#serialsquared

            There were seldom quiet days afterthe invasion of the Aparoids.  WithGeneral Pepper’s health in critical condition after the assault on theCornerian capital, the military was in shambles, and the Star Fox team haddecided to step in with the rebuilding efforts. Peppy had been named the acting General on the order of Cornelius Pepperhimself, and though that had ruffled more feathers than the hare would haveliked to admit, Fox thought he took to the job rather naturally.  The General position of the Cornerian Armyhad taken place of the Prime Minister position when the Cornerian Civil War hadbeen won after a military coup d’état. Thus, the position was new, and if Fox was correct, General Pepper hadnot yet named a successor, nor had the council directly beneath him come upwith a policy for deciding who became the next Cornerian leader.

            Rumors had begun to circulate thatPepper would not recover from the momentary possession of the Aparoids andFox’s confidence was beginning to wither down into his bones.  Peppy was a likely choice to replaceCornelius Pepper—they were wingmates in the War, after all, but even Peppy wasbeginning to wear thin.  His last-ditcheffort to shatter the force field about the Aparoid Homeworld had left him witha nasty limp in his left leg, and so he walked supported by a cane.  

            But the other rumor had reachedFox’s ears that afternoon, that Pepper’s chosen candidate was “the son of JamesMcCloud”.  It had left a bitter taste inthe vulpine’s mouth and so he found himself walking under the scorching rays ofLylat, in a district of Corneria City that had been thankful to not see theAparoid’s atrocities.  Hands shoved intohis pockets, he passed by the petite cafes, feeling the eyes of the localscrawl over him.  His fur tingled, and aflush on his cheeks marked his unease. If people really believed the “hero of Lylat” would come to lead them intheir time of mourning and recovery… well, they were sorely mistaken.  He was content with his job and the politicsthat came with the General’s seat made him want to vomit.  

            Butwould they see it that way?  Foxstudied the ground, letting himself get lost in the pattern of bricks.  He did not notice Krystal until she took himby the arm, her warmth an aura of familiarity, strength, and protection.

“Let’s go,” she said with the softest smile to him, and helet her take him away from the sunny street, the beeping of hovercars, and theprying eyes.  There was a bit of a hop inher step as she moved, childish and free. Even her breathing seemed clear, precise—his mouth and lungs seemed tolight on fire with every breath.  Hewatched her with wonderment as she walked, their pathway becoming all too familiar.

The park had been a place his father had taken him severaltimes during their stay in Corneria City. A much younger Fox McCloud had frolicked among the toys and the trees,chased by a hopping Slippy Toad and an ever-giggling Lucy Hare.  The sunlight stroked his face and he smiledwith thought, letting the nostalgia overcome him.  Krystal did not release him but dragged himinto the grass.

In the shade of the trees, he could see her better—the blouseshe had worn was sleeveless, cut to fit her snugly with ruffles at the collar,trickling down to her stomach.  A skirthad been selected—short but with a sway that reminded him of an ocean’swaves.  His eyes never left her—tracingover her face.  Her eyes—the image ofhope, the image of defiance.  She was amystery and he was enamored by her.

The vixen led him to the grass, the soothing chortle of anearby fountain adding into the natural sound of wind through the leaves.  Her jewelry jingled along with the melody asshe sat down, tucking her feet beneath her and letting her tail curl aroundher.  She gave a gentle pat on the grasswith a hand, and Fox ungracefully squatted into a sit next to her.  

She did not mention his stress, but there was a light in herteal eyes and a curl in her smile that made it evident that she had read hisemotions.  Even if she did not use herpowers, she was an intuitive woman.  Hefelt blessed in that moment, watching her tuck strands of her blue hair back sothat they did not interrupt her vision.  

“What are we doing here?” Fox inquired.

“Absolutely nothing,” Krystal said enigmatically and Foxnearly laughed aloud with disbelief.

Nothing?  We don’t have time for this…

She must have sensed he was about to stand up because shegrabbed his arm and Fox paused.  Therewas a silent plea in her face and he rethought about his decision to leave,settling with the trunk against his back. Krystal leaned against him and her touch gave life into his breath.  It gave a sensation from where her furintermingled with his that trickled into his heart, his mind.  Since watching the Great Fox slam into theAparoid Homeworld, he had not known peace. There was only “the next step”… and then the step after that.  

“When this is done, let’s go to Zoness,” she whispered tohim. “That’s the name of the place, right? The one where the Cornerians like to go on vacation?”

“Yeah,” Fox replied with a smile. “That would be nice.”

“Let’s rent a house by the beach,” Krystal added. “And turnoff our communication devices.”

“Whoa, that’s getting a bit dramatic,” Fox began but grinnedall the same. “But I agree.  We need avacation.”  But was there really any restfor heroes?  When would the next round ofimpending doom occur?  When would theLylat System need him next…? He did not want to shut it out, but his mind was agarbled mess and his thoughts were so erratic that he could not focus.  With another deep breath, he smelled herperfume—luscious lavender mixed with vanilla. She helped him keep his focus when the world was falling apart, and heknew she was right.  He knew he had totake some time for himself… as hard as that was to admit.

The silence that followed was soft, a gentle soothing massageto his shoulders as they released their tension and he allowed himself to expelthe air that he had not realized he had been holding in his lungs.  He permitted his eyes to wander the sunlitpark, where children were playing on a slide and where couples were walkingwith their arms intertwined.   In anotherreality, the buildings around them were shattered, rubble smoldering on theground and the children warped by the Aparoid virus. Mechanical-organichybrids, their past lives forgotten under the reign of the Queen—it wassomething that made him value the sun more and made him appreciate the way thegrass felt in his palms.

Some days I wonder what it’s allfor.  But then I remember.  

A glance at the blue vixen from the corner of his eye, and hefelt himself smile.  

“Fox?” she questioned softly. “What are you thinking?”

She was asking him, not prying into his mind and for that, hewas grateful.  

“Oh, I was just thinking…” Fox began, his eyes liftingupward, to where a patrol of CDF fighters zipped on by, fleetly dodging theskyscapers.  Lylat burned ever bright,hung in their sky like a beacon.  Childrenlaughing, the sound of idle chit-chat between adults near the fountain ofCornerian soldiers erecting a flag.  Thebreeze across his fur, her warmth, her presence like a radiate stream of stars.“… About how I fall in love with you more and more every day.”

Thank you for reminding me.