Chapter 31: Landing Back on The Great Fox

The hangar bay of The Great Fox hummed with activity as Samus's ship and Fox's Arwing returned, gliding into their designated spots. As the engines powered down, the tension that had lingered in the air since the battle seemed to ease, but only slightly. The bay doors closed behind them, sealing them inside the safety of the massive starship.

Fox stepped out of Samus's ship and walked quickly over to his Arwing, where Krystal sat, still in the cockpit, her hands resting limply on the controls. She was visibly shaken, her eyes wide and unfocused, as if still trying to process everything that had happened. She glanced up as Fox approached, expecting to see anger in his eyes, but instead, he extended a hand to help her out of the cockpit.

"C'mon," Fox said softly, pulling her to her feet. "Let's get you out of there."

Krystal hesitated, searching his face. "I'm sorry, Fox... I shouldn't have—" she began, her voice trembling. "I just... I had to get away. I wasn't thinking, and—"

"Hey, it's okay," Fox interrupted, his tone calm and reassuring. "I know the difference between someone stealing my Arwing and someone who's just desperate. You were scared. We've all been there." He glanced over at the others, then back to her. "Just... next time, talk to us first, okay?"

Krystal nodded, still unsure. "Okay," she whispered, feeling a small wave of relief at his understanding.

Samus stepped over, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "Krystal, what did you see? Whatever it was, it scared you enough to make you run. We need to know."

Krystal took a deep breath, steadying herself. She explained everything—the voice, the cold, suffocating presence, and the name that sent chills down her spine: Medusa. As she spoke, her hands trembled, and her voice wavered, but she pushed through, determined to let them understand what she had experienced.

"She said... she'd take my soul, even if I died," Krystal said, her voice barely above a whisper. "She said... I was already hers."

The room was silent for a moment, the weight of her words settling over them. Falco, who had been leaning against his Arwing, straightened up, his brow furrowing. "Who the heck is Medusa?" he asked, glancing around at the others. "And why does she sound like an even bigger problem than Robotnik?"

"I don't know," Fox said, his tone serious. "But from what Krystal's described, it sounds like she's dangerous. If she has that kind of power... we need to be ready for anything."

Falco crossed his arms, thinking it over. "If she's that desperate to get to Krystal, maybe she's the one who put the bounty on us. Makes sense if she's trying to drag Krystal to her," he said. "And if that's true, she's got resources, too. We're dealing with someone big."

Krystal's eyes widened. "You think she's behind the bounty?"

"Sounds like a good bet," Falco replied. "Who else would throw that kind of money around just to get to you?"

Samus nodded in agreement. "If she's willing to reach out like that, she's not just toying with you, Krystal. She's got plans, and they involve the Chaos Emeralds."

Fox stepped closer, his expression softening. "Krystal, you don't have to face this alone. We're with you. We'll figure out how to stop her."

Krystal nodded, but she still looked shaken, the fear not entirely gone from her eyes. "Thank you," she said, her voice sincere. "I... I just don't want to put anyone else in danger because of me."

"You're not putting us in danger," Fox said, a small, reassuring smile on his lips. "You're giving us a reason to keep fighting."

Falco smirked, crossing his arms. "Besides, we're all in danger anyway. Might as well stick together."

The tension in the room eased slightly, and for the first time since they'd returned, Krystal managed a faint smile. As the others started to disperse, Fox subtly gestured to Slippy, pulling him to the side. He kept his voice low, not wanting to draw attention.

"Hey, Slippy," Fox said. "You remember the older Arwing in the corner of the hangar?"

"Yeah, the one that's been gathering dust for ages?" Slippy replied, raising an eyebrow. "What about it?"

"I want you to start fixing it up. Make sure it's spaceworthy, and get it ready as soon as you can," Fox said, his tone firm but thoughtful. "I've got a feeling we're going to need it. And don't tell the others just yet."

Slippy's eyes lit up with curiosity, but he didn't press. "You got it, Fox. I'll get started right away."

