Reflections of Peppy

By Kit Karamak

AKA

Ken Weaver

StarFox, all characters, locations and objects (Arwing, Land Master, GreatFox, etc) are Trademark terms under the Copyright protection of Nintendo, 1993, 1997, 2003, 2005. All Intellectual Properties named hereafter are named for Entertainment Purposes only, and without expressed permission of the granted License of the aforementioned Franchise. You may not sell this story. The storyline (plot) belongs to Kenneth Weaver Junior, but if you were to steal it, who is he to argue, since he cannot copyright someone else's intellectual property, any how. If you do plan to redistribute this story and pretend that it is your own, at least have the decency to fix all my spelling and grammar mistakes, please. This fan fiction is written for the sole purpose of fictional entertainment and amusement; any and all relation to events of the past, present or future is merely coincidental. Wow, this sounds pretty official. NOT!

A/N: I wrote this in 2005. I'm touching it up and revising it in 2020. I can't believe it has been fifteen frickin' years.

So, I thought that a short story about Peppy in the REFLECTIONS' series would rock. In 2005, I had no visions for the story, just a collections of anecdotes to add back history into select moments so that it works better with my convoluted series that follows, which is VERY canonical-based up until Book 3, then it veers off into the wild blue yonder.

Okay, so… I'm starting at Vixy's funeral. Fox is 8, Peppy is 32. Arwings haven't been invented yet; Space Dynamics is still Arspace Dynamics, the Nova Bomb is on the drawing table, James' team is still called Galaxy Dog, and many pilots still fly the M-Class medium fighter (seen at the beginning of SF: Snes).

BTW, Vixy's family name is REINARD. However, there were so many typos in that comic, and the correct word is "reynard" that I just assume he made a typo and I'm going to leave it Reynard for the sake of planetary alignment... Enjoy responsibly!

-kit

X

PROLOGUE: The Lamenting of the Elderly.

Peppy J. Hare placed the palm of his paw against a glass case in which a set of wooden tobacco pipes rested in silence. His eyes lowered to the bifocal section of his glasses, to better read the small bronze plaque at the bottom. It was a dedication with his name on it; a gift from his Wing Commander.

There were four pipes inside. In his other paw was a mug with the letter "P" emblazoned upon the side. His recently deceased wife, Vivian, had helped him to break the habit of smoking cigars in his youth. Strange that he outlived her, when she was the epitome of good health. At least until her sickness took her from him.

And just after promising to finally settle down to a desk job, too.

Peppy had changed his speed, taking up the pipes for a while before giving up tobacco all together in favor of caffeine in his later years. Now even his daughter, Lucy, got on his case about the coffee and tea drinking.

His attention returned to the antique pipe set and a smile touched the corner of his maw, just remembering his youth, back when Lucy was nothing more than a wicked thought in his head.

He could remember the day that James gave him the set for his birthday. He was thirty-four and James' son was about ten years old. Peppy didn't start using them until he was thirty-eight because he wanted to change his habit of smoking cigars, although he still snuck a stogie now and then. Most importantly, he always kept the wood box and its contents in prime condition.

Adjacent to his collection was something far older. It was a team photograph of himself alongside James, Pigma, and their engineer, Beltino Toad. Peppy was thirty-three here.

Besides that photograph was another one, roughly a year and a half older. It was the last photograph of Jim and his wife, together.

Peppy allowed his eyes to flutter shut. It was all a collection of memories but, to Peppy, he could still see their faces and hear their voices when he lay down at night.

Tonight would be no different. Things were a little different now, with Jim's boy having a life-changing relationship with the slightly younger extra terrestrial from Cerinia, named Krystal.

Krystal was stunning, however. Intelligent, fairly resourceful, and a quick learner; she was everything that young Fox needed in a vixen. The telepathy was a bonus, but she certainly made herself a comfortable spot in the pilot roster.

Peppy could only pray that Fox wouldn't follow completely in his father's paw prints. After all, James McCloud experienced the loss of his life-mate at the overly young age of thirty-one. Fox was only eight years old.

That was a day that would live in infamy. It was the immortal day that Jim's son lost his childhood. It was the first day of the ending of an age. It was the beginning of the end for peace on Corneria. It was the day that Doctor Andross Bowman had lost the last shred of his sanity.

X

X

A long, long time ago…

Peppy Hare, James McCloud, his son Fox, their wing mate, Pigma Dengar, and the team's engineering specialist, Beltino Toad, all stood in silent reverence while the preacher read from the scriptures.

Sergeant Johnathan Pepper, a friend to the Hare and McCloud families, stood to the side, wearing a set of tinted aviator glasses.

Across from the military uniforms there stood a skulk of vulpine that Jim recognized as the Reynard family.

The weather had forecasted a cliché funeral rain all afternoon, but a change of direction in the wind last night caused it to be an overly sunny day.

For the first time ever, Jim was wearing dark sunshades and Peppy couldn't blame him. The team leader's eyes were redder than a cheap drunk from the tears, but the vulpinian pilot wished to remain strong for his eight-year-old son, Fox.

