Disclaimer: Bucky 'O Hare created by Larry Hama, Star Fox is copyrighted by Nintendo.
Making it back to the Great Fox, Fox slid his Arwing into its designated spot, the team followed suit as he opened the canopy and climbed onto the wing. He was mentally exhausted after fighting the Pigma aparoid, and was looking forward to a break, no matter how small it would be.
He saw Krystal jump out of her canopy and walked over to his, waiting for him to jump down, he gave her a coy smile. "You gonna catch me?" he asked jokingly, raising a brow. Krystal laughed, "If you want me to break my arms." she told him, voice full of sass.
"Oh, I see how it is," Fox said with mock offense, jumping from the wing down to the floor. He walked up to Krystal, pulling her close, their lips nearly touching as he smiled down at her.
"I would've caught you," he told her smugly, still holding her waist, as Krystal offered a small laugh. "You would've dropped me." She said with a grin, Fox responding with a mischievous grin, before sweeping her off her feet into his arms.
"I'm not dropping you now, am I?" he said, Krystal giggling before giving him a quick kiss before a cough from behind caught their attention. Bucky, Falco, and Slippy stared at the pair, trying to conceal their laughter, but failing miserably.
Bucky was laying on the wing of his ship, his face buried in his arms his body trembling with laughter. "Oh, don't mind us. Please, carry on," he said, as the others continued to try and keep face after witnessing the flirt session.
The couple quickly pulled apart, hands still intertwined, blushing heavily on their faces. Fortunately, fate would have it in it to save them from this awkward situation. "Fox, please report to the bridge. General Pepper is on the VAC and waiting for you." Peppy said over the intercom.
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Fox was quick to reply, "Be up in a sec." he told him, already putting the previous situation behind him. Looking back at his team he swung his head towards the corridor, signifying them to follow him to the bridge.
Soon, they arrived at the bridge, General Pepper greeted them proudly from the VAC, looking on as the team settled into their spots. "Good work, Star Fox!" he said with a smile, pleased to have learned of their success, and excited at what was to come.
"Thank you, General. We've retrieved the Core Memory. It should reveal the location of their homeworld, right?" Fox asked with some trepidation, hopeful yet careful to temper his expectations. "That's right, Fox. Indeed, the time to face the aparoid queen has come." Pepper exclaimed with a nod, looking on stoically at the group.
"Hmm..." Fox mumbled as he rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "The source of all aparoid will, the queen herself, makes her vile nest on their home planet. So long as the queen exists, the aparoids will continue to multiply!" General Pepper explained, detailing all the information they had gathered so far.
Fox continued pondering, wondering what could happen once they reached the place, then with his mind made up he answered, "Understood! We're on our wa-"
"Fox!" Krystal suddenly interrupted, voice full of distress, as everyone's attention shifted towards her. "Hm? What is it...?" Fox asks as he turns towards her, worried about what could be causing her such concern.
"I'm sensing a distress call from planet Sauria..." she says, stumbling at the sudden headache, as Fox walks over to support her. "Sauria? From Tricky?" he asks, leaning into her gently, helping to her feet. "I'm not sure... But... I sense cries of agony!" she says, putting her hands over her heart, flinching from the pain.
Fox pulled her into a tight hug, her heart beating against his chest, as he stroked a hand through her hair and massaged her back with the other. It was racing terribly fast; she feared something...and she was hardly ever scared of anything.
"General, we'll have to get back to you later. Something else has come up, sir." Fox said, still rubbing Krystal's arm, trying to comfort her. "Understood, Fox. Be careful out there and do what you must to protect Sauria. We can't lose it. Pepper, out." Pepper said, unsure what was going on, but more than willing to trust Fox with this as he shut off his link to the VAC.
"Fox, we'll be in Sauria's orbit in about four hours from here on full warp. All of you get some rest. You'll need it for this," Peppy told them, urging them to take the time to unwind before being thrust into the fire once again. They nodded, slowly leaving the control room behind until only Fox and Krystal remained.
