FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The silence of space never gets old. Well, at least not for me, Fox McCloud. The stars and planets forming the Lylat system populated the dark empty void. However, I was on a mission. Patiently waiting for my target to come across his scanner. If my intel was right, they'd be coming to this sector anytime now. However, my concentration was ruined by the sound of a phone call.

"Dammit, who the hell is calling me now?" I muttered. Missing the "Reject" button from not looking, a pop-up of the bluebird Falco popped up on his screen.

"Hey, Fox, where you at? Some friends and I are gonna shoot the shit at a bar, wanna go do something fun?" Asked Falco from what I assumed was some sort of nightclub.

"Sorry, no can do. On some personal business."

Falco paused for a bit and pulled out his smartpad to then grimace. "Don't tell me you actually took that bounty? I thought you said bounty hunting wasn't your thing."

"How do you know that?"

Falco waved the smart pad in his hand. "I still have permission to the hangar, remember?"

I frowned. I don't know why I let Falco use the hangar, knowing he'll never fly unless it's to show off to his friends or potential flings. "It's not, but it's more exciting than barhopping with your featherbrain."

"Ouch, but at least you're honest. But just because your girl dumped you doesn't mean you have to take it out on me. Slippy and I are basically your only friends at this point."

I decided to ignore the ex-girlfriend comment for now. "If you're not gonna help me, don't bother to call anytime soon. I'm taking the week off."

Falco shook his head and looked at Fox in concern. "Listen, I'm trying to be nice here. You need to relax for a bit. Chasing for action all the time isn't healthy for you. Once you're done bounty hunting for a week, why don't you take my advice, okay?"

I sighed. Falco was a cocky asshole, but he was his friend. "Okay."

"Great! And once you're done with this week-long hunting trip, maybe we can meet up and have some battle under the sheets, if you know what I mean-"

I hung up. This is why Falco and I will never be a thing. With a sigh, I slumped in my Arwing's chair. Due to my grumpiness, I almost ignored my radar blink with the target. Straightening up, I kept the cloak on and systems low until I saw a fighter go by in front of me. Unlatching the Arwing from the asteroid I was hiding behind, I booted all systems online and full power to the target.

Racing through the asteroid belt, I caught up to his bounty in no time, but for the first time, I was hit by some mines the enemy fighter had left. "Heh, maybe this guy will actually be a challenge," I whispered to myself. That didn't turn out to be the case, because once I skillfully maneuvered my way through the mines, I placed 3 well-aimed shots to their thrusters. The enemy fighter lost control and nearly crashed into an asteroid if it wasn't for the towing cable I shot. Guess it's time to reel this guy in and get some credits.

Slowly landing the mini-cruiser into the docking bay assigned to me, I waited for the anchors to latch onto the ship. Once docked, I headed down to the prison cell where I was keeping my catch. After the door slid open, I was greeted by the sight of the ugly mug of Zaeed, an ex-commander of Andross' army. Apparently, the asshole made the wrong deals with the wrong guys, which got his name on the list. Whatever he'd done, I was glad to bring him in.

"Finally," the ape yelled while standing up, "Took you long enough to get here. Honestly, I'm happy you're turning me in so that I don't have to spend another minute on this ship with you. You know what, it's kinda sad that the legendary Fox McCloud has fallen from his grace as a world-class mercenary to a bounty hunter. I thought I was in debt, but seeing you in this occupation has made me reconsider how bad my situation is."

Fox shut down the hardlight barrier and shoved the primate back onto the prison wall. Despite the ape being taller and heavier than he was, I still had the strength and power to make the ape comply. "Shut up," I said as he shoved a gadget against the primate's face that extended around the mouth to gag him. I had already put a collar and handcuffs on the fugitive. "Now if you know what's good for you, you're going to follow me all the way to the exchange, unless you want an extreme shock on your neck, or worse, a laser shot at your legs."

With a reluctant nod from the ape, I pulled the man out of the cell and guided them to the airlock. I already had all my gear on, the only thing he had to do was pull up my hood and put on a mask that covered up most of my face. I was already wearing blue light armor with simple black clothing underneath. The armor was from a pawn shop here in Sargasso during a "visit" he made once before. The mask covered up most of my face below the eyes. I knew he wasn't welcome here, at least for the time being, so covering up while trying to mix in the crowd was the best option.

After showing some attendants my permit I got from some friends back in Corneria, the grunts let us through to the Sargasso Space Station. Once a refuge for bandits and thugs alike, the station has somewhat transitioned to somewhat of a reputable place. Or at least to the point where Corneria could turn a blind eye. The place was still a hotspot for crime and illegal activities, but the station was under clear leadership. If you can call organized crime syndicates leadership. But maybe that's why Corneria doesn't pay attention to what happens here; the bosses keep the station in check but allow the people here to do whatever they want. This means that Conernia can live in its happy place while the assholes get to be happy over here. A win-win situation, I thought. Politics isn't my specialty. I'm just happy that I can get jobs here.

The walk to the drop-off wasn't too exciting. There were some people who did give us some looks. However, it seemed like most people weren't looking at me, but rather the bounty. This was my first million credit bounty, and it was evident by the people in town giving knowing glances to the captured ex-commander. I was hoping that my slow climb in bounties from smaller clients would help keep my presence lowkey, but it seems there was no chance of avoiding attention. Occasionally Zaeed would slow down or pause for a second, to which I replied by pushing the outlaw forward to their destination. Despite the decently large crowds of the streets, I managed to avoid any chances of anyone trying to snag his bounty.

Eventually, we reached one of the station's syndicate's headquarters: the Feline Enforcers. I didn't know much about who these gangs were, but I knew that messing with them was the last thing on his mind. Walking up to the guards in front, I pulled out a smartpad to show the bounty notice while shoving Zaeed to them. The guards smirked, one of them grabbing Zaeed and pulling him inside while the other gestured for Fox to come inside. The guard, who appeared to be some beefy mountain lion of some sort, opened the door for me, touched his earpiece, and said "Looks like a bounty hunter came in with Zaeed seemingly untouched. He's down in the lobby if you want to personally oversee the credit transfer and thank him, boss." Smirking again, the mountain lion guard came up to me and placed a paw casually onto my shoulder. "Our boss is impressed that someone has captured Zaeed so soon. He'll be down to transfer the credits. Wait in this until he arrives," the guard said while guiding me into a surprisingly well-furnished room that looked like it was for meetings of some sort. The mountain lion sat in a chair next to the meeting table, I reciprocated and sat across from him. Seems like the capture was a bigger deal than I expected, so I should prepare myself for anything that might happen.

After about 5 minutes of waiting, a lion that had dark red fur and black fur on his mane and everywhere else entered the room. I was starting to get annoyed with all these people taller and beefier than him all over the place, but that's what it's like being a vulpine in a place like this. The lion swiftly sat in the chair directly in front of me. "Interesting, I wasn't expecting a fox to be the bounty hunter to catch that slippery bastard. Zaeed has always managed to slip away from my grasp, so I thank you."

There was an awkward pause, the lion expecting a response. "I can see why someone like you captured him. Despite your size, looking at you I can see you're extremely capable and experienced too. What gives it away are those eyes. The name's Antoni Locke," the lion said while extending his hand. I shook his hand and sat back down. Another long silence. "I see you're not a chatty one. I know you mean no harm by it, but as you can see, or more accurately hear, I'm quite the talkative man. But I won't waste your time. Would you mind lending me your credit chip so I can transfer the funds?" I complied and handed over my chip. Antoni slid the chip into his smartpad and entered the details. A screen between us popped up showing the transfer being done. A notification then appeared showing that the funds had successfully been added to an account.

But the lion stopped for a second, hovering over the chip reader eject button. I had his hands ready to pull out my gun any second before Mark spoke up. "Sorry for the delay, it just seems that my personal banking system has detected that this account seems to be held by a non-existent person. Now I pay for the most advanced technology, which means that my software can trace to who actually is obtaining the money I'm wiring. I do this because I want to make sure that my funds aren't going to the wrong people. You understand this, right Fox McCloud?" The lion said with an evil smile. The guard observing all this went wide-eyed, no longer taking pleasure knowing who was present in this room.

Fox's face darkened and he prepared to battle any second now. Fox took off his mask and hood and stared deeply at Antoni before saying, "So what?"

Antoni chuckled, "I mean no harm. I just wanted you to make sure that your identity is safe with me. But you should know now that next time you want to ask for credit cache instead of regular chip transfers. But as one of the current leaders of Sargasso, I must ask what the former leader of Starfox is doing at this station."

Fox relaxed but didn't loosen his grip on his pistol. "Work. Simple as that. If you're worried that I'm here to disrupt things, you're wrong. I'm not that stupid."

"Oh, I know that. If you truly intended to do so, I would've expected a lot more than just one fox at my doorstep. I just wanted you to fill my curiosity. You can keep your secrets for now, but do keep in mind what I said. I'm a talkative cat, and not many people here in Sargasso can say they met face to face with the hero of Corneria, much less talk with him. Maybe next time you're in town, maybe indulge me in some of your stories," Antoni then slowly handed me back my credit chip with a business card. "Oh, you can rest assured your secret is safe with me, I'll make sure my underling here doesn't peep a word about your presence here."

Before putting back on his mask and hood, I replied coldly, "Wasn't planning on it."

Exiting out of the building, I sighed. It was only a matter of time before a boss knew of my dealings here. At least I was on somewhat friendly terms with one of them. Maybe playing nice with Antoni could land me a more engaging mission, hopefully, one that doesn't involve criminal activity. I started the walk back to the ship until someone spoke behind me. "So, you're the guy who captured Zaeed? You don't look so tough," a deep voice with a twang said.

Fox tried not to act distraught. You gotta be fucking kidding me, he thought. There was no mistaking it, that was the voice of his former rival Wolf O'Donnell. Just my luck, I thought. I decided to ignore him and continue walking.

"Hey, you listening dumbass? I'm talking to you."

I kept walking.

"Okay, that's it fox. Stop right there," growled Wolf.

I kept walking. But that was enough for Wolf. Wolf grabbed my neck and dragged me to the alleyways out of sight from the crowds. He then flipped me around to face him. "Are you stupid? When I say stop, you stop, understand?" Wolf growled deeply. I looked away and nodded. "I prefer a vocal answer fox boy, but that'll do. But let me make this straight. You don't fuck with Wolf O'Donnell, got that." I continued to act disinterested. "You know what, this stupid hood and mask seem to not letting my points get through to you, so let's get that out of that way."

Without a chance to resist, Wolf pried the mask off my face and took off the hood. Wolf went silent for a second before grabbing my snout and turning to look Wolf right in the face. "Well I'll be damned, I had a feeling, but I never thought it would actually be you. Nice meeting you here, Fox."

I shoved Wolf off of him, how little of a distance it was. I looked at the lupine from head to toe. Believe it or not, this was their first time being so close to each other. They've seen each other plenty of times through their own cockpits, but never like this. We saw each other once after the Aparoid invasion, at the victory ceremony in which Wolf's bounty was nullified. However, they kept their distance, and I was the only one who said anything, which was thanking Wolf for helping me. Wolf was fitting to the theme of dwarfing me in size. While I stood only at 5'7" with a strong lean body, Wolf was rugged, muscular, and easily was over 6'5". First impressions at the ceremony didn't give justice to the actual size difference between them, maybe because of the suits both of them were wearing at the time. Wolf wasn't wearing his standard purple jacket and overly spiky clothing. Instead, he was wearing a sleek black bomber jacket, a maroon armor chest piece, and beaten-up jeans with a gold belt buckle. It also seemed he ditched the stitched-in eye patch to a more traditional black one that had a band wrapped around his head. And of course, his piercing red eye stared deeply into Fox's own green ones.