Peppy's eyes panned across the mourning procession and stopped on a tall, broad shouldered man on the hill, about ten yards away.

James saw the simian doctor as well.

Peppy couldn't help but tighten his jaw. Nothing was proven yet but both he and Jim had suspicions.

James ground his molars, causing a soft grinding sound, which made Peppy's ear-stalks lift like old fashion TV antennas.

Peppy placed a paw on his best friend's arm. In a quiet tone that wouldn't disturb the preacher's speech, he whispered, "Let it be, he's not worth it, Jimmy." He spoke the words the way his wife, Vivian, would have said them, had she not been at home, in bed from an intense illness.

James didn't appear to care about anything except revenge.

Peppy tried to empathize what James must have been going through; losing a spouse and fathering a child as a single parent... the lapine pilot could only pray he would never have to endure such a debilitating loss. "Vixy wouldn't want you in a fist fight at her funeral, Jim." He kept his gaze up on the hulking scientist in the distance. His dull red gaze remained steadfastly on Andross, up at the top of the hill.

"Peppy, Victoria Anne McCloud wouldn't have wanted a funeral," James replied in an equally respectful whisper. "I'm going to say something to him if he doesn't leave soon. He has just as much right to mourn the loss of someone he supposedly gives a damn about, just as much as the rest of us … but not while I'm here. I don't care; he was told to stay away from us." James' crestfallen expression was followed by a tone of frustration. "By the goddess, Lylat. This is my fault, isn't it? I should have renewed the restraining order by extending the date another five years, but I let it lapse."

"Jim," Peppy scolded. It was just loud enough to cause Pigma and Beltino to look at the two.

Little Fox didn't even bother to tear his eyes from the heavy wooded box. It was filled with objects and memorial offerings, but there was no body inside, just her wedding dress. The blast left no known remains, beyond ashes. It wasn't fair to the boy, Peppy knew as much.

Peppy nearly lost his fiancée, Vivian, in an automobile accident last year and knew Fox and James' loss was immeasurably worse. Now an incomplete family was left in the wake of Doctor Andross Bowman's immature, lethal actions.

If it could be proven, Peppy knew his best friend would press charges as far as they could be taken. He could only hope.

Doctor Andross Bowman was an impulsive man and, in Peppy's opinion, undeserving of the title, 'Weapons and Research Director.' It was an opinion shared by everyone in Peppy's circle of respected friends, family, and coworkers.

Peppy turned his gaze back to his wing commander and added, "Remember the legalities. Please, Jim, have patience."

"I know the legalities," sneered James. His muzzle wrinkled into a snarl, baring his canid fangs. "I'll never give up trying to do it the legal way, but remember who I am, Peppy."

"A meat-eating carnivore. A vulpine."

"I'm a man of instinct; I trust those instincts. Remember that, Peppy. Never give up and always trust your instincts. It's my motto; you'd do well to make it your creed, too. I'll give that man five more minutes up on that hill before I go and say something to him."

Peppy cast a nervous gaze over at the Reynard family. They would all be appalled if their in-law acted impetuous and vengeful at Vixy's funeral. The Reynard family was a classy bunch, and Vixy had married a bad boy fighter pilot.

Everyone in attendance knew that Vixy was strongly against violence. It also didn't take a rocket scientist to know that a funeral was the wrong time and place to avenge a death, especially since Andross was only a suspect, not a proven murderer.

But, well, Jim was still pissed.

Peppy was incredibly empathetic to the emotions of others, almost to the point of a mythical empath. However, it didn't take a genius to see that James was beyond seething behind those sunshades.

The rabbitq placed his paw on the fellow pilot's shoulder. "Jimmy. Remember to mind yourself. Do it for Fox, okay? Do it for your mother-in-law." Hare's eyes slid across the grave plot, coming to rest on the gathered Reynard family.

Vixy's mom was a diabetic and slowly dying. While robbed of her daughter, she still had some slight comfort in knowing that Vixy was succeeded by a son.

Peppy offered the one a discrete nod of respect. He could see the hurt in her eyes. The loss of the woman's beloved daughter was a travesty beyond compare. The rabbit could see on the elder vixen's face that, despite her stoic veneer, she was heartbroken by the tragedy of her daughter's death, to say the very least.

Mrs. Reynard's glistening brown gaze briefly met the rabbit's own eyes, before dropping back to the wreath-topped casket.

Peppy's glare returned to Doctor Bowman, up on the hill. Ten yards was far too close for a murder suspect to be to their victim.

James was exasperated, and made no attempt at hiding it.

Peppy simply shut his eyes and listened to the preacher. He could only pray that Jim would make the right decision. Starting a fist fight with Andross Bowman would cost him roughly forty-eight hours in the brig, if not more.

The preaching ended.

Fox clung to his father as the casket was lowered inch-by-heart-wrenching-inch into the depths of the Cornerian soil. It was a grave deeper than comprehension, only bested by the depth of love and heartbreak felt by Vixy's family … both sides.

