Random thought before I go into this chapter - it's still the 30th where I am right now. Enjoy.
Celestrio - technically, it was Pepper speaking the entire time. I realize now that I should've noted that somehow, but it just didn't happen. Glad to hear that you've enjoyed this story.
FraGmenTd - looking back, I've realized what a mess I've put Fara through. And I don't really know how, or why, it ended up that way. And don't worry - I didn't read that as anything close to a flame. Just you and your thoughts.
RedBay - the few times I got Falco and Fara together, their personalities clashed (or meshed) very well. And during the course of my writing, I tried to avoid words that odds are they wouldn't use (like how I avoided the use of the word 'hand' the entire time). That one, in retrospec, shouldn't have been used either. And as far as the racoon girl - she was a minor aspect of the plot that I had planned to use again, but I ended up not using.
Andrea - close, but not quite. Will the answer ever come to light? Good question. And yeah, I really did mess with Fara's head during the course of this story.
Janus - the whole Junior thing is just an offshoot of the comics I use as the base. Yes, Fox's father wasn't James in the comic, and as thus the name Junior wasn't exactly needed, but I liked the nickname.
Chapter 54: A Hero Remembered
I now realize how close I've become to Fox. How much I need him. Without him, I simply don't have a life worth living anymore. – Fara
Fara woke up early the next morning in her bed on the base. With a groan, she tried to remember how she got there. Last thing she remembered was running from the hospital room in tears.
But in the end, she decided it didn't matter. Fox was dead.
And without Fox, she didn't have a life worth living.
She slowly unburied herself from her covers and damp pillow and found the clock on her nightstand. The glowing red numbers told her it was only half past six. Her stomach grumbled at her as a reminder that she hadn't eaten in quite some time, and it was at that point that she pushed off her covers and got up.
After taking care of business, she debated upon a shower. That train of thought didn't last long, as she realized she didn't care how she looked anymore. There was only one person in her life now, and that person was gone for good.
Fara threw on a dull and drab outfit and plopped down upon her unmade bed. She was in the process of pulling on her boots when she noticed the blinking light on her computer keyboard that told her somebody had left a message while she'd been asleep.
Suppressing a sigh, she stood up and stomped her feet securely into her boots before walking to her PC. With none of her usual flourish, she pecked at the keys to bring up the first message out of two.
"Ms. Phoenix, this is General Pepper." She rolled her eyes at the obvious, as his face was clearly on the screen. "My teams have finished their initial excavations of what's left of Andross' base, and have unfortunately turned up nothing. They will continue—"
She closed and deleted the message, but not before she glanced at the time it was sent. Three-thirty yesterday afternoon. "I must've been really out to sleep through that," she muttered to herself. She knew how noisy her phone was.
The second message was from Peppy. His face held a stoic expression as he spoke. "Morning, Fara. I tried waking you up, but apparently you've a very sound sleeper. I know that yesterday—"
He continued talking, but she ended the message and deleted it as well. Just a bit before six in the morning was the time stamp on this one. "Get some sleep and a clue, you old cod. I don't give a damn about that fucking android from yesterday."
Her mood now set, she walked off for some food.
Fara's thoughts were ones filled with sadness and anger. Depressing thoughts at how she'd never see Fox again, and hatred with the team and herself at not being able to do anything to save him.
The mess hall was surprisingly empty short of a lone cook. Then again, with the war officially over for good, she figured that most of the staff were with their families and loved ones, or they were off partying with friends.
She had none of that to look forward to.
She stuck around only long enough to pick up a random muffin and some juice from the self service bar before she headed back out. Instead of returning to her room though, she wandered down the hall as she munched away.
Her boots made little sound on the carpeted floor as she continued to walk. As she finished her last bite, she tossed both items into a nearby trash bin and finally paid attention to where she was.
She found herself in front of the spot she always wanted her room – down a hallway that had a view through a glass wall of the botanical gardens far below. Only the second through sixth floors had this view, and she always envied those who got to see this when they first left their rooms.
Not today though. While she usually smiled and had feelings of joy when she looked at her favorite place, today it reminded her of the first time she saw Fox in the base. She was hidden in the largest tree in the gardens, waiting for Fay to arrive, when the vulpine walked in on her.
