Yes, Roxas, most of my fics are rated t to be on the safe side.
Late at night
Krystal blinked her eyes awake, taking a moment to adjust to the darkness. Quickly scanning the room, she noted her surroundings: everything was dark, only dimly lit by the ambient glow from the night light next to Shira's crib. The room was otherwise blanketed in a thick blackness, with Krystal only the outlines of the furniture, as well as Shira's sleeping form with her crib, covered by a blanket.
"Strange. Something felt a bit off for a moment there…" She thought to herself. Too preoccupied to fall back asleep, she sat up on her bed. Currently, she was wearing a simple light tan sleeping robe, although it's not like she could see a whole lot in the dark at the moment.
"Now what is it that bothered me?"Krystal was wondering. Her telepathy had picked up something but she did not know what it was. The feeling was only vague, yet she could not help but feel like something was off… as if she sensed an omen of some sort.
The fur on the back of Krystal's neck was sticking up on instinctual alert, and her senses were heightened. Again, she scanned the room, both with her eyes and her telepathy; yet again the room was clear. So it seemed.
"Still nothing I guess." she thought to herself, scratching her head. "Maybe I am just overthinking stuff. Perhaps it's just maternal instincts making me act up?" she wondered. The vixen shrugged. "It probably nothing-"
She stopped the thought dead in its tracks when she noticed something off a faint glow emitting in the middle of the room. It was an ethereal blue color, almost like a will-o-wisp from a fairy tale. It was not coming from any sort of light fixture; all of the lights sans the night light in the room were off. And this was not directly under any sort of light source, to begin with, the room's lights were too scantly spaced apart.
Her eyes stayed on the blue 'will o wisp', trailing it as it floated ambiently across the room, towards the door. To her shock, it seemed to float through the door, unphased by the physical material. Almost like a ghost…
On instinct, she immediately shot off the bed and hurried to the control panel for her room's intercom system; a simple touch screen on the wall by the door. Anxiously tapping the icons on the screen, she immediately went for the icon that would ring Fox's room first.
Her heart was racing as she waited for him to pick up, she did not know what was going on but her telepathy had never failed her before; if that ball of light was the thing she sensed, then it was nothing good. She did not usually get bad feelings like that over nothing.
To her relief, the screen shifted from the curricular, rotating "rining room" icon to that of a "phone" icon, signaling that the call had been picked up on the other end.
"Krystal? It's about 2 am, is everything okay?" Fox's groggy voice sounded from the intercom.
Shooting a glance at Shira to make sure she was alright, Krystal focused on what to say next.
"Fox, I need you to wake up the others right now! I don't know what it is or was, but something's wrong! Some blue ball of energy or light or something just appeared out of nowhere in my room and floated through the door. It tipped off my telepathy; I sensed something bad!" She nearly screamed.
There was a brief moment of silence from the other end of the call before she heard Fox again. "What?" he asked, a bit flatly. She heard a sigh. "Alright… that's a bit weird but I know you don't do prank calls the way Falco does. Head for the bridge, I'll meet you there," he responded, ending the call.
Krystal breathed a sigh of relief, before bolting for her staff from its rack on the walls of the room. Retrieving it with practiced ease, she stopped for a moment when her eyes again fell on Shira, who was still sleeping peacefully. She briefly contemplated her actions, knowing time was likely of the essence.
Of course, grabbing Shira and taking her with her into a possibly dangerous situation was foolish; Krystal would never dream of doing so at all, under normal circumstances. But the thing was, she did not know what was going to happen next; that energy being could phase through walls and she frankly had no idea what its intentions were. Krystal realized if she were to simply leave Shira asleep in her crib, she could unintentionally be leaving her in danger if the weird energy life form came back; Shira would be helpless without Krystal or someone else there to protect her. She was too young to fully grasp being in danger, let alone escape or fight back, she could likely not even walk properly yet.
"Better safe than sorry." Krystal thought to herself, gently scooping up the sleeping baby in her arms out of the crib.
With Shira in tow, Krystla practically bolted out the door, making a mad dash for the bridge.