James knelt, allowing the eight year old kit to bury his face into his father's neck.

Peppy's heart wrenched, seeing the uncomprehending child who had to learn how to deal with this incredible sense of confusion and loss.

The boy was reeling, Peppy could see it plainly.

Even Pigma and Beltino struggled to keep the tears away, seeing the small boy struggling to contain so much pain.

Jim's soft cobalt eyes were hidden behind those darkly tinted sunshades and something told Peppy that he'd be seeing the black lenses more often, going forward.

Peppy studied the side of his wing commander's face.

Although James refused to wear sunshades in the past, in any capacity, it just seemed as though he was more comfortable behind them, now that she was gone.

The preacher gave a nod to James to signal that he was allowed to toss the flower in his left paw into the grave. He brought the stark red rose to his muzzle, brushing the soft, silky petals across his snout. Tears stained his fur, moistening his face just beneath the dark lenses, but there was no time for hesitation. He lifted his paw, tossing the flower forward. It landed in the center of a wreath that was fastened to the top of her casket, then he eased his left arm around his son, holding the boy in a complete embrace.

He was still knelt to Fox's level, but out of the corner of his eyes, he watched the silhouette of Andross Bowman with an icy glare of anger and hatred.

Peppy could see the man's heart growing from broken to cold.

There was a hardening of the vulpine pilot's features.

Hare reached into his pocket and took out a cigar, clipping off the end with a cutting tool, then he flipped it around and placed one end into his teeth. "Jim…"

The pelt on the back of James' neck stood on end.

"Don't be a stupid voop," Peppy warned the fox, narrowing his gaze. He knew that Jim was gazing over his son's shoulder at the man up on the hill.

Even with the sunshades to cover his eyes, there was a hateful expression on his muzzle. It told the story of James McCloud's mindset at the moment.

There was a touch of commotion as the funeral procession began to back away from the grave, mostly to allow the cemetery staff to push the first layer of dirt over the casket. The age-old Cornerian custom went back to some old story of the goddess, Lylat herself, hiding beneath a single layer of dirt from killers.

For the moment, James, Fox and Peppy didn't move an inch. There was too much animosity for Jim to budge. If he were to move right now, it would be in the direction of that hill, where Andross stood in silence.

"Fox," James said to his son, "I was wondering if you wanted to stay the night at Beltino's tonight…"

"What? Tonight? Of all nights? Why?"

James locked his lips. "…To, uh, play games with Slippy? You're off school 'till the end of the week for bereavement, I don't think Mister Toad minds if you stay. How's that sound?" To his question, young Fox nodded in silence.

James lifted his head so that Beltino was reflected in his shades. "Would you mind?"

"Not at all, Jim. He can ride with me, from here, if you prefer," said Beltino, adjusting his ascot. The frog cleared his throat and reached up to fix his glasses with a nod.

James gave Fox a hug then eased him toward Beltino. "I need you to be mindful, tonight. Stop by the house, and take whatever you need."

Fox turned back to James quickly and whispered into his father's ear, "Be careful, Dad. I know you can beat him, man to man. Just be careful. A man like that would bring a knife and a gun to a funeral." With that, Fox turned to Mr. Beltino, letting himself become ushered away quickly.

Peppy shook his head with a sigh, watching James straighten his dress jacket and tie. "Oh, Hell…"

James ascended the hill, approaching the figure upon it. One hundred twenty feet; forty yards. The length of about three school buses. It was too close, and yet the approach seemed too long, too time consuming.

The ape sneered at James' approach. Andross reached behind his back…

"No." James spoke in a calm voice, heard only by Peppy. The vulpine pilot placed his paws out, catching Andross in the shoulder, guiding him down the other end of the hill, out of sight of the Reynard family. It was time to personally ascertain Andross' involvement in all of this. Validity of his actions would be garnished in the way he acted or spoke and James knew this. In McCloud's eyes, Andross Bowman was still innocent for another few moments.

"Doctor Bowman, strange to see you at the funeral, what keeps you so far from the funeral procession? Can't pay your respects at a more personal proximity?" James said in a flat tone. His paws were balled into fists and he refused to remove his sunshades.

"Ah," mused the scientist, "James McCloud. Thirty-one years old, ex-anti-gravity racing pilot. What a boy scout you are, joining the military and becoming a high ranking fighter pilot in a time of peace and prosperity. Aren't we all very proud of you? I don't mourn your losses, McCloud. I only mourn Victoria. I knew not to come near, since you took out a restraining order on me a week into your marriage. Not sure how you managed it, since a crime has to be committed in order to file such an order."

"Those were her judicial connections, not mine. And, for the record? There's no restraint on those who have passed. And who the hell did you think you are? A week into our marriage, you called and emailed her obsessively," James snapped, his ears laying flat. "You never considered her feelings."

"Yes, well, I needed to get my feelings off my chest."

