> My Own Wings
>  by Tatsurou
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Under the Stars
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celestia stared down at her guard, a deep frown on her face hiding the emotional turmoil within.  "Let's start at the beginning," she spoke up calmly.  "You were leading the group escorting my personal student, Sunset Shimmer, back to her room so she could retrieve her belongings before removing herself from palace grounds."

"Yes, Your Highness," the unicorn guard confirmed, the white coloration caused by the armor's spells helping to hide just how pale he was from feeling his monarch's displeasure.

"You were to escort her to Ponyville, where she would take up residence in the library where she could continue her research without access to more dangerous books, and be constantly exposed to other ponies, in the hopes she would make emotional connections - friends - to offset her desire for power," Celestia continued firmly.

"That was the itinerary, Your Highness," the guard agreed, doing his best to keep from shaking.

"And as you were passing this chamber-"  Celestia gestured with one wing to the enclosed, heavily protected room that had been forcibly breached, and the mirror portal that sat sparking in the middle.  "This completely off-limits room, she managed to overpower...how many of you?"

"...four, Your Highness," the guard allowed, suddenly getting visions of the unemployment office, the dungeons, or even the headsmare's block.

"She magically overpowered four guards, and made a dash for this room," Celestia continued.  "And so you get the idea to...what was it again?"

"Fire a stunner spell, Highness," the guard continued, certain now this would be his epitaph.

"Yes, you fired a stunner spell at a mare who had already demonstrated she had more magic than four of you combined," Celestia continued.  "A spell that relies on trying to weaken the magic in the one it hits to destabilize them into unconsciousness.  A spell that doesn't work on casters with magical power in excess of the caster by any significant magnitude, making it only useful for apprehending standard criminals, and a waste of magic against rogue spellcasters, such as my personal student.  You fired this spell into the off-limits chamber known to store dangerous, classified magical artifacts.  You thought this was a good idea?"

The guard swallowed convulsively, certain he was staring into the face of death as she frowned down at him.  He had no idea what he could say now.

Thankfully, Celestia had no interest in what he had to say at this point.  "And it hit the mirror, just as she dove in with her personalized saddlebags stuffed full of spellbooks.  Books that are inherently magical, mind."  She lowered her head to meet the guard's gaze.  "Do you have anything to say for yourself...Private?"

The former Lieutenant swallowed, accepting the demotion as a grace compared to any other punishment his monarch might send his way.  "No, Your Highness."

"Then report to your Captain for proper disciplinary measures," she instructed firmly.  She made a mental note to determine what, exactly, those measures would be when she wasn't barely hiding how overwrought she was.

As soon as the guard fled, Celestia turned her attention back to the mirror.  The portal it contained had been destabilized by the stunner spell, causing it to lose its anchor to the world on the opposite side.  While nothing too worrisome normally - it would eventually reanchor itself somewhere before resuming its normal 30 moon cycle - for someone to be inside the portal in that state...it would spit them out somewhere unknown, space-time coordinates completely randomized...assuming they survived at all.

"Oh, my shimmering sunshine..." Celestia whimpered softly, staring at the mirror and struggling to hold back tears.  "Makers watch over you and keep you safe...please be alive..."





The planet of Corneria was the jewel of the Lylat System.  Careful planning in its development meant that sprawling cities soared in harmony with nature, keeping it a verdant world full of plant and animal life, with safe havens from any attack from outside within the holes and caverns of the porous, volcanic rock of its structure.  Despite the huge population, it remained a paradise perfectly balanced between technological advancement and natural beauty.

This was presently lost on the young brown fox stomping his way through the streets, a bottle in his hand as he swayed along.  15 year old Fox McCloud had just dropped out of the Academy, grabbed a bottle out of his Dad's liquor cabinet, and gone looking for someplace to be in absolute silence and contemplation.  He knew his friends Falco and Slippy would be around somewhere, probably keeping an eye on him...likely at Peppy's request.

Fox didn't care.  He'd just learned that his Dad was...gone.  Missing, presumed dead, because of Pigma's betrayal.  Pigma had been James and Peppy's friend, but he'd handed them over to Andross, and James had just barely managed to get Peppy away to deliver the message.  And now Fox was supposed to inherit the Great Fox - James McCloud's warship base - and the Star Fox combat team dedicated to protecting the Lylat System...but all Fox could think about was the fact he was now an orphan.

"What's the point?" he grumbled irritably as he took another swig from his bottle.  He didn't care that he was technically too young to drink, he didn't want to think.  "Dad tried...tried everything to save the galaxy...and what good did it do him?  What good did it do anyone?"

