Chapter 7: Corneria as it Might Have Been

They entered the atmosphere around the strange Corneria. Now that they were closer to the ground, certain geographical landmarks, rivers and such, were easily recognized. Most matched up with what they could remember and what the computer's map said, save the missing lake and a few other minor details. The forest Krystal had honed in on Fox identified as a part of a National Park he, Falco, and Slippy had camped out in many times.

"In a car, it was about four hours from Corneria City," Slippy commented. Fox hopefully looked, but the trees were too thick all around for him to see.

The Great Fox II settled down gently in the field. The area seemed uninhabited, but Fox didn't want to take chances.

"Someone should stay behind with R.O.B. just in case there's trouble," he said. "At worst, they can fly away and then send us our Arwings." Peppy started to volunteer, but Skye interrupted.

"I think I should stay." He openly accepted Peppy's incredulous look. "I know, Peppy, but while you're all finding whatever or whoever it is Krystal picked up on, I can be trying to figure out what exactly happened to us and the computer. Otherwise we might never get home." Peppy nodded, seeing the logic.

"Alright." Slippy left for a few moments, returning with five blasters and three emergency medical kits.

"She did say someone was hurt," he said. "And we don't know what we'll run into." That was about the blasters. Once ready, the team left the Great Fox, which Skye instantly put on full self defense.

Fox took the lead, following the directions Krystal, directly behind him, gave. They wove silently straight into the woods, where there was no visible path, and walked for about ten minutes. It was then that Peppy heard something. He stopped and hissed,

"Listen!" Each went totally still, listening. It was Fox who heard it next: soft voices. He looked at Krystal, who nodded that she'd heard it too, and thought it to be whoever she had sensed. Fox motioned with his hand to continue forward, only now they crept as quietly as possible. The voices grew louder, and at once point Fox signaled everyone to get down, turning their stealthy approach into an even stealthier crawl. Ears pricked up as they got close enough to understand what was being said.

"Please, lie still, or your wound will not stop bleeding." There was something familiar about the older-sounding, male voice, but a strange accent obscured what it might be.

"I - must get up," came a younger voice,, laced heavily with pain. "We have not even a week's time - Arg!"

"My love!" a female cried.

"Ah!" exclaimed the first voice, and they heard a rustle of rapid movement. "Now you've done it! It's reopened!"

"And I've already used my bag up to it's limit," moaned a higher-pitched but still male voice.

"Damn it!" growled a fourth male voice. "Am I going to have to tie you up?" The second speaker chuckled slightly, though it sounded to Fox a bit raspy.

"I do not believe I could resist it you did, friend." By this time the Star Fox team had reached a cluster of bushes that seemed to be directly next to the speakers. A break in the trees indicated the adjacent area was a clearing, and as the wind stirred the leaves, it brought a scent of blood to Fox's twitching nose... as well as a familiar scent. A very familiar scent. His ears popped up straight in a clear expression of "huh?" and he carefully pushed aside a few limbs of the bush to peek inside... before abruptly backing up to fast the bush rustled noisily and he collided with Krystal, who yelped 'Ow!' as his knee narrowly grazed her fingers. Gasps of surprise hissed over the clearing.

"Who's there?" called out the second voice commandingly.

"Have they found us?' asked the high-pitched voice.

"Huh?" murmured the female, as if surprised. At the same moment, Krystal's ears twitched.

"If that damnable Warlord's minions have found us," commented the second voice firmly, grunting in pain and accompanied by the sound of metal running over metal, "I'll not meet my death seated and helpless."

"We're with you," added the fourth voice, and his words were followed by what Falco would call a 'pulling' noise.

"Whoever you are, friend or foe, come out and face us honorably!" Fox took a deep breath at the second's call, as if to steady himself, and then surprised his own allies by replying,

"Okay." He stood, and the rest heard a loud gasp of shock. Alarmed, they too climbed to their feet, and then it was their turn to gasp in surprise at what they saw.

Directly facing Fox, with a sword pointed at him, clad in full plate armor or shining metal -

- was Fox!