"Sometimes...I hate being a telepath." Krystal said softly, still in Fox's arms, as she nursed the splitting headache. "But you've saved our lives so many times." Fox told her, rubbing his hand through her cerulean hair, moving her head to look him in the eye. He smiled and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead. "We'll be ok! It'll be like old times, just you and..." he continued to say, but Krystal had long stopped paying attention.
She need not wish to be rude, but someone else sought her attention right now, someone equally affected by matters of the mind. "Krystal, what's going on? This call, we heard it too. It is beckoning, calling out to us." sounded Jenny's voice in her head, her thought transmitted through the ship. "We shall discuss this later. For now, gather the princess and wait for me." Krystal thought, for more demanding than usual.
Silent filled the mindscape for a while, before being broken, "I sense something grim is upon us, one of us might not come back unscathed." Jenny thought, scared for them. "I know," Krystal replied, distraught with what fate had in store for them. Dread already seeping in, before being distracted by a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, are you alright Krys?" Fox asked concerned, looking down at her with care. "I'm fine Fox. You're right, we got this." She told him, offering a kind smile as she rose. "Come, we should let the others wait. It's time to relax now, we can worry about this letter." She told him, her usual confidence returning, as the pair held hands as they strode through the corridors.
Arriving in the common room, Fox glanced around him, looking at all his old and new friends. Peppy and Bucky were talking quietly, while Falco, Dead-Eye, and Bruiser laughed as they shared stories. Slippy and Willy were quietly sitting in the corner, looking up images of Sauria and its status on a screen.
All content was shared with each other's company, and they laughed like long-time friends. Fox couldn't help but smile himself, glad to have made so many great friends throughout this journey. Krystal, meanwhile, was preoccupied with looking for a certain someone, spotting them on the far side of the room.
Jenny and Felicia, both seemingly chatting amongst themselves by a corner of the room, away from prying eyes. Sparing a glance at Fox, Krystal smiled before letting go of him and walking towards them, as he watched on with a grin on his face. Unaware of the dire situation on the horizon, he decided to move towards the others.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, gang!" he greeted, a smirk across his features as he made himself known. "Oh, you were gone, no wonder it was so peaceful in here!" Falco said jokingly, offering a smirk of his own as Fox rolled his eyes.
"I wouldn't call that racket over there peaceful!" Peppy said, joining in on the fun. "Oh, he's got you there Falco! Pretty sure I could hear you across the hall!" Fox said mockingly before everyone erupted in a fit of friendly laughter.
As the boys laughed, the girls stood in silence in a secured corner of the room. At least they appeared to, but a serious conversation was happening inside their minds.
"So, where together now?! What was that message about, and why does my head hurt so much!" Felicia was the first to start, the young princess still having difficulty with patience.
"Heh, patience Felicia. I'm sure Krystal will explain everything soon." Jenny replied to her ward, in a way that made it clear that she would get answers, no matter what.
Krystal for her part understood they were confused and needed to know if things would escalate from her. "I will answer as best as I can, though I too have my doubts as to what is behind this." She explained, her thoughts clear and kind, as she sought to ease their worries.
"The call came from the ancient world of Sauria, a place I am well acquainted with. It is rich with mystical forced; forces I have involved myself with in the past. I does not surprise me I could hear its cries, yet I have no idea why you could as well." she revealed, genially baffled as to why they too could hear the call.
"Perhaps it is merely a general psychic call, or perhaps something in the world sought you both. It certainly seems like something the Krazoa might be involved with, but we won't know until we get there." she finishes, putting her theories forward as she did so, it's not like she could hide it in her mind after all.
