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Chapter 4 - Transitions and Preparations

Walking down the veranda, Fox and Krystal made their way to the car and got in. Just as Fox started up the motor, his vehicle's communication unit signaled an incoming call from Fara, which Fox answered. "Hello Fara. What's going on?"

"I just got through talking it over with Daddy. Space Dynamics already has several existing fortress defense systems that we can adapt for your home. We can have installed at the top of each corner tower turrets capable of outputting everything from electromagnetic pulses, up through plasma discharges, all powered by a compact fusion reactor in the basement. Emitters can also be installed along the perimeter, in the ground behind the wall, to generate an energy shield that will extend over the mansion."

Fox whistled in amazement. "You'd be turning my home into a fortress."

"It's actually similar to what we have here for Phoenix Manor." Fara affirmed.

Having worked with such offensive and defensive systems in his long career as a mercenary, Fox already had some idea of how pricey it would be. "Sounds like this will cost a pretty penny."

A familiar male voice then joined the conversation at that moment. "It will cost you nothing, Mister McCloud."

Fox's eyes widened upon hearing what Fara's father interjected into the conversation. "Mister Phoenix. That is very generous of you. I don't know how I could make it up to you, Sir, especially after you recovered and restored the Great Fox."

"You've already more than made up for it, my boy," Charles Phoenix countered. "You've defended us all from Andross during the Lylat War, saved us from assimilation by the Aparoids, and again stepped up in our fight against the Anglars. It is the least we could do to restore to you the Great Fox. As for the defense system on your home," the CEO of Phoenix Corporation went on, "consider that our wedding gift to both of you."

"Thank you, Sir. It will definitely be needed, especially in putting an end to the unwanted attention from paparazzi."

Fara piped in. "Then it's all set. We'll have everything installed while you two are on your honeymoon. I'll just need your access card back when we meet up again."

"We can stop by your place later today, if that works."

Fara paused to look at here scheduled appointments. "I'll be free after five today. Daddy's dragging me off to a company board meeting."

Fox could only smile upon hearing his former girlfriend's long suffering voice. "That works for us. We'll see you then, Fara." He then closed the comm link connection and put his car into gear.

*****

They had just enough time to grab a quick bite to eat before making it to downtown Corneria City where Costumes for All Occasions was located. Even though they had parked close to the shop, it was inevitable that they would be noticed before they made it through the door. And Krystal's unique blue fur made her even more easily recognizable than Fox.

Several passersby stopped in their tracks, looking on wide-eyed, when the two foxes got out of their ground car. Krystal could sense her fiancé's weariness at being recognized, which she herself felt, especially when some regarded her with less-than-friendly expressions and emotions. Fox pointedly led them towards the shop, getting through the door before anybody could stop them.

Inside the establishment, they were greeted by a young albino ferret working at a drawing table. "Hello, how may I help...you...holy shit!" he began, and then completely lost his composure when he looked up from his drawing table and saw who had entered the boutique.

Fox could only grin at the way he was greeted, and replied. "Sorry, I think you must have me confused with someone else. I don't know anybody named Holy Shit."

Krystal giggled and softly admonished her tod. "Fox, don't tease the poor fellow."

He chuckled and walked up to the trembling ferret, giving him a friendly, affable smile. "Sorry about that. With the way you greeted me, I just couldn't resist."

"S-sorry Sir." He continued to tremble, looking wide-eyed at the vulpine.

Fox, seeing that he was nervous, sought to reassure him. "Hey, it's okay." He walked around the drawing table and wrapped an arm around the ferret's narrow shoulders, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "Feeling better?" He saw him nod and smiled in return. "What's your name?"

"David, Sir."

At that point, Krystal came forward and drew the ferret's attention to her. "Well David, Fox and I have an appointment today to have designed for us some Cerinian wedding garments."

David turned to the vixen and was smitten. The telepath sensed the ferret's infatuation and couldn't help but giggle, which made him blush brightly through his white fur. The young artist closed his eyes and sighed, remembering that this beautiful vixen was already spoken for. He got up and headed to the back of the shop. "Let me call Samantha, and we can get started."

Fox glanced to his fiancée, locking eyes with here. The moment he felt her presence in his mind, he thought. "Poor guy. I may not be a telepath, but I could still easily tell that he's infatuated with you."

"He was absolutely smitten the moment he saw me looking at him."

Her reddish-brown tod gave her hand a squeeze. "I know how he feels. Do go easy on him."

Her amusement going through his mind made it difficult for Fox to suppress his laughter. "Don't worry, Foxy. I'll break it to him gently that I'm taken."

Anything that Fox might have thought back to Krystal was interrupted by the simultaneous arrival of the shop's exuberant proprietress from the back and Falco and Slippy walking through in the front door. "Daaarrlings! What can Madam Samantha do for you?"

Falco groaned upon seeing and hearing the blazing red vixen waltz up from behind the store. "Somebody shoot me."

In response, Fox looked back sardonically at the bird. "Request to be shot is denied."

In the meantime, Krystal took charge of the situation and stepped forward, shaking the red vixen's hand. "Thank you for seeing us, Madam."

"Please call me Samantha, Darling." Seeing the blue vixen smile at her gesture of informality, she went on. "So I understand you need some wedding clothes made."

"Yes, I am hoping you can make for us some Cerinian wedding loincloths for myself, my husband-to-be, and our two friends." Krystal indicated Falco and Slippy who sulked behind them.

Samantha practically purred, finding the idea absolutely delightful. "Oh my! Will that be all any of you will be wearing?"

"Yes, and also a bra for me."

"I presume you have a design in mind already?" she asked. When Krystal nodded, the red vixen pointed to her assistant. "Why don't you show David what you have mind while I take some basic measurements from the boys here?"

The ferret sat at his drawing table and set aside the dress designs he was working on. Under Krystal's guidance, he drew out the pattern for the loincloths.

The blue vixen affirmed. "Yes. That's the shape. The loincloths for Fox and myself should be white, with silver trim interspersed with Cerinian script along the edges.

Krystal then reached for a pencil and began writing words in Cerinian.

While that was going on, Fox had stood quietly, letting Samantha take measurements around his waist and the distance from his waist to his knees. He then walked up behind his vixen just as she was writing. "That's Cerinian. Isn't it? I can't imagine it will be easy for me to learn."

"Trust me, Fox. If all goes as I hope, by the time we are married, you'll be able to read, write, and speak my language fluently." Before her fiancé could think of asking how that would be possible, Krystal spoke in Cerinian, pointing out for both Fox and David the words she had written. "One Heart, One Mind, One Soul" and translated, again pointing to each word, "which means One Heart, One Mind, One Soul" She then indicated to the ferret where on the loincloth those words were to be placed. "In the same silver as the trim, I want these words sewn along the edges."