"You done checking me out or what?" Wolf said snarkily.

I then tried to push Wolf away in embarrassment. "No! I-I mean, yes! Ugh, what the hell do you want from me, Wolf? If you're here to tell me to scram, I'd be happy to oblige, I don't plan to stay here any longer than needed."

I started to walk away until the lupine held out his arm to block the path. "Now, let's not be so hasty. I won't lie that I had, not so pleasant, intentions when I saw the new hotshot bounty hunter in town. But color me surprised when I see Fox McCloud, hero of the Lylat System, stooping so low to the darker places of the system."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Watch it pup," Wolf growled slowly while pushing me against the wall again. "No, I wasn't. As a matter of fact, you piqued my curiosity. I mean, there's no way someone like you would be so desperate to turn to bounty hunting to make some quick cash. If you wanted to do that, all you'd have to do is accept all those offers I bet you get from sponsor deals. So I want an explanation as to why the amazing Starfox is here on Sargasso Station."

I frowned. "Why do you care? I thought you made it clear that you had no intentions of talking with me after the Anglar invasion."

Wolf relaxed a bit and contemplated his next words, which intrigued me. Wolf then decided to say, "I wasn't in a good place then, let's just say that. Anyways, follow me so we can chat for a bit in a safe place. Then I'll let you go."

I thought about resisting but relented knowing that it would only make things worse. As bad as Wolf tries to make himself out to be, he isn't a heartless bastard. Plus, it wouldn't be too bad to know what his "rival" has been doing the past year.

After putting back on my hood and mask, I followed Wolf to the bustling main streets of the station. Bright neon signs and holo screens populated all the shops and buildings. It reminded me of a typical downtown back on Corneria, except there was no red light district, all the sex shops were right next to the normal business like restaurants and clothing stores. I typically avoid this section of Sargasso, but it was crazy how it has grown into an actual city. After pushing through the crowds, we managed to find an alley that was less crowded, albeit still busy. Eventually, we reached a place called "Manny's" which was a burger joint. Inside, it was fairly busy, but Wolf walked up to a walrus that recognized the lupine.

"O'Donnell, haven't seen you in a while. Hungry? I got a table in the back."

"Starving Manny. Just got back from an extended trip to Sauria. Shit is still wild over there, but the jobs there are worthwhile. I brought a friend with me, just give me 2 of the same order, I'm sure he'll like it," Wolf said while pointing back at Fox.

Manny gave a deep belly laugh. "I can do that, but are you sure that you want 2 of the same order? I think you mean just one portion for that fox friend of yours, I doubt he can handle what you usually have."

"Damn, you're right. But hey, can't blame me, you know what they say about foxes and the amount of meat they can eat!" Wolf laughed while patting my back. It took all my willpower not to punch him right there. We moved towards a booth in the back of the restaurant and sat down. There were a couple of guests around us, but no one really had a clear view of my face. "You gonna take off that mask and hood or what?"

I crossed my arms.

"I didn't take you to the best burger spot in Sargasso just for you to watch a mukbang. Trust me, no one gives a shit about Fox McCloud around here. You should only be concerned with your identity when you're walking on one of the bosses' turf. I'm sure some of them still don't like you, but I doubt it. They know Corneria ain't gonna do shit what happens here. Plus, if someone does recognize us, they probably shit themselves or think they're high as balls if they're seeing Fox and Wolf sitting at the same table."

I hesitated before taking off my mask and hood. "Fine, but don't blame me if a shootout happens."

"There won't be. Remember I used to be called lord around here. Although I didn't want to be part of that stupid boss scheme, people around here still know I have power and shouldn't fuck with me."

"Whatever you say, I don't plan on moving here anytime soon," I said while sliding further into the booth to avoid being noticed.

"That's what I don't get. What are you doing here? Or more accurately, what are you doing bounty hunting? Don't you have more planets to save or something?"

I shook my head and contemplated if I really wanted to reveal why I was actually doing these jobs. The last thing I need to hear is him making fun of me. Probably doesn't matter, Wolf's smart enough to guess why I'm doing this. "If you think I'm in debt or something, no. It doesn't take a genius to know that I could probably spend the rest of my days at luxury resorts and still have money left over. Especially now that Starfox has disbanded and I don't need to waste money on fuel and constant upkeep. The reason is simple Wolf: the world doesn't need a hero anymore. Places like Venom and Sauria already have people and organizations trying to fix their problems. As you already know, I'm known for taking down empires and blowing up aliens. Reconstruction and political affairs aren't my specialties."

"So you decided that bounty hunting was your next career path after being a mercenary? Ever consider not trying to get yourself killed every day?"

"Of course I have? But sitting around all day and barhopping with Falco doesn't give me any sort of enjoyment. At least with these bounties, I get some resemblance of the work I used to do. Not quite sure what to do with the money, probably will donate it or make a scholarship like any war hero does nowadays." I slumped down in my seat in defeat. What the hell am I doing, explaining my life's problems to someone who tried to kill me multiple times like he's a therapist.

I looked over at Wolf who almost looked like he pitied me. "Well luckily for you, with most of the big bad guys out of the picture, that means there's a whole lot of small fry to deal with. All I'll say is keep out of my way. Guys like me are actually trying to make a living out of this profession."

I raised my eyebrow at his comment. "You need these jobs to make a living? Sorry, but I thought you would also be set for life, or at least have a decent amount of money in your bank account."

"Believe it or not, Corneria wasn't the only one who had a price on my head. I spent about 2 years trying to clear my name just so that I didn't have to worry every night about getting a laser through my head. After getting paid for helping you a lot in the Anglar invasion, I was able to start living a clean life, for the most part. However, paying off the bounties practically made me broke, so I've been doing God's work and making the world a better place like you are," Wolf boasted while putting his hands behind his head and leaning back. Managed to get a laugh out of me.

"Sure, I bet you've been living like a saint now. Let's forget how about 20 minutes ago you threatened me just because I didn't want to talk to you," I teased him.

Before he could make a comeback, Manny walked up to us with Wolf's order. "Here, 2 double bacon cheeseburgers with a large order of fries and a large strawberry milkshake. And a kiddie version for his... acquaintance," the walrus repeated the order while looking at me questioningly. "Didn't know McCloud was your friend now Wolf."

Wolf laughed at the store owner's concern. "How rude of you Manny! Just because he and I used to be rivals doesn't mean we can forgive each other and move on. As a matter of fact, I think we share many things in common."

"Really? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't count the number of times you've come here and cursed his name in ways that I don't feel are right to say out loud. Worries me what you're like at the bars," Manny stated. He shook his head and turned towards me. "Enjoy your food. Would be nice to hear some of the fights y'all had from your perspective. Lord knows I've heard his side of the story enough by now."

"Thanks, but don't expect me to come here often. I'm only here because he dragged me over here," I responded with appreciation. He smiled and went away to deal with other customers. Looking over at Wolf, it didn't take him long to start chowing down. The burgers looked really good, but I couldn't help but realize the lack of... well anything healthy. Not quite sure how someone built like him can maintain a body like his. Then again, he is one of the best fighters in the system. "I'm sorry, but how can you eat all that? That must easily be over 2000 calories."

Wolf stopped devouring his burger and ignored the sauce dripping down his mouth. "I'm the big bad Wolf, a proper diet is essential to maintaining this powerful form." He resumed "wolving" down his meal. I decided to follow along with eating, albeit at a more generous pace. After he consumed his two burgers in no time at all, he sat back and patted his belly. "Damn, I feel so much better now. Was gonna grab a bite to eat until one of my little birdies told me about an up-and-coming bounty hunter strolling through. Now you know what I'm like when I'm hangry."

I cleaned my face with a napkin before speaking up. "Hangry? Decided to bully a bounty hunter you don't even know because you were hungry?"

"Who knows? Maybe I was thinking of gobbling you up instead of an actual meal if I deemed you a threat," he taunted while throwing a fry in his mouth. He chewed so quickly I thought he must've swallowed it whole. "Another question, if you don't mind. Why bounty hunting? I mean, there's gotta be something that doesn't involve flying and shooting that you like."

I paused for replying, "I guess. I thought about having some fun and becoming a G-Zero racer after the invasion, but that ended up falling apart due to... personal reasons. Due to those reasons, I had this itch to do something... reckless."

Wolf took a sip of his milkshake. "Sounds like to me this personal reason is why you took up such a dumb job. Not saying you're up to doing bounty hunting, but it seems to me that you're just finding a way to vent your frustration."

"Maybe..." I mumbled while slowly putting a fry to my mouth.

Wolf gulped another load of fries before speaking up again. "So what's this 'personal reason' if you mind me asking."

I thought about whether or not to tell him. Whatever he probably knows about it by now anyway. "Breakup."

"Breakup? I didn't know-- wait... Shit, I forgot... So, that bitch really did hook up with Panther, huh. Can't say I'm surprised. How long ago was this?"

"A few months back. Also, she's not a bitch, we just didn't end up working out. Still sucked though. Want to rub more salt in the wound?" I muttered.

Wolf shook his head. "I'm not that much of an asshole Fox. At least you managed to get a girlfriend. You have sex with her?"

"Really? Yes, a couple of times in the start, but things slowly started to get more toxic. It was for the best," I said pensively.

"Hm. Not quite sure why you're so upset about it. Didn't you say it was becoming toxic?"

"Yeah, that's what Falco keeps saying. But it's just... sad. I'm 25 Wolf. Being single around this time just sucks. What am I saying! You're clearly aren't a relationship expert, and neither is Falco."

"Heh, suit yourself. I've laid plenty of times, so my sexual desires are fulfilled. The last thing on my mind is girl drama. If you're so pent up, why not just hook up with Falco?"

My mouth dropped. "Excuse me?"

"What? You heard me. I've heard the rumors, you've fucked around with each other right? I'm not judging, Leon and I had our rounds. If you haven't, you should try being gay, lot easier around here," Wolf said nonchalantly.

"I'm sorry, this is a lot to process. First of all, yes... Falco and I tried to get together, it was just weird. We don't mesh well at all. Also, Leon and you? That's going to be hard to get out of my head. Lastly, you're gay?"

Wolf grinned. "Yup. Tried girls for a bit, had okay sex, but it wasn't satisfying. When I had it with a guy though, my orientation was set in stone." Wolf pointed to Manny handing drinks to another table. "Even slept with that guy. One of the best asses I've ever pounded in my life."

I've covered my face as a child would. "Alright, I've heard enough. No need to prove your point. Can we move on now? I'd rather not talk about our sex lives."

Wolf chomped down another handful of fries. "Alright, fine by me." Over the next couple of minutes, we continued to eat our meals while having small talk about our ships. Eventually, Wolf finished everything and was picking his teeth with a toothpick while I was slowly drinking my shake.

Wolf tapped the table with his claws for a bit in silence until he readjust to sit closer to me. "Hey, I have a proposition to make."

"I'd be more than willing to pay the bill if you're that broke," I replied.

Wolf smiled a bit. "Now that you say that, I wouldn't mind. As you can see, my meals don't come cheap. That wasn't what I'm offering though." Wolf pulled out his smartpad and pulled up an image of some sort of resort. "In a week I'll be heading out to this new resort that's opening on Zoness. Seems like they are finally cleaning up the place, and it's the resort's grand opening. Apparently, it's using some sort of eco-friendly tech or whatever that allows it to clean the water while also being a literal floating island resort."

