Krystal awoke, and realized she was not on a ship. It appeared that she was on Sauria, lying on her back on the shores of Cape Claw. Krystal noticed she wasn’t clad in her Kew street clothes, but rather her latest StarFox outfit, a pink and purple jumpsuit. Krystal sat up, and was startled to see another blue fox squatting before her, clad in a typical Cerinian garb.
Are you lost, child? The fox asked telepathically.
Krystal was amazed at the fox’s telepathy, and it’s blue fur, and asked back, are you Cerinian?
Don’t you remember me? Came the reply.
Krystal remembered. Jace, his brother! Krystal stood, smiling, when Jace held up a hand. Please, this is a dream, I’m no longer alive.
Krystal’s smile drooped, and she sat down, deflated. Krystal thought, then truthfully nodded. “Yes, I am lost.” She spoke, answering the original question, “In my soul.”
The fox seemed to ponder Krystal’s words, then said matter-of-factly, “Krazoa Foxs have the ability to alter a fallen soul. They tried to cleanse General Scales all those years ago, but his problem was not evil. He honestly though he was doing the right thing. That was why no one could purge him.”
Krystal looked down, then back up. “Am I evil?” She asked in almost a whisper.
The fox shook his head. “It is everyone’s nature to look out only for themselves, which is a social evil, but in your case, what you’re experiencing in your coma now is not the work of evil.” Krystal wanted to object, using Fox as an example against the fox’s claim, but she thought for a moment and had to admit, it was a person’s obvious nature.
“What can you do for me?”
“Nothing-” Jace answered, Krystal’s face looked downcast, “-BUT, in light of recent events, YOU can do everything for yourself. You can recover from what you once were…” The fox pointed with its chin off over Krystal’s right shoulder, and Krystal turned.
There, standing on the shore, watching herself and the fox, was Kursed, moodily staring at the pair. “What do I have to do?” Krystal asked, rising.
“Allow me to ask you, what were you afraid of most before you left StarFox to go with StarWolf?”
Krystal looked down, thinking for a moment, then answered, “I suppose it was the feeling that I had nothing left, AGAIN, and the people’s criticism in Corneria did little to help it.”
The fox nodded. “You were worried that everyone had, in a sense, ‘left you’.” Krystal nodded.
The fox shook its head. “But Fox never left you, did he?”
Krystal looked angry, licking her lips with her brow knit. Jace looked Krystal straight in the eyes. “DID he?”
Krystal looked down and shook her head.
Jace put a hand on Krystal’s shoulder, Krystal looking up at her older brother. “You haven’t lost everything. Not this time. You’ve made us all proud, Krystal. Your parents are proud. I am proud.”
Krystal looked around Jace, as though expecting the rest of her family to be standing nearby. “Where are they? Could I see them? Even if this isn’t real I just want to-”
Jace covered Krystal’s mouth with a hand, and Krystal was quiet.
“Their not here. They’re watching you, though. Nothing would please them more than to simply wake up and be what no one on Cerinia has ever been. You’re the hero of millions, and even if those turn against you, you’ll always, ALWAYS, be the hero of Fox’s heart.”
“What?” Krystal asked, confused, “what do you mean? He’s the one who saves everyone. How can I do anything for him?”
“You gave him what he’d always wanted. A family. Someone to love and be loved by.”
Krystal was quiet. Then it all made sense to her why Fox came back. She was so tortured by what Fox did, she didn’t think about how much Fox was hurting over what SHE had been doing!
Krystal’s face soon became matted with tears.
“Brother,” Krystal said, “I don’t know why this had to be so hard.”
Jace pulled Krystal in an embrace. “Don’t worry sister, your stronger than you might feel. We know you can do this. Now, walk away. Walk away from Kursed.” Krystal looked around and noticed Jace was no longer there. Krystal turned around and saw Kursed standing there, wordlessly. Krystal turned back forwards, and, looking at the sandy beach before her, began walking away.

Krystal’s eyes blinked, and she inhaled slowly. She’d awoken. She felt pressure in her left hand, and saw Fox Macloud sitting there, holding it.
Krystal turned in her bed, slowly, and took Fox’s hand with her freehand, holding his in both of hers. Fox looked up, and Krystal smiled down at him. That smile spoke volumes. Krystal was back. Wordlessly, Fox hugged Krystal, holding her head gently in his hands.


“This public meeting,” General Peppy Hare began, “was to shed some light on this most recent predicament with the famed StarFox team.” The team of mercenaries, who were, all of them, standing beside the Cornerian general, looking uneasily over the crowd, especially Krystal.
“There have been nasty rumors going around about treason and treachery and all manner of violence in with the StarFox team, and their adversaries, StarWolf,” the crowd booed and hollered. Peppy held up a hand.
“I’m here to call to the witness stand, to testify to her own innocence, Krystal.”
If there wasn’t a whole line of Cornerian guards, almost as amassed as the whole Cornerian army, the crowd would have surely lynched the vixen as she stepped up to where Peppy had been standing.
Krystal paused, then as soon as the crowd quieted, spoke.
“People of Corneria. Over the last year I have dwelt, alone, destitute, and angry, in the slums of Kew city, a planet far from Corneria and the Lylat system. I went there because I felt I was betrayed, betrayed by a team that fifteen years ago saved my very life from imprisonment on Sauria and many times later as I served with them, serving you, as a mercenary. I do not doubt your criticism of my actions, and I claim full responsibility for them. What I did, in joining StarWolf, then leaving Corneria in its largest time of need, was wrong. And I am here to apologize, and pledge that now, since my eyes are opened fully, that I will continue serving you as long as StarFox stands together…”

END