up losing track of the time. This was the first time Fox had really opened up to her about his experiences since they had arrived. He had given her some answers, sure, but she had no idea about many of the details he was now relating to her. The way he had been fighting for his life from beginning to end, the manipulations of the doctor who turned out to be an AI built by Andross. The assassin sent to kill him, the crazed doctor who knocked him out early on. His confrontation with the captain of the Von Dross himself. He had made vague references to these things in the past, but this was the first time he had shared greater detail with her. It still seemed to Krystal that maybe he was holding some things back, but she didn't mind. She was just happy to see him open up at all. The way she figured it, just being there for him to talk to was enough, and it would provide him with much needed succor. Perhaps the healing process could begin in earnest as he talked more about his ordeal.

Surprisingly enough, the subject matter didn't seem to depress Fox. If anything, he was able to view it now with a bit more humor. Maybe it was because he was adjusting and coming to terms with everything that had happened. Maybe he was spending enough time out of the situation that he could look back on it with a less depressed or emotional outlook. Or maybe...

Maybe it was Krystal herself. She could sense something coming from him, something that pleased her greatly. It wasn't exactly an emotion, at least not as she considered such, but it was close enough. A sense of comfort, of peace. It was coming from more than just the meal. He was finding it easier to talk to her, to confide in her. He felt better with her around. And even though Krystal was trying so hard to be respectful of the privacy of his thoughts, she couldn't help but be very, very pleased at what she did sense.

"I just hope that's it." Fox said as he came to the end of his tale. "I'm just...you know. I've had to clean up Andross's messes ever since he first invaded Corneria. All these years later, he's still somehow managed to make trouble. This was the worst yet."

"You are likely right," Krystal offered. "But you must take heart, Fox. Though his evil rose to challenge you yet again, you met the challenge. You rose up to face it, and you triumphed. It is over now."

"I don't know." Fox sighed, shaking his head in a forlorn manner. "Maybe. But I still don't know why Fara did what she did. More importantly, I don't know why she wanted that AI. I want to believe this is over, I really do. But I think she was working for someone. And I think whoever that was wanted the AI. I can't imagine what they're going to do with it, but it can't be good. Best case scenario, they use that AI to start trouble."

"And worst case?" Krystal asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Worst case, SAI-TEP breaks free and brings a new reign of terror to the Lylat System. I'll give you one guess as to who gets to stop it next time, too."

"You sound as though you're wishing to retire, Fox. Perhaps you are not as sprightly as you once were?"

"Heh." Fox leaned back in his chair as he gazed upon her, a faint smile on his muzzle. "No way, I don't want to retire. I love my job. I love flying. I love y-" He caught himself before he managed to finish that next thought, then quickly adjusted his words. "I love being around you. And the rest of the team. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"Oh really?" Krystal asked, one eyebrow raised. "Never thought of retirement or settling down with a special someone?"

"I mean..." Fox hesitated, looking a bit thoughtful at her statement. "Sure, I mean I've thought about it. It just still seems like something that's so far away, you know? First of all, I don't know if I'm ready to settle down or not. Like I said, I love the life, despite the hardships. It's hard sometimes. And it's stressful. Sometimes I'm not sure how we're going to make it. Sometimes the missions are really tough, sometimes the team feels like it's going to fall apart. And yet despite all of that, it's a deeply satisfying life." Fox closed his eyes as he breathed deep. "I really do love it. As horrible as this last mission was, and as much as I absolutely do not ever want to do a mission like that again for as long as I live, I still have to admit that it felt good. Not the mission itself, that was horrible. But finishing it. Putting an end to the Many, saving people again. That's why I do it. That's why I can't quit. That feeling is intoxicating, addictive. Knowing that I can make a difference in the galaxy, you know?"

"I do know, Fox." Krystal smiled at him. "That is one of the reasons I have remained with Star Fox for so long. As you say, it feels very much as though one can make a difference here. More so than perhaps anywhere else. I agree with you. I too am not thinking of settling down quite yet."

"Oh yeah?" Fox asked. "Think you ever will someday?"

"Maybe." She gave Fox a rather gleeful smile, a little mischief twinkling in her eyes. "If I ever meet the right Fox."

He blinked at that, then just chuckled. "I see."

"Mmhm, I'm sure you do."

Eventually the two of them were ready to leave. Their shakes had been finished long ago. In fact, the sun had already set. So much time had passed! They hadn't meant to stay here so long, but it had just been such a lovely time to spend together. Fox eventually got up and offered her his paw. She accepted gladly, and he helped her to stand. Then they walked out the door together. The stars shined down on them from above in a clear, cloudless sky. This area was on the edge of Corneria City, thus allowing the two foxes to see the night sky much more clearly than they otherwise might have. They stood there together for a few moments more, staring at the stars.