Krystal smiled to her husband-to-be. "This will be my loincloth." She then turned to address David. "The loincloth for Fox will be made in the same way, but with the pattern a mirror image to mine and the script on opposite sides, which will signify that he is my equal, but opposite."

She reached into her duffel bag and pulled out her regular loincloth and bra, and handed them to the furiously blushing ferret. "You can use these as a pattern for mine."

While David took the proffered items and used them to trace out the patterns, Krystal drew out more ornate symbols on a sketch of her bra. "These symbols representing nurturing and motherhood need to also be stitched into the bottom edge of my bra."

The ferret finished copying the pattern and shyly handed the loincloth and bra back to Krystal. He noticed that Falco and Slippy were now done being measured and turned to them, "What about them?"

The blue vixen looked back at her two friends with a fond smile. "The color and trim on their loincloths can be whatever appeals to their tastes." She took another sheet of paper and drew a few more symbols, indicating to everyone who had gathered around them. "These symbols represent Friendship, and are worn only by the bride and groom's closest friends, and should adorn the edges of their loincloths." She then looked up and met first Slippy's and then Falco's eyes. "And I can think of no closer friends than my fellow teammates on Star Fox, at whose sides I've fought."

Up to that point, Falco had been grumpy and a bit resentful at the idea of having to endure the embarrassment of appearing nearly naked in front of all their friends. And Slippy was no more pleased at the prospect. Hearing Krystal's words left the falcon and toad somewhat mollified.

Falco looked at the expectant ferret and the up at the ceiling. "If I must wear a loincloth, let's make it a dark red with green trim."

Slippy asked, "What do you think will look good against my green skin?"

David paused to think, eyeing the toad. "Mmmm. How about a dark yellow, almost going to orange, with red trim?" He then showed Slippy some color swatches of what he had in mind.

"Yeah. That would work." The toad agreed.

Samantha walked up behind Krystal and Fox, draping her arms over their shoulders. "Looks like we are all set, darlings. I'll have your wedding garments all done by tomorrow afternoon."

Just then, Fox's communicator signaled. He glanced down at its display, and seeing who was calling, answered. "Fox McCloud here. What's the news, Martin?"

"All the paperwork is ready. If you and Mister Lombardi can be over here at three o'clock today, we can go over the contract."

"Fantastic! We'll see you there."

After disconnecting, Fox looked up and smiled at his avian friend. "Shall we go?"

Falco looked back at his long-time friend with a gleam in his eye. Only now was it sinking in that he was soon to realize a long-held ambition of his to lead his own elite mercenary team. "Lead the way."

Slippy waved to his friends. "See you guys later. I have a date with Amanda."

*****

With Fox leading in his car, Falco followed them across town to their appointment with his friend's lawyer. The three of them soon found themselves in a meeting room at the legal office of Ashley and Associates with Martin Ashley. The short effeminate dog had in front of him a computer tablet with the electronic document that would transfer the Great Fox to Falco.

"Now, as I understand it," Martin began, "The Great Fox will be loaned out to Mister Lombardi here, but still remain the property of Fox McCloud. Is that correct?"

Fox nodded. "That's correct."

"Then let's go over the terms of this transfer." Martin keyed in a few commands in his tablet and the document was displayed on a large screen on the wall. "Per this contract, Fox McCloud, as the full owner of the ship known as The Great Fox, is granting Falco Lombardi use of said ship for the expressed purpose of founding and leading his own mercenary organization here named Star Falco. In return, Mister Lombardi agrees to take full financial responsibility for maintenance and operational costs of said ship. Furthermore, Mister Lombardi agrees to never use said ship for any criminal purposes. He further agrees to become familiar with the operation and maintenance of said ship to Mister McCloud's satisfaction. Mister McCloud will signal his satisfaction of Mister Lombardi's readiness to take command of the Great Fox by transferring command access of the android known as ROB-64 to Mister Lombardi."

Falco turned to Fox and asked. "Do you think I'll be ready by the time we get back to Sauria?"

The soon-to-be-retired leader of Star Fox regarded his friend. "I have to say that at first I had my doubts you'd take this seriously, but after seeing you apply yourself fully into learning everything you could about my ship, I now feel confident that I will soon be transferring command authority of ROB-64 to you."

"Thanks. I really do want to show that I can handle this." The future commander of Star Falco affirmed.

"I know. I was especially impressed when I saw you actually sit down with Slippy to go over the Great Fox's engineering drawings."

The avian shrugged. "What can I say? I mean, I may like to bait the guy, but I'd be stupid not to take advantage of his knowhow when it comes to fixing and maintaining spacecraft. There's no denying that Slippy knows his stuff."

Fox nodded in approval. "That's a very healthy attitude for someone who will be commanding his own crew." He then turned to his lawyer. "Is there anything else Martin?"

The attorney scrolled through the document to near its end. "Just a final stipulation stating that when Mister Lombardi decides he no longer wishes to use The Great Fox, be it because he wishes to retire from mercenary work, finds his own ship, or whatever other possible reason, he is responsible for returning your ship in as good or better conditions as when he took possession of said ship."

Falco turned to his friend and asked, "What would you do with the Great Fox if you got it back."

"I'd put it in mothballs for the time being. There's always the possibility that one of my children may wish to continue the family tradition and take up the mantle of Star Fox."

Fox was not surprised when Krystal expressed her unease. "But Fox, you retired because you felt that you could no longer endure worrying about me, or put me through the same worry about you. How could you want any of our children to take up such a dangerous endeavor?"

The vulpine took his fiancée's hand in his. "I've given this much thought, and there's no denying that I'd worry. So I would never encourage any of our progeny to revive Star Fox, but if one or more of them decided on their own initiative that they wanted to do this, I would give them my full support, provided they could prove to me that they were ready and able to handle it."

Krystal lowered her gaze and sighed. "I suppose that is all we can hope for."

Martin scrolled down to the end of the legal document and slid the tablet over to the vulpine, handing him a stylus. "If you and Mister Lombardi will sign at the indicated locations, this will conclude our business here."

Fox took the stylus, signed the document, and slid the tablet over to Falco, who in turned signed it.

"That concludes everything for you, Mister McCloud," the attorney affirmed while taking the tablet back from Falco. "I'll be transmitting the signed document to both of you." He then turned to the avian. "Mister Lombardi, I understand you also wish to rename the ship The Great Falcon. So I am also transferring to you an additional document that I will require of you to fill and transmit to me to attach to this contract once you do rename the ship."

"Got it."

Fox's attorney got up and shook their hands and then led them to the front door. "I wish you all good fortune in your respective futures. Let me know if I can be of further assistance."

"Thank you Martin." Fox said and waved to the dog before walking outside. He then turned to his long-time friend. "I'll see you tomorrow morning at The Great Fox. Krystal and I are going to take care of a few more things at my apartment and then go out to dinner."