Within barely a few minutes, the whole team was assembled on the bridge. The room's lights were on and everything was lit up. She could still everyone still in their sleeping clothes. Falco was wearing a white tank top and athletic shorts, while Slippy was in green pajamas with wrenches on them. Both the bird and the toad had bags under their eyes and were standing close to Fox by the main control console.
Fox himself stood side by side with Peppy and R.O.B.; the vulpine in a simple white sleeping shirt and pair of comfortable joggers. Peppy was still in his bathrobe and slippers, with a rather unhappy expression on his face. When everyone saw Krystal enter the room, they turned their gaze to her and Shira, Falco in particular giving her a questioning gaze.
"What are you doing bringing the kid up here? It could be dangerous!" he nearly shouted, uncaring if it was going to wake up the child or not. To be fair, Shira was already awake, but luckily her pacifier kept her preoccupied enough not to throw a fit.
"I didn't know if it was safer to lock her in my room or not; I want her in my line of sight until we get to the bottom of this and figure out what "safe" even means right now." The blue vixen huffed, defensively. She took her spot next to Fox.
"All right," Fox said, getting everyone's attention. "Well, you all heard my call; we've got an unknown situation here." Fox proclaimed.
Peppy huffed. "Yes, something or rather about a "blue floating ball," you said." he reminded the vulpine, his voice a bit dry but with an edge of concern. "In all my years, I can't say I dealt with many of those," he muttered, looking at Krystal. "Do you have anything more you can tell us?" he pressed.
Krystal thought for a moment, as Shira started fidgeting a bit in her arms, clearly not happy about being awoken from her slumber. "Just that I sensed something off from my telepathy, like an ominous feeling. Like when something bad is about to happen; that does not just happen out of nowhere. I think this being maybe the cause." she stated.
Shira's fidgeting got worse. As Krystal tried to wrangle her, Peppy walked over and held out his hands, to which Krystal obliged and handed her off to the old hare. Peppy adjusted his grip to comfort her and patted her on the back.
"Well… it's something to go off I guess. You said on the call you placed to our rooms that Krystal saw it phase through walls like a ghost or something." Slippy proclaimed, putting his hand to his chin. "If that's the case, it could be energy-based," he stated. "And earlier I felt some electronics of mine malfunctioning…" he muttered. "Maybe it's related?"
Falco shot him a look. "Maybe. But why did you not tell us that sooner? Your stuff doesn't usually short circuit, especially since we have all those repairs and upgrades." he pressed.
"Did not feel it was cause for concern." Slippy shrugged, before heading over to the computer monitor on the main control pad.
"Whatever the case, I suggest we scan for energy signatures. " Fox commanded, to which Slippy obliged and started typing away at the control panel. "R.O.B., run a diagnosis on the Great Fox's power supply, and see if you find any fluctuations."
"Affirmative." The android replied.
Krystal watched anxiously as the team got to work, Slippy manually running through the security feed and energy reading of the ship while R.O.B. did the same.
While she did this, Krystal turned to Peppy, who had the child under control and lulled into a sense of comfort.
"What about Shira? What happens if something goes wrong?" she pressed.
Peppy looked at her, a concerned look evident on his face. "Depending on how things play out, I'll stay back and keep her safe; we just got to identify what this thing is and figure out how to counter it. It's no run-of-the-mill pirate or mercenary; once we know the danger and how to keep it at bay, we'll develop our plan then. For now, the kid stays with us."
The vixen nodded. "Should we get help from the hangar security?" She suggested.
Peppy shook his head. "Most of the staff are gone by this time. From what I saw before clocking out for the night, it's mostly just a few low-level security guards and a maintenance crew. The boys looked young; probably not too far out of college. We've dealt with plenty of stuff in our time, I don't think any of us want to put them in harm's way." He reasoned.
The team all gave collective nods of agreement.
"Fair enough but the police or other authorities?"
Peppy gave a short laugh. "Krystal, I don't think they are going to listen to a 2 am call about some magic ghost light. They will probably just dismiss it as a drunken prank call." He replied. "What are you hoping they do anyways; we don't know what this thing is yet."
Krystal blushed a bit at how ridiculous the request seemed.
"Hey guys I got something." Slippy's voice called, breaking the conversation. Everyone present turned towards him.