"God dammit, you entitled bastard, do you even hear yourself? She was hardly interested in a man who's two feet taller than her, seven hundred pounds larger than her, and who's married to his work of making weapons, bombs, and other creative ways to kill people on a macro scale." James gave Andross another push.

The two continued down the side of the hill, opposite of Victoria McCloud's grave stone.

"My work will be the death of us all, especially at the rate I'm going. I wish she was around for me to apologize." Andross rubbed his face with his left hand. But in his voice was a sadness of intense guilt.

"What the hell are you going on about, Doctor Bowman?"

Andross exhaled through clenched teeth. Irony caused him to kill the wrong McCloud. He was clearly devastated. "She would never want the man who took her husband. But if I can't have her, why should you be allowed such an honor?" The gorilla brought his hands to his eyes and wept.

James' eyes went wide, even behind his shades Andross could see his brows lift and furrow above the obsidian lenses. "What the hell did you just say about my wife?" McCloud began to shake with rage.

From atop the hill, looking down upon the two, Peppy could see every detail of what was about to transpire. With twin ear-stalks held aloft, the rabbit could hear it all, as well.

Jim McCloud pivoted on his heel, taking the doctor's collar in his left paw. He brought his right paw into a full swing. The vulpine put his entire body weight behind the strike, landing the blow upon Bowman's jaw so hard that Andross reeled back, completely losing his balance.

Nearly three times the weight of James McCloud, the vulpine was so empowered by his adrenaline that he was able to pull Andross back up for another swift strike; fist to face in a catastrophic punch.

"Stupid carnivore," Peppy muttered under his breath, watching his team leader pummel the doctor in a way no man Jim's size should have been able to manage.

Andross was no pushover, however. The massive frame of a full sized Gorilla was an incredibly formidable foe, grasping at James and trying to throw him to the ground.

But Jim McCloud was not about to let himself become ensnared in those massive palms. He snapped his leg out, catching the scientist behind the right knee, then Jim head-butted the ape in the throat and simultaneously pushed his paws forward.

The doctor flailed back before he could grasp the vulpine pilot. Andross' hands grasped at empty air as he tumbled. He hit the ground with a miserable groan. His equilibrium was lost, and he felt himself roll another few feet to the bottom of the hill, where the ground flattened out.

James glanced back toward the direction of his wife's grave, as if to make sure he wasn't being watched by her. He saw Peppy atop the hill. McCloud was on the other end of the hill, where his wife could not see his actions from her grave.

The pilot pummeled Andross without mercy, lifting the ape back to his feet, to continue the brawl. His tuxedo jacket ripped at the back, between his shoulders from being over extended by physical exertion.

Andross was far from finished and yet he couldn't even get a hit in. For the first time in his life, Andross felt fear touch his heart. His eyes widened and yet his pupils shrank. Fear that he would never see Vixy Reynard again. Fear that her mate would take his life before his work was completed, fear that he would be alone forever. So much fear.

Most importantly, Andross Bowman was afraid to die here and now. He'd just committed murder and if his life was brought to an immediate end, he would be denied a favorable position in the after life. He'd already made the decision to figure out how to stay alive forever, to avoid such a fate, but now his life was in jeopardy for the first time. He was scared out of his wits.

Andross threw his arms up, defensively, trying to ward off James McCloud's volley of fisticuffs.

Peppy watched in horror as the ape was beaten into submission, crying out for mercy, shielding his face with his powerful, massive arms.

James was hysterical. He lost his sense of reality in this moment, trying to seek justice through means of revenge, anger, and frustration. Here was the man who sought to end his marriage by trying to get between a man and his wife. And when that wasn't enough? The ape became the man who ended their marriage by means of death. By murder.

Had James brought a weapon, Andross would be already dead. It became obvious that Andross would not be able to defeat James McCloud alone. The pilot's drive was incredible. He wanted nothing more than to be vindicated for his actions by taking this moment to the very end. He wanted Doctor Bowman to be dead in his paws.

Peppy dashed down the hill. There would be no way to continue the investigation if Andross was dead.

So many thoughts raced through Peppy's head as he hurried down the backside of the hill, opposite of the burial plot. For one, and most importantly, two murders wouldn't cancel each other out, and right now Vixy's husband was far from the ability to reason logically.

"Jim!" Peppy shouted. He did his best to keep sure footing on the grassy decline.

James lifted his paw, cradling Bowman's head in his left palm, ready to deliver a devastating, possibly lethal strike.

Andross' upper body was in McCloud's lap and the end for the Doctor was near. Both knew it.

Peppy threw his weight forward, dropping his cigar in the grass. Diving into the fellow pilot, Peppy knocked McCloud to the ground, wrestling him away from Andross. "Stop!"

"He's going to get away!" James shouted in anger. His sunshades never even slipped down his muzzle.

Peppy reached up and snatched them from his snout, growling in the vulpine's face. "Jim," Peppy bellowed, "Knock it off!" He closed his right paw around James' muzzle, holding it shut tightly so that his friend didn't snap instinctively. James was, after all, a man of instincts and proud of that fact. Not to mention a carnivore with fangs that Peppy didn't want so close to his own face. "If you kill him, you are both guilty!"