"I'm not in the mood for a beach trip thank you."

"I wasn't offering you to go on vacation. I got some solid info that a group going by the name 'Nature's Breath" is planning an attack on the resort. Even better, Antoni and his men don't like this group very much. So he's paying me to come with him to investigate and stop them."

"Sounds like a good job."

"That's why I want you to come along."

I looked at him wide-eyed. "Me? You're asking your rival to help you on a mission given to you by a Sargasso boss."

"What's wrong with that? Listen, our lives have changed a lot now that all this Andross and Aparoid business is behind us. We're both skilled on land and in the air. I could use another hand that I can trust for this mission, especially since the reward is so high."

"I don't care about the reward."

"Yeah, you made it pretty clear earlier. That money is mine. What I'm saying is you come along to fulfill that suicidal tendency you have. It's a win-win if you ask me."

I crossed my arms. "And what makes you think that us two can be a team? We've been at each other's throats for years."

Wolf shrugged. "It's like that phrase 'keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.'"

I shook my head in dismay. "That quote isn't applicable at all."

Wolf threw his arms and sighed. "Listen, Fox, you and I both know each other's talents. There's literally no reason for us to fight each other anymore also. I might say we'd make a pretty mean duo. Plus, you need a friend right now, because your other ones are doing a pretty shit job."

I raised my eyebrow. "So you think you have the qualifications to be a good friend?"

"Yup. I brought you out for dinner out of the kindness of my heart. Sounds pretty friendly to me."

I sat in disbelief for a second. "You know what? Fine, I'll take you up on your offer. But if at any point you're proving to be an annoyance as a team member, I'm leaving."

"Fine by me, but I think we'll get along great," he said with a smile that could almost be described as "charming". "Oh, and you're still okay with covering the bill right?"

Staring out the numerous stars and asteroids, I was waiting for Wolf to get his furry ass with his Wolfen to my mini cruiser. Apparently, he'd been taking ferries for his bounties, so he was eager to finally be back on a cruiser, as compact as mine was. The one I was using was a standard one that an average bounty hunter would use, but I guess Wolf wasn't lying when he said he was strapped on cash. Eventually, I got his comm signal that he was coming in, so I opened the bay doors and headed down from the command deck to the fighter bay.

After I entered the fighter bay I was greeted by him throwing bags onto the ground shirtless. Despite his aforementioned destitute, the Wolfen looked to be in pretty good shape. Wolf was hunched over the cockpit near what I assumed was his storage department. By the amount of bags he was throwing out, it would be a good guess that his spacecraft could be considered his permanent residence.

"Please," I shouted to him while walking over, "make yourself at home."

The lupine turned around so I could see his whole front. "Don't mind if I do." After throwing down his last duffle bag, he jumped down and crossed his arms over. "You wouldn't happen to have a cart or bin that I could use? You know what," he puts a hand on my shoulder, what about you just carry my bags to my room bellboy?"

He had a shit-eating grin that I was trying to ignore, but avoiding it brought my eyes to look down at his exposed chest. Much like what I expected, most of his front was covered in white fur with interestingly black nipples. His chest was bigger than I thought and he unsurprisingly had a six-pack. "In your dreams. Would you mind putting a shirt on for god's sake?"

The wolf shrugged. "What? I'm a wolf, I need to let my fur out. Don't tell me with your thick fox hair too that you don't go shirtless."

"It's called getting breathable clothes, Wolf."

"Sorry, not listening. Gonna show me where I can move these bags?"

I sighed. "Fine, your room's right next to mine. I'll show you where it is and there should be a cart in the maintenance closet over there." Wolf picked up some of his luggage while I went to the elevator. The space cruiser model I had was a simple 3 floored ship with the bottom being the hangar and engine room, the middle being crew quarters and amenities, and the top being the bridge and control room. Clicking on the middle button, we took a quick lift up to the second floor and headed to the vacant rooms. The mini-cruiser was meant to hold up to as many as 4 members, but my recent history hasn't let me use its full capacity. At the very least, I won't be wasting as much fuel as I would be using the Great Fox.

"Alright, here you are," I gesture to the open door to the empty room.

Wolf entered and took a few sniffs. "Still has that new ship smell. You even washed these sheets?"

I raised my eyebrows. "No. Didn't expect you to care though."

Wolf growled lightly, "Hey, just cause I live near a shithole doesn't mean I want to be. Your pompous ass got no excuse. Show me the laundry room so I can clean my clothes and this bedding."

"It's right down the hall at the end next to the showers, you won't miss it. I'll be at the bridge when you feel like explaining the itinerary."

I was browsing a spacecraft catalog when I heard the doors lift for the bridge. Wolf entered still without a shirt on. Hoping that this is pure because he needed to do laundry and not because he enjoys walking around shirtless. "Settled in Mr. O'Donnell?" I say in an obnoxiously polite tone.

"Hey, when I'm offered a nice room for a job, I'm not one to decline. To be honest, I'm quite tired, so I was thinking of taking a nap. But knowing that you might throw a fit, I thought talking to you first was better."

"Hah hah, very funny. It's fine if you make it short, I prefer it that way."

Wolf sat in the chair next to mine while propping his feet onto the command table. I turn around to acknowledge him better. "So here's the dealio Fox. This new resort called "Aquaris Atlantis" is being built on Zoness. Now you and I both know that Zoness is still in the middle of cleaning up after Andross took a huge dump into it, literally. So the geniuses at Corneria came up with some sort of 'revolutionary technology' that cleans the air and water of Zoness and came up with this resort that provides the funds to keep this technology. The story should end there. Well, a little birdie said that there's this eco-terrorist group called 'Nature's Breath' who's gonna organize an attack on the grand opening for this new resort."

I snorted. "Isn't it a bit ironic that an eco-terrorist group is trying to destroy something that's going to help the planet?"

"You aren't the first to ask that question. They think that no being non-native should go to the planet. Maybe they think it's the corporation's way to continue to pollute the planet. I don't know, don't care, all I know is that the company building the thing, Fernia Corporations, is in cahoots with the Enforcers, and is paying a fortune to make sure their opening goes smoothly."

"Okay, but why the hell are they getting hired for this? The enforcers are already on the job, why do they need a war veteran to do their dirty work?"

"This is where things get interesting. There's going to be big-time Cornerian officials who'll be residing for the opening week. Security there is already covered by the Corneria, and anybody with a bounty isn't gonna be let in."

I cross my arms in contemplation. "So their boss hired you since you don't have any official ties with Sargasso and cleared your bounty. I'm curious though if Corneria security is already there, why does Fernia want additional help."

Wolf laughed a bit. "Seriously? Do you think Corneria is going to help with such little evidence? They probably just gave half-ass security so that Fernia could get off their backs. The only thing these checkpoints are gonna do is funnel out the standard criminals like the Feline Enforcers, not the lunatics who probably have a clean record."

"Fine, I guess it sounds like a fun job. But why do you need a partner for this job? Feel like you would prefer this investigation solo."

Wolf suddenly lurched over and wrapped his arms around my neck. "Are you kidding me? Every detective needs his partner! C'mon, sounds like the perfect secret agent mission. Infiltrating a rich resort to stop a mad eco-terrorist group. They'd probably make a movie about it if we succeed that is. If it turns out to be fake, I guess we just got a free beach trip." Wolf inched a bit closer. "And... There's one small reason I invited you along. The suites I was offered were okay, but nowhere near the high-end, they offer. Now, let's say a legendary ex-mercenary popular on Corneria makes a last-minute request for a room. How could they refuse?"

I roll my eyes. "I highly doubt it. Just because a couple of brands have asked for me doesn't mean they'd want me as a celebrity to prove their status as a good resort."

"Okay, but that means we might have to share a room. You want that?"

I grimace. "I haven't even completely accepted this deal."

"You accepted this job when I landed on this ship. So I suggest calling them right now to see if they can save a spot for poor little ol' Fox who forgot to reserve a room for the grand opening. Here's their number." I grabbed the smartpad that Wolf wrote a phone number on. "And make sure to butter them up to ensure a spot, will ya?"

After entering the number into my PDA, I waited until a chirpy feminine voice greeted me, "Thank you for calling Aquaris Atlantis, the new and best eco-resort! A friendly reminder that we won't be able to take in any new appointments at this time. How may I help you today?"

"Um, hello this is Fox, Fox McCloud. I was wondering if you had any luxury suites still available?"

"Ugh, are you fucking kidding me? This is the 5th one today. The least you could do is try to come up with a lesser-known celebrity in the universe--wait. Debra, could you check the credentials for this line for me real quick?" I was taken aback by the insane change in tone that I didn't even respond to her. Then I could hear some distant mumbling. "So this is the actual number of THE Fox McCloud. Oh my lord, and I just cussed right into his ear, he won't be mad right? Shoot, I'm wasting his time, wish me luck! Sorry about all that Mr. McCloud, we have just been overwhelmed these past few weeks with spam callers, how can I help you?"

After recollecting myself after that experience, I spoke up, "Yes, I understand. I know you said that you weren't taking any new appointments, but my agenda has been so busy as of late I completely forgot to book a room for your grand opening. Is there any chance that there are some good rooms still available?"

"I'm sorry Mr. McCloud, but we are booked out. But I think we can make some rearrangements to fit the caliber of someone like you. Huh? Debra, he's still on the phone! What's that... It seems that there's already a room booked for you, Mr. McCloud. It seems it was reserved by someone by the name of Falco Lombardi?"

I wipe my face in annoyance. Of course, he's pulling one of these "surprise" trips on me again. Collecting myself, I politely state, "I see, I didn't realize he already reserved a room for me. Thanks for letting me know, goodbye."

I look over at Wolf who's giving me a curious look. "What was that all about?"

"It seems Falco has already got me a room. He likes to spring random trips on me to 'boost' my mood. Knowing him, he probably saved a whole room for me. Ugh, this is going to be difficult to explain," I groan.

Wolf shrugged. "I don't see the problem. Just say that you invited your old pal Wolf for a relaxing vacation at a new resort because he so desperately wants to come along."

I give him an incredulous look and shake my head. Going back to my contacts, I call Falco.

"Yo, finally done with your little excursion," he taunts me.

"You could say that. Listen, you wouldn't be trying to surprise me with a trip again, would you? Specifically to the new resort Aquaris Atlantis?"

Silence for a bit on the other end. "Maybe..."

"Listen, Falco, I'm doing something... personal with someone and we planned to go to the resort during its opening. I already called them and they said you reserved a room for me. Is this true?"

Falco's voice suddenly becomes more bright and excited. "Oh really now? Personal, you say? I see you don't have to tell me. If that's the case, then yes, I was planning to spring another surprise vacation trip for you. I was going to give it to some of my other friends if you didn't come back in time, but that's good to hear."

"Falco, it's not like that, I promise. It does have an extra room right?"

"Oh, it does. It's one of the luxury rentals that only the top 1% get to enjoy. Originally I was planning to invite a bunch of people over to the place and let them crash for the night but that will have to change with this new guest. That is unless you want more than just one," he inquires mischievously.

"No, no more people and no parties! Understood?"

"Fine, have it your way, McCloud. See you then!" The conversation ends with a click.

I look back at Wolf who seems to have an eager face. "So, what's our room looking like?"

"I'm sure it will live up to your lofty expectations. That shouldn't be your concern right now. What we need to come up with is a good excuse for why I'm bringing a guy who's tried to kill me multiple times in the past as my guest," I said with concern.