The toad moved aside and showed them his monitor. On it was a layout map of the Great Fox's interior, showing the different rooms and hallways. On it, they noted a glowing red dot traveling down one of the hallways. Slippy pointed at said red dot.
"As you see it's heading to aircraft storage; not sure why," he stated.
Everyone looked to Fox expectantly.
"Alright, so what's our plan of action, Fox?" Falco inquired, crossing his wings.
The vulpine thought for a moment, then spoke. "We got to excess the situation and figure what this thing is and what it's doing here; could be hostile, could not me. If it is, we'll arm ourselves." Fox affirmed, looking at the bird and blue vixen.
"Falco, Krystal, you too are coming with me to engage this thing; we at least know it is energy-based, so a blaster or perhaps Krystal's staff could help against it. " he reasoned, referencing the energy-based weaponry and other magical properties of Krystal's staff at their disposal.
He then turned to R.O.B., Slippy, and Peppy, who were finding success in getting the child to calm down.
"Slippy, you stay here and monitor the Great Fox's energy systems, track this thing's movement." he instructed "R.O.B, assist Slippy as much as you can."
"Got it." SLippy nodded.
"AFFIMTATIVE" The android replied, in his usually loud "understood" tone.
Finally, his eyes fell on the old hare and the toddler in his grasp.
"Peppy, I want you to take Shira and leave as soon as it seems it's safe to do so; her and your safety are the top priority." he proclaimed, to which Krystal gave a slight sigh of relief.
Not just for her ward, who of course she wanted out of harm's way, but for Peppy as well. Everyone here, sans Shira and R.O.B., had combat training and could defend themselves. But Krystal knew Peppy's fighting days were almost past him due to his age; the vixen knew he was more experienced than anyone here but was glad he was out of harm's way regardless.
Peppy hummed a bit. "Very well, but where do you want me to go?" he asked.
Fox shrugged. "Anywhere you want, just get Shria out of here. You could go to one of those early morning coffee shops." he mused, a half jokely.
Peppy laughed a bit. "Maybe, but I don't want to just leave you guys in danger."
Fox shook his head and put his hands on Peppy's shoulder.
"Look, Peppy, none of us could live with ourselves if you got caught in harm's way; I don't mean any offense when I said this, but I don't think someone of your year needs to be fighting. And we have a child in our care now; getting her to safety is what matters most here."
Peppy was silent for a moment, his face showing a hint of frustration at the mention of his age. However, he looked at the child in his grasp, and his frustrated expression changed to one of understanding.
He sighed before responding. 'Very well. I'll leave as soon as you have that thing distracted. But take care of yourself, and call me if you think we should get the authorities."
The sound of a gun being loaded nearby alerted everyone's attention to Falco, who was helping himself to a pistol from the nearby gun cabinet.
"Alright, if it's all settled, shall we get down to business? No point in delaying if that thing is gonna do who knows what around our ship," he stated.
Fox gave Peppy and Slippy a parting nod as he went to arm himself. Krystal looked at Peppy and Shira one last time. "Stay safe Peppy, and please: protect her as best you can." she whipsed.
Peppy gave her a reassuring smile. "Not to worry, she will be just fine. As will I; now go. Your friends need you." he reassured her.
Content with that, the vixen grabbed a spare pistol holster from the rack and began to arm herself as well.
"So what exactly is our plan of attack once we see this thing?" Falco asked as he, Fox, and Krystal were walking through the hallways toward the hanger. Each was still in their sleeping attire but now had a holster for their firearms; simple blaster pistols, grey in color and the standard shape of a semi-automatic.
"That depends on what it is; never known much about alien life forms. We've had nothing as strange as this sense Sauria. " he responded, turning his head to Krystal.
"Are you picking up any sort of thought pattern? Or something we can go off?" he pressed.
The vixen again concentrated and channeled her telepathy, as she had only minutes ago. Scanning the area, she was picking up the faint traces of emotion, including her friend's distressed mental state; fear of the unknown ringed true, even within the most hardened mercenaries, it seemed.
To her surprise, she picked up something coming from the hangar area; it was faint and fleeting, yet she was nearly taken aback by it: it was nothing by rage. Sheer, unfiltered rage.