"I don't care, let me finish the job!" James yelled loud enough for Andross to surly hear.

"If you murder him in cold blood, you'll NEVER see your wife on the other side," Peppy exclaimed, reaching his left paw out to join his right, to force James' muzzle shut so tightly that he couldn't even reply anymore. "Now stop struggling, Jim. There are laws in place to punish men like him. If he's definitely at fault, he'll be victim to the paws of justice; you're supposed to be the cool, composed leader of a fighter squadron, dammit!"

Andross backed away in a crab-walk, on his hands and the heels of his feet. "Yes, that's why we have Cornerian jurisprudence, you fighter-jock dog." He brought a hand up to his jaw, groaning from pain.

James' only reply was a throaty growl. He cut his gaze to the ape, peering over Peppy's knuckles with an angry glare. With two strong paws around the fox's muzzle, James couldn't reply at all.

"Shut up, Bowman. Victoria's son is my godchild…" Peppy pressed his knee firmly against McCloud's chest, holding the man down by keeping him off balance. With the pilot trying to get up, Peppy moved around, placing his other knee on Jim's forehead, perpendicular to his best friend, so that the pilot's face was between the rabbit's knees. Peppy used all his weight to keep McCloud's upper body pinned to the grass. He cut his gaze back to Andross. "…And I don't know how long I can hold him. So, unless you have a deathwish, you'd better shut it."

Andross closed both hands into fists. "He caught me off guard. That won't happen again. Let him attack me again. See what happens, Captain Hare." Again, his hand returned to cradle his jawline.

Peppy struggled to keep James still. He narrowed his gaze at the doctor. "Both of us have a concealed carry permit, Bowman. You want to see which one of us is prepared to stand our ground, today?"

Andross spoke in a way that suggested his mouth had been injured. "This isn't Papetoon. 'Stand your ground' laws don't apply on Corneria." Andross sat up, still panting from the adrenaline involved with being attacked. "Furthermore…"

Peppy shouted over Andross. "It won't matter what happens to us if you're dead! You want to keep taunting him?! Now shut the hell up!"

James thrashed about, trying to wiggle free from Peppy's pin. The knee on his torso would surely leave a bruise. Other than kicking wildly, there was nothing the fox could do. For now.

"THINK OF YOUR SON," Peppy erupted. "If you KILL that man, WHO will RAISE your SON!" Those words must have been the antidote to James' rage. He suddenly stopped struggling, quick to grow very still. His family may have not been complete anymore, but he did still have immediate family to consider.

Pigma came over the hill to join his squadron.

Andross flopped back, onto his side, holding his jaw, which had been broken by the Galaxy Dog wing commander.

Pigma hooked his fleshy hand under Andross' shoulder, hoisting him up to a sitting position. "Get up, old man. I suggest you get the hell out of here before James finishes what he started; I've never seen him leave business unfinished. C'mon now," said Dengar, helping the Doctor to his feet.

Andross put his hand upon Dengar's shoulder for support, coming to his feet. He leaned forward, so that his head was close to the pig's ear, whispering, "You're Herbert's son, aren't you? How much money do you want, I'll pay anything for your help."

Dengar turned his head, narrowing his gaze and replying so that only Andross could hear. "You're lucky my father thinks so highly of you. You don't have enough money for my price. Now go before he comes to his senses. Peppy can only hold him down so long." With that, Pigma gave Andross a little shove in the other direction. "Go on, now," he said loud enough for the rest of the group to hear him.

Peppy continued to hold James down for another moment until Andross was able to hobble to the automobile down by the road. Peppy turned his head and shouted over his shoulder so that Andross was easily able to hear, "We didn't do this to protect you! We did this so that you go through the proper channels of the justice system. Next time we see you, I won't hold him back, so make sure it doesn't happen again!"

With that, Andross departed, driving the hover-car hard, heading for the cemetery gates, out to the main highway. He wasted no time to get out of the area.

Peppy turned back to James and released him. The rabbit sat back on his haunches. "Damn, Jim. What're you trying to do? Sit in jail? Andross has an investigation, yeah, but you killing him in the middle of a cemetery full of witnesses doesn't exactly give you the same luxury as him. You'd go right to jail," the rabbit groused.

"I ripped my rental tux jacket, I think," James muttered, placing a paw on his chest, where a bruise was starting to form.

"Yeah, you sure did," Peppy replied, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a fresh cigar. Same as before, he used a small cutting tool to cut one end, then flipped it about, placing the other end to his lips and lighting the freshly cut flat end.

James turned to Pigma. "Why does he treat you differently from the two of us?"

Pigma shrugged. "Andross was raised by pigs. Foster family. The Pigowski family. They died by accident from a military experiment. That's the official story."

James eyed Pigma. "I remember that – it was an EMP, not a bomb."