"Alright. First, what are the Krazoa, and why would they be interested in us." Jenny asked after she had finished, intrigued by the new information. "The Krazoa are ancient beings that once ruled over Sauria, powerful mystics whose power could held a planet in place. They died out long ago, but their spirits still remain. They were instrumental in my adventures across the planet." She explained, telling them all she knew, "As for why they sought you out, perhaps they sense something special in you two. I certainly have, there is something special about you two!" she thought pleasantly, smiling their way.
Jenny and Felicia thought about it for a moment, coming to the same conclusion: the quark demons! Their people's connection to such a powerful being must have alerted these Krazoa to them, the message felt far too targeted to be a general cry for help. Yet, this only begged the question, why were they being called for; what could be happening to warrant their attention?
Their only guess was that something from the Aniverse was running amok on the planet, and they had been tasked to deal with it. At least they hoped that was it, or else things were about to go from back to worse.
"Whatever their reason might be, we cannot ignore this call for help. I believe it prudent that I and Felicia accompany you on this mission." Jenny declared in her mind, determined to see this through, no matter the cost.
"Really! Me and you, in a mission, together!" Felicia thought excitedly, barely preventing her voice from escaping.
"The call came to both of us, and I cannot protect you forever; you decided to follow this path, it's about time you got some experience," Jenny reassured her young ward, confident in her abilities.
Krystal couldn't help but smile at the two, it was obvious that they cared for one another, a true sisterhood! It reminded her of her home.
"Of course, I would be more than happy to have you with me!" Krystal informed them, a sense of nostalgia growing within her. "Great. Now we just need to find a way to convince the boys!" Jenny replied humorously, as the tree shared a laugh, both mental and out loud. Their joyful cries harmonized with the others, who looked on in joy.
Sometime later, the crew finally approached Sauria's sector, the dinosaur planet clear in sight. "I can't believe we're really here!" Willy said giddy, acting like his age for once. Pretty excited, eh buddy?" Fox asked him kindly, glad to see the boy enjoying himself.
"Are you kidding! It's a planet filled with sentient dinosaurs! I'm beyond excited!" he practically cried out, a rush of joy filling every inch of his body. Fox smiled at this, "Some things never change, regardless of the universe!" Fox thought, smiling warmly at the display.
"So chief, what's the plan here?" Falco asked, with a snark remark, getting Fox's attention. "Right." Fox quickly said, clearing his throat, "Once we arrive, Krystal and I will head down to the surface..." he began before the aforementioned vixen interrupted him.
"Actually, Fox! I believe it would be best if Jenny, Felicia, and I tackle the ground, while you and the others survey the skies." She told him, much to his surprise. "Are you sure?" Fox asked her with hesitation, not sure if this was the right call to make.
"Positive! I'm more than familiar with the terrain, and Jenny has proven to be a capable infiltrator on the field." Krystal reassured him, looking towards Jenny with confidence. Fox could argue with her on that, Jenny had been more than helpful on their previous missions, and he was positive she would keep her safe, yet...
"What do you think Bucky, she is part of your crew after all?" he decided to ask Bucky, trusting him to be objective with the situation. "Well, there's no denying that Jenny is capable, and if Krystal is as familiar with the place as she says... I say go ahead with it," he said after thinking about it for a while, "However, I'm less sure about the princess going along." he added, much to Felicia's chagrin.
"We did promise to look out for her. And while I no doubt she's capable in her regard, I have yet to see her in action. Fieldwork is quite different from the academy, and while am sure you worked hard to get where you are, I can't say that you're ready for this." He began to say, looking intently at her.
"Yet, you'll never BE ready if we never let you try, Captain LaFloo did ask us to give you some experience as well. I can't think of a better way to do so!" he told her, the young princess's face lighting up excitedly. "However, Jenny will act as your commanding officer during the trip. You will listen to her and follow her every command! Is that clear?" he added, harshly but necessary, as he set her straight.
"Sir, yes sir!" Felicia replied with a salute, Jenny smirking with satisfaction at the scene. "Well, if you really think is for the best, then you have my support!" Fox told him, much to the girl's relief.