Krystal stopped and did a double take, the shock of such an upset yet strong emotion hitting like a train.
Both her friends turned toward her with looks of concern.
"You okay there Krystal?" Fox asked, putting his hand on her shoulder.
Krystal took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. I think I found our target… it can think, so it seems, but it's angry. Very angry." she announced.
Falco furrowed his brow. "Angry? Like, how so?"
"As in seething, livid." the vixen responded.
Falco scoffed. "What did we do to piss it off so much; was it something we said?" he added, the sarcasm evident in his voice.
Fox shook his head. "Try to take it more seriously, Falco. We have an unidentified entity that can phase through walls roaming our ship and it's pissed." he reminded him.
Falco sighed. "Yes, yes. So what do we know; she said this in the hangar right?"
Fox nodded. "Try to corner it there I suppose," Fox stated, signaling for the group to move in.
As they walked, ablet briskly, Krystal heard Fox tap into his earpiece, which he had grabbed on the bridge.
"Slippy, is anything changing on your end? Krystal sensed the… thing but said it seemed pissed. Is it doing anything?"
Fox switched the comm to the speaker, and Slippy's voice responded: "Still there, I can't get a visual on it, it's taken out the security feed. I think its presence is causing some sort of electronic interference. The lights in that area are going dim too."
Falco sighed. "Just our luck; the 'ghost' seems to be playing tricks on us; does it think it makes itself more scary with the lights flickering?
Fox and Krystal rolled their eyes. "Well keep a monitor on it, we're moving in."
Fox stated signaling for the other to pick up the pace and hanging up his comm link. With that, the trio rushed forward, anxious to meet the threat head-on.
Hangar
Barely a minute or two later, the trio stood outside the hangar's entrance. All the lights had dimmed, likely drained of their power by whatever this entity was. On the other end of the door, there were what sounded like metal parts banging and clanging against each other as if being mashed together or hitting one another.
Krystal felt the hair on the back of her neck stick up in fear; the unrelenting fury she sensed from this entity was unlike anything she had sensed or felt in a long time. The closest she had ever been to feeling this sort of rage was her own when she learned from Andross what he did to her world, back when she was held prisoner by him on Sauria.
Shaking away the thought, she looked to her teammates. Neither showed it on their faces, but she could sense a bit of apprehension and a hint of dread from both of them. Not that she could blame them: they were walking into a likely dangerous situation, with little idea what the full extent of it was.
Before anyone could do anything, Fox flipped open his commlink.
"You able to get the cameras on, Slip? That thing sounds busy in there." the fox said.
"Got nothing on the cameras, their own. Sensors are picking up movement but I am not sure what's happening. Proceed with caution."
Hanging up the comm, Fox took a deep breath and wordlessly gestured for his team to proceed. The door opened automatically as they approached it.
Ahead of them was an overly shadowed room, covered in a thick blanket of darkness. Only the faint faint red lighting of the emergency lights lit up the room enough to see anything. Krystal could make out the vague outlines of their ships and Lamdmaster in their holding areas, as well as the other equipment left around.
The crew stippled dead in their tracks when they heard a loud metallic banging.
Suddenly, Krystal's eyes spotted something: the faintest outline of movement in the middle near the ship maintenance area.
"Uhh, Fox…" she murmured as she gestured towards the center of the room.
Slowly, something walked into the dim lighting given off by the hangar's backup lights…
To her and her team's confusion, they saw what looked like metal parts walking towards them; a cluster of random metal parts to be precise. Wires, scrap, broken wing pieces, spare parts to ships, even a few weak panels from the floor and walls, so it seems. It was all crudely bent and reshaped together into a, as it was apparent once the group got a better look, vaguely humanoid shape. It seems as if the wiring was barely haphazardly wrapped around the 'body' and limbs to hold it together.
Krystal would be tempted to equate this, for lack of understanding of its true nature, thing to a golem of sorts. It was hard to tell but its mass was nearly double the height and size of a Krystal nor her team.
"Keep your distance." Fox warned, as the 'golem' began to charge at them.