Pigma scoffed. "You fell for that fake news crap? It was being transported through Andross' childhood hometown. It was meant to be used out in the boonies, but it never arrived there. The device caused an EMP, but it wasn't just an EMP. They also claimed that only android pigs were killed. That wasn't true. The whole town was sus-suidae. But it was such a small town that there was no one to contest what happened. Except Andross. So, since then, Andross has been telling people he was raised by android pigs. It's his tongue-in-cheek way of handling it. But his parents grew up with my father, Herbert Dengar. My old man knows what happened, thanks to Andy Bowman informing him."

Peppy furrowed his brows at Pigma. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. Can't be proven. Things were different when we were kids, remember? We had nations. Now we have a global government. The president of that country, back when we were kids, was a piece of work. The planetary prime minister, now, isn't so corrupt. But it doesn't matter, because she pardoned that guy and maintained his cover story that the military experiment was just an EMP. Whatever. It's above my paygrade."

"I saw him try and whisper to you, Pigma…"

"Jim, he asked me to help him. I told him he couldn't afford it."

"If you're hiding something…"

Pigma rolled his eyes. "God dammit, James. He and my old man are friends, but that doesn't make him my friend. Okay?"

James sneered at Dengar. "You'd better not be friends with that son of a bitch."

Peppy turned James away from the other pilot. "By the Goddess, Jim. C'mon, let's get you home." Peppy turned to Pigma and nodded respectfully to his teammate. "I'll take him; I think we're done for the next couple of days. I'll talk to the Colonel."

"Which … colonel?" asked Pigma.

Peppy placed his paws on James' shoulder blades and gave a gentle push to gesture his team leader away. "You know, John Pepper's uncle; take two days off, Dengar."

Pigma nodded slowly, "Yeah I think we're all a little burnt. I'm sorry I didn't quite know her as well as you guys did. See you guys on Friday," he said, turning to walk away. "I don't want you guys to think I don't care about Victoria's death. I just didn't know the lady; I only met her twice, once at a dinner party when James got promoted, the other time when she came on base to bring her husband lunch."

"Just … we'll see you Friday." Peppy continued to guide Jim away, putting distance between the fox and swine.

Jim murmured under his breath. "The cold hard truth is simple: Pigma is more interested in the paycheck than the job. He was always more interested in the reward than his co-workers, let alone responsibilities involved in the job."

"Jim…"

"No, I'm just saying … with only a few years left, you and I have already been discussing options to end our military career and go mercenary."

"Yeah, Jim, but it's just talks that have in the works, nothing in stone, just yet."

"Maybe the only way we'll ensure his loyalty is to buy it, Peppy."

Peppy placed his left paw beneath James' arm, half-way around the fox's waist.

The adrenaline was starting to wear off and McCloud was feeling overheated and sick at his stomach. He was getting the shakes and a momentary bout with dizziness was making things complicated.

Peppy rolled the cigar across his teeth, so that it was on the other side of his maw, away from James's face. "I've got to hand it to you though," Peppy said with a nervous chuckle. "You kicked his tail, Jim. Gorillas aren't pushovers."

A droll nod was the reply, but as James thought about it, it was the first time that Peppy ever made a comment like that. A grin began to tug at the corner of McCloud's muzzle, which began to melt into a weak, tired smile. A chuckle suddenly erupted from the wing commander.

Peppy broke into soft laughter as well, chuckling along with his best friend.

"Yeah, I guess I did, didn't I?" James mused, half clinging to Peppy until the junkie buzz-kill sensation passed.

The two friends laughed softly about it, while heading through the grass, back across the cemetery to where they'd parked. The procession of vehicles had half departed, heading for a memorial service for the Reynard family.

James swayed back towards the grave of his wife, wanting a personal word first.

Peppy guided him towards the grave, then stood back to watch.

McCloud knelt down by the half-filled hole, while a man in a backhoe worked dirt over the grave, occasionally using the back of the scoop to pack the dirt.

The driver saw the man with the ripped tux. He stopped the excavator and cut the engine, temporarily.

"I kept my vows," Jim began. "To have and to hold, I recall having my wife every morning and night, except when co-sleeping Fox until he was old enough for his own baby bed. When we didn't make love, I held you dearly."

Peppy didn't dare interrupt. He just smoked the cigar to calm himself. Part of him was glad that Vivian didn't come and see the drama.

James continued speaking to the hole where his wife's empty casket held her wedding dress. "For rich or for poor, I recall when we were first married, before Fox was born. You stood by me while I worked through the ranks until I was finally making real money. Now I'm a major, on the verge of becoming a lieutenant-colonel. We were so strong, together. I hope I can carry on without you."

The backhoe operator met Peppy's gaze, but said nothing.

James continued the personal monologue with his wife. "In sickness and in health; it was my esteemed pleasure to get up at 3 am and hunt down the food of your craving while you were pregnant. Nothing gave me more pleasure than to be your husband," he continued, devolving into a lachrymal voice, but clearly enunciating each word even with the break in his usually confident tone.

Peppy remained silent. The lapine tightened his fists, watching his best friend pour his heart out to his wife's empty grave.