Wolf stands up and wraps an arm around my shoulder. "Don't worry about it, as I said, it's all in the past. I mean, there's been plenty of times when soldiers on opposite sides have come together for games. Who's to say that rivals can't go on a friendly beach trip together?" Wolf lets go of me and he walks away, not before slapping me on the butt. "What you should be worried about is clothing. I doubt you have any wear that's worthy for vacations. I recommend you start shopping, we have 3 days until the opening." With that he walked away while whistling, leaving me embarrassed and angry.

"Mr. McCloud, you're cleared for landing." The traffic controller told me as I orientated the ship to land towards the dock. The docking area was already full of civilian cruisers and various smaller ships. After the maglocks were attached to the ship, I cut off the engines and power and headed off to the airlock. Near the first door, I saw Wolf already waiting there for me with a duffle bag. He was wearing a bright blue polo and khaki shorts. I must admit, he was sort of killing the dad outfit.

"Must say, nice seeing you in something fun," he said gesturing to the tropical button-up and navy shorts I had on. "You rock a pretty mean tourist outfit. All you're missing is a fanny pack and a bucket hat."

"Shut up. Also, I hope you came up with your reasons why you're tagging along, it seems like they're giving us a warm welcome," I groan.

Wolf walks up to me and pats me on the head. "There, there little fox. You didn't think they'd roll out the red carpet for the savior of the system?"

As the airlock outer doors opened, there quite literally were red carpeted floors for the dock we were assigned. Ahead I could see a regal-looking peacock woman with some other attendants near her. "Welcome Mr. McCloud, it is a privilege to have someone of your stature join us on our opening week. I am Charlotte Vance, owner of this resort. And who is this... guest you brought along with you," she said with a bit of scorn.

"Greetings Ms. Vance, as you might guess, I am Wolf O' Donnell. Fox here kindly invited me along as of the last few months he has helped with my rehabilitation from my criminal ways to become a better man and mercenary," Wolf jumped in while giving an eccentric bow.

"Y-yes, he's been very charitable and um, good I guess. I decided that going on a trip would be a good break of pace and a chance to work on more standard social interactions."

Our ruse seems to strike something good with her, as she perks up like she has to prove something. "I must say it's hard to beat the grand expectations you set as a hero, Fox McCloud. Not only making peace with your former enemies but working to make them better individuals. I say, our goals share a common thread. Working to purify the evil of the world and let goodness shine through." This speech is giving me an aneurysm. This is why I can't deal with these kinds of people.

"Thank you again for coming. I hope you two have a great stay. I'm sure you two have many stories to tell, so feel free to come to the VIP lounge anytime to share. Here are your keys and a smartpad to show you the directions to the suite you'll be staying in. Have a nice day!" She says while curtsying in a way that many birds do.

Wolf and I stand around for a bit while Charlotte and her attendants leave. On the way, I can see him angrily yell and berate her employees, most likely their presentation in front of me. "Well let's go, we have a meeting at noon and I want to see what this luxurious apartment looks like," Wolf says while grabbing his bag and the smartpad from my hand. "Seems like our place is in what they call the western upper district. Heh, just from the map I can tell we got beachfront property. Oh, I'm gonna enjoy this."

We exited the docking bay to the bright blue sky of Zoness. Outside I could see what could essentially be described as a whole city. Looking at the map, I could see that they structured the resort into various districts, each for different types of people and purposes. The most apparent thing to see was the giant cylindrical tower which I could only assume was the reason why this place looks as magnificent as it does. The tower looks almost like a turbine with neon green rings around it, and it stood just in the center of the floating island. Assuming that it's the lifeblood of this resort, it isn't a longshot to think this is what these terrorists want to destroy. The question is when and how.

Aside from the powerhouse of the island, the resort mimics that of a beach island. Soft sand around the coast, green grass, palm trees, and colorful flora. Small parks were dispersed throughout the island alongside carts serving food and various amenities, some already manned by employees. Off in the distance, I could see something reminiscent of a pier, and near us was a street filled with what I assume was various restaurants. I'm starting to believe this is more of a floating city than a resort.

As we walked to our rental, the streets slowly started to be populated with guests, some glancing at us. Guess sticking to the VIP and privileged areas might be a bit necessary. Eventually, we reached the street that our place was located on.

"Damn," Wolf said in awe as he dropped his bags looking ahead, "you are loaded."

Perplexed by his reaction I turned the corner of the street to see the line of houses on beachfront property. "I-I thought they said it was just a room or suite," I mumbled.

"Shit we better hurry up, gotta get started on this mission so I can start enjoying myself here," Wolf yells while running to one of the houses.

The vacation rental was something you'd see from a celebrity home back on Corneria. Sleek white walls with rectangular geometry and wooden accents. The lawns were well kept and parked in front of a garage was a golf cart with a note on it. After reading it, it comes free as a means of transportation with the house. Would've been nice to have it before we walked all the way here. Closer to the house I could see an upper balcony that I'm pretty sure has a pool on top. The house was also covered with advanced window tech that could go from transparent to opaque with a touch of a button. Deciding I had enough looking at the house, I entered inside to see Wolf coming up from a staircase that went into a basement area.

"You won't believe this Fox, this house has a bowling alley! A fucking bowling alley in the basement! Where has this place been my whole life?"

I frowned. "First of all, who goes to a resort to go bowling in their vacation home? Also, honestly not that crazy considering there's a pool on the roof and I can see it through this glass ceiling," I point towards the living room to the right where the glass ceiling was. "Lastly, didn't you say we had a meeting soon?"

"Ugh, relax Fox. Enforcers will send us the meeting details once they settle in, so we should settle in ourselves. Keep in mind that we don't have much intel on where these terrorists are, so I'm not giving up this paradise to go on a wild goose chase." I crop my arms in defiance. Wolf growled, "And remember, I'm taking the lead on this mission, not you. So I don't want you snooping around looking for red herrings. Capeesh?"

"Yeah, I know. Try to be on vacation and have fun for once. Hopefully, Falco doesn't try to join the party. Anyways, have you looked at our sleeping arrangements yet?"

Wolf picked up the bags he left on the floor before he explored the house. "Yep, 2 bedrooms, but for some reason, they share a bathroom. It's a big one, don't get me wrong, but feels like a weird place to cut costs."

I shrug. "By the looks of the owner and the house, I guess it's based on bird architecture. Birds tend to make these extravagant houses, but like to keep things minimal and efficient. I remember Falco disliking how we had separate bathrooms, saying it was a waste of space. There's probably 2 showers in there, so um... we should probably take turns just in case."

Wolf paused to contemplate what I said then grinned. "What? Don't tell me little foxy is still scared of being naked. Didn't the flight academy teach you to be less insecure?"

"D-don't be ridiculous! I'm fine with being naked, just trying to be accommodating, that's all! C'mon, let's just pick our room," I mumbled while storming up the staircase to the rooms, my suitcase banging against the steps. The second floor was much smaller, but this was mostly due to it being connected to the rooftop outside area with the pool. The floor only seemed to have the rooms, both of which seemed to face the artificial beach and separated by the conjoined bathroom.

Wolf bumped into me playfully. "So, bottom or top bunk?"

"Didn't know they got rid of one bedroom and changed the other to have a bunk bed," I said sarcastically.

"I know, crazy right? But if you had to choose...?" He asked inquisitively.

"Top I guess," I answered with a shrug.

Wolf smacked a fist into his palm. "Hah! Knew it!"

Curious, I asked, "Why does it matter?"

"Nothing."

"Okay, it obviously means something if you respond with 'nothing'," I scowled at him while he had a shit-eating grin on his face. "Wait a second, were you trying to wrap some sort of innuendo into it? Were you asking me if I was a bottom or top? Ugh, that is so dumb and doesn't even make sense, I mean-"

"You are correct that I was trying to gauge your sexual preference, but not quite so literally. From my knowledge, the actual preference is the opposite of the answer given. And if you think about it that way, it makes total sense. I mean, bigger, stronger, dominant men don't want to climb up all the way into bed. See? Perfect logic," he lectured with an annoying professional tone that made it seem like he actually studied this topic.

Trying to contain my embarrassment and tail flicks, I retorted, "You can't seriously believe that, can you? This is the first I've ever heard of it, and I'm not believing it until you get real evidence to back your claim."

"Evidence you say? I see, well, I'm afraid my sample size for this hypothesis is too small right now, but judging by the reaction you're making it seems that I might have more evidence to prove my claim." Wolf slapped my butt again and headed off to the leftmost room. "We're meeting up with the Felines at noon at whatever this resort's time zone is called. Make sure to be unpacked and ready by then."

He winked at me and closed the door, barely giving me a chance to process what happened and respond. Man, it's going to be hard sharing this place with that big idiot. Rolling my suitcase and bags into another room, I tried to clear my head of the stupid thoughts he put in my head. Bottom bunks are tops and vice versa? Zero sense, clearly uncorrelated. It was just a lucky guess...

"Alright, time to head out," Wolf jangled keys in front of me while I was laying down on the couch in the living room.

With a big stretch, I got up and followed him outside to the golf cart. "So where are we headed?"

"There's some pish-posh brunch spot in what's called the Clam District. Antoni and some of his own personal guards will be with him. Because of his status, he'll most likely be watched by the Cornerian forces if he tries to do anything suspicious. Which means they probably won't like it when he tries to meet up with two former mercenaries."

I sat shotgun next to Wolf in the golf cart, while he used the keys to start it up. "So are we gonna make contact with someone else here?"

"No, Antoni doesn't have any contact here that wouldn't arouse any suspicion if they made contact with us. So we're just gonna have to pull a more standard approach. We'll find a table like normal and go to the bathroom when I think so. Antoni will then later follow us in and we'll quickly discuss what's up. Sounds like a plan?" Wolf asks while zooming out on the golf cart.

"I guess, not sure why we even need to contact Antoni right now. I mean, did you even tell him I'm working with you?" I hold onto the cart's frame as he takes a sharp right turn. "Also, have you ever driven one of these things? And do you even know where you're going?"

"First question: no, not like I was given orders not to bring along a teammate. Second question: no, but don't worry I'm getting used to it. Third question: yes, I'm not that dumb, plus there's a GPS on the dash if you can't see it."

At this point, I realized that arguing doesn't help, and just accepted his ignorance. Instead, I decided to look at the scenery and the roads we were traveling. It seems the resort has become a lot more busy and lively with various anthros walking around and people on trolleys with their luggage checking in. I see some employees greeting customers and setting up shop. It's crazy how busy and populated this place can get. Along the way we see others in carts like ours, albeit the others look a lot more like a VIP and have a driver who seems to know what they're doing. Some of the tourists give us looks as we pass by, with the occasional child yelling my name at their parents. Luckily no one has had a chance to take a picture yet.

It takes about a couple of minutes until we reach the Clam District. The whole area seems to have some sort of fancy palace vibe with marble and mermaid-like statutes. Wolf parks in a white-colored spot labeled "VIP" that matches our cart. With that done, we head towards a restaurant called the "Sunny Side Spot". Inside the place reminds me of a modern cafe with warm lights and sleek furniture. An employee looks over at us in surprise and nervously shows us to our table.