All three mercenaries dodged to each side. Falco and Fox began discharging their pistols, landing clean shots on the entity's 'body'. However, though it chipped away some of the metal composing itself, the mass barely seemed to react.
Once more it charged, yet only towards Fox and Falco. Both easily sidestepped the metal 'golem's haphazard attack. Krystal of course discharged her pistol, aiming for the center, as Fox and Falco did the same.
Piece after piece fell off the being yet it hardly noticed. It was making its way towards the pair, ignoring Krystal, even as she moved it to hit it with her staff from behind, Fox and Falco relenting their gunfire.
To her shock, it seemed to flinch as she dislodged some of its components. To her further bewilderment, it seemed to turn around and 'look' right at the vixen.
Krystal, for the slightest moment, thought she sensed a sort of familiarity…
Fox's yelling broke her concentration, as he pelted the being with more blasted fire, aimed away at its back. Krystal knew he was a good enough marksman to not let a stray bolt hit her.
"Krytal get away from it!" he screamed.
Complying, Krystal backed away and put her staff back around her back, using her gun again.
"Take out its legs." she barked at the others, who complied with her order. The mass of metal, however, got wise and attempted to shield its legs. To Krystal's surprise, it shifted a metal panel out of its mass from the back, almost like it had telekinesis, and floated it in front of its 'legs'.
The ensuing volley of blaster fire chipped away at the metal, but the barrier held strong. While this happened, Krystal noted more pieces of metal floating out from its mass.
Before anyone could tell what was happening, Krystal saw the pieces break off into sharper, smaller pieces.
Aimed directly at Fox.
"Watch out!" the vixen screamed, as the metal shards were aimed at Fox; her warning nearly came too late, as the metal was flung at him at a shocking speed. Fox only barely managed to sidestep the shards, but not before one lightly grazed his side, ripping his clothing a bit.
"Argh…" he groaned in pain.
Krystal threw any semblance of patience to the wind and charged the distracted 'golem', freezing its parts with her staff's ice blaster.
With the entity momentarily frozen, she hacks away at it with the blunt end of her staff, chipped piece after piece off of the 'golem'.
As she did, the whole 'body' of the entity started to fall apart. Krystal sensed something within it; something lost and confused.
The 'golem' lay in ruins on the ground. As she watched her teammates keep their weapons trained on it, Fox trying to subside a bit of pain, Krystla raised her hand.
"Wait, let me try something," she told them.
She holstered her weapons and started focusing her telepathy on the entity, trying to get a better read on its emotions. Fox and Falco stood by and watched, but kept their weapons at the ready.
The Cerinian emptied her mind, focusing intently on the being before her; she channeled the vague sense of familiarity she sensed earlier to anchor her thoughts and mind. The thing was…
That feeling was mutual between her and this being, so she sensed.
"Calm yourself, we are not your enemy." she thought.
"You are not, I know. But they-" a voice responded to Krystal before it was cut off by her.
"Are my friends. Stop and listen to me." She urged.
"… very well."
The vixen thought over her next response. "Please, cease this fighting; let us talk. " she insisted. "I can tell you need it as much as I do"
"… You are right; I cannot deny this. " the entity responded.
Krystal stepped back a bit and stopped focusing her telepathy. She and her friends watched in awe as, what could only be described as blue energy rose out of the pile of metal. The metal parts haphazardly fell to the ground after one another. Above the heap of metal, something formed; a being all too familiar to Fox and Krystal especially. As the energy gathered, Krystal recognized the blue, translucent mask-like shape, with 'tentacles' formed behind it.
"A Krazoa Spirit," Fox muttered in surprise.
Falco was too stunned to say anything, while Krysral stared at it knowingly.
"Great Krazoa, what are you doing here? Why did you attack us?" Krystal inquired, calmly.
The ghost-like creature responded, in an otherworldly voice that someone spoke with a sort of scrambled or distorted filter over one's voice.
"Forgive me; I was not in my right state of mind. Allow me to remedy the damages."
It proclaimed; at once it flew to Fox and seemed to envelop him in blue energy or 'magic'. The vulpine could barely react before he gasped and clutched his side.