McCloud spoke as if she was there and he spoke out loud as if she was alive to hear it. "Victoria," James continued, "Vixy," he then said, so that his words to her were more personal, "I love you. I'll love you even after death brought us to part. But promise me you'll always walk by my side so that we can both provide for our son. I can't do it alone; it wouldn't be fair to do it alone, not for him. No boy should be raised by just one parent, unless it's all that parent can provide. I know you'll help me. I know you'll watch over us … I love you so much," he sobbed, tears welling up in his eyes.

He fought to keep those tears from spilling out. He looked down at his left paw, where Peppy had placed the sunshades back into his possession at some point of time after the fight. He didn't even remember when it happened, exactly. They just sort of appeared there. McCloud placed them upon his muzzle and yet teardrops spilled down beneath the ebony lenses, saturating his fur.

Peppy gestured to the backhoe operator to finish his job.

It didn't take long. A few more scoops of dirt, a quick smoothing with the bucket attachment, and the job was done.

The wing commander crawled forward once the backhoe began to pull away from the plot. James crawled in pity through the dirt knowing there was no one beneath the grave to disrespect. He embraced the cold hard place marker where the tombstone would eventually be mounted, once it was delivered. The stone base-marker scratched his face. He scraped his wrists and neck, pressing himself against the stone, the way he once embraced his wife.

"I held her this way the morning before she died," James explained to no one in general.

Peppy bit his lower lip. He couldn't help but wonder how he would act if-and-when sickness took away Vivian hare.

"We spent over an hour in our bed as man and wife," James wept pitifully. "We were invincible and never-ending on that day; I wish it was me; I wish I was the one that died, but I would never want her to be alone. I would never want her to raise Fox as a single mother, or be kneeling here with her heart broken. Why did this have to happen?" he demanded. His words were muffled against the cold, unloving stone in which his face was tightly pressed.

"Why does the picture-perfect family always become the doomed family?!" James drew his left paw back, ready to strike the stone.

Peppy wanted to run forward to grab him by the arm, but at the same time, had the respect to leave James to his grieving.

"Why does this sort of thing always happen to the couple who never argued, never disagreed, and never had any problems?! Why does the world always throw misery at the happy?!" He drew a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, then wailed in a guttural plea of knowledge from the Almighty. "Why the hell did You do this to us?"

"James," Peppy scolded, "It's a test of our faith and our will. She may have been needed in the afterlife; it's the only way Vixy will be with you at the hour of your most important accomplishments. I know you hurt, but I can't let you blame the Creator," he said, shaking his head.

James panted emotionally, all worked up from the pain in his heart.

The thirty-two-year-old rabbit took his cigar from his lips, lifting one foot to put the stogie out against his heel. He folded his arms over his chest with a sigh. He hated seeing his best friend in so much pain.

James struck the future gravestone's base maker again, bruising and scraping his knuckles, beneath the fur of his paw. His next word was a vituperative utterance of obscenity.

The softly muttered curse caused Peppy to frown. It was rare that James lowered himself to simple swearing. The break in his will caused Peppy's heart to break a little more, watching his best friend in such anguish.

Peppy squeezed the remainder of the unextinguished stogie in his fist.

"Peppy...?" James' voice was weak, melancholy.

Peppy approached his friend, knelt besides him, and placed an arm around the pilot. "Yeah, Jim?"

"Peppy, you're my boy's Godfather. Please, I need help raising him, I can't do it alone. He needs two parents, that's what's natural," he moaned softly, lifting the sunshades to wipe his eyes with the back side of his left paw. "Please…"

"Jim," Peppy eased into an off-balance hug, since the vulpine was still clinging to the concrete base, where the gravestone would eventually be erected when it arrived in a few days.

James still had his face pressed to the letters of his wife's name on the base stone. The wing commander's body was aching, his chest was heaving, and yet he didn't care. The intransigent, cold rock against his fur and flesh was still closer to his wife than anything else could bring him at this moment. It was obvious by the expression on his face that he felt crushed inside.

Peppy gently pried James away from the stone, pulling the sobbing shell-of-a-man to his feet. "C'mon, brother…"

"Incomplete," James muttered to his friend. "I'm incomplete and it's all Andross Bowman's fault."

"Yes, but today wasn't the time to get vengeance." Peppy sighed softly. "Don't make revenge a form of … of fuel. Base that man's punishment on something less emotional. You can feel vindicated after it's said and done."

"But I'm…" James just dropped his head. After a moment of awkward silence, he cleared his throat and continued, "What am I going to do? Where do I go from here? What happens now?"

"Do you want my honest opinion or the opinion of just a friend?" Peppy asked politely.

"Be honest," James demanded with an almost callous voice. "I want the opinion of my brother-in-arms."

"Call your lawyer. You just beat the snot out of another man, who's not legally been proven guilty, yet. Pretty sure you broke his jaw, and you were definitely about to deliver a death blow before I tackled you. Call your lawyer and be ready in case he tries to press charges."