She remembered watching him and his actions, trying to judge his character and what kind of leader he'd make for the team. Pepper had told her prior to their meeting that he'd be captain, but she was worried at the time about what kind of person he was until she saw how he acted. He also had this unexplainable aura of command about him.
During their next meeting, one which was far different than the first as they actually talked to each other, she quickly grew to respect him as a leader. While Fox would've never admitted it, she knew the rest of the team would've agreed with her that he was an excellent commander; that somehow it just came naturally to him.
But now Fox was gone.
She sniffed, but the tears wouldn't flow anymore. She'd cried more in the last day than since she was born, and there was simply nothing left.
Fara raised a finger to the window and knocked on it a few times. She found that it was a relatively thin piece of glass and it wouldn't take much to shatter it. She looked at the dirt and rock ground six stories down and put some serious thought into jumping through the thin barrier and ending it all right here and now.
Her life had little meaning to her at the moment. The person she loved and adored was gone. She knew that she'd never find another like him in the entire system. People like Fox were extremely rare. He would've made the perfect mate in her mind.
She banged her head against the glass a few times in trepidation. Fear gnawed at her very bones just over the thought of jumping. It would solve her immediate problems once and for all, but at cost of everything she knew and loved.
And what would her friends and family think?
That thought haunted her mind as she looked at the ground far below once more. Could she possibly jump with the thought of what would happen afterward on her mind?
She slowly turned away but then looked back yet again. It would be so easy.
She stood still and continued her fight with her mental demons. It would solve nothing.
It would solve everything.
But my family and friends…
Fox is dead.
Her resolve was weakening. There…will be others.
No there won't.
But…my future.
Without Fox, you don't have one.
But…
Jump.
But…
Jump!
No.
Do it!
"No!"
She surprised herself with the ferocity of her yell and looked around to see if anybody had heard her. Short of the echo of her voice, he only sound she heard was her own inner voice, and even that quieted as she made up her mind once and for all. Her intention to jump had vanished.
Fara shivered suddenly as she felt a cold sweat permeate her fur. Had she really come that close to killing herself? As she took one last look at the gardens before walking off, she realized that she had.
She needed help. And as much as she didn't want to admit it, Peppy was her best option right now.
She decided to visit the medical bay and give the hare a call from there. It was the safest place in the base as far as she was concerned. If her thoughts wandered off again, the medics could easily stop or subdue her. From there, she could sit down with him and have that long talk she so desperately needed.
The trip to the medical bay was a short one, as it was only on the other side of the floor. She passed by Fox's room and wistfully looked at it, but other than that she did nothing else but concentrate upon her walking. She knew she'd have a mental breakdown if she did much else.
The doors at her destination swished open with little sound. She took a breath and got a good whiff the purifying agents used to keep the air sterile. She focused upon that smell for a moment and tried to get her mental faculties back under control. No matter how much she needed help, she didn't want anyone else to know how much of a mess her mind was in until she talked to Peppy.
She touched the panel next to the main medical bay doors and was allowed access. She had only taken a few steps in when she stopped dead in her tracks.
Lying with his eyes closed in a bed on the opposite side of the bay was Fox.
The covers on his bed were pulled back and exposed his bare upper chest and arms. What looked to be a brace or a medical wrap of some sort was partially visible where the covers started, and he had another wrap around his right shoulder.
As she stood there and stared, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head just enough so she could see who it was, while keeping Fox fully in her view. Peppy and Devan stood there idly with smiles on their faces. They both nodded knowingly as they noticed her attention, confirming the only question she had.
Fara stumbled forward and dropped to her knees right next to Fox. Using one paw for support, she used the other to cautiously reach out and touch him. After confirming that this wasn't some insane illusion or horrible nightmare, she started to caress the fur on his upper arm.
Fox sleepily woke up over the course of the next few seconds. He blinked a few times and then looked Fara's way. He weakly smiled at her, and it was at this point that she broke down. "Fox, I…" she blubbered. "I thought…"
"No," he said quietly. "I—"
His words were cut off as she jumped up and grabbed him tight around the chest. Tears that she thought she wouldn't see again poured down her face and dropped into his fur.
"Can't…breathe…" he choked.