"The pain, it's gone?" he muttered, as the spirit telekinetically levitated the metal it had used for its body, as well as the wiring. Krystal watches as it floats across the room, apparently putting everything back the way it has found. This amounted to haphazardly placing metal panels back in the walls and floors it took them from and wiring from within said walls. It seemed to have worked, as the lights soon flickered back on in the room.
"So the ghost can engineer." Falco joked.
The spirit floated back towards the Star Fox crew.
"I am sorry for everything. Please, accept my apology." It pleaded.
Fox stared at it sternly. "I guess since there was no lasting damage and you mostly fixed what you did cause, I can entertain that idea. But you tried to kill us: tell me why!" He demanded. "After everything we did to help Sauria, this is your repayment?"
"I was not aware of you helping the Krazoa of Sauria. I am not from there." It stated.
"What?" Fox responded, bewildered.
"Perhaps you could explain your purpose for being here." Krystal chimed in.
"Very well." It agreed. "It was I who called you to Cerinia, to begin with; I had hidden within the child's body for tears, keeping her vitals in check and the pod's life support running through the use of my life force." It admitted.
The Star Fox team members each gasped, but the vixen was particularly floored.
"The nightmares… Shira, the pod… that was you?! It was kind of you to save her but why send me a message in such a manner? Why just tell me directly?" She inquired.
"I could not. I had to expend my life energy to keep the child's vital functions in check; she had been in status for years and was very young and weak. If I did not suspend her development, her vital functions would have ceased. The life support of the pod was not meant to last so long, it was not even complete by the time it was launched." It admitted. "For years I withered away; just calling for help expended energy I could not, or was too scared to, afford to waste. Shira's preservation was my only concern. When I sensed you, Krysral, I knew I had a chance to leave her. But calling you directly from so far away would extend my remaining energy to point I, and this the child, would cease. I had to tap into your memories and relay the message through that; it proved to be the least demanding method in which I could do so." It stared.
Krystal pondered this for a moment. "So… basically you were using yours as a source to sustain Shira's vital functions, even at the cost of your own life? " she pressed. "That's unimaginable kind of you, and I understand the strain on contacting a fellow telepath from afar more than others, but then why did you attack us? Why not talk to us like you do now?"
"As I said, I was not in my right state of mind. I sensed your recent struggles, albeit only a few and briefly. I am aware you know of what that demon, Andross, did to our world. I was privy to this information during Cerinia's fall; the other Cerinians learned too late it was a prototype bomb of Venomian design that Andross had somehow into the planet's crust. The demon detonated it before any could escape; the child's parents, her father a scientist named Cobalt, and her mother a warrior named Azure, had placed her within a life support pod and launched it from within their lab."
It explained.
At this point, the avian finally spoke. "I see… I am sorry that happened but that still doesn't explain why you tried to kill us." Falco retorted.
"As I said, I was out of my mind; I allowed my emotions to get the better of me. I know not how, but Shira's parents detected too late that Andross' bomb was about to go off. If the bastard was merely testing his weapon or wanted Cerinia out of the way of potential conquest I do not know. But I was informed of this by her parents; I had fled to their lab in an attempt to warn them. All I could do was promise to watch over their daughter. " it went on.
I suppose my anger corrupted me over time, as my energy drained my mind degraded and I suppose I perceived you as a threat to Shira and Krystal; I had only finished regenerating myself over an hour or so ago." It admitted. "I found my abilities included electromagnetic properties, so I constructed the 'body' I used to attack, as I cannot directly harm others due to my incorporeal form."
Fox and Falco exchanged a glance, both unsure how to respond. The vixen felt now was a good time to speak up.
"So how precisely did you reform then?" she pressed
"After exiting the pod and her body, I hid in your staff's crystal, rebuilding myself from its magical properties; it was not much but it was enough for me to regain my form.
Content with her answers, she had but one more thing to ask.
"What of the child? What do I tell her parents?" She asked.
The spirit turned to her. "Both of her parents were respected members of were respected members of their tribe and worked to heal and protect those in need. They loved her; their final request was for me to get their daughter to safety." The spirit explained
I, unfortunately, cannot act as her caregiver; my incorporeal form prevents me from attending to her needs. However, I still intend to honor her parent's final wish." She said, turning to the adult vixen. "Krystal, you have proven yourself a selfless, kind soul. I wish to entrust the child to you." The Krazoa said. "Not only are you the sole person I know of who can teach the child to wield her gift, but I can see you have proven yourself more than trustworthy; your actions and efforts to look out for her and your friends for no gain of your own prove your kind nature to me." It stated.
