Beyond the chamber where they left General Scales behind, Fox and Sunset discovered what could only be described as some sort of death-race course. Flame jets shot out from the sides of the track, glowing platforms caused the speeders to briefly turbo-boost when they drove over them, boxes fell from gantries to try and block paths, and the cavernous tunnel split and merged frequently to provide ample opportunities to attempt short cuts. The tinkerer sped ahead of the pair with the Spellstone, and it wasn't long after that they could hear two more Sharpclaws in pursuit behind them.
At first, the Tinkerer seemed to just be trying to get as far away from Scales as possible, but a glance back to see Fox and Sunset caused her to start to slow down...until she saw the other Sharpclaws in pursuit. After that, she shot ahead as far as she could get before popping open the front of her speeder, leaning over it as she used her feet and tail to steer while she messed with the engine. She somehow managed to keep the lead as she did so, possibly as much from audacity as skill, as Fox and Sunset stopped trying to catch up completely out of curiosity over what she was doing.
When she snapped the front of the Speeder closed, she was actually slower than the normal Speeder's max speed...unless Fox or Sunset started to catch up to her, at which point she'd hit a button and turbo boost. She'd also do this if the pursuing Sharpclaws were in sight.
As Sunset put all this data together in her mind, a complete loop of the track finished. As they passed by the starting point, they saw General Scales had vacated. Suddenly, a glimmer of an idea hit her. Sunset steered her Speeder over to Fox. "Dad, I need a big sand screen behind us! Can you help me with that when we next cross a sandy part?"
"Sure thing!" Fox promised, moving to one side of the track while Sunset moved to the other.
Once they reached the sandy portion again, both Sunset and Fox hit the brakes on their Speeders as they swerved towards and around each other. Guiding the engines into the sandy ground sent a huge cloud of sand up towards the Sharpclaws behind them. Just before the Sharpclaws reached the cloud, Sunset unleashed a charged burst of pure heat into it from one hand, fusing the sand cloud into a sharp glass trap. Brief screams were followed by explosions, and pursuit ended.
"If you can do that on command, I would recommend carrying some sand around with you at all times if you expect to encounter the General," the tinkerer observed as she turned around and drove back up to the pair. "Still hot glass would throw off the harmonics of the sonic weapon, which will protect your sunstones from shattering. Also, only the General has the sonic weapon, as I never made another one and no one else in his army could understand the blueprints..." Reaching into a pouch at her side, she pulled out a few scrolls bound tight and held them out to Fox. "If they had them, that is."
Fox stared from the scrolls to the tinkerer. "And...why are you telling us all this and giving us this?"
"Duh!" Sunset explained with a roll of her eyes. "Dad, she's trying to defect! It's why she was going to let us catch her until she saw her own people pursuing her." She held out her hand. "I know you know us, but formal introductions and all that. I'm Sunset Shimmer, and this is my Dad, Fox. What's your name?"
The tinkerer stared at the hand for a time, glanced at her own for a bit longer, then gently wrapped her hand around Sunset's. "Sharpclaw's only get names if they distinguish themselves...but I was referred to as Tinkerer. I...suppose 'Tinker' would do for a name...or 'Tink' for short." She then stared in confusion as Sunset shook her clawed hand up and down.
"Pleased to meet you, Tink!" she greeted warmly.
"Uh...not to sound ungrateful or overly suspicious..." Fox began awkwardly as he took the offered blueprints. "But...you seemed to be the General's second in command...or at least chief science advisor. Why would you want to defect from that?"
"That's a long story I probably shouldn't explain in too much detail with a minor present," Tink began awkwardly, "but it starts with our race's gender balance being 10:1 male to female, and us being a matriarchal society until General Scales somehow got enough power to take over and enforce his will on the entire race." She glanced from Sunset to Fox awkwardly. "And...why you probably haven't seen any other females of our race on the front lines..."
"Honestly, until General Scales referred to you as 'she', I didn't know the Sharpclaws had females," Sunset explained helpfully, plainly not following the conversation.
Fox, however, had gone cold from what Tink had explained. "You mean...it's a choice between his personal science officer...or his personal morale officer?" he asked cryptically.
"Not quite a choice," Tink corrected. "My position as science officer only remained so long as I was more useful to him that way. If at any time that usefulness came to an end..." She blinked her eyes as her jaw tensed. "As long as there weren't off-world forces capable of facing Scales, my only chance to survive long enough to enact change was to have my mind be more useful to him than my body. Once opposition did appear, I needed to stay close enough to Scales to encounter said forces, but not so close he decided to...indulge. Then I needed a way to make direct contact with the opposition unobserved."