With a gasp, she broke her hold and gave him plenty of room while still maintaining contact with her paws. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry—"
"Fara, please don't." He lifted one paw up and cupped it around the back of her head. She felt a gentle tug and allowed him to guide her head back onto his chest. He then used his other paw to finger his way through the soaked and matted fur on her face. "I'm not that fragile you know."
"Fox…" Words simply couldn't express the feelings she felt towards him right now. Instead, she grabbed his arms and gave him a quick squeeze.
He leaned forward and kissed her on her forehead. "It's okay, Fara. I'm not going anywhere."
"No. I…"
"Yes?"
She took his paws into hers and lifted her head up so she could look him in the eyes. "I…I love you, Fox."
Fox worked one of his paws free and tried to wipe away her latest batch of tears. "I love you too, Fara."
The pair held each other's gaze for what felt like the longest time. In reality it was only a minute or two, but for them it felt like infinity itself passed them by. It was as if they saw each other for the first time, even though they had been working side by side as teammates since they first met.
That togetherness was broken somewhat as Devan coughed and offered a chair to Fara. She only nodded and dropped into the seat, her tired legs giving out on her.
Fara pulled the chair as close as she could get to Fox's bed and searched for a comfortable position to lay nearby. She finally settled with placing her head on his chest again, face tilted so she could watch him and his beautiful green eyes. Her paws were wherever she could find a spot to remain in contact with his fur, moving her fingers through it to remind her that this was all real.
Fox continued to give her the attention she so desperately needed. He kept hold of her arms and paws, or he fingered his way around her face. He kept quiet though, and she was fine with that. Anything that was worth talking about had already been said.
Satisfied at feeling and listening to Fox's rhythmic breathing underneath her, Fara's overstressed mind finally shut down, and she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
"So…how did you…escape?"
"Hmmm?"
An hour had passed, and the entire team had assembled by Fox's bedside to talk. "You know," said Fara with her head still lying on Fox's chest, "how did you…survive this?"
"We all saw the base go up," commented Falco.
"And watch as your Arwing's transponder shut down," added Slippy.
Fox stayed quiet and closed his eyes in thought. So many strange things had happened in the last day. He just didn't know how much to tell them. "I…I don't really know."
"What's the last thing you remember seeing?" asked Peppy.
"I was in the base, and then I saw this bright light. But it wasn't just a light. I, well, I don't know, sensed something or someone was there."
"Like the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel?" asked Slippy.
"No." He continued to be at a loss of words. "I couldn't see or hear anyone, but I just knew there was somebody there." And while he was truthful in what he said, there was one thing he kept secret – his mind kept telling him that the somebody wasn't anything resembling his species.
"What happened next?" asked Fara.
He was glad to have her change the subject. "Well, I think I blacked out, or lots of time passed, or something, as I when I woke up it was dark out. I found out later I was in the forest somewhere near what was left of the base."
"How?"
"I have no idea, Fara. None at all." He paused for a moment to see if they had any other questions. "Anyway, the Arwing was somehow next to me. It was a bit damaged, but flyable. I, however, was anything but."
Fox watched as Fara picked up her head from his stomach and smoothed back the covers worriedly. "Fox, was I—"
He shook his head. "Even if I was in pain, just seeing you there would've made it go away."
"That's just pathetic," muttered Falco.
"You could always leave," retorted Fox angrily. Everybody looked at the avian, but he just crossed his wings and muttered something incoherent under his breath. "That's what I thought."
He continued his story. "I'd been shot in the back of my right leg, a missed shot too close for comfort with some kind of plasma weapon on my right shoulder, and I knew I'd broken a rib or two." Fara gasped. "Yeah. But I wasn't gonna get home if I just sat there. So I somehow dragged myself into the Arwing."
"That base must've sent off some sort of EMP pulse or something as it blew, as quite a few of my lower end systems were down. Communications being the big one. So I took off and limped home."
"And now you're here," said Fara. She leaned forward and kissed him on his forehead. "But why didn't you call me when you got back?"
Fox blanched. "Peppy was—"
"I did," interrupted the hare. "I told Fara to come down and see you."
"No, you old cod. You told me I was a heavy sleeper. You then started into something about yesterday and I deleted the message in disgust."