"Alright ladies, get to your stations and get ready! As soon as we arrive, you will be sent down to the surface, while me and the boys keep the skied clear for you!" he finally ordered, everybody nodding at the game plan as they scattered for their posts.
Fox talked to Krystal alone, "Pity, I was looking forward to a mission together." he told her lovingly, cupping her cheek. "So was I. Maybe next time!" Krystal responded with a kiss to the cheek, before heading for her station, leaving a stunted Fox behind.
"Oh...Uhh...Yeah." he answered absent-mindedly to no one in particular. "What are you doing? Let's go!" Falco's voice yelled from the other room, snapping Fox out of it before following suit.
Finally, above the planet's orbit, the team sat on their ships, readying for take-off. To go unnoticed, Krystal and her team decided to take the Toad Croaker down to the surface, while the others surveyed above in their Arwings.
"Alright, everybody ready?!" he asked, a series of thumbs up following, as he continued with the launch sequence. "Weapons primed, engines at nominal. Life-support systems are optimal. Alpha interface supported. All systems are go. Arwings are ready for launch." he announced, making the final calls.
"Here goes nothing," Jenny said, sounding slightly nervous, at the Croaker's controls. "Three...two...one...launch," Fox said, as everyone launched out of the hanger at near-light speed. All at once the grey walls of the bay were replaced by the bright orange and yellow lights of a nearby nebula, and amidst it all the Dinosaur Planet in all its glory!
Sauria was a world full of primal beauty, hosting various biomes, from lush green forests to traversable volcanoes, snowy mountains, and purple-dusted mountains. A snapshot from a bygone era, the Dinosaur Planet is certainly a sight to see.
"Woah!" Felicia gasped, sitting behind Krystal, taking it all in as the craft descended towards the planet. "It certainly is sight. Were to now Krystal!", Jenny asked from the driver seat, admiring the beauty of the land, before concentrating on the mission.
"Right! Over there, in that green patch! It should bring us close to ThornTail Hollow!" Krystal said, pointing to a secluded valley ahead of them, "We should be able to get a better idea of the situation from there!" she explained, as Jenny began to bring the craft down.
"Good a spot as any. Krystal, you take point! I gather you know the layout of the land?" she said inquisitively, wanting to know more about Krystal's connection with this place.
"You can say that! Me and this place have some history!" she explained as she took the lead, reminiscing about her past. She could not help but smile fondly at the memories, even if things hadn't turned out as she had hoped; they had let her to where she was now, and she would forever be grateful for it.
"Sooo...? Mind telling us about it!" Felicia butted in, wanting to hear what the deal with this place was. "It's a long story...but it is a long way to the village. Why not!" Krystal relented with a smile, not seeing a problem with letting them know about it. "This place is special to me, it's where me and Fox met for the first time!" she began, taking a stroll down memory lane.
"To understand this tale first you must understand about another world, Cerinia, my home world! Cerinia was a beautiful world, right outside the confines of the Lylat System. Peaceful, lush with nature, full of culture and art, rich with mystical forces. A hidden gem in space whose luster will never grace the universe again." She said with melancholy.
Jenny and Felicia stopping in their tracks, looking with concern at their companion's face. "I was off-world when it happened, and even after all this time, I still have no idea what happened. What I do know is that my entire world had been destroyed, my parents killed with me none the wiser," she said, sniffing with regret, "I remember returning, eager to see my family and friends, only to be met with disaster and dread. Villages burned down, cities were left in ruin, and the scent of death was heavy in the air. I landed hastily, making my way to the temple my parents cared for, hoping against all odds that they would be alright." She relayed, her eyes growing hollow for a moment, the memory replaying in her head.
"When I finally arrived, the temple was in ruin, rubble littering the entire area. By the time I found them, it was already too late; they were underneath some debris, my father still holding my mother tightly in his arms. He was already gone, and mother would soon join him. The last thing she did was smile as she saw me, and give me her staff, passing away calmly by my father's side." Krystal said, tears forming in her eyes, and she wasn't alone, as Felicia let hers run freely down her face.