"You know, I used to dream about going to them all." Fox said as he looked upwards.

Krystal blinked, turning to him with surprise. "All of them?"

"Uh huh." Fox affirmed. "When I was a kit. Just used to stare up and wonder how big it was. How many of them had been charted, how many were still unknown and waiting for someone to find them."

"You sought thrill and danger even then, it seems." Krystal commented.

"Maybe so." He shrugged at her. "Either way, I don't have the dream now. I'd rather stick to the planets I know, though I wouldn't be opposed to exploring a few more of them at some point." He took one last look at the stars, then turned toward Krystal. "Want to go home?"

"Yes, it is getting late."

"Yeah." He led Krystal to the place where they could hail a transport, pressing the button and waiting to be serviced. It didn't take long for one to arrive. It looked identical to the last one they were in, and for all Krystal knew perhaps it was the same. The only difference between them would be the identifying numbers printed on the vehicle and the robot itself. Once the doors hissed open, Fox and Krystal got inside. Now seated, Fox gave the robot their next destination. "Take us to the hangar. 17-A. Great Fox is docked there." He offered his credit chit, and the robot accepted it, charging whatever the fare was before handing it back.

"Of course sir." The transport lurched forward and they were on their way.

The trip back was very different than the one before. The distance traveled was not, and it was mostly the same path they had taken to get here. The sights, however, were entirely new.

It was all lit up in the most beautiful fashion. Krystal had rarely seen the big city at night, but it was something that she had to admit was beautiful. There were so many colored lights from all of the different buildings, large skyscrapers, other vehicles passing them by, all bathed in the illuminating glow of neon signs, flashing street lights, billboards, and the many lights that were attached to various buildings. Of course, it could not match Sauria for raw beauty, or that of Cerinia. But she had to concede that even the artificial colors and lights possessed a charm and beauty unexpected.

As they passed through the city, she remained quiet, thinking about the events of the day. She had woken up with Fox holding her in his arms. He had given her a book of priceless worth. He had taken her on a date, going to a place he went to as a kit. He had been a little nervous and a bit awkward, but very sweet too. Even without her telepathic abilities, Krystal knew that this was something he truly had wanted for a long time. It was charming to her. She knew he wasn't doing it on purpose. It was fun to see him him without quite as much control, a little less than the fearless leader he often tried (And succeeded) to be.

She wondered what her life might have been like without Fox. Where would it have taken her, she wondered. Would she be a pilot like she is now? Would she have a close-knit group of friends? Would she have rediscovered family?

She did not know.

All she knew for certain was that she was glad the fates had decided that she and Fox would meet. Even if things did not continue as she hoped, she was glad that the two of them were close. They had fought side by side in any number of battles. He had saved her on Sauria, and they had protected one another and grown by each other's sides since.

She cared a great deal for him. It was as simple as that.

"Krystal?" Fox's voice interrupted her thoughts, and it took her a moment to refocus. She shifted her attention to him. He was watching, just studying her quietly. For once, he didn't turn away in embarrassment or hide that he was staring at her. His gaze was so intense, it almost seemed to her that he might be trying to read her thoughts, see just what she was thinking and feeling underneath. When Krystal met his gaze, he offered a somewhat nervous smile. "I just...I just want to say thanks for going with me today. I really needed this. It was nice to just go and do something that, well, isn't what we usually do. Relax a bit, enjoy a meal. Just the two of us."

The vixen answered him with a warm smile. "There is no need to thank me, Fox. I should be thanking you for asking me in the first place. I am grateful for that."

"Ah. Well, you're welcome." He leaned back in his chair. "Wish I knew how to better handle this stuff. I'm really not that good at this."

"I think you're doing wonderfully, Fox." She meant it when she said it too. She reached for his paw, which was resting on the seat beside him again, stroking it gently with one of her own hands. "Back on Cerinia, growing up, there were several males in the tribe that wished to court me. They exuded confidence, and always wished to impress at every opportunity, hoping that I would choose them after being sufficiently awed by their superiority."

"I'm guessing it didn't work." Fox managed to smirk at her.

"No, it did not. I never cared for it. All of them showing off or bragging in an attempt to gain a new mate. I was not stupid. I knew what they wanted. For some, I believe I would have merely been a prize. My father was a chieftain, as you know. That carried certain weight. But it was not just that. I noticed where their eyes lingered."