Falco looked fondly at his two friends. "Have fun, you two, and behave yourselves."

Fox could only grin and returned his friend's banter in kind. "I'm quite sure you'll be celebrating with Katt. Have a good time too."

*****

Fox pulled into the driveway of the apartment complex that had been his home on Corneria for many years._ "Well Krystal, this is it. This will be my last night sleeping here. When we return from our honeymoon, we'll be living at the McCloud Family Estate."_

Wordlessly, she leaned over and kissed him affectionately. The two foxes got out of the car and Krystal followed her love into the leasing office. There, Fox greeted his landlady, who he had known for many years. "Hello Gladys. Hope things are well with you."

The matronly rabbit looked up from her computer console and regarded her tenant with a warm smile. "As I live and breathe, the Great Fox McCloud graces my humble abode."

Fox rolled his eyes and shook his head in bemusement while his fiancée giggled. "It's good to see you too, Gladys."

"And I see you finally bared your soul and professed your undying adoration to your lady love."

The tod shook his head in amazement at the old rabbit's perception. "Oh yes." He took Krystal's hands in his and gazed into her eyes lovingly. "More than you can possibly imagine."

"And you, young lady. I do hope you've come to your senses and see what a catch you have there."

Krystal traced a hand along Fox's temple, delving into his mind deeply, and replied to the greying rabbit without breaking eye contact with her fiancé. "Oh yes. So much so that I accepted his marriage proposal even before he made it."

Fox closed his eyes, letting a blissful smile form upon his countenance. "You are looking at the future Missus McCloud, Gladys, and so I hope you understand that I'll not be renewing my lease. We will spend one last night here in my apartment and I'll be moving out tomorrow morning."

The elderly landlady gave both vulpine a bemused smile, clearly seeing how deeply in love the engaged couple was. "That's fine Deary. I'll have the paperwork ready for you tomorrow."

The two foxes turned to the kind, old rabbit and thanked her, both speaking the same words simultaneously. "Thank you, Gladys," and Krystal giggled upon seeing her fiancé's perplexed expression.

The two walked out of the leasing office and made their way up the stairs to Fox's apartment. Once inside, he turned to his vixen. "Why don't we just pack everything now? It shouldn't take long. I have so little here. I kept only the bare essentials since I spent most of my time on the Great Fox."

In just over an hour, they had packed all of Fox's clothes, and the few personal effects he kept, in just a few boxes. Fox then made a call to have his old bed, couches, and video center picked up by the local charity. He had decided that he'd not need them since they had a house-full of furniture waiting for them when they returned to Corneria as husband and wife.

In the nightstand drawer next to the bed, Krystal found a picture of the two of them smiling together on Sauria. "Why is this hidden in here?" Sensing her fiancé's emotional pain, the vixen turned to Fox and immediately probed his mind.

Sensing her gentle presence inside his head, Fox closed his eyes and surrendered the painful memory to his love's telepathic probing. Fox curled up on his bed, quietly weeping while holding the picture pressed against his chest. In his mind, he kept reliving that awful day. How could he have been so stupid? Here he had found the love of his life, and now he had driven her away, all because of a foolish, misguided notion of wanting to protect her. He looked down at the picture again and recalled that day he and Krystal had liberated Sauria from the Aparoids where Tricky had implied that they would have their honeymoon there. Now the memory served only to mock him for a possible future he feared would never happen. He could no longer bare looking at the picture and slipped it into the nightstand's drawer.

The painful memory faded, but not Krystal's gentle, loving presence which now focused on soothing his mind. "Oh Fox! You must stop torturing yourself like this.

The reddish-brown tod took comfort in his fiancée's telepathic presence and mentally sighed. "I know you've forgiven me, and it brings me such happiness, knowing that we are together again. It's just seeing that picture in my nightstand drawer like that reminded me of those weeks right after we broke up. You saw how that picture and the memories associated with it ended up taunting me."

"Then it's time I helped you have better memories associated with that picture and our time together on Sauria. Tonight, when we go to bed, I'm going to make you relive that day when Tricky first suggested we have our honeymoon there, but it will be a wonderful dream this time."

Standing there in his apartment's bare bedroom, Fox drew Krystal into his arms and rested his chin on her shoulder, leaning his head against hers. "And to think I was afraid of your telepathic powers when we first met."

"I can sense that you no longer fear them."

"Fear them? I absolutely love them!"

Krystal put the picture frame back on the nightstand. "And I'll give you even more reason to love my powers tonight."

"I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me. I now find myself looking forward to a dream that I had feared since our breakup." He latched his muzzle to Krystal's, pouring all his adoration for her into the kiss, an action that was reciprocated passionately by her. After a minute, the two of them broke off the kiss and resumed packing everything in the bedroom, quickly finishing the task.

In the kitchen, only a few pots, pans, and a few appliances needed to be boxed and they were done. Krystal looked inside the refrigerator and found it bare except for a few non-perishable items. A quick glance inside the pantry revealed only a few dry goods, and of course pancake mixes, which were Fox's specialty. "There's not much to eat here, but that's understandable since you hardly ever stayed here."

Fox wrapped his arms around his vixen from behind and kissed her behind one of her ears. "That's why I made dinner reservations for the two of us at Anthony's in downtown Corneria City."

Standing there basking in her fiancé's attention, it took a moment for the name of the restaurant to sink into her mind. "Wait! I remember hearing that name. Katt once told me it was this 5-star restaurant that's so popular and exclusive that you have to reserve months in advance."

"Yeah. So for once I decided to capitalize on my fame and get us a private booth there for tonight. Once I gave them my name, they were scrambling to find me a spot. It turns out the Phoenix family has a booth there full-time in case they want to eat there at a moment's notice. Since Fara or her father are not eating there tonight, they assigned it to us."

They both changed into formal evening clothes. Fox donned some brown casual pants and a green dinner jacket while Krystal decided to put on a lavender evening dress with just shoulder straps. The dress was parted down the sides below her hips to reveal her legs. When he saw her step out of the bathroom, Fox felt like his heart had stopped. "You kept it, after all this time?"

"Yes. I remember when you got me this dress before our very first date. I figured I'd wear it now, as this is our very first date as an engaged couple."

Fox smiled grandly and took his vixen's hand in his. The couple left the apartment and made their way back down to the parking lot. Upon reaching their car, the couple noticed a hound approaching them. The tod, being weary, moved to the back of his car and unlatched the trunk without opening it, ready to reach into his personal arsenal.

Krystal went to reach for her staff in the car's back seat, but stopped, glancing to her fiancé. "Fox, I think he's a reporter, but he doesn't feel like one of those that work for the tabloids. I sense no maliciousness or avarice from him."