As we walk our table, I try to discreetly look around for the black-maned lion, and once we reach our destination, I spot him and the guards I saw before situated at a secluded spot in a corner of the place. On the other hand, Wolf and I seemed to get a nice table near the window, giving us a view of a grand fountain with a huge open clam statue. After placing a quick order with which I assume is a starstruck waiter, we wait awhile as I impatiently tap my foot on the floor until Wolf slams his foot on top of mine. "Alright fine, we'll go now, jeez." Wolf steps off my foot and starts to get up. "Shit man, I need to piss, we'd better go now before our food comes."

What kind of act is this? I decided to go along with it in a joking manner. "Since when did boys start going to the bathroom together? Fine, I needed to wash my hands anyway," I said while walking to the bathroom with him. The bathroom had typical two stalls and one urinal layout and matched the theme of the place. While I was looking out for any potential cameras or bugs, Wolf decided to actually take a piss at the urinal. "Are you fucking serious?" I hissed.

"What? I wasn't lying when I said I needed to piss," Wolf growled. "If they somehow check the plumbing we'll have an actual alibi.

I let out a groan as the door just a couple of seconds later the door swung revealing the red lion wearing a tropical button-up and jeans. He looked at me again and smiled. "Strange, you never told me you recruited another hand for the job, let alone Fox McCloud. Funny meeting you again soon Mr. McCloud."

Wolf zipped up his pants and walked over to place a hand on my shoulder, but I slapped his hands away before he was able to. "Wash your hands first you maniac." He grinned and went to the sink.

"As it turns out Antonio after he turned in his bounty we crossed paths. Fox and I made a mutual agreement and so he'll be helping out to pay back an old favorite."

"Old favor you say. Hmm, well alright. Helps to have a face that isn't a sore sight for the Cornerians. So here's what my men and I have gathered thus far. The core reactor and pumping system are all centralized in the big tower the resort calls 'The Trident'. If the terrorist group wants to deal major damage, then that's where they'll most likely attack. Therefore, I've already managed to get some fake I.D. cards that gain access to the plant, but I'd recommend not using it unless necessary as once those are used, our cover will be compromised," Antonio explains while pulling out a stack of I.D. cards and giving one to both of us.

"Furthermore, Aquarius Atlantis doesn't solely rely on the Trident for operation. There are a couple of auxiliary and backup stations scattered on the far sides of the island. However, they aren't as reinforced as the main tower is. If they try to coordinate a bombing on each of them, it will be covered by my men, and I would also like to believe that the Cornerian forces would easily be able to notice something like that too. As a result, from intel I've gathered on Nature's Breath, they've acquired fighter pilots of their own, meaning that the most plausible strategy is an air raid afterward coordinated on the Trident. I don't have much access to pilots that can be stationed here to defend the other stations, so you'll have to help the Cornerians on that by yourself. Otherwise, keep in contact with me and be ready for anything, I don't have any good intel on when they'll actually be attacking, I'll need more time to determine that," Antonio walked towards the sinks to wash his hands.

He then turns around to face me. "Also as a precaution, I would like to add that I don't want any snooping around and intelligence gathering from you. The reason why O'Donnell and you are here is that I need forces that can stay undercover until action is required. I know how untrustworthy you are towards men like me, but I assure you that I have this handled. Mr. O'Donnell, please keep an eye on him if you don't mind. You are dismissed," he says while drying one hand and waving us off with the other.

Wolf and I exit the bathroom in silence. Once we sit down the waiter asks for our order, to which I respond in a somewhat grumpy tone. Wolf catches onto this once the waiter leaves. "Is Grumpy Pants upset that he can't be more involved?"

I slightly snarl, "Yes, now fuck off."

Wolf sighs and whispers, "Sorry that you have quite the history when it comes to things exploding when you get involved. No offense, but your style is more of a frontal assault. On the bright side, that just means you get to enjoy yourself until you need to jump in, understood? And please try to be more discreet, remember that they're watching. So act like I said something really embarrassing like I don't know, I know the real reason why you broke up with Krystal."

"What the hell are you talking about," I almost shouted in embarrassment.

Wolf's smug demeanor came back in full force. "I meant what I said. From what I gathered this morning, you're obviously a bottom, or somewhat a switch. Y'all weren't matching together either well when it came to the personality department either. So terrible relationship plus bad sex equals breakup. Simple as that."

"I can't believe the words coming out of your mouth. Are we seriously having this conversation again? What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me the truth," he said with his arms crossed.

"Fine! Want me to tell you the truth? I'm the same as you. I realized that I don't like fucking girls. I only went out with Krystal because I thought, 'Hey, we're both foxes and fighting, maybe we'd be a good couple!' Turns out I was wrong. Then I took Falco's stupid advice, went around with him, realized I didn't like giving it, then went a second round, realized that I LOVE taking it. There! I said it! I like dick! D-I-C-K! Want me to spell out the rest for you?"

At this point, I'm breathing heavily and staring at Wolf smirking that I didn't see the waiter come out with our drinks. I sit back in my chair and cough awkwardly looking out the window as she places down the drinks and rushes away. Wolf whistles. "Wow, coming out of the closet, so proud of you."

"What's the point of this charade, Wolf?" I ask while pinching my forehead.

Wolf gets up from his set and leans closer. "Listen here Fox, I'm just trying to help you. We're here in a popular new resort. Sure, we might be here to prevent a huge disaster and potential massacre, but we've got that covered. What matters is the hero Fox McCloud is here single and ready to mingle. If you truly are a bottom, then look no further than a tropical resort with a beach. I mean, all you have to do is look around and see the man of your dreams."

I look around to see what he's describing and frown. "Yeah, definitely don't see any potential matches here. What are you trying to say?"

Wolf deflates a bit before straightening up again. "What I'm trying to say is that we should go look around and have some fun."

"What, are you trying to be a wingman or something?"

Wolf sighs again and puts his arms around his head showing off his huge biceps. "No, I'm not going to be your wingman. I'm out here looking for a match too. Just like we're working together on this job, we can work together to find love."

"That is the corniest shit I've ever heard. Whatever, I need something to do anyway to keep my mind off the job. Are you sure we will be ready to go at a moment's notice?"

"Don't worry, I've already loaded the trunk of our cart with equipment. As long as you have that smart bracelet on, once you get the notification just run back to the cart and it's gone time. Looks like our food is coming, I'm starving."

After we finished eating we decided to head back to the rental to decide what we wanted to do next. I let Wolf drive since I didn't know how to drive a golf cart and he seemed to be getting the hang of it. As we approached the house, I could see a certain bluebird in the driveway of the house right of us. Falco turned around and started walking over to us as we parked. "Oh lord," I muttered.

"Hey, Fox! Who's the chauffeur?" Falco suavely asked.

Wolf got off and leaned against the hood of the cart in a cocky manner. "What's up, Falco?"

"What the? Wolf!" Falco exclaimed.

"The one and only. Who else rocks an eyepatch as good as I do?"

"Fox, I thought you were going to bring a friend, not a former rival who's tried to kill us numerous times!" Falco shouts.

"Listen, it's okay Falco, everything's fine," I said, trying to stop Falco's hot temper.

"Yeah," Wolf smoothly says while wrapping an arm around my neck, "there's no need to worry. McCloud and I are just relaxing as old war pals do, right?"

"Old war pals? Yeah, I don't buy it. Let me guess, blackmailing Fox just so that you can get a luxurious vacation from your dirty jobs? That's pretty low, even for you."

Wolf chuckles. "Blackmail? Good one, I wish I had something to incriminate y'all, but sadly I don't. But I'm glad you think so highly of me. The truth is very simple my feathered friend: Fox is using this as a way to 'rehabilitate me' and help me become a better man. Essentially, if I behave like a good boy, I get to enjoy a great summer vacation. Isn't that right, Fox?"

Seems like Wolf is changing our circumstances each time we talk to a new person. Hopefully, this doesn't come around to bite us in the ass. "Sure, that's the gist of it." I shrug. "Listen, Falco, it'll be fine. What's the worst that can happen?"

"How much time do you have, because I can list a lot of things. Whatever, I'm not letting one eye ruin the beach trip I had planned. I'm hosting a party at my place tomorrow, and I'm inviting hella people over. I'm expecting you to be there, who knows, might find the one true love you've been looking for," Falco says while heading back to his driveway.

We stand in silence for a bit before I sigh again and give Wolf a dirty. "What did I do?" he says nonchalantly.

"Man, how long does it take to put on a swimsuit? We're going to the beach, not scuba diving," I hear Wolf shout through the bathroom door while knocking.

"Shut up! I'm just... making sure everything's on right," I shout back. "Ugh, this is what I get for ordering swim trunks online, have they always been this short? And why is it so tight on my groin?" I mutter to myself.

"You know I brought a couple of extra swimsuits if you need it," Wolf offers.

"Fat chance. There's no way they'd fit anyways," I grumble. "Ok, this is the best I can do. If you're all ready, let's head out." I head out the door and get my first glance at Wolf in his summer swimwear. In some cruel sense of humor, he seemed to have gone with a black unbuttoned shirt with a skull and crossbones pattern to match his eyepatch. Additionally, I can see he's wearing some slides on his feet and dog tags around his neck. The main... problem area is his swimsuit. A dark purple speedo that has to be a size smaller because of the way too noticeable bulge.

"Quit your staring Starfox, unlike you I do have a problem with finding swimwear. One size larger and they're no longer tight against my waist. Only that I have such a huge-"

"Okay, that's enough! I got the picture! Let's just get going," I yelped while trying to hide my face in embarrassment. We silently go down the staircase and head out through the backdoor. "Are you sure this is the best way to hook up with people here? Wouldn't it make more sense to go to one of the more populated beaches?"

"You're joking, right? Don't tell me the great Starfox is so desperate for a fuck that he's willing to hook up with any Joe Shmoe?"

"No!"

"Then here's fine. Look over there, see?" Wolf points to a group of men as we finish our walk across the wooden boardwalk to the beach. "Plus I don't feel like wasting my time at a crowded beach. I also don't think that hooking up the less fortunate is good for your reputation or health, no offense."

"Says the guy who about a week ago couldn't afford a burger," I retorted.

We stopped at a good spot and Wolf threw down his bag and towel. "I think that's enough bickering, help me with setting up our spot." After a couple of minutes, we set up two beach towels anchored down by one bag and the other with our cooler. I also brought an umbrella covering the center for now. "Ah, here we go, now it's time to relax and enjoy the sun," he says after throwing his shirt in my face and plopping down on his beach towel.

"Hold on, I thought the whole point we were out here-"

"Was to relax and have fun, you just assumed that it meant we it was boyfriend hunting time. Now relax, trust me, good things come in time. I mean, you already have everything you need here."

"Sunbathing isn't a need for me, sorry," I groaned at his suggestion. Before I laid down though, I got a good look at Wolf again. Man, he was bulky, I never really noticed it before but he had one of those big guts that managed to still have a six-pack. And those black nipples. Normally canines and vulpines like me have pink nipples, but they are black. Does that mean...? No, NO! I sigh once I deflate onto my yellow striped towel.

We relax under the sun for a while until I grow tired of the silence and pull out my speaker. Wolf then goads me by saying that "I seem too stuck-up and focused to listen to music." I decided not to entertain his annoyance and play some of the new artists I've been listening to. It seemed my music taste wasn't as standard as he thought either (I pride myself in at least that hobby) and suited his tastes. I could tell by the way his feet and head moved to the beat a little. However, I couldn't help but notice him looking at me every once in a while. Like he was expecting a reaction out of me. Not sure why I sat on his right side in the first place.

After reapplying some sunscreen on my nose and vulnerable parts, I sat back down and managed to doze off for a bit. Wasn't long until I was startled awake by a loud voice.