"Ah. Yeah." Fox shifted his gaze for a moment. "I...really hope I've never done anything to make you uncomfortable in the past. I never meant to..."

"Oh, Fox." Krystal giggled before continuing. "You do not need to worry. If you had done something so arrogant and possessive, do you think I would have spent the night with you?"

He was quiet as he considered that, then ultimately gave her a nod. "Yeah. You're right, sorry."

"You don't need to apologize Fox. Besides, that is the point. You are simply you. You don't have to show off. You've already done amazing things, you continue to do amazing things. You don't have to brag or boast, you don't have to show off your muscles whenever I'm in view. And while I have noticed your eye attracted to my form, you have never stared at me as though I were a piece of meat, as though I were a source of pleasure and lust but nothing more."

"W-well, uh..." Fox cleared his throat, looking more than a little uncomfortable at just how forward she was being, how much detail she was offering without reservation. "I...I do think you're beautiful, Krystal. I really do. I try not to stare. Sometimes I sort of forget, though. But I don't ever want to treat you like you're anything less than who you are. You're a valued friend, a trusted team mate. And...well..." He managed to offer her a somewhat awkward grin. "And right now? You're my date. And I really like that."

She laughed again, quite amused by Fox's words and demeanor. "I feel the same way, Fox. In truth, I have not pursued romance in some time. Not since before my world fell, in fact. Even then, I did not pursue it, but some desired it of me."

"Yeah. Well, I can't say I blame them." Krystal arched an eyebrow at him, and he hastily added to his words. "What I mean by that is you're a very attractive vixen. The kind that makes heads turn when you enter a room. I would have been very surprised if you didn't have some other males chasing after you."

She nodded her head, but said nothing in response to him. He sat there quietly for a moment, then opened his mouth to say something. Before the thought came out, the robot made an announcement. "We have arrived at hangar 17-A. We hope you have enjoyed Cornerian Fares. Please have a safe evening."

The cab came to a stop, resting on the ground and allowing Krystal and Fox to leave. Once they were out, the robot driver offered them a wave, which Krystal had to assume was pre-programmed. Then the cab lifted into the air and took off, disappearing from sight. This left Fox and Krystal alone in front of the hangar. The moon was out now, and the stars twinkled brightly in the night sky. It was such a clear night that Fox and Krystal could easily see where they were going. Of course, the many lights illuminating the hangar certainly helped as well.

Fox took Krystal's hand, squeezing it as they linked fingers. It was something new for both of them, but Krystal rather liked it. He led the two of them to the Great Fox. The hangar was deserted by now. There were a few parked aircraft left, but the people were all gone, save for a single night watchman sitting in one corner with a light hanging overhead. He seemed to be reading or watching something on his tablet. He glanced at Fox and Krystal as they entered, then returned his attention to whatever he was doing. He seemed to know who they were even from this distance. There were probably cameras and scanners everywhere, so it was quite possible that he would have been alerted were they actual intruders. Either way, the path to the Great Fox was unimpeded.

"I'll, uh...I'll walk you to your room, Krystal."

"Ever the gentle-fox, aren't you?" Krystal teased him, squeezing his hand a little bit more firmly. This made him snicker before shrugging.

"Well, this is a rough neighborhood. Some real unsavory characters around here. I would feel awful if I didn't accompany you and something happened."

This comment made Krystal laugh. "You are a very silly fox sometimes."

"Oh, I'm not that silly." Fox corrected her. "Just a little. On occasion. With you."

It was easy to get inside the Great Fox, the ship's hangar was still open, complete with all of the damaged Arwings. They could just walk right through and approach the crew quarters from there. Krystal continued her earlier thought. "No, you are silly. And I am glad." She smiled at him as they walked. "You are often very serious, lost in your own thoughts and troubles. You do not often laugh or joke or even smile. It is quite relieving to know that there is something more lighthearted deep inside you, even if it does not come out very often."

Fox's mirth faded a bit. "Yeah. I don't...well, I feel like I need to take my job seriously. I want to be someone everyone can look up to. I want to be there when I'm needed, and I want to be ready to help whenever I can. Maybe I'm a little too serious at times, I don't know. But I guess that's just the way I am."

"Oh, it is fine, Fox. I understand your view and I believe I even agree with it. I am simply stating that it is nice to be able to see you relax and act less as though the galaxy were resting upon your shoulders. Even if at times all of Lylat does hang in the balance."