The hound stopped several paces from the two foxes and introduced himself. "Hello Mister McCloud, Miss Krystal. I'm Walter Kent from Lylat News." He paused, looking over the couple. "I can see by your attire that you two are probably ready to go out on a date, but would you consent to a short interview?"

Fox had always been reluctant to interact with anybody from the news media, but after several confrontations with tabloid reporters and paparazzi, he couldn't help but find this reporter a refreshing change. He was polite and stood back, respecting his and Krystal's personal space. His fiancée also found herself agreeing with Fox's thoughts regarding this hound, and telepathically voiced her impressions. "He seems nice enough. I sense just honest inquisitiveness from him. I'm okay with granting this interview if you are."

The vulpine closed his eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly. He then fixed is gaze on the reporter. "Well Mister Kent. You've been rather polite and seem like a fellow who would take 'No' for an answer."

The hound could not completely hide his disappointment, but nodded. "Perhaps we could schedule an interview at a later date?"

Fox shook his head. "No, that is fine. I think I could consent to answer a few questions now."

Walter perked up at the legendary mercenary's positive response, but kept his professional demeanor. "Thank you, Mister McCloud. I'll endeavor to not take up too much of your time."

"Yes. I appreciate that. So what would you like to know?"

Walter produced a recording device and turned it on. "Okay then. First of all, it would seem apparent that you two are back together. Could you clarify what really went on between you two? Why you separated and why you are now back together?"

Fox paused to gather his thoughts. He really didn't want to discuss the details and most definitely didn't want to talk about Krystal's telepathic powers. "We unfortunately had a misunderstanding and failed to communicate with each other. Some hurtful words were sadly exchanged and Krystal left me. I found myself dearly missing her and sought her out. When we met again, we had a heartfelt exchange, and came to realize that we truly love each other....We now understand each other much better and know we'll never separate again."

Walter took a few notes while Fox's reply was recorded and then asked his next question. "So then the rumors about you two being engaged would be true?" The news hound immediately noticed the vulpine's demeanor darken and grew concerned.

With a growl he replied, "And I think I can wager you got said rumor from those damnable tabloid social media sites."

"Yes, that is where I heard them, but I would consider them only rumors until I got confirmation from you. We both know that anything they say can be taken with a grain of salt, especially when there first is a claim of recordings of the two of you earlier today, which then never turn up." Walter could smell the cold fury emanating from the vulpine and grew nervous.

Fox noticed the reporter's unease, and raises his hand in a placating gesture. "My anger is not directed at you, Mister Kent," he growled. He then went on to rant, "I was at the cemetery at my parents' grave, introducing Krystal to them in spirit, and that Priscilla Kane bitch had the gall to record us. At a cemetery!"

The dog was now nauseated with disgust at Kane's lack of ethics. "At a cemetery? On sacred ground? Mister McCloud, I share with you my disgust. As a reporter, I've at times recorded individuals in secret, but it is to expose corruption or criminal activity, not violate someone's privacy like this. If you want, I can recommend you to a lawyer to press charges against Miss Kane."

"It will not be necessary, and you can rest assured that there will be no such recordings ever released because I destroyed them." He turned around, yanked open the trunk of his car, and withdrew a long-barreled gun, much to Walter's alarm. "This sniper's rifle is one of the many different weapons that I've used in my career as a mercenary. I used it to shoot an electromagnetic pulse towards that bitch, frying all her recording devices, her comm unit, and to make sure she didn't follow me, I also shot her car."

The journalist looked wide-eyed at the rifle Fox held up. "That would explain the recent blog she posted claiming you tried to kill her."

"Kill her?!" Krystal barked. "Ha! EMP fry electronics, but are completely harmless to biological life. The most Fox did to her was literally scare the piss out of that bitch!"

Fox added. "And I make no apologies for destroying her equipment and vehicle, and leaving her stranded at that cemetery. She had no business recording a very deeply personal moment between me and my fiancée at the memorial grave of my parents."

Krystal went on further. "You should check out the blog boards again. I also posted a picture I took of Priscilla after we were done with her. I hear it went viral too."

His curiosity piqued, Walter took out his communicator. Scrolling through the media blogs, he quickly found the photo. "Damn! You weren't kidding about scaring the piss out of her." He gave a snort of contempt. "Hmph! Serves her right. So-called reporters like her make my job all the more difficult. Unless there's any objections, I'm going to include a link to your post in my article on this interview, Miss Krystal."

Fox chuckled, his mood greatly improved by the supportive comment of this reporter. He turned back to the trunk of his car to pack his sniper's rifle away. "No objection from me."

"Somehow, I doubted you'd complain." The hound looked through his notes further, book-marking the photo of the disgraced paparazzi. "So Mister McCloud. I heard you a moment ago refer to your lady friend there as your fiancée. I guess that confirms the rumor that you two are engaged."

Finding himself liking this reporter, the tod felt comfortable to admit that fact. He wrapped his arm around Krystal, pulling her against his side. "That is correct, Walter. You are looking at the future Missus McCloud."

"So when and where will the happy occasion occur."

Fox shook his head. "Given the troubles I've had with paparazzi, I am quite sure you can understand that we will not answer that question, and request you make no efforts to find out."

The reporter could not deny his interviewee's point. "Fair enough. This is already turning out to be an even better news scoop than I could have hoped for." He made a few more notes. "So you two will continue flying together as part of Star Fox then?"

"Actually, no. We have decided to retire from mercenary work."

Having not expected that answer, the news hound was caught unprepared, his remaining list of questions now rendered irrelevant.

Krystal, sensing their interview coming to an end, took the initiative. "We plan to settle down, raise a family, and find less-hazardous work that allows us to be with our future children."

Fox decided to end the interview right then. "Well Walter, it looks now like you have two news scoops. I think with that, we'll be heading out on our date."

"Yes indeed. Mister McCloud, Miss Krystal, I thank you both for taking the time to answer some of my questions and wish you a happy nuptial. Before you do go, would you consent to my taking a photograph of the two of you together like that?"

Krystal and her fiancé looked at each other and nodded, turning back to the reporter. "I don't see why not. One picture then, and we're off."

The two vulpine walked to a nearby shade tree and posed together, with Fox's arm again wrapped around his vixen's waist. Once the photo was taken, they bid the hound farewell, got into their car, and drove off.

*****

They soon found themselves in downtown Corneria City and pulling up to Anthony's. Fox parked the car and quickly got out to open the front passenger door for his future wife.

She smiled to him as she got out. "How gallant of you."

"Only the best for you, My Love."

They quickly made their way past gawking patrons waiting for their tables, and up to and through the front door where they were met by the Maitre'd.

"Mister McCloud. We've been expecting you and your fiancée. Follow me this way." He led the couple through the restaurant to a booth in a secluded corner. Moments later, the waiter showed up, and they made their meal and drink selections and then sat back to wait for their dinner.

Fox leaned forward and took her hands in his. "Did I tell you recently how much I love you?"