"Yo, is that McCloud? Like THE Fox McCloud?" Fluttering my eyes open I was greeted by the sight of two male canines, both of who seemed some sort of labrador. I rubbed my eyes to see clearer and sat up.

"Dude, he is, like, Fox McCloud!" The black Labrador said again.

"I don't know... he's smaller than I expected," the blonde one said skeptically.

I black one bumped roughly in the other's shoulder. "Excuse my brother's rudeness. Clearly, he doesn't understand size doesn't matter when you're flying around the galaxy 'n shit."

I take a glance at the two dogs in front of me. The best way I could describe them is surfer bros. Decent lean muscle all around and good height, but not bodybuilder level like the lupine next to me. I grumble, "None taken. Mind telling me why you shouted at me instead of whispering from a distance?"

The two flustered bros awkwardly laugh it out and the blonde one clears his throat. "My name is Mike, and his name is Dan. My friends and I from college are spending our lunar break here at this resort. You're an alumnus from the Cornerian Flight Academy right?"

"That's right," I replied.

"Then you must play mad good volleyball right?" The black lab asked eagerly.

"Course, anyone from the Sand Coast at least knows how to pick up a game."

"Totally dude, so you gotta play some games with us," Mike says while bumping into his friend. "Bro, imagine what the other dudes are gonna say once we tell you we played beach volleyball with THE Starfox!"

"Beach volleyball you say, eh? Well if you plan on playing Fox, that means you'll need a teammate. I don't mind lending a hand, haven't played in forever though," Wolf said while he sat up from the shade of the umbrella.

"What the? Fox, why are you hanging out with the bad guy. Didn't he like, help Andross?" Dan said with fear in his voice.

I facepalm at how often this has been happening as of late. "Listen, this is getting annoying. He's a bounty hunter, doesn't mean he had undying loyalty to the lunatic. Plus, he saved all of Corneria during the Aparoid invasion, so I don't get why so many of y'all are scared of him. He's trying to turn over a new leaf, so be nice, alright?" I lecture to the two college bros. I also see that Wolf seems genuinely pleased with my response, not to mention that he hasn't said any snarky comment. I'll take that as a win. "Alright, we're doing this game or what?"

I dive down to set the ball and get into a great position. Although he lacks technique, Wolf makes up with power, and he smashes the ball into the far left of their court. The two labs stand there panting, unable to reach after running around so much. "I believe that's the game. Looks like we win 3-0," I say while brushing off my fur standing up.

"Damn, I would've... thought that... two pilots... didn't have... much skill in... beach volleyball," Mike panted, crashing onto the sand.

"I don't think... that was the problem... Wolf hit out of bounds so many times... but I could never properly catch the ball due to his power," Dan said, lying spread eagle on the sand.

"Well it looks like we won, so I'm gonna head out and take a shower to get all this sand out my fur, thanks for the games you guys," I stated, heading back with Wolf to pick up our beach gear.

"Wait! The blonde lab scrambles back up and rushes towards us. "Some of my friends and dudes are throwing a party at some chick's house, you gotta come. Like, no one's gonna believe I played volleyball with you, so you gotta prove them wrong. Trust me, it's gonna be lit, you won't regret it."

"I'll think about it, partying has never been my style."

Dan thrusts his smartpad in front of me. "Here's my number. Let me know if you're interested and I'll give you the details."

"Hm, alright. Goodbye."

As we walk back through the sand to our spot, Wolf walks over to me. "You're not thinking of going to this party right?" He asks.

I tilt my head in intrigue. "Only a little bit. Better than just sitting around. I'm surprised though. I would've thought Mr. Wingman would've encouraged me to go to a party with potential lovers."

Wolf scowls. "Yeah, if that place in question wasn't meant for spoiled college kids and alcoholics. Most people I bet won't even be your age."

"That's not true. I doubt they would have invited me if that was the case. Otherwise, I should be glad they consider me their age."

All I'm trying to say is, you don't gotta look far to find potential matches."

"Yeah, which is easy considering the party I just got invited to. Not sure what you're trying to say at all. Let's just pack up and order something, I'm getting hungry."

The first couple of days at the resort were largely uneventful. Through those days it was mainly roaming around the low traffic areas to avoid being noticed with Wolf. We both visited places of our choosing on the beach day. My choice was the amusement park, which had decent rides but nothing to the ones on Corneria, although the water rides were fun. Wolf's choice was a select food tour that mainly centered around seafood. I have to admit it was pretty good, and I didn't need to consult Wolf's opinion as he nearly ate everything. Regardless, despite being on a weird semi-vacation with my ex-rival, it's been pretty fun and relaxing. I guess we forgot about the whole partner searching aspect. To be fair, I think Wolf wasn't wrong in that this place was good for finding potential hookups. The party I was invited to coincidentally was gaining traction, and apparently, there's gonna be security to ensure only invitees get in. So tonight I'm gonna take my chances and head out.

As I enter the bathroom to check myself in the mirror and smooth out my hair, I'm greeted by a naked Wolf drying off in the blow dry machine. It looks like he just entered in by the looks of it, and he turns around just as I'm about to turn and leave myself. "Well look here, it seems the kit has decided to grow a pair and enter the bathroom with someone inside," he taunts after pressing the button to turn off the machine so he could speak to me.

"Ugh, I thought I told you to lock the doors when you're in here."

"Oops, guess I forgot. But I'm not the one bothered by it, you are. I'm sure you heard me taking a shower and starting the fur dry machine." He puts his hands on his hips to show his whole front in a cocky way.

"Well, I, I forgot okay? I was a bit distracted," I say flustered. Looking at this completely naked body, there's no denying he's got a huge package. Like mine, he's got a normal canine sheath, he is much more plump and matches his gray fur. His balls are like two grapefruits, making my average set look small. Not to mention my guess about his dick being black is correct, as I can see a bit of black hidden inside. I quickly recuperate and turn to my side of the bathroom to start adjusting my fur.

Wolf steps out of the machine for a bit to a bit to cross his arms behind me with a disdainful look. "Tsk, don't tell me you're going to that stupid party."

"What, are you jealous?"

"Please, the last thing I need is to go to a party where everyone treats me like a criminal, not like I get enough of that every day. Plus I know nobody good is gonna be there. Better off going to the strip club, hm, you think they have one here?"

Setting down my brush, I let out a sigh. "I don't get what you hate so much about this party. It's just that, a party. If it turns out to be a miss, then I guess I got free alcohol and entertainment. Okay, well, I'm gonna take the cart for tonight, so let me know if anything happens, okay? See ya."

"Catch you later."

Parking was a nightmare, as almost the entire block was filled. Luckily I was able to snag a spot near the front with some expert parking. The house similar to our rental looked like it was being used as a club with a line wrapping around the block. Before I got a chance to walk up to the line, I heard someone shout at me.

"Yo! Well, would you look at who it is? Starfox himself," Falco shouts from the balcony of the house. Guards suddenly block my sides as people try to grab me and beg me to bring them inside. None of them really had the strength to, but without the guards, I doubt I would've been safe. After thanking the guards for their quick help, I say Falco come down with a tall Siamese cat woman. "You're full of surprises this week, aren't you Fox?" Falco says, expecting an answer.

"Yes, I was going to invite, but Falco said it was a lost cause, saying you weren't much of a partygoer," the cat says to me. "The name's Melissa by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Melissa. And yes, normally I prefer my own company, but I thought I would let loose tonight and experiment. I only knew of this party due to some friends of yours, Mike and Dan.*

"That's right, they told me about playing volleyball with you, but from what Falco told me I assumed they met an imposter. Guess they weren't lying after all," the cat said with a soft tone, which was difficult to hear with the music playing loudly.

"Is that so, didn't expect to fraternize with random people like that Fox. Maybe there's some spark in you yet, and you're gonna need it for tonight," Falco interjected.

We entered the backyard area of the house which was different from my rental. The rental is directly on the beach, but this house was more on the island. The backyard area was large, but most of the space was filled with party-goers and sound equipment. I hope the insulation works well here because I'd hate to be a neighbor around here.

Just as we walked into the mob of people, two familiar faces bumped into us. "Yo, you actually came! Sick!" Mike said while Dan patted me on the shoulder like we were friends already. "See you've already met Melissa, didn't know your friend Falco was here too. Hope you're enjoying this party, this is crazy Melissa."

"Yeah," I said loudly, trying to speak over the thumping music. "This party is crazy, and I just got here. Didn't think you boys had such connections to a person who could pull this off, no offense."

Dan laughed. "No problem man! As we said, this is all Melissa. Initially, it was just going to be a chill party among friends but for some reason, she changed it, I'm not though!" Dan laughed while bouncing to the music.

I looked over to Melissa who looked sort of embarrassed. "Yeah, I'm not too big on this sort of thing. My family owns one of the space mining companies, and I'm the head engineer for it, so money wasn't the issue. I wanted a smaller and quieter party before, but my new boyfriend wanted to throw something big for some reason. I couldn't say no, he's just so charming."

Falco bumped into me while he was dancing around. "Enough with the chit-chat Fox, time to loosen up and get down!"

Relenting to his command, I started swaying to the music, and for a good amount of time, I was dancing with the crowd. After about 10 minutes, I decided I needed a break, and headed over to the house, where suddenly I saw Melissa hand over a mic to a somewhat gruff-looking rat. The music then cut out and the rat caught the attention of the crowd. "Good evening everyone! Thanks for attending, I just want to give a special shout-out to my girl here for setting up this party for me, she's been nice, so everyone give her a hand!"

During the monologue, I noticed some weird quirks. For one, he has a gas mask strapped around his neck, which at first glance looks like some fashion statement, but the closer I could tell it looked functional. Furthermore, his other hand was kept inside his pocket, and through his pants, I could tell it was something cylindrical he was holding. Something's not right, I'm assuming this is the cat's boyfriend, but why did he want to set up a party this big so suddenly, now that I notice, the rest of the house is locked and this backyard is fenced. Quickly, I head over to the food stand to grab a knife used to cut up some cake. I return up to the stairs, where I can see him start to finish up his speech.

"Lastly, I want to thank you all again for being... such sheep and flocking to a big party like this one. Spoiled children like you deserve to rot in hell!" He says, quickly pulling the cylinder out his pocket, which seems to be some sort of grenade. Deciding the risk is worth it, I expertly throw the knife above the crowd right into his hand, slicing off some of his fingers causing him to drop in pain. I rush to the stage and pick up the object he is holding. The crowd starts to panic while Melissa walks up to me. "Good work, guess you caught him before I could do it," she says. I see that she also is holding what looks like a taser, and I look over to see she has stunned her so-called boyfriend. Pick up the mic, she speaks in a much different tone. "Sorry for the trouble everyone, just an internal affair. Party's canceled, go back home, you're all fine."

Guards start to escort people out of the place while I see Falco push one of them away walking towards us. "What the hell is going on?"

I shrug. "I'd like to know too," I turn towards the cat checking her phone.

"Sorry Fox didn't mean to keep you in the dark. As the boss said, he wanted to keep y'all in the dark until things turned to shit. Just to let you know, I had things covered here. The joke of a terrorist over there thought he was manipulating a rich business girl. In some sense he was right, just didn't know about the part about that girl also being an Enforcer. Now, you wouldn't know what that thing you're holding in your hand is?" Melissa says pointing to the grenade in my hand, which I can now see has some sort of green liquid inside of it through a glass window.

"Poison grenade if I had to guess."