"I was the last of my kind, I didn't know what had happened, but I was determined to find out!" she told them, a determined smile upon her face. "I journeyed to the edge of the Lylat System, when a distress call, not unlike the one we received today, drove me to this place," she explained, her story and her voice turning to a more adventurous tone.
"Upon arriving at the Dinosaur Planet, I encountered and befriended one of the noble CloudRunners and immediately learned of the troubles of the planet's natives, and their continued peril at the hands of the tyrannical dictator General Scales and his brutish SharpClaw army!" she recounted, a flair of drama in her intonation.
"Flying through stormy skies in search of the distress signal, we were attacked by the SharpClaw Galleon, causing me to lose my grip on the Staff and drop it to the wilds below," she said, her face souring at the memory. "A heated exchange of fireballs ensued, allowing me to board the vessel. Things seemed to finally be looking up for me until I came face to face with General Scales himself!" Krystal's eyes narrowed at the mere mention of his name.
"We came to blows, we seemed to be evenly matched before Scales tried tossing me over the side for a good laugh. But thanks to my returning CloudRunner friend, I was able to escape, leaving the tyrant far behind as I continued my search for the signal."
"My travels led me outside of the sacred Krazoa Palace, where I had to leave my friend behind to find the source of the signal. Venturing deep inside the Palace interior, I found that the signal was coming from a sick and dying EarthWalker soldier."
A sudden gasp from Felicia took her out of the story. "Sorry!" she said sheepishly, fully engrossed in the story, before turning her attention back to the tale; Krystal flashing her a smile before continuing.
"He told me what happened; all six Krazoa Spirits had fled from their sanctuary, the Krazoa Palace and became scattered all over the planet. The EarthWalker warned me that the Krazoa outside of their Shrines were in danger of dying, so to turn the tide of the war and undo the damage Scales wrought, I agreed to help the dinosaurs return the six spirits to the palace and save Sauria from destruction!" she said triumphantly, smile plastered across her face before the memory of reality drove it away.
"Unfortunately, I only fared as far as retrieving the first Krazoa Spirit from the bowels of the temple. Upon releasing the spirit into the temple's interior, I was attacked by a then-unknown assailant and imprisoned in a crystalline cell at the top of the palace. My life force was slowly drained by the crystal, leaving me in mortal danger." she explained casually, the plainness of her voice contrasting the direness of the situation.
"Fortunately for me, the troubles around the Dinosaur Planet attracted the attention of Corneria, who hired Team Star Fox to recon the events on the planet and prevent any damage," she explained hurriedly, seeing the concerned expressions on their faces.
"Course, I only became aware of this when Fox found my staff in ThornTail Hollow. I had to give him telepathic instructions on how to use the Staff effectively!" Krystal reminisced with a laugh, pleasant memories flooding back to her.
"Under my masterful guidance, Fox quickly learned how to use it to help him complete his mission: Saving Dinosaur Planet from imminent destruction!" she said smugly, clearly proud of her skill as a teacher.
"Woah! Can you teach me how to use it too!" Felicia asked excitedly, eager to expand her skill set, and wanting to one day be involved in such an adventure. "Hehe! Maybe later!" Krystal told her, amused with the look in the young psychic eyes.
"Later on, a Krazoa statue appeared in front of Fox and told him how to rescue me by returning the rest of the Krazoa Spirits. Unfortunately, this was a trap! The statue turned out to be the very same being that trapped me in the crystal." Krystal continued the emotions from that time slowly resurfacing.
"To make matters worse, the fiend then brainwashed me to send the six Krazoa Spirits into himself, creating a "mighty Krazoa God"." she mentioned, making it a point to "air quote" the moniker, making her feelings about it known.