"No, but you thought it quite loudly."

"Still, after all we had to do and put up with today, it's nice to be able to sit down for some quiet time together like this."

"We can't say that today was a dull day"

Fox grew pensive and thought back to Krystal. "True, but I am so happy we can think to each other like this. I definitely do not want any news media at our wedding and really hope none of them figure out we are getting married on Sauria."

"Where on Sauria do you think the ceremony should take place?"

"Good question...Not Krazoa Palace. I met you there, but you were imprisoned and nearly died there...."

"Walled City? King Tricky would be delighted to host us, I'm quite sure."

"True, though there are a few other possibilities. How much of Sauria have you explored?"

Krystal gave the question some thought and had to concede a point. "I'm afraid not as much as you, though I would not object to marrying at Cape Claw. We both love that place and I can feel in your thoughts that you can't imagine a better place than that for our honeymoon."

"Not just our honeymoon, but also a retreat we could go to throughout our lives as the years go by. I was thinking we could replace that small cottage with a bigger one large enough for us and our growing family. The beach is beautiful and secluded, and there's this enclosed sanctuary between the outer temple and the Ocean Force Point Temple that I really loved."

"And Cape Claw reminds me of some parts of Cerinia."

Fox thought about all the places on Sauria he visited during that first mission to restore the planet until Krystal interrupted his recollections when she saw one of his memories that intrigued her.

"What about that small glade with the little stream going through it?"

In response, the tod closed his eyes and focused on his memory of Thorntail Hollow. "That would be an ideal place too. It's quiet and secluded, and there would be enough room for all of us and our guests. It's also where my adventures began on Sauria."

Krystal then saw the distinctive memory in her fiancé's mind of her staff standing in a bed of flowers. "So that's where you first found my staff. It even spoke to you in my voice the moment you picked it up. I still cannot figure out how you could possibly commune with my staff when you are not even a telepath."

"Could it be that it senses my connection to you?"

"I don't know....Maybe that's it."

"Regardless, it feels like the idea of having our wedding in Thorntail Hollow appeals to the both of us."

Just then, their telepathic conversation was interrupted by the arrival of their waiter with their dinner. Thoughts of their upcoming nuptials were interrupted by the appetizing aromas of the food placed before them. Fox speared his first piece of chicken with his fork and was bringing the tasty morsel up to his muzzle when Kristal stopped him.

"Fox, wait a moment. I want to try something."

"What is it?"

"Remember at the cemetery and afterwards how I was able to see through your eyes?"

"Yes. It felt special, somehow."

"So you weren't bothered by it."

"How could I be? The thought that you could literally see things from my point of view somehow just made me feel like we were even closer to each other."

"I'd like to try something then.

_ _ Fox relaxed and felt Krystal fill his mind. "I can feel you everywhere inside my head."

"Go ahead and take a bite of that chicken now."

He did as she asked, savoring the taste and aroma filling his muzzle and it suddenly dawned on him that she was experiencing the same gustatory and olfactory sensations he was.

"Mmmm. That does taste good."

Fox grinned and eagerly ate a buttered carrot next. "Can you taste this too?"

"Oh yes. I'm savoring your meal with you."

He continued eating his meal, savoring each morsel and taking pleasure in sharing his enjoyment with his vixen in what he thought was an incredibly special way. He had gone through only part of his dish when Krystal interrupted his thoughts.

"Fox, stop for a moment and rinse out your mouth with water."

"Okay?" Unsure of what she had in mind, he nevertheless did as she asked, drinking deeply from his glass of water.

"Now then, this will be a bit trickier, since you are not a telepath. I want you to close your eyes and take deep, slow breaths and just focus on my thoughts."

He did as she requested, slowly breathing and listened with his mind. After taking several slow, deep breaths, he suddenly perceived an aroma and taste inside his muzzle. "I...I think I'm tasting smoked fish..."

Krystal savored the smoked fish, feeling overjoyed that her fiancé could perceive what she was tasting. She took a deep breath of the aromatic fish through her nose and was further delighted by his reaction.

"I can smell it! Oh wow! I am not even breathing through my nose and can smell smoked fish!...Wait! It's suddenly gone. What happened?"

"Don't worry Fox. You just lost your focus, but this is a good sign."

"How so? I've been having this feeling that you are hiding something from me."

"I have, and the fact that you can sense that is further proof of something I've been fervently hoping to be true. Don't worry, it will all become clear the night before we marry."

Fox frowned, not knowing what to think about what his fiancée could possibly be hiding from him, but shrugged. Whatever it was, he suspected it would be something he'd love.

The vixen was deeply touched by the total trust he had in her. Her mind drifted to the day itself and she sighed, "We'll be attired in traditional Cerinian wedding loincloths, but it's sad that there are no Elders from my world around to officiate over the ceremony."

Before the tragic end of her home world could weigh down on his fiancée, Fox thought to her his idea. "I've talked to Peppy and he thinks he could arrange to have the Chief Justice of the Lylat System's High Court officiate."

"Really? That has to be quite an honor to have such a prominent figure to officiate over our wedding."

"It would be, and even though you'd want to make this a full Cerinian ceremony, the fact is we are both citizens of Corneria and should follow its laws, including having our marriage officially recognize by the courts of Lylat."

Thinking it over, Krystal had to concede that Fox had a point. They continue eating, both savoring each other's meals, and eventually finished. While they are looking over the desert menu, Krystal suddenly becomes aware of an overwhelming sense of anger and frustration from someone nearby.

Fox soon noticed his vixen going quiet in his mind "Krystal? Is something wrong?"

"There's someone nearby, and he's frustrated and angry."

"Can you tell where?"

"I can try, but it's a bit more difficult here. There are quite a few people around us." The telepathic vixen closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, listening over the constant murmur of background thoughts and emotions filling the room. After a few minutes, she thought, "I think it might be directly off to our side, but I can't be sure."

"I have an idea. Lean forward and make believe you are about to kiss me, but don't let our lips touch."

The two foxes leaned towards each other across their table, looking like they were about to kiss. Just when they were about to, Krystal sensed a growing excitement, which immediately turned to frustration when they pulled back. "Fox, someone is definitely watching us."

Fox sighed, "Some tabloid reporter, probably. This telepathic means of chatting sure has come in handy. This guy is probably frustrated because we've not said anything out loud all evening, except to place our dinner orders."

"So what are we going to do about this person?"

Taping into his innate vulpine slyness, Krystal's fiancé had a devious idea, which she quickly read in his mind. "Krystal, this has been a wonderful evening. I am so looking forward to our wedding ninety days from now."

"Me too. It will be nice to see the place where you were born. Is everything set?"

"Yes. They will be ready for us on Papetoon when we get there."