Peppy groaned. "I said it right after that."
Fox could see the distress and anger briefly on Fara's face before she reverted to her usual neutral expression. "Get to the point faster next time," she said.
"Sorry."
She looked his way again and smiled. The vulpine followed suit. "Well, now what?" she asked.
Everyone remained quiet at that question. Eventually, all eyes were on Fox, and he took the hint that he needed to answer. "It's been a very long journey, but we've overcome all challenges placed before us. We've saved the galaxy, we've killed Andross, and we're together again."
"And we're filthy rich," added Falco.
"We are?"
He grinned. "Oh yeah. Wanna know?"
"Na. I'll find out later."
"Suit yourself."
Fox rolled his eyes. "And the military has paid us well for putting our lives on the line. I want to thank you all for helping through thick and thin. We would not be here if it was not for the outstanding efforts of each and every one of you." He looked around at his team one last time. "Now let's enjoy the rest of our lives in relative peace."
"About damn time you shut up," retorted the avian.
"Screw you."
Somewhere in the unfathomable depths of space, a lone medium-sized shuttle moved forward under its own power. With the war now officially over, this was no longer an extremely rare occurrence. It was the pilot, however, that made this craft stand out above all others.
That pilot was Andross.
By all rights, he should be dead, and he knew this. Somehow, the force that teleported Fox to safety had also done the same to him. He had no explanation as to how or why he was allowed to survive, and it irked him to no end.
He also wanted access to the raw power he had sensed during his transport. It had to be his.
When he originally woke up, he had hoped that Fox had died in the explosion. That was why he had dumped the very last of his androids, a second clone of the vulpine, to Corneria. But a quick scan of his communication logs showed that it had been terminated.
He also now assumed that Fox was alive. Not only was the vulpine a survivor, but he guessed that knowing his luck, the same power that had saved him had saved the person he hated most.
And what about Fara? Based on his failed limited interactions with her, and how she simply walked right through a base that only he was supposed to have access to, he figured that she wasn't entirely normal. Did she have some latent psychic powers of her own that she didn't know of? Or was she just 'protected' by the same dumb luck that always seemed to follow Fox around?
Only a successful capture and analysis of her mind would answer that question. Or there was the possibility that her powers would instead manifest in a future generation of the Phoenix line. Either way, she was worth keeping close watch on.
Andross brooded silently as he thought about the technology and knowledge that he'd lost with the destruction of both bases. Most of the basics, like his favored Telekinetic Amplifier, were tucked safely away inside his shuttle's computer banks, and he'd learned a few new tidbits of knowledge from his time with that toad. But others were lost for good, at least until he rediscovered it again.
And he would relearn it. He would rebuild. He would not be stopped next time.
This system, loaded with peace-loving ingrates, would be his.
He just needed time. He also needed to stay under the now-watchful eyes of Corneria. They may be stupid as a whole, but they wouldn't quickly forget.
He had come so close. If it wasn't for the efforts of one lone military base and five exceptionally good pilots, he would've been ruling this system by now.
Instead, he was flying back towards Venom in an attempt to salvage what he had lost.
But Andross was a survivor. His supposed exile to Venom had turned into a very positive thing for him, and he could turn this into an advantage too.
Corneria thought he was dead. He had all the time in the world to rebuild because of it. He would have his revenge, no matter how long it took.
He would be back.
Come now - did you really expect the hero (and along the same line, the villian) to truly stay dead? Makes writing sequels very difficult. And gets the fan base to really hate you. :grins:
After two long years, and nearly 300k words, this fic has come to an end. I want to thank all of my readers for keeping the reviews flowing during all of this time. It's kept me writing. Now, yes, I do realize that there are quite a few plot-lines left open with this ending. When this story was conceived, there was room for multiple sequels over many years in the team's lives that answer many things. Will I write them though? That's a good question. And one that only time will tell.
One last thing - I've opened up my e-mail address in the author profile, so if you're curious as to my future thoughts (as I don't know if I'll write them or not), write away. Just make sure you say something about the fic in the subject line, and as always, you're welcome to say your general thoughts in the reviews you submit via this site.
Thanks again, everyone. This is Destructor, signing off.