"Nice guess, seems pretty bad," she says while showing her phone to us. She swipes one by one showing various places on the resort covered in a cloud of dark green smoke, with people running away. "Looks like Nature's Breath has walked in. Things could've been a lot worse."

Sirens start to go off on the resort, and I can hear people starting to scream and run to their houses. I turn to Falco and sigh. "Okay, it's gonna be a long story, but let's head back to my cart and I'll give you the short version, all right?"

"Things can never be nice with you around Fox, can they?"

"Finally, you picked up, done partying?"

"If throwing a knife at a terrorist is your definition of a party, then yeah."

"Shit, they were there though? Go figure. Well, news flash, things have gone to shit. I stole someone else's cart and hacked it and I'm heading to the Trident. Apparently, amongst all the chaos some of them are rushing up the tower to take control, so I'm joining the enforcers to help take it back."

"I've got Falco with me now, should we start heading over there too?"

"No, I don't know if you heard it over the party music, but the hangar holding the Cornerian navy was blown up, and Antoni wants you to play the angel in the sky. There's some intel that there's a bomb squadron heading in to lay the final blow on this resort, and it's game over if they fly over with no trouble. Since the Trident isn't in control, the defense towers aren't working. If the bird is around to help, if he doesn't bring his set of wings then he can take manual control of one and see if he can clear the sky a bit. Any questions?"

"No, I got you. Falco is linked into our comm, so he heard it all too. Keep in contact, alright?" I ask Wolf.

"No promises," he responds.

Falco and I drove off towards the hangar my ship was at while avoiding the chaos and panic on the streets. Eventually, we reach the entrance. "Guess this is where we split off from Fox, next time let me know when you're bringing trouble."

"No promises." Falco runs toward an elevator where I can see some Enforcers waiting. I run towards the docking bay where I can see Antoni waiting for me.

"I believe Wolf gave you the brief rundown of the situation. As of right now, you are the only air support we have. Most of my men have dealt with some squadrons in the sky, but there's still plenty heading into orbit right now. My men down here will provide support through the defense towers, but we're relying on you to get rid of those bombers."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Nodding in understanding, I continue running to see that they've already connected to my cruiser, so I quickly unlock the door and rush to the bay area. Overriding the security system, I open the bay doors and do a quick pre-flight setup before taking off. With some finesse and tight movement, I exit the hangar and out into the Zoness sky, greeted by the dark sky. Shit, nighttime flying is the worst.

I circle the perimeter of the resort before my radar starts picking up targets.

"Fox, this is Falco. Targets spotted. I can handle the ones on the east side, you can handle the bogeys on the west."

I maneuver my fighter towards the west side and enable my smart vision setting in the cockpit. I can see about 15 of them, and they're coming in hot. I fly high to avoid their shots and try to locate the bombers. After a quick skirmish, I easily knock them out of the sky one by one before they reach the island. I can tell most of them haven't experienced a lick of real air combat, guess they weren't expecting an ace pilot to ready to fend them off.

"This is Wolf. We've reached the main control room, but they've done a number on the place. It's gonna take a while before the auxiliary systems are back up. So you're gonna have to hold up there for a while until the shields are running again."

Another wave of fighters and bombers pop up on the radar, but this time, it seems they've prioritized the east side. It doesn't take long for me to make quick work of my side, but what worries me is that Falco hasn't said anything. I flip over my Arwing and turn to head out to the east side.

"Damnit, there's too many for this damn tower. One of them is gonna make it!" Falco shouts over comms.

I can see one of the bombers fly away from the tower and I see a bomb start to fall towards the island. Speeding up, analyzing the readings on my vision monitor, and placing one shot, and it's a direct hit on the bomb. However, the explosion is huge and knocks my ship back a bit.

"What the hell was that?" Wolf growls.

"Nothing, just a small scratch. How long until those shields come up?" I responded.

"Right about now."

The defense towers start to emit blue light and connect again, forming a barrier over the island resort. Taking that as a sign to relax, I play it safe for the rest of the attack. Two more waves of enemies come after the shield rises, but with the shield up I can go all out. After about a half-hour of silence and an energy warning on my fighter, I take it that the attacks have stopped and head back to the hangar, but as I wrap around, I notice where that one bomb hit. "You've got to be kidding me," I whisper to myself.

It's been two days since the terrorist attacks on Nature's Breath. For the last two days, I've been interrogated by Cornerian forces about the attack and my knowledge of it. Trying to keep my ties with the Feline Enforcers a secret, I've maintained a stance that I only reacted to the situation, and that I was only there on vacation. Not to mention I'm pretty much now on perma-vacation. With my cruiser out of commission due to the bomb, I've been stuck on Atlantis like most people here. Corneria has some ships escorting people off the planet back home, but I decided that I would wait until what's left of my ship is uncovered underneath the rubble.

In the meantime, I landed my Arwing next to the beach house rental. Returning from another late questioning by authorities, I return to see Wolf has been let go.

"Look who's finally free."

"Can it," Wolf grabs a beer from a fridge and takes a big swig. "Fuckers can't recognize that I was helping, not attacking. Go against them one time and they treat you like shit forever."

"That's Corneria for you. Bureaucracy and all. Now you see why I try to stay on their good side. Glad you're on my side for this one at least." Wolf takes another deep swig and stares at me for a bit. "What?"

"Nothing," he says.

After a weird silence, I decide to break the ice. "So what do you plan to do after all this?"

Wolf takes a swig and stands up. "Put on your suit, we're moving to the pool upstairs."

"What? At these hours?"

Wolf lets out a small belch. "Ok Mr. Proper. Don't be a bitch, we haven't used that thing at all yet. I'm pretty sure it has lights in it too."

"Fine, why not." We go up to change quickly and we head out to the pool balcony. We agree to turn it up to a warm setting and hop in. The pool, or really big hot tub at this point, isn't that large, so we sit fairly close to each other. We stay silent for a while again, and I can see Wolf is still chugging a beer, but at the same time, he seems to be in deep thought for some reason. I know a beer isn't enough to get him drunk, so I'm curious what's got him thinking so hard. "What's got you thinking so hard?"

Wolf looks at me for a bit and stares at the night sky for a bit before looking at me for a bit. "You."

"H-huh?"

Wolf lets out a big sigh and chugs the rest of his beer before throwing the can into the pool. "I'm thinking about your dumbass. Let me ask you this. Were you successful in hooking up with anyone here?"

"Uh, no."

"Hmph, of course not. Another question, have you noticed anybody hitting on you, flirting?"

"Uh, I don't think so."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"I think so."

"You are so stupid." Wolf rises out of the water and wads closer to me. "Think harder. For the past week, I've been talking with you about your romantic life and trying to score big. Not to mention even having a conversation about your sexual preference. So let me ask you another question, do you think I, Wolf O'Donnell, wanted to be your wingman."

I look into his red irises and think back. Wait, so if he didn't want to help me find a man, did that mean... "Wait, are you saying?"

"That's right. You've been so naive and stupid this past week it's been pissing me off. Let me paint you a picture: for the past month, I've been busy with a job and come back to Sargasso and meet you with that tight suit in person. Sensing an opportunity and a possible business partner, I enlist your help. Not only do I find out you're gay, but I get a glance of your naked body on this ship."

"Y-you saw me? I thought I locked the shower door!"

"Nope, I was gonna take a shower of my own and I stumbled upon you exiting out of one of the stalls into the drying station. And from that moment on, I dead set on getting your ass in bed with me."

"I didn't know..." I mumble while looking down.

Wolf leans closer into my ear. "Of course, you didn't, you're always so focused on doing your job you can't even notice people making moves on you. No wonder you're so unlucky romantically. Lucky for you, I just can't seem to keep you off my mind. I've been trying to get my rocks off for a month now, but I can't because I just had to wait until I got my chance with you. So, here we are. Just us, no distractions, no mission, nothing. So, will you hear me out?"

I gulp and nod, "Yes."

Wolf sits right next to me and leans closer, wrapping an arm to hold me closer. "Now I want to make this clear. I won't go easy on you. I want to truly ravage you, claim you as mine. Not only that, but I want that sentiment to be consensual. Believe it or not, I don't go for unwilling prey, and disinterested whores are what I won't either. I want someone who truly craves me. Because for the last few days I've been spoken to like I'm not the one in charge, so I want you to understand exactly what you're getting into."

My face feels numb. I'm not sure why, but everything is clear to me. Over the past weeks, I've grown to like Wolf, and I know exactly what type of man he is now. However, what he's telling me, is it a good idea to accept? But every part of my body is saying yes, and I am willing to take a shot. I look into his eyes again and give a slight nod.

"Good, not eager, I can see you're genuine about this. But like I said, I want someone who truly craves me, so, pup, tell me your answer," he seductively whispers into my ears.

"Yes, I understand. I submit to you... Wolf. I want this too-- Woah hold on!" I shout while Wolf growls in pleasure and throws me over his shoulder carrying me along with him out of the pool and back to our bedrooms. Since mine is the closest, he burst through the door and put me down.

"Take a shower, I don't want to smell chlorine while we do this. Gives me time to prepare also, so go on, rinse and dry off," he growls while pushing me into the bathroom. I'm surprised he has this much restraint, but I guess he wants this moment to be something worth remembering, so I decide to follow his advice. Taking off my clothes and rubbing the chlorine smell of my fur, it's incredibly hard to not focus on the raging boner I have. So many emotions are running through my head right now. My former enemy and rival, now an ally and potential partner. Some people would say that this is wrong, but I know that it's right and the prospect is so tantalizing. I know now that he isn't the heartless criminal people make him out to be.

Quickly rinsing the smell off of me, I bear the heat of the quick-dry setting and head back into my room. I can see Wolf has brought a bag into the room, but I don't get to see the contents before he turns to me and pushes towards the bed. "Good, all cleaned up. Probably will need another after what's about to happen. But I still need to clean myself, so be a good boy and lay on the bed, just like you're about to go to bed. No moving, and don't move even when I come back. Is that clear?" I nod. "Good." Wolf takes off his suit while he walks into the bathroom and closes the door. Obeying his orders, I lay on the bed, trying to contain the mixture of passion and anxiety in my body. It feels like forever until the door finally opens. Not wanting to ruin the moment, I stay as still as possible, trying to ignore my growing erection and pretending to fall asleep. After some rustling which I assume was Wolf moving the back towards the bed, the mattress depresses with the addition of the bulking muscled lupine on it. Wolf creeps up my body, seductively tracing his claws up my body, bringing chills to my body.

"Well, looks like I caught you for real this time Fox. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Only us, in this moonlight room. Tell me, what are you feeling?"

"I'm a bit, um, scared, but um, yet excited."

Wolf gives a hard, long lick up my chest. "Look at us, big bad wolf towering over the small helpless fox, it's just like from the stories you hear in school." Wolf nips my ear, eliciting a gasp from me. "God, you drive me crazy. Hero of Corneria, now prey to the Evil Mercenary Wolf. Titles like that don't matter here, all I see is a pup that is going to be mine. It's taking all my restraint not to flip your body over and pound that ass now. But I'm going to take my time with you, just so you know how much you fuel my hunger."

Whatever restraint he was talking about earlier, I fail to see it as he dives right onto me, licks all over my snout, making me open my mouth. Accomplishing his task, he sticks his tongue into my mouth and begins a deep and passionate kiss. The kiss feels so one-sided, his strong tongue guides mine into wherever he wants in my mouth. He brings his paws to my back and presses me close against his chiseled chest, and I feel our growing erections grind against each other. The kiss lasts for so long, I struggle to breathe until he finally relents and separates from my mouth, strands of saliva still on his mouth. I gasp for breath as he licks his lips in satisfaction. "Damn, you're a good kisser Fox, but we've got other needs to attend to." With a strong hump, he grinds his dick onto mine, making me squirm in anticipation.