"Yeah. Yeah, it does feel that way." They were in the hallways of the Great Fox now, not far from Krystal's room. Now Krystal felt a new set of emotions as they drew closer and closer to her quarters. There was a bit of anxiety and nervousness, wondering if things would go further than they already had tonight. There was some fear of rejection, some fear that perhaps it would all be seen as a mistake and things would continue as they once were. Or perhaps things would be different, strained. Awkward. She thought at first that the thoughts belonged to Fox. It took her a few moments to realize that they were not his thoughts at all. Rather, they were her own!

She could hear her own heart beating in her chest, loud and strong as it thumped over and over again. Fox had been the one acting nervous this whole time, but Krystal too had felt a great deal of apprehension! It was not that she didn't enjoy the day, far from it! But she too was nervous about how this day would end. Would they part ways peacefully and bid each other goodnight? Would they have a sort of awkward relationship and have to try and figure out how to deal with it later? Or would Fox ask her to end it here and now? He was a very serious person, and there was one thing she knew. Once he had recovered from whatever had happened to him, he would once again step forth to be the leader he was before. What if he felt that his feelings for her would compromise his judgment as a leader? What if he believed that they shouldn't be involved since they worked together?

These were all speculations, of course. She hadn't even realized that she'd had such fears until this very moment, and now they were all she could think of! She had shown such confidence and bravery to this point. She couldn't stop now! She turned toward Fox as they reached her door, releasing her hold on his hand. She swallowed hard, her heart still beating so loud! She was surprised Fox couldn't hear it. "Here we are." She managed to say. She didn't think she betrayed any of the nervousness she now felt, but it was difficult to say.

Fox didn't seem to notice. He let go of her hand and nodded his head. "Yup. Here we are." He simply stood there staring at her for a moment. A long moment. Both of them seemed like they wanted to say something, but they weren't sure how to say it. At last Fox continued. "Thank you for the date today. It was wonderful. I don't want to keep you up, though. It's been a long day."

"Ah...yes." Krystal had to struggle not to reveal her disappointment. "Thank you as well. Goodnight, Fox."

"Goodnight Krystal." He offered her a smile and even a little bow of his head, then turned to walk off.

She had wanted Fox to ask for more. She had hoped that he would want to stay with her for the night. Perhaps it was for the best. After all, they still needed to sort through the feelings they had for one another. It was wise, perhaps, not to get involved in further physical intimacy.

This was what ran through her mind, and that was all well and good. What came out of her mouth, however, was quite different. The words were out before she could even stop them. For the first time, her voice wavered with uncertainty. "Would you...like to stay with me? Tonight?"

Fox froze. He just stopped short, standing perfectly still, his ears flitting up at her words. He didn't move for a while, like he was frozen in place. As though he hadn't quite processed what she had said. Krystal didn't know why she was so nervous all of the sudden! Why in Cerinia had she said that? Why had she made that offer? If Fox had wanted to stay the night with her, he would have asked! She should have let him ask, or maybe just wait for him to ask another night.

Well, she had laid down her offer. It only remained for Fox to answer her one way or the other. Would he say no? Would he walk off and pretend he hadn't heard her? What would he do?

He started to turn, facing her directly. He looked deadly serious, the most serious she had seen him in quite some time. It was the way he looked whenever he accepted a new mission, the way he looked in matters of the highest importance. He advanced,not stopping until he was standing right in front of her. She couldn't read his thoughts or emotions even if she wanted to. Her own were too strong, clouding out her abilities. All she could do was watch his face as he approached her, so firm and serious.

He was silent for a time, then reached for Krystal's paw. He gently clasped it in both hands, then raised it to his lips, planting a kiss on the back of her hand. He was watching her the whole time, never keeping his eyes off of hers. He then said in a soft voice, "Nothing could bring more pleasure."

It was as though a dam had broken. All of the suppressed nervousness, all of her quiet misgivings and fears, it was all gone. Fox leaned toward her, then gave her a kiss, right on the muzzle. It was tender and gentle at first, the sealing kiss between two new lovers that would cement their relationship. This wasn't just Krystal comforting him this time, this wasn't just him healing from trauma. This was so much more.

As he kissed her, she backed up until her rear touched the door. She reached down with one paw and tapped on the switch, causing the door to her quarters to hiss open. Fox wasted no time, kissing her neck as he pushed the two of them inside. A hushed gasp escaped from her lips. She hadn't expected Fox to be so forward! She was getting excited, feeling very warm all of the sudden.

Fox's paws started to roam up and down the curve of her spine, and she arched her back in response. He kept kissing her neck, then her throat, guiding her toward the nearby bed. Hers was much better than the one in his apartment, simply because it hadn't been placed under a low hanging compartment. Fox groaned against her as they approached the bed, both of them falling atop it. The bed rocked and creaked quietly as the two foxes found themselves upon it.