Krystal grinned and thought to her vulpine, "I just sensed a burst of excitement from our eavesdropper. That little bit of misinformation should keep these reporters and paparazzi from crashing our wedding."

"I'll let Peppy know to keep tabs on the tabloid media sites to make sure they keep believing that."

*****

Having finished their meal, the vulpine couple soon found themselves back at their apartment. Krystal stripped down to her underwear under her tod's wanting gaze, but spared her husband-to-be from further teasing by going into the bathroom to remove the rest of her clothes and take a shower.

While the vixen washed herself, Fox let his mind drift to thoughts of married life with this beautiful vixen and thoughts of sharing showers with her. Krystal of course picked up on those thoughts, but he felt no embarrassment. It was something both of them knew and desired. He continued to daydream about the both of them in their mansion's large master bathroom shower under the multiple jets, washing each other's back. He did his best though to not let his mind wander to the more intimate things they would do under the cascading water.

Krystal herself appreciated not having to read of such intimacy in her fiancé's mind, knowing that they both had to abstain. She soon finished and walked out of the shower wrapped in large, thick towels. "Your turn."

Fox entered the bathroom, taking with him his pajamas. He quickly showered himself, dried off his fur, and put on his nightwear before stepping out of the bathroom. He found her kneeling next to the bed, dressed in his spare pajamas. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing slowly. He quietly laid on the bed, and did his best to keep his own thoughts calm and quiet to not disturb her meditation.

There on the bed, he found himself reluctant to let himself fall asleep without Krystal at his side, unwilling to let himself become open to any possible nightmare. So he felt a sense of relief when she finished her meditation and crawled into bed with him, easing herself into his mind at the same time.

Snuggling into his vixen's arms and mental embrace, Fox thought, "I've always wondered what exactly this meditation you did was about."

"Being a telepath requires mental discipline and the meditation exercises help me focus my powers. They also allow me to have lucid dreams, which are necessary for me to actively enter and influence your dreams while we sleep."

Fox thought back to their time on Sauria after they had liberated it from the Aparoids, and the mixed feelings they now invoked.

Krystal of course picked up on what her fiancé thought and felt. "Now Fox, it's time that memory meant something positive for both of us." She reached over to the nightstand and picked up the picture frame, handing it to the tod. "I want you to gaze intently at that picture and focus on the memory of that day. Recall the moment Tricky implied we would have our honeymoon there and how you felt deep inside, behind all your blustered protests. I want you to also focus on the fact that while I didn't say anything, I also truly loved the idea of us being married and having our honeymoon there, that we will now in fact do so."

Fox focused on recalling his memories of that day while gazing at the photograph that was taken of the two of them just before they boarded his Arwing. As he drifted off to sleep, he thought about everything that went through his mind and what he knew now about how the vixen he would soon wed felt even then.

*****

They had wiped out the Aparoids on Sauria and had taken a respite from the battle, riding on Tricky's back through the glades where dinosaurs were recovering. Tricky was overjoyed and wanted to contribute to the war against the beings that had invaded his world and tried to assimilate his people. "So, Fox... You're here to fight 'em. Right? Well, I'm going with you!"

Fox couldn't fault the young triceratops' enthusiasm, but knew there was no practical way he could fight them. He couldn't see how Tricky could possibly handle any of their weapons, given the dinosaur was a quadraped. Besides, the Great Fox had no room for one of his tremendous size. Still, he was mindful of his friend's feelings. "Uhm... I appreciate it, but you're needed here, old pal. Besides, I'm leaving Sauria in your care! Remember, you're the leader here now, Tricky!"

The dinosaur was pensive, considering his friend's words and nodded to himself. "...OK! Mm! I'll do it! Yeah, yeah! I'll take care of things here so you two can come back on your honeymoon!"

Fox's first inclination was to protest such a ludicrous suggestion. "What! What're you, nuts?!? We aren't... We're not yet! Uh..."

"Not yet?" Tricky was incredulous at the notion that his best friend and the vixen weren't already engaged. He could plainly see that they loved each other.

As much as the idea appealed to him, he wasn't even sure if she'd want to marry him. He gazed back worriedly at the vixen. She was smiling back at him and her eyes sparkled with joy. In that moment, somehow, Fox knew she did love him and decided then and there to express his feelings for her. "Tricky, you're right!" He pivoted himself on the back of the triceratops until he was riding him backwards and facing the blue vixen. "Krystal, I love you. You've become the most important thing in my life." He took her hands in his and continued to let his heart speak for him. "You fill an emptiness that has dwelled in my heart until I first met you. I think Tricky here has a wonderful idea. Let's have our honeymoon here on Sauria after the war. Will you marry me?"

Krystal was overjoyed. She had their shared dream so that they could relive this moment in their lives and he had exceeded her expectations beyond all she could have hoped for. While it had in actuality ended in blustered protests and embarrassment for Fox and amusement for her, she knew this dream would become Fox's reality. He had taken it upon himself to express his actual feelings for her like he had truly wished he had back then, and had gone further by actually proposing to her. To maintain the illusion that this was real to him, she feigned surprise before expressing her true joy. "Yes! Oh Fox, I'll marry you!"

The vulpine barely had time to register in his mind that the vixen of his dreams had actually consented to marry him before she gripped the lapels of his vest and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Once the shock wore off, he tilted his head so that their muzzles meshed together and deepened into a muzzle-locking kiss.

Feeling the love and adoration radiating from his heart and mind, the vixen decided to intensify his joy. Opening her telepathic powers to their fullest, she again poured her love into his mind.

Fox was overwhelmed by the intense love flooding his very being and broke the kiss, moaning. "Oh Krystal....I feel...I...." Whimpering, he became so limp that he slid off of Tricky's back, pulling his fiancée with him.

Krystal willed the ground at Tricky's feet to become soft like a bed of pillows into which both of them landed. She then latched her muzzle to his and resumed kissing him, not for a moment letting up with the telepathic surges of love she was channeling into his mind. For the rest of the night, Fox would know nothing but emotional bliss with each subsequent dream.

*****

When she awoke the next morning, Krystal found herself half-laying on top of her sweet vulpine. While Fox was still sleeping, she lightly probed his mind, and found his dreams to be still happy and untroubled. Feeling his mind starting to drift awake, she stretched out on top of him and licked the top of his muzzle, between the eyes.

Fox's eyes fluttered open to the warm sensation of a tongue being lovingly dragged along his face. Seeing Krystal resting on top of him, his dream came back with an uncommon clarity. "I can remember everything, every detail of last night's dream! It felt so real."

"Yes. I know. I made sure that the memory of that dream remained in your conscious mind, and not just your subconscious."

"It's not how it really happened that day. I was so embarrassed and anxious when Tricky mentioned the notion of us coming back for our honeymoon."