"That man is too dangerous to be walking around right now. Investigation or not."

Peppy grunted with a frown. "C'mon Jim, let's get you home."

"God dammit…"

Peppy guided James to his feet. "C'mon, Jim," he repeated. With a grunt of effort, he pivoted Jim, to face away from the grave plot. He guided his friend across the grass towards the last remaining automobile that was part of a long line of cars only half-an-hour prior.

"And what am I going to do about Fox?" James shook his head with a sigh of frustration.

Peppy hugged his friend tightly, then opened the passenger door for him. "Impress your wife; she's watching from above, do your best. She'll be standing beside you when you need that extra help. Other than that, all you can do is pray for Luck's Paw."

"Luck runs out, Peppy…"

"Yeah, for Andross Bowman. But we'll worry about that later. Right now, you have to take care of the McCloud family … or yourself. Although, with Fox at Beltino's house, it's time I take the top-shelf bottle down and unbox it."

James slipped into the passenger seat, pulled the door shut, replaced his sunshades on his face, and reclined the seat a little bit. His eyes fluttered shut and he tried to relax his body. His muscles were aching. His joints were screaming. The scratches on his face, wrists, and even his forearms … everything hurt.

Peppy came around to the driver's side, opened the door, and slumped into the seat. He stared at the dark gauge cluster, reached for the ignition switch, but paused. "Y'know, maybe you shouldn't drink tonight, Jim. You're going to need some aspirin and caffeine, together. That'll help with pain relief."

"What?"

"Look at your paws and your forearms."

"So?"

"I'm just saying, James … I wouldn't suggest chasing aspirin with a shot of bourbon. It'll tear up your stomach."

"I'm not taking anything, save maybe a few shots of that bourbon you mentioned. I'm glad my paws hurt. It takes the edge off the real pain. Like you said, Fox is staying the night with his school friend … with Beltino's son."

"Slippy."

"Right. Sorry. I can't think clearly right now."

Peppy nodded. He reached for the ignition button. The automobile's engine quietly churned to life. "You don't have to think clearly, Jim. Not today. Not tonight. Not even tomorrow. If you want to drink, we'll drink. I'm okay with that. Let's go pour out a few tumblers for Victoria McCloud." Tonight would be the night to drink responsibly, or, for that matter, irresponsibly.

"Thanks, Pep. You're the only family I have left. You're more than my brother-in-arms. You're more than my son's godfather. Thank Lylat you're in my life, because I don't know what I'd do if I was alone, right now."

"You'd have killed Doc Bowman."

"I might still. I know that man is guilty. But you were right, earlier. I'm not going to do anything that will cause Fox to be alone. I'm going to do right by my son. For him … for Vixy. But I'm also going to make sure he's prepared to protect himself, just in case that bastard ever tries anything with him."

"Let's just take things one day at a time, okay, Jim?"

"Yeah … you're right." James turned to face the window. He gazed into the void with a stoic expression.

Peppy reached over and gave his best friend's knee a firm pat. "I'm not going anywhere. You're welcome to stay with me and Vivian if you don't want to sleep in an empty house."

"Tonight, maybe I'll take you up on that offer. But only because I won't be in any shape to drive home."

"You're welcome to stay as long as you'd like. Hell, if you want to move, I'll help you with that, too. Whatever you need, Jim."

"All my memories are in my house. So long as I stay there, she's still alive to me. I know that's weird, but…"

"Whatever you need." Peppy gave James' knee another masculine pat, then he put both paws on the wheel. His heart ached for his friend. His heart also ached in mourning for the loss of a friend, due to how long he'd known Victoria … since back when she still had her maiden name. The rabbit sighed through his two large front teeth. He looked down at the steering wheel, realizing he was still holding his cigar between two fingers. He opened the driver's window.

Silence.

Peppy did something unimaginable. He relit it off the cigarette lighter in the car and finished the last four inches of the thick stogie. "May the goddess Lylat watch over us. As much as I smoke and drink, I hope you never have to burry me."

James continued to stare off into the distance at the passing landscape. "I'm sure it'll be the other way around. I hope not, but … sometimes you just have a feeling about things. And if that ever happens, you have to finish training Fox. Make sure he's ready for whatever shitstorm of drama is coming. I don't know what it will be, or when it will happen, but … I know it's coming. I can feel it in my gut. I just hope it doesn't happen for a long, long time."

"I've never heard you talk like this before, Jim."

"I've only ever told Vixy. Now I'm telling you."

"I don't know what to say."

"Just say you'll train Fox if something ever happens to me."

"You have my word," Peppy replied.

"God, I really need that drink, now."

"You and me, both. Next stop: top shelf bourbon. We drink until the bottle is gone."

"Amen to that, brother." Then, in a softer tone, James repeated, "Amen to that."

X

X

A/N: This chapter was originally published November 2, 2005.
I now wish to dedicate this story to the voice actor for Peppy and Andross, in StarFox64 – Richard 'Rick' J. May.
Without you, Lylat is quiet. Too quiet.

-Kit