"No longer needing me, my crystal prison was shattered, and I was left to fall from my hanging cell. Fortunately, Fox caught me before she could fall to her death, allowing me to take back staff and shoot at the "mighty god"!" she continued, taking pride in recounting the events from that day.
"Fox then gave chase to the "god" using his Arwing. Finally, the Krazoa God revealed himself to be Fox's archenemy, Andross! The evil mad scientist who had tried to take over the Lylat System on multiple occasions and the mastermind behind his father's demise." she explained, her teammate's expressions growing sourer by the second.
Krystal was glad at this, showing just how close they had become during their time together as she continued with the story. "With aid from Falco, Andross was defeated once again by Fox, and Sauria was healed by the combined might of the six rescued Krazoa Spirits, putting the world back together again."
"I then thanked Fox and his team in person and got invited to join their ranks. And the rest is history!" Krystal finally concluded with a smile, always enjoying thinking back to when she joined the team and gained a new family.
"Woah! Now I feel a little bad not letting you and Fox take this one." Felicia said embarrassed, scratching the back of her head. "Oh! Don't worry about that!" Krystal reassured her, "In truth, I needed a little space from him right now." she said, her mood becoming more reserved.
Jenny caught on to this and asked, "Hey, Krystal? Is everything alright? You're not in a fight, are you?" she asked with concern, worried for her new friend. "Oh, not at all!" Krystal quickly reassured, not wanting any misunderstandings with them. "I've just been thinking about some things recently, that's all!" she assured them, a little flustered at the thought.
"Well, alright," Jenny responded hesitantly. It wasn't that she didn't trust Fox, far from it, it was just that she had started to think of Jenny as a fellow sister. "So, what's been on your mind," she asked, slightly cheekily because of their powers.
"Nothing important," she said, trying to deflect her worries, with not much success. "It's just, going down memory lane has made me reconsider some things," she admitted, feeling a bit sheepish. "It's nothing crucial, it's just that being invited into the team was one of the greatest moments since I lost my world. I thought I was special, but it seems like I'm just the latest," she said solemnly, her gaze turning downwards.
"I know I sound silly; I just wasn't aware of all these people in his life before we met," she explained, not sure how to feel about it.
"I know it's silly, it's obvious he had a life before us. And it's not like he was trying to keep it from me, it just never came up. It's nothing wrong either, it was just some people he worked with before!" she ranted in quick succession, working herself off rationalizing it all.
"I just wish he felt comfortable enough to talk about it with me," she said, ending her rant. "I guess I'm just afraid he'll forget me one day. That'll leave and be forgotten, replaced like nothing happened," she concluded, raising her head to look them in the eyes.
"Like I said, silly!" she said, a sad smile on her face. Her companions looked on with concern, before quickly wrapping her up in a deep embrace.
"Hey, don't think like that!' Jenny told her, looking her in the eyes with a kind smile. "We might not have known him for long, but from what you've told us, that isn't going to happen to you," she reassured her.
"I've seen the way he adds around you, I can tell that even if you were to drift apart, he wouldn't forget you." she continued, her voice stern yet caring. "It's not like he forgot the others, it's like you said, it just didn't come up!" she told her confidently.
"We know a thing or two about secrets, and I can tell he didn't keep it from you on purpose!" she assured the vixen, an authoritative edge to her voice. "He cares about you, more than you know!" she finished, speaking from experience, as she reassured her newest comrade.
Krystal could not help but smile, and she laughed until tears came from her eyes. "Thank you!" she said, wiping the tears away, "You're right, I have nothing to worry about..." she began, till something caught her eye.
Noting the drastic change, Jenny projected her thoughts, wary of their surroundings. "Krystal is something wrong?" she asked, trying to see what she had. "Someone is watching us," she mentioned, staring at the sudden shifting of the leaves around them.