Krystal shook her head. "You can't think of it that way. It represents how you truly felt about me that day. And you actually asked me to marry you. You proposed to me, Fox. That was very real to me, just as the joy I felt just before I said 'Yes' was real."

"What you did with your powers right after sure felt real too."

Still lying on top of him, Krystal took hold of Fox's head and gazed lovingly into his eyes. "That is because it actually was real." She then latched her muzzle onto his in the same deep kiss from their dream.

Fox wrapped his arms around her back and reciprocated with equal fervor and adoration. Just like in his dream, in the next instant he felt her love surging into his mind. "Oh Krystal! I love you with all my heart and soul just like I had when I proposed to you on Sauria. I..." For a very brief instant, his thoughts were derailed. Did he actually propose to her right after they had defeated the Aparoids on Sauria? He could not think clearly beyond that though. All he wanted to do now was surrender to his vixen's telepathic powers and bask in her love for him.

Krystal continued kissing her fiancé for another minute, to reinforce how real that dream was, before she broke off and withdrew from his mind. She rolled off of him and the two sat up in bed. She then picked up the picture frame and handed it to her tod.

Fox traced his fingers over the image of himself and his vixen thinking back to that time on Sauria when he proposed to her. He paused in thought and it was only then that it sank into his mind what she had done to him. Moved to tears, he looked up from the picture to his fiancée. "That dream... I can still remember what really happened on Sauria, but that dream feels so much more real now." He gazed down through watery eyes at the frame again. "I look at this picture, and it's as if we never broke up, but have been engaged all this time."

Krystal reached up and wiped the tears from his face with her delicate fingers. "And that is as it should be."

*****

The two got dressed and in no time had the few boxes with Fox's belongings transferred to the backseat of his car. While he was meeting Gladys in the leasing office to sign a few papers officially terminating his lease, the Lylat Wars Survivors charity came by to pick up all the furniture that he was donating. With his apartment fully vacated and all the necessary papers signed, Fox turned in his key card. "Thank you Gladys. It was good having you for a landlady."

The matronly rabbit smiled. "For the brief times you were here, and not rushing off into space to save us all, you were a delightful tenant."

Both Krystal and her fiancé smiled and turned to leave. Their smiles though faded upon seeing a gaggle of paparazzi on small motorbikes swarming into the apartment complex parking lot. Their frowns both turned to snarls of anger upon seeing one of the photographers pay the driver of the charity van for tipping them off.

Fox immediately took out his communicator and placed a call to the Lylat Wars Survivors charity. "Hello? Yes. This is Fox McCloud. You should know that at this point it is doubtful I will ever make another donation to your charity. Your van driver who picked up my donation has tipped off tabloid reporters to my presence here." He paused to listen to the reply of profuse apologies and nodded. "Yes, you do that." The angry tod closed his comm unit and looked out the leasing office window at the van as it drove away. "It is likely that driver will be out of a job before the day is over."

Krystal sighed. "That mob is still between us and our car."

Gladys, in sympathy, offered a potential solution. "You can use the back door if that will help."

Being equally devious as her fiancé, Krystal thought to Fox her idea to which he grinned in reply and nodded to her. Fox then turned to the old rabbit. "Gladys dear, you will need to turn off your computer and anything else electronic for the next few minutes."

The old landlady wordlessly nodded and did as her former tenant instructed. While shutting her computer down she watched the two foxes nod to each other and part ways. The blue vixen quietly made her way out the back door while her reddish-brown-furred fiancé stepped out the front entrance. She knew then that these two shared a special closeness that was beyond anything she had ever seen before.

The moment they saw him standing in front of the leasing office, the photographers all swarmed up to him with cameras and other recording devices on. Fox stood there with his arms crossed in front of his chest and glared back at the cameras flashing in his face with a stony expression. Tabloid reporters among the flashing cameras all shouted together a whole series of inane questions that the vulpine could not make heads or tails of.

So avidly focused were they on the famed leader of Star Fox that none of them noticed the blue vixen making her way out from the back of the apartment complex at the opposite end of the parking lot. They did not see her quietly go from one car to the next in a crouched stance until she reached the back of Fox's vehicle. They watched in confusion while Fox took out his communicator and shut it off and thus did not notice his fiancée quietly open the trunk of his car, take out two grenades, adjust their settings, activate them, and toss one towards Fox and his entourage while she placed the other among the motorbikes that the paparazzi came in on.

So loudly were they competing against each other to shout their questions that they did not hear the round yellow grenade hit the ground among their feet. The grenade bounced once and struck the leg of one of the photographers. Jack Conley of the Corneria Enquirer paused in this picture taking to look down in annoyance at what struck his leg. The beagle's eyes widened in horror when he saw and heard the blinking grenade emit a wining sound that grew in volume and pitch. Before he could react, the grenade emitted a loud pop.

All at once, every single camera and recording device ceased to function and went silent. In the next instant, they all heard another loud pop and turned to see Krystal standing among their motorbikes holding another grenade and grinning back at them. They all turned around to watch Fox walk among them and bend down to pick up the grenade at their feet. A few tried to snap some more pictures, but were dismayed to discover that their cameras no longer functioned.

Fox bared his teeth in the feral grin full of contempt at the paparazzi milling around him. "That, folks, was in an electromagnetic pulse. It has fried every circuit in your cameras and recorders, rendering them useless. You'll also find their memory chips have all been wiped of every single photo and recording taken of me here. And thanks to my lovely fiancée Krystal, you will all find that your motorbikes are now inoperable, ensuring that none of you follow us."

Without saying another word, fox walked past the tabloid photographers and reporters and tossed his grenade to Krystal who deftly caught it and stored it back in the trunk of his car.

Jack Conley, along with his fellow photographers, was furious at having all his expensive photographic equipment ruined. "You think this will stop us? The people have a right to know," he said and grabbed Fox's arm.

In a flash the leader of Star Fox twisted around in the beagle's grip, grabbed his hand, and bent it back violently, snapping the wrist. The photographer howled in agony and dropped to his knees cradling his broken hand.

All of the other reporters and photographers quickly backed away in fear at the enraged vulpine who now faced them in a combat stance, with feet wide apart and arms curled up at his side ready to attack. Seeing him snarl back at them, with teeth bared and raised hackles, they were given a harsh reminder that they were not dealing with some ordinary celebrity. This was a trained mercenary, a hardened warrior who had killed many enemy in space and on the ground, and was someone therefore not to be trifled with.

"Do not even think of using that 'people have to right to know' excuse to justify invading my privacy. You know very well that the people do not have a right, or need, to know what I and my future wife do in our private lives. Keep hounding us, and you'll have more than a broken wrist to worry about!"

Seeing all these paparazzi cowering before him, Fox nodded with a snort, turned his back on them, and walked over to Krystal. From inside her leasing office, Gladys nodded in satisfaction while she watched the two vulpine get into their car and drive away. Not wanting to have anything to do with these atrocious reporters, she locked her front door and closed the window blinds, and sat behind her desk and turned her computer back on.