"What happens to the Sharpclaws if Scales falls?" Fox asked carefully.
"I don't know," Tink admitted ruefully. "But letting Scales turn our race into monsters out of some insane quest for power isn't an option. If he wins, who we were is already dead. If he falls, there's a chance we might reclaim it...or at least reclaim honor before we are wiped out. To me, that is worth it." She glanced away. "And if my 'sisters' could voice their thoughts on the matter still, I am certain they would agree."
Fox nodded. "Alright. We've got the Spellstone. For now, we'll take you back to the Great Fox. We'll discuss whether that's as a POW or as a recruit later."
"Fair enough," Tink allowed. "I know a shortcut back to where you landed your fighter. This way."
Sunset: "Ooh, what does this button do?"
Tink: "What but-oh no" she says, winching as Sunset boops the button that fell out of her bag.
A few moments of confusion from Sunset and Fox were halted when the sudden echo of something vaguely sounding like 'Me fockin' eye' in between blood curdling screams was heard, several birds flying away from the source.
T: "...I was hoping to make it a surprise..."
Possible recruit? Does Tink even know how to fly?
puu.sh/zjBTf.jpg
+
derpicdn.net/img/2017/7/23/1492999/large.jpeg
Im gonna take a huge shot in the dark and say this is the start of Sunset forming her own team just like Star Fox. Calling it now.
8721709
Considering the shit she was pulling with the Speeder... I bet it would take nothing more than a book, some experience, and bang! She's flying an Ar-Wing nearly as good as Fox.
8721742
Yeah, that's a good point.
That reminds me, I have a question Tats. Are all of the Ar-Wings going to be generic, or will each be specialized to their pilots?
8721736
Either that, or we're going the Harem route like in The Sparkle in His Eye.
8721750
sephora.i.lithium.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/227938i0141B0307034C028?v=1.0
And there you go Tats, hitting us right in the feels with your OCs. Even if she doesn't pair up with anyone, I can see the whole Star Fox team viewing Tink as a younger sister to be protected as she adjusts to a more friendly world. Krystal and Kat will need to take her shopping soon so she can see what the galaxy has to offer!
8721736 OOOOHHHH, good thought, hadn't thought of that possibility.
Tink, I like it. Can we keep her?
The mention of the power shift among sharpclaws reminds me of a flash game side-scroller where you play as crystal and deal with the sharpclaws.
8721755
...I think Tink is too old for Sunny.
I immediately love Tink and would pair her with Slippy except he has a canon love interest.
8721972
And now he has a harem instead. For being the object of everyone's ire, he just got lucky.
8721972
8722001
Just looked up the bio of said love interest and...from what I've seen there is nothing to justify them being a couple, and no story to work from as far as how Slippy met her and why they're a couple.
...well, I know how my stories work there. Wonder how Tink will handle an Ar-Wing?
8721971
I meant for Fox.
Of course Sunset managed to sand those Sharpclaws into a trap. It's almost as if we can partially tell Through the Looking Glass.
8722012
Tats you magnificent bastard, you spoil us you know. Not that I'm complaining mate.
Glass blast was awesome.
Still don't think it will be brutal enough for what Scales deserves after everything he's done. Tink and Sunset may have to get more creative
Redefines the term "Glass Canon"...
Calling it now, with a Tink in play, it's only a matter of time before there's a Peter.
8721901
I hope you arent refering to that game... If so we've been to the same parts of the internet and boy it was not OK.
And the sand trap was creative indeed , I won't object to the fact of physics 'cause magic so my only question is
When "assault" happens , will we see tink again .. Only a no or yes is enough ... And will you do commands ? I've heard ... Less than good comments about that last game
8721901
What is this game you speak of?
8723070
camo.derpicdn.net/f11c9bcda7c6ffef581d59bdf6c6928bf75e1876?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsephora.i.lithium.com%2Ft5%2Fimage%2Fserverpage%2Fimage-id%2F227938i0141B0307034C028%3Fv%3D1.0
8722333
Why are you making that call, is there a reference I'm missing ?
8724211
Peter pan and Tinkerbell
8721780 River Song gets more and more badass with her appearance. Also, she time travels backwards compared to the Doctor and his companions. She does a better job of warning about spoilers than Rarity.
8724918
I feel like an idiot for not getting that.
8728671
It's okay we all have those moments
Fun fact, is Didney fairues Tinkerbell is a Tinker fairy.
Tinker is name of book and nickname of Alexander Gram Bell a Mechanic who becomes a elf in a Pittsburgh transferred to a another dimension Earth, that has elves and magic.
9497457
Thanks 😊
9497457
I didn't think you knew that set of books.😁