Krystal felt elevated but a bit apprehensive at the same time. Could she live up to the task of caring for a child?
Luckily the Krazoa seemed shrewd to this.
"I already sense your apprehension. I am aware how big of a request this is; and how daunting taking in the guardianship and rearing of an infant is, especially so unexpectedly. " the Krazoa states. "I will not force this onto you if you are not ready or do not wish to take on such a task. And I implore you not to guilt yourself if you are not ready; it is only natural, after all, to be unprepared for a child." It started but to a more pleading tone next.
"I must, however, beg you to at least find someone who can care for her, if you are unable. I must honor her parent's final wish." The spirit insisted
The vixen felt a huge weight collapse onto her, in a manner of speaking. Krystal pondered her answer, albeit for a few moments.
"I was intending to raise her already; I will honor her parent's wish and care for her. And of course, pass on our people's ways when she is of age," she added.
The vixen sensed feelings of happiness from the spirit. If it could, she was sure it would smile.
"You have my eternal gratitude," it responded. Now, I believe I must depart; I have little else of relevance I can tell you of her or Cerinia's fate. And I understand it is early in the morning; you mortal beings need rest if I am correct?"
The Star Fox team nodded in agreement, yet Krystal had a final question. "But where will you go?"
"I sensed your experience in the Sauria system when you reached out to me telepathically. I shall join my brethren there," it stated, turning as if preparing to leave.
As it began its departure, it gave a final look to Fox and Falco, and a longer one to Krystal herself. "Take care of the last Child of Cerinia, Krystal. Cerinia's culture shall live on through you and her; I have the utmost faith in you. If you ever need me, do not hesitate to seek me out on Sauria. "It finished.
With that, it floated towards the ceiling, phasing through it like a ghost.
"Well, that was certainly a new experience," Falco muttered, albeit in relief, while his friends exchanged a glance
"Probably gonna look weird for anyone observing the sky tonight to see a ghost leaving the atmosphere." He joked.
Krystal rolled her eyes, as Fox dialed Slippy on his comm. "You see all that Slippy?" She heard him ask.
"Yeah, the cameras were restored when it fixed the power. It was… well crazy. But I am glad this all worked out." He responded. "Best contact Peppy to return, I'm clocking out." Slippy finished, as the comms went silent.
Krystal observed Fox press another button on his wrist-mounted PDA and put his hand to his ear.
"Peppyy, you reading me?" he inquired.
"Y-yeah. I read. Are you all okay? Is the threat dealt with?" A rather groggy voice responded, no doubt Peppy's.
"Yeah…we are, but go figure it was a stray Krazoa behind all this." The vulpine responded.
"What?! You know what, save me the details. It's almost 3 am, I'm heading back. The kid is out like a light anyways." He responded.
"Where'd you go anyways?" Fox inquired.
Krystal and Fox heard a slight chuckle. "Went and got coffee down the street, after taking a cab. This place is open twenty-four-seven apparently," he responded.
All three members of Star Fox in the room shared a laugh. "Really? Going to get coffee while we are in trouble? Thought you said you didn't want to do so?" Fox jested.
"Not much else I could do, so I figured I might as well make the best of the situation." He responded, with a hint of light-heartedness. " see you soon." He donates.
"Nice to know he's got his priorities straight." Falco joked as he headed for the exit.
Fox and Krystal exchanged a glance as he hung up.
"Fox, I know there's a lot to say big frankly I don't have it in me. Let's pick this up after some sleep" the vixen proclaimed.
She was met with a silent nod as the pair began to exit the hangar together, eager to get to bed; but first, they had to receive Peppy and get Shira back to her crib.
Before exiting the hangar, the vixen gave a final look at where the Krazoa had been, its words echoing in her mind.
"I'll honor your wish and her parent's memory… I promise" Krystal affirmed to herself, before finally departing the room with Fox.