*****

Sitting in the front passenger seat, Krystal could sense immense satisfaction from Fox while he drove. Probing his mind, she was not surprised at what she found was the reason for his good mood. "You enjoyed doing that to those photographers."

"You're damn right. Those creeps had it coming. They needed to be reminded that I'm not some run-of-the-mill celebrity that they can just push around."

"I'm sure that beagle will not forget."

"Yeah. He had some nerve....You were brilliant, by the way. They never saw you coming as you came around from the opposite end of the parking lot."

"You shouldn't have been looking my way though. You could have given me away."

"I didn't. I just knew you were there."

"But how could you have known where I was? ..." Krystal's eyes then widened in astonishment and she probed deeper into her fox's mind to confirm what she was sensing.

Keeping half his attention focused on driving, Fox felt himself reliving their recent encounter with the paparazzi, letting his vixen sift through his memories. The significance of what she was looking for dawned on him the moment she focused on that particular memory. "Krystal! How is this possible? I hadn't realized it then, but I somehow knew exactly where you were as you made your way around the back and sneaked through the parking lot."

In the next instant, he felt a momentary burst of joy that was not his own, that was in fact coming from his fiancée. Fox gasped in shock and almost lost control of the car. He quickly pulled over off to the side of the road and turned to his vixen. "K..Krystal? What's happening to me?" he asked out loud, forgetting for a moment that he could mind speak to her.

Knowing that his nervousness was quite understandable, Krystal placed a gentle hand against his cheek. "Something wonderful, my love. This is more than I could have ever hoped for."

Fox frowned in confusion and gazed questioningly into her eyes. "This has something to do with whatever you are planning for the night before we get married, doesn't it?"

_ _ Krystal nodded, her eyes sparkling in joy.

"And you are not going to tell me, are you?"

_ "You'll know soon enough. I can promise you that you'll absolutely love what I have in store for us."_

With his vixen's reassuring thoughts in mind, Fox put his car back into gear and on the road again. "Okay, but no more secrets after we're married."

Krystal giggled, thinking of how true that statement would be. She blew him a kiss, eliciting a smile from her vulpine. "I promise. No more secrets from then on. And for the days remaining before we are wed, I want us to speak only telepathically as much as possible."

Fox didn't even think to question why she asked this of him. Truthfully, he had grown to prefer talking to her this way, and had no doubt that she knew how he felt, given how deeply she was in his mind.

*****

After briefly stopping by the McCloud Family Estate to drop off his few belongings from the apartment, they then met up with Fara at her family estate to give her his home's key card.

"There you go, Fara. Give my thanks to your father again for being willing to install the home defense system at my place."

"No problem Fox. We were more than happy to do so for you. See you aboard the Great Fox later this evening."

At the spaceport, Fox put his ground car back into long-term storage, and met up with his crew in the waiting area at the gate leading to his ship. Standing with Falco and Slippy were their girlfriends, Katt Monroe and Amanda.

Upon seeing her old friend Katt, Krystal squealed in girlish exuberance and vixen and feline ran towards each other, coming together in an enthusiastic embrace. "Katt. It's so good to see you!"

"And you! I just about died when I got the wedding invitation! I had been so saddened when you and Fox broke up. He must have done something really special if you two got back together and are now engaged."

"Oh, he did. We'll fill you in once we're aboard the ship. We still have three months before our wedding on Papatoon." Krystal immediately put a finger to her lips after mentioning Fox's birth home world to forestall any confused reply from the pink feline.

Falco, Slippy, and Amanda also wondered if there had been a change in the wedding plans, but kept silent when Fox winked to them and affirmed, "We'll tell you all about it once we are aboard."

Just then, a courier arrived with a small package. "I have a delivery here for a Miss Krystal."

The blue vixen stepped forward and accepted the package from the young cheetah, who also handed her a pad to sign, which she did. He then nodded to her and immediately left for his next delivery.

Falco eyed the package wearily. "Is that what I think it is?"

Fox walked up behind his fiancée and glanced down at what she was holding, reading the parcel's return address. "Yep! It's our wedding garments."

Both Slippy and Falco groaned, which elicited strange looks from their respective girlfriends.

Just then, Peppy and his daughter Lucy showed up. The old rabbit had a jovial expression, having overheard the soon-to-be-retired Star Fox team leader. "So the Cerinian loincloths have been delivered for your wedding, I see."

Upon hearing this, Amanda and Katt 1ooked at each other and wordlessly mouthed, "Loincloths?" They then eyed their respective boyfriends.

Slippy immediately started to blush under Amanda's gaze, the green skin around his face turning the distinctive shade of red. Falco closed his eyes and groaned again. "Somebody shoot me."

Fox chuckled and grinned at his avian friend. "Your request to be shot is still denied." He then turned to the old lagomorph. "How did you know about the loincloths?"

"Bill Grey informed me of the trouble you were having with paparazzi when you arrived yesterday. After I had heard of the incident at the cemetery, I took the liberty of having agents from Cornerian Security Agency follow you at a distance to divert any other tabloid reporter away from you."

The son of James McCloud sighed, shaking his head. "That explains why they didn't hound us as much as I was expecting."

Peppy nodded. "My agents made sure none of them were near when you went to that costume shop. Of course, after you left I found myself becoming curious."

The vulpine's eyes widened upon hearing this news. "What did you do?"

"I paid Samantha a visit, and she showed me the designs for you and Krystal, along with what Slippy and Falco will be wearing as your closest friends. I must say..."

Just then, a young grey fox wearing the uniform of the CDF ground crew came up to Fox and saluted. "Captain McCloud. The ship is fully fueled and provisioned, and is ready for you and your crew and guests. The alterations to the ship's exterior have also been made per your request."

"Excellent. Thank you, Sergeant." When the grey vulpine nodded and left, Fox turned to his friends. "Team, let's move out."

Slippy, still acting as the ship's mechanic, asked his leader. "What alterations did you have made to the Great Fox?" Glancing up at Fox next to him, he did not notice Falco had stopped in his tracks until he bumped into him from behind. "Oof...Hey, why'd you stop?"

Falco was looking up at the ship with moist eyes and a lump forming in his throat.

Slippy followed the bird's gaze. "Ohhh..."

In all outward appearances, the ship was still the same, except for two major differences. Large lettering in capital letters were still boldly inscribed along the side of the ship above the wings, but instead of STARFOX in green letters, they spelled STAR FALCO in deep red letters. Also gone was the red profiled image of the winged fox on the vertical tail. In its place was a blue falcon in flight with talons extended.

Fox did not need to be a telepath like his fiancée to know that his friend was deeply touched. He patted the avian on the back. "So my friend. Shall we all board the Great Falcon?"