It took Skye and Falco about an hour to return, and indeed Skye's Arwing was an older model. Peppy had to chuckle when he saw it.
"I haven't seen that type since I flew with James. We used to joke that the 'Pro' at the end of the model name meant prototype, rather than professional."
"Kept up well enough, though," Falco commented. "Should be an easy upgrade." Slippy already had his tool box in hand. He eyed up the Arwing as Skye hopped out.
"Upgrading won't be a problem... once she's cleaned up so I can see what I'm doing." Fortunately the buckets, brushes, soap, and rags needed for Arwing cleaning were stored in a closet in the hallway outside, as well as a hose nearby for water. General Pepper said his farewells, telling them he'd be in the station and for them to contact him before they left. They promised, and got to work.
"This is what usually kept me busy during those years alone," Skye said as he rubbed down the nose. Fox, under the left wing, grinned playfully and - picking up his water bucket - threw the contents up onto the top of the Arwing, where he thought Falco was. Unfortunately, he heard a feminine yelp.
"Uh oh..." Krystal looked over the edge of the Arwing at Fox, scowling, right before soaking her fellow vulpine with her own bucket. He just stood there, dripping wet, as the others laughed. Krystal looked very superior.
"Payback, Fox."
"Just wait til I catch you." He started up after her, grabbing the wing to pull himself up. Krystal yelped and jumped down the other side, but needn't have bothered. Fox had stopped on the wing, peering curiously at something.
"What is it, Fox?" Peppy asked as they gathered around.
"There's a rough patch here." He ran his hand over an area of about a foot square.
"Battle damage?" suggested Slippy.
"Too organized. I think I can almost make out a letter." He looked at the toad. "Slippy, get me a piece of paper and a pencil." While he was gone Fox thoroughly dried the area, and then laid the offered paper over the spot and began lightly moving the lead over it to make a rubbing. And this is what came out:
Class No. 3742
First Graduates
Squad 42-C
Team Great Fox
JMC
Peppy cried out in shock and stepped back, looking at the Arwing as if he'd seen a ghost.
"Peppy?" Krystal asked, not understanding the significance. But Fox, Slippy, and Falco, former members of Academy Squad 42-C and knowing of it's rather famous previous members, sure as hell did.
"Peppy," Fox said quietly, slowly, not moving his eyes from the rubbing, "was that made by who I think it was?"
"The very day James and I graduated from the Academy, our squad, 42-C Team Great Fox engraved that message onto our Arwings to mark the occasion." Skye was pale, if such a thing were possible.
"Then... you mean... my... my Arwing..." Fox fondly touched the initials in the metal.
"Dad's Arwing has finally come home."
oooooooooooooooooooooo
Author's Note: Ok, now I know in Star Fox 64 it said that the Arwings were new technology, but this scene was just too sweet to pass up! Plus, I figure James, Peppy, and Pigma had to fly something to Venom when James died, so I did a little creative historical alteration (read creative license) to say that the flew a very, very early prototype of the modern Arwing. Oh, and that reference to 42-C will be explored in another Star Fox fic... once I can find it to type it up... sigh...