Jenny saw it, standing in front of her student to keep her safe, "What do we do?!" she asked, tensing up. "For now, we wait," Krystal instructed, waiting for their stalker to make the first move. Taking the staff from her back, she held it in front of her, poised to attack.
At this, their enemies made themselves known, as all around them burly lizard men erupted from the brush. Each wields a shield and a sharp weapon, like a mace or an axe, in their clawed hands. They encircled the trio, poised for a fight, weapons ready to strike at the subtlest of movements.
"What are them!" Felica asked from her master's back, energy forming along her hands. "SharpClaw!" Krystal told her, facing what she assumed was their commander, staff outstretched towards him. "What do you want with us!" she demanded from the reptilian brute; eyes fierce as she stared him down.
"You trespass on our lands. Boss will want see you!" the humanoid allosaur growled back, unafraid of the vixen before him. This caught Krystal's attention, "You have no boss anymore, General Scales is long gone! His forces disbanded long ago!" she said, energies gathering around her staff.
"We have new boss. Greater, stronger, wiser! He have big plans for Sauria! Big plans!" yelled the commander, raising his axe high, ready for combat. "You will stand before him. Whether you like or not!" he said, glaring at the group with predatory eyes.
Jenny and Felicia prepared to fight back, claws glowing as energy blasts started to form. But before any of them could land a hit, Krystal stopped them. "Fine, take us to your leader!" she said, speaking harshly and clearly, never letting the saurian off her view.
Dumbfounded, the Aldebarans looked on, baffled at the vixen's decision. Nevertheless, they trusted Krystal, so standing down they followed her lead. Without wasting time, the SharpClaw rounded them off and led them through the forest, towards their camp.
As they walked Jenny took the chance to start a conversation with Krystal. "So, what's the plan? Why are we following these beasts towards their lair!" she asked, apprehensive about the situation.
"The SharpClaw should have been scattered for good last time. They shouldn't have the means to build out a significant force anymore! If someone has unified them, it could spell doom for the entire planet, maybe the galaxy! We need to make sure they're not a threat!" Krystal explained, painfully aware of the threat they could pose unchecked.
The SharpClaw might not be the most intelligent of foes, but they were still one of the largest, most advanced, and most violent tribes in Sauria. United, they had nearly broken the planet apart, and the entire sector along with it! Guided by the wrong hands, they could be a force to be reckoned with throughout the galaxy!
Krystal could not allow another Scales to rise again, she had to stop this while it was still young. So now she waited, let by the group through the depths of the forest, heading towards the unknown.
Shortly they came across something that should have been, a large wooden stronghold, surrounded by eerily familiar silver ships. The spacecraft was far more advanced than anything the SharpClaw had been capable of; heck, Krystal still doubted if the cannons and speeders were even of their own and not gifts from their previous master.
However, It was clear they weren't native to this world, which only made things worse. Passing through the big, armored, doors, the group was led forward toward a large makeshift throne, flanked by strange muscular reptilians, donning distinctive armor.
A sense of recognition graced the back of Jenny's mind, only to be forced forward as she locked eyes with the figure upfront. "You have to be joking!" she said under her breath, as she locked eyes with the being sitting upon the throne.
"Well, what do we have here!" Sly said atop his throne, gazing down upon the group like a hungry predator about to strike. A sinister smile formed across his scaly lips, as his frill flared out in anticipation.
"This should be fun!" he said, grimacing at his captives down below.
Author's Notes:
I'm back! After some time to rest, I've returned to finish this arc. I won't be updating as fast as I used to, but rest assure that the Sauria arc WILL be completed.
That said, I have my doubts about this chapter, parts of it were written while still under fatigue, and I'm still not too sure about Krystal's portrayal. I had to change some things for thematic reasons. Let me know if I should make some changes in the comments, and I'll try to add them if necessary. I myself had to change it a couple of times, the original draft sounded too whiny.
Anyhow, I hope you all enjoy this, your support is what keeps me coming back to this, and I probably would not have made it this far without you!