Fox nodded, watching Slippy head off toward the maintenance area, and then turned back to find the others. They were starting to relax, the stress of the mission slowly giving way to the more familiar routine of the ship.

As they moved toward the common area, Fox took a moment to look at Krystal. She still seemed lost, like she was carrying a heavy burden. He decided to try and ease her mind, just a little. "You know, my old mentor, Peppy, used to say something whenever things got tough," Fox began, his tone casual but warm. "He'd always tell us, 'Don't let fear drive you away from what you care about. That's when it wins. Stand your ground, and you'll find your way through it.'"

Krystal looked up at him, listening intently. "Did it work?" she asked softly.

Fox chuckled. "Most of the time. And when it didn't, we'd have Peppy's wisdom and Falco's sarcasm to keep us going." He caught Falco's eye, who gave a mock salute in return. "The point is, we're a team. We've been through some tough spots before, and we've made it out. We'll do the same this time, too."

Krystal's smile grew, a bit more genuine this time. "I've heard Peppy's name a lot since I've been here," she said, glancing at Fox, Falco, and Slippy. "Who was he? I mean... I can tell he meant a lot to all of you."

Fox's expression softened, a nostalgic smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah... he was one of the originals. He was with my dad when they founded this team. Peppy was like... a mentor, a father figure to us all."

Falco's usual cocky demeanor faded, giving way to a more somber tone. "Peppy was always the guy who'd give you a kick in the right direction when you needed it. He'd tell you to shape up, but he'd also be the first one to pat you on the back when you did. Even when we were deep in the thick of it, he never lost his cool."

"He taught us everything we know," Slippy added, his voice tinged with a mix of pride and sadness. "But more than that... he kept us together, even when things got rough."

Krystal listened intently, sensing the warmth in their voices as they spoke about Peppy. "He sounds incredible. Like... a leader who didn't need to lead by orders."

Fox nodded. "That's exactly it. He led by example. He was the reason we made it through so many tough missions." He paused, his gaze dropping slightly. "And... he was the reason we made it out of the biggest one."

The atmosphere shifted, becoming more somber. Krystal's eyes moved between them, sensing there was more to the story. "What happened?"

There was a brief silence, the air heavy with unspoken memories. Finally, Falco spoke, his voice quieter than usual. "We were deep inside Andross's flagship. It was a trap—surrounded, with the place ready to blow. Peppy... he made the call. He stayed behind to open a path for us, took out a bulkhead so we could escape."

Fox's voice was tight, barely holding back the emotion."He knew he wouldn't make it out, but he did it anyway... so we could live." He hesitated, the memory still raw. "I tried to stop him. I begged him not to, but... he was always stubborn like that. Always putting us first."

Krystal felt a pang of sadness, but also admiration. For a moment, she hesitated, wondering if her words would mean anything to them. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "He must have been so brave."

"He was," Slippy said, a small, sad smile on his face. "And he's still with us, in a way. Every time we get into the cockpit, every time we push through a fight... we're carrying him with us."

Falco nodded. "We've got a lot of scars from that day, but Peppy taught us to keep going. To fight for each other. That's why this team works."

The hangar was quiet for a moment, the weight of their words lingering. Krystal felt something shift inside her, like she was finally starting to understand what it meant to be a part of this team. "Thank you for telling me," she said. "I can see why he was so important to you. I hope... I can be a part of that."

"You already are," Fox said, his voice steady. "You showed today that you're willing to fight, even when things get tough. That's all Peppy ever asked of us."

Krystal's smile returned, this time warmer, more genuine. "I'll do my best."

As they stood together, Samus watched from a short distance, leaning against her ship. She didn't say anything, but she observed the way the team had rallied around Krystal, how they shared their stories and brought her closer. It was clear to her that Krystal was finding something here—something she herself had struggled with. Family. Connection.

Samus's eyes softened as she quietly turned back toward her ship, thoughts of Peach drifting through her mind. She watched the way they shared their stories, their strength drawn from each other. Maybe there was something to learn from this—something she had always kept at arm's length. But she wasn't sure if she was ready to face it yet.

For now, she'd let this moment be theirs.