Wolf then slides down so that his head is aligned with my groin. From what I see, his sheath is partially filled out with his length, but mine is aching to escape, with my sheath still covering my hard knot. "A nice dick, for a pup. Looks like somebody struggling." The dirty talk gets to me, and I try to use my paws to roll back my sheath, but he quickly swats them no away. "No touching, only I get to handle it." Wolf then slowly peels back the sheath trapping my knot in a fashion that makes me whimper and begs for him to go easy on me. Once freed, he grips around the back of my knot not letting me get a chance of relief. I jerk and convulse in the painful pleasure. "Looks like somebody is desperate for release. So, what is it pup? Want big old Wolf to suck you off!"

"Oh God, yes!"

"So eager! Well alright then," with no hesitation, Wolf dives onto my throbbing length. The pre that has been dripping down my pink length gives him some lubrication as he starts going down without holding back. In a matter of seconds, he's going up and down on my length like it was candy. I try to thrust into his mouth from pure need, but he holds me down with his strong paws which gives him full control of the blowjob. It isn't long before my cock is near its limit, and I let out a long groan as I shoot rope after of cum into Wolf's mouth. I can feel him swallow it all down, gulping down each drop. Once my dick is done shooting, he stops sucking and starts licking up all the cum that dribbled away during my climax. Satisfied, Wolf licks his lips again once finished. "Good to know my fox has some good tasting cum, I guess it's true what they say about your kind. Now that your needs have been met, I believe it's time you help me with mine."

Wolf gets off the bed and opens the bag on the ground, picking out from what I can only assume is lube. He then grabs both my legs and tail and drags me to the ends of the bed where he's standing. From this point of view, I can see that his black dick is now peeking out of the sheath, pre already dribbling from it. "Now let's loosen up this tight hole, you're gonna need it," he says confidently. He squirts some lube onto his fingers and lifts my legs to gain access to my butt. With both of my legs over his shoulders, he presses circles one of his claws around my asshole, causing me to flinch. "Relax, I promise I'll be gentle... for now." Taking a deep breath, I prepare myself for what's to come. With expert precision, Wolf slides his finger up my asshole, circling to apply the lubricant. I can barely contain my lusty moans as he continues to finger me. "Alright, here comes another." He swaps out his one finger to two fingers and proceeds to scissor my hole, loosening it up. It feels a lot more painful than the one finger, but I know I need to go enjoy what's to come. Wolf continues until he's satisfied with my hole being sufficiently prepared for the main course. "There, it's not perfect but it'll get the job done. Not to mention that prospecting my prey for tonight has gotten me all riled up. Care to see the problem you created, Starfox?"

After he lets my legs go, I look down to see him holding the massive member in his paw. The black length is nearly double my own, almost 10 inches. The penis throbs in anticipation, almost like it has a mind of its own. And the knot, is he planning on trying with me tonight? "That's enough staring pup. Time for you to pull your weight." Wolf lifts me off the bed and holds me in a hug chest to chest to him. He spins us around and he flops down onto the bed, so I'm sitting on his lap while he reclines. "As I said, I don't want this to be one-sided. I want you to do some work so you can show your dedication." With that being said, he thrusts his hips so that his dick rubs against my butt, making it very clear what he has asked me to do.

"I have never done this before...," I mutter.

"I don't think the concept is very difficult. All you have to do is loosen up and sit down. Easy, right," Wolf chuckles. He starts rubbing my inner thighs and lustfully growls.

Taking a deep breath, I rise upwards and turn my head a bit to see what I'm about to go down. The glistening spire throbs in anticipation, and I grab each of my butt cheeks and spread my hole open. Aiming towards the tapered tip, I slowly descend on the spire until I feel contact with my hole. Properly aligned, I bit the bullet and drop down onto his dick. I gasp from the sudden pain that sprouts through my body, but I bear through as I can feel it rub against my prostate. Wolf growls loudly in front of me, moving his grip away from my thighs to my hips. "Damn, you're tighter than I imagined. Feels good as fuck though. Continue pup, I am not satisfied with your performance yet."

It feels like my drop only got me halfway, so I begin to rise and fall at a pace that feels comfortable and pleasurable. Riding his thick cock makes me start moaning, the constant rubbing against my prostate too hard to ignore. Wolf on the other hand seems to be trying to contain his lust. I could see that he was stopping himself by just grabbing my hips harder and pulling me to the hip. Taking that as a challenge, I continue bouncing up and down on his dick even faster, causing more lusty moaning from me and more of his penis to enter my backside, the knot right up against my entrance. Wolf howls in delight, and can no longer contain his lust, and thrusts his hips hard up against me, lifting me hard, his knot pressed right up against my hole. The sensation is so intense, I barely register that I'm climaxing again, and I spray whatever is left in my balls all over Wolf's front. Wolf picks this up too and lets out a deep laugh. "You already came again? Pup, I'm nowhere near letting mine out yet. So I hope you're ready because I'm just getting started!"

Taking over again, Wolf grabs my hips and slowly rotates my body so I'm facing away, the whole time his dick still up to my ass. I pathetically mewl as he positions me into place. We then flip over, with my face down on the bed and his strong body hovering over me. "Alright pup, let me show you how a true dog fucks." Wolf then pulls back completely and slams back down on my ass. My ass feels raw and blown out, and I scream in a mixture of pain plus pleasure.

"That's it, shout as loud as you can, no one will hear you. Or maybe you want people to know that Wolf O'Donnell is pummeling your ass?" His humping drives me insane, all pretense has been thrown away as he destroys my hole. I can hear squelching and squirting as his cock enters and exits my ass, precum mixing with the lube from before making the move that much easier. His orange-sized balls slap against my own, the collision bringing me sensational pain. Their full weight hitting against my spent set makes me feel so insignificant, knowing that just one load would make mine look like a small leak. Wolf growls even louder and accelerates his lovemaking, all sound judgment being overridden by his lust. He slams hard against my butt, keeping the knot right up against my entrance, and puts his sweaty chest against mine so his mouth is right next to my ear. "Well, I asked you a question, didn't I pup? Do you want people to know that I, Wolf O'Donnell, claim this ass as mine? Huh?" He nibbles against my ear, slowly grinding his hips against mine, the knot begging to enter. He sneaks a hand under me and tweaks one of my nipples hard with his claws. I yelp loudly, unable to free my sensitive body from his clutches. "Answer the goddamn question," he growls loudly.

"I, I, I, love you, Wolf. Please, I want to be yours, claim my ass, I don't care!" I scream out.

Wolf starts to lick and nibble all over my neck. "That's what I like to fucking hear. Now roll over again, I'm gonna knot your fucking ass and I want to see you as I do it." Wolf roughly pulls his entire length out, precum dripping all over as he freed it from my twitching star. I roll around and obediently work with him to get my legs wrapped around his waist and my butt perfectly aligned to accept his throbbing length again. He slowly enters again to ensure he is in properly, and with no warning, sets the tempo to the fastest it's ever been. My body feels so exhausted, by I can't help but yelp and groan in sexual bliss as he completely ravages me. My spent cock is as hard as ever and jiggles around pathetically along with my soft, drained balls. I can also get a view of how his lupine cock goes in and out of me, my belly distending to accommodate the thick spire. Wolf above me has his arms right next to my head, and he is sweating and drooling all over me as he pants, desperate for release. It isn't long until I feel the knot finally breaking my backdoor defenses, with each thrust more of it slowly gets over my tight sphincter. The dark knot is about halfway in when Wolf stops suddenly, pulls back slightly, and does one singular, powerful thrust, eliminating any chance it won't go in. His knot gets sucked in, his groin is completely flush with mine, the tie starts to begin. With his nerves behind his knot finally being stimulated, Wolf lets out a loud howl and his knot inflates larger and he climaxes hard. Heat spreads swiftly across my body as I feel myself being filled with rope after rope of cum. My belly slightly expands due to the excess fluid in my body having nowhere to go but stay inside. The feeling of complete fullness proves too much, and my cock climaxes one last time, with the tiny amount that was left in my balls. Wolf and I both panting, Wolf still rolling his hips gently, and he sees my cock shooting yet again. "Damn, you've cummed like 3 times! That's a new record for me, and I bet the same can be said for you," he chuckles between panting.

After winding down from our highs, he rolls us over again so I'm laying down on his muscular, soft chest. His deep breathing caused me to rise up and down with his breaths. Wolf then explores the aftermath of our session, and feels around my belly, feeling all the excess liquid in my guts. He gives it a squeeze causing me to squirm, and he lets out an approving groan with the amount he's released. He then moves down to our tie, feeling the bulge around my hole and testing its firm hold. "Yeah, this shit ain't coming out anytime soon. I'd say at least 2 hours, give or take, so you better get comfortable," he rumbles, I can feel his deep voice emanate from his chest.

We spend a solid 10 minutes relaxing until my mind comes back to a reasonable state. Here I am, tied to my former rival. Most would call me crazy, but they're wrong. This feels so right, and I know how much of a good guy he can be. But a hole starts to form in my stomach, and anxiety grows. I know my feelings toward him, but does he feel the same way? I lift my head from laying on his chest and look up to him, staring at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"Hey," I ask.

"Yeah?" His head lowers to face mine.

I look into his red eye, desperate for my question to be answered. "I'm not sure if you recall, but I said some things during our... session and I wanted to let you know that, I um... meant them. So," I mumble and look away, realizing how stupid I look.

After a moment of silence, he gently uses his paw to turn my head towards his. "Heh, I guess we were both thinking about the same thing." He leans up and licks my lips and we begin to kiss again, this one much more passionate, our paws exploring each other's bodies. This time, our tongues are working together and it's much more even, and... romantic. We let go, and he pulls us back down onto the bed as we get our breath again for the night. "If that wasn't clear enough, let me say it: I fucking love you, Fox. You don't know how much you make me happy hearing you say those words." He growls and thrusts his hips hard again, causing me to yelp. "And you also don't know how much dopamine you give me when you make noises like that. So, one last question, Fox, will you date me?"

I look back into his face and see his red eye, eye patch, and genuine smile. "Yes, I would love to," I responded with a lighthearted smile. I snuggle deeply in his chest fur and can feel him rumble happily.

"So, now that's over, how are we going to deal with this? Like, you and me being a thing. Are we going to be secretive about this thing or is it okay to be public? I don't really care, but it just depends on you and how quickly you want to ruin your reputation. Also, who of yours should know first? I know Falco and you are still pretty close, but he still doesn't seem to care for me. Maybe you should just rip the bandaid off before he gets pissy and mad you didn't tell him, he seems to like that type of guy. And, not saying I don't like flying around in space as a living, but it would be nice to have a permanent place to settle down. Although a place like this is nice, I'm not much of a warm weather and sunny beaches type of guy. I prefer the colder weather and a much more isolated place than a crazy-ass city. I've always thought owning some cabin in the mountains sounds nice, with a nice view of a lake and during the summer I can go out and catch fish on a boat and-"

I put a finger to his snout and shush him. "One step at a time Wolf, one step at a time. I'd like to sleep now, okay?" We flip side to side and pull the covers over, getting a comfortable position for the night. "And if you want my opinion, a log cabin in the woods sounds like a good idea."