Krystal soon felt Fox's paws on her -

(Attention. This is DARIUS. The following passage has been censored and removed by the management. Passage shortened by 5.21 minutes. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please proceed.)

"Fox?" Krystal spoke softly, both of them now resting in each other's arms.

"Hmm?" She could hear him yawn sleepily against her ear, then he kissed her cheek again before closing his eyes. His breathing was slowly going back to a normal rate, less frantic and hitched. It felt so wonderful for Krystal right now. To be entwined with her new lover, for him to be so intimately attached to her, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. She absently stroked his back and neck as he lay atop her, enjoying the feel of his firm, strong body. She already found herself wondering how they might further explore each other's comforts and desires in intimacy. It was probably something she didn't need to be thinking about right now, but she couldn't help herself. He was so cute, and he had a great body.

Of course, she had no intention of letting Fox know what she was actually thinking right now. That could come later. For now she wanted to enjoy the moment and ask her question. "Fox, is there anything you would change between us? Do you wish to move slowly? Or perhaps you would rush forward into our relationship as you would any battle?" She smirked as she teased him, continuing to run her fingers up and down his upper back, combing his fur with tender, gentle motions.

"You mean, uh...aside from us getting intimate?" Fox asked, yawning again. He seemed to be getting sleepy. "I think...I think we should just...see how it goes. But I love you, Krystal. I might not be the easiest to date. I'm a little...well, I'm a little afraid, if I'm being honest. Not of you, not specifically. Just of a relationship in general. I might not handle everything..." His words were interrupted by another yawn, blinking his eyes sleepily before continuing. "Might not handle everything quite right."

"I see." Krystal nodded her head, then rubbed her cheek to his. "I understand. We shall take this as slow or as fast as you like, Fox. Whether you wish to turn this into...something more long-term or you simply wish to enjoy each other for a time, I shall abide by your decision." She turned to smile at him, but he was already asleep, snoring softly. She stared at him for a moment, then just giggled, scritch-scratching his neck before whispering in his ear. "Fox...fair warning. I have a voracious appetite." She whispered this in a playful, sultry tone, knowing full well he couldn't hear her at this point. That was part of the fun! Though she did notice his tail wag a few times behind him as he slept. Maybe he was aware of her words! Or perhaps not. Either way, she had given him fair warnnig.

It took a while for her to fall asleep. She lay there with her lover still holding her, his body occasionaly shifting a bit as he held her. Even in his dreams, he seemed to be clutching Krystal tightly, as if afraid that he might lose her if he let her go. He didn't have to worry about that, though. She had no intention of leaving him now. If things proceeded as they had these last few hours, who knows? Perhaps she would never leave him. Perhaps they would be a firm fixture in each others' lives, a constant that could be depended upon to always be there.

She could not say for certain. She didn't even really know if their relationship would be anything more than physical. Fox clearly wanted to date her, wanted her to be his girlfriend. She felt similarly about him. But would it go anywhere beyond that? Where would their relationship take them in the coming months? Would it just be pleasure? Would they discuss starting family of their own, having kits, settling down? Marriage? Just how far would it go?

She wasn't going to worry about those things. She wanted to concentrate on what she had right now. She had her lover, Fox McCloud, resting atop her, snoring softly beside her head. She could feel the warmth and firmness of his body, the softness of his fur, that pleasing scent he was wearing wafting in her nostrils. He looked so very, very happy in this moment. That made her happy too.

Now it was her turn to yawn. She hadn't felt tired a few moments ago, but sleep was coming all the same. It descended upon her suddenly and without warning, and she simply couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. She squirmed just a bit to make herself more comfortable, then closed her eyes. It might have seemed uncomfortable to be in her position, resting beneath Fox, who was certainly bigger and sturdier than she was. But she didn't feel even the slightest discomfort. It was a warm and wonderful feeling, it made her feel secure and safe in a way she hadn't felt in a long, long while.

As she drifted closer and closer toward sleep, she got to thinking about how happy she was in this moment. Her paws were still idly stroking Fox's back, and she could only smile as she thought about what she had found. She once again had that powerful feeling, that wonderful sensation of having family again. Of having people she could count on. Stability. Care. Love. She had that in Fox. She hoped it would last a long, long time.

At last her weariness grew too much for her. She soon drifted to sleep, safe and content in her lover's arms. Her last thought was that she would be so happy to wake up with him in the morning.