Seeing an old mirror leaned up against a tree, he stared at his miserable expression.  Glowering at himself, he threw his arms up dismissively.  "So what if this is horrible?" he demanded angrily.  "What does it matter if I don't follow in Dad's footsteps?  He's gone...and I can't do anything!  What is there left that's worth fighting for?"  He turned to the sky.  "Go on!" he shouted at the uncaring heavens.  "Show me something worth fighting for!"

The mirror suddenly blazed with light, and something small shot out of it.  The tiny ball of red, yellow, and orange smacked Fox right in the face, sending him head over heels as he tumbled to the ground amidst a shower of books and papers.  "...that settles it," he murmured unpleasantly.  "The universe hates me..."

At that moment, a piercing wail cut through his upset.  Turning, he saw that the tiny ball that had hit him was an infant, and of a sort he'd never encountered before.  Like most denizens of the Lylat system - and all residents of Corneria - she resembled a bipedal animal with a fur covered body.  The shape of her muzzle and the long mane and tail suggested equinoid, a species rare but not unknown in the Lylat system.  The horn in the center of her forehead, however, was something completely new.

"...a unicorn?" Fox murmured as he lifted the little girl into the air.  "Well, you don't see that every day..."  He glanced at the mostly full bottle.  "I didn't think I'd had that much..."

The little foal turned to look up at him with large, scared green eyes.  She let out a soft whimper, looking like she was about to burst into tears again.

Fox quickly looked around for something to pacify her, and wound up stuffing a journal with a stylized sun on the front into her arms.  She squealed happily as she clung to it, quieting.  As she clung to the book, Fox was surprised to see the same mark on the girl's flanks, like some sort of brand.

It was at that point he noticed she was also naked.  Unsure what else to do, he pulled off his shirt and wrapped her up in it.  "Okay...baby comes flying out of a mirror..."  Turning, he moved to examine the mirror.  "Please say this is normal..."  Much to his frustration, the mirror appeared to be completely ordinary glass.  "What to do, what to do...?"  Glancing around, he saw a set of bags with a narrow strap between them.  The books and papers had spilled out of them, and they bore the same mark that the journal and the filly did.

Moving quickly, he gathered up the materials.  "Alright, here's hoping Peppy has a clue what's going on, and doesn't shrug this all off as me being drunk..."  Turning, he headed purposefully back to the family residence in Corneria City.
> New Sunrise
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You know, Fox, when I suggested holding the grief at bay by sneaking a drink and picking up a cute girl, this is not what I meant."

"Not helping, Falco," Fox growled at his blue-feathered avian friend as the group was gathered around the tiny infant filly, who was busily suckling on a large bottle of infant nutrient mix Slippy had whipped up quickly.  "Any luck on isolating those energy readings?" Fox asked his technologically inclined friend.

"Already done, Fox," Slippy confirmed as he shifted his eyes between data read outs and the books Fox had brought back as well.  "It's magic."

Fox's eyes narrowed.  "Really, Slippy?"

"Now don't be so hasty to dismiss, Fox," Peppy chided in a somewhat wheezy voice.  The somewhat elderly rabbit sat back to watch the group under lowered eyelids.  "There are worlds out there with strong etheric fields that produce individuals with an ability to reshape the world around them through application of said energy.  It's called magic for a reason."

"Yeah, like that Dinosaur Planet I keep hearing about!" Slippy confirmed.  "It was discovered recently, after all."

Fox leaned back, letting his eyes rove over the interior of the control center of the Great Fox, the carrier ship of Team Star Fox.  Consoles blinked and beeped in the background as Rob64 - the robotic wingman that had worked with Peppy and James - monitored everything carefully.  "Anything else useful, Slippy?" Fox asked hopefully.

"Well, all these books have a name written here for ownership," Slippy pointed out.  "Sunset Shimmer."

The tiny foal suddenly dropped the bottle as she let out a happy squeal.

"Looks like we know who she is now," Fox murmured as he looked down at her.  "Guess we just have to find the Shimmer family to get her home."

"And where are you going to look for them?" Falco asked teasingly.  "Pony Planet?  Where unicorns like her control the sun and moon and pegasi make the weather?  Don't be ridiculous, Fox, she obviously doesn't come from anywhere in this universe."

"And what makes you say that?" Peppy asked curiously.

"Duh!" Falco countered intensely.  "She was spat out of a mirror!  Since when has that been a normal means of transportation, even with 'magic'?  Especially for an infant?"

"Well, what are we supposed to do with her?" Fox demanded grumpily.

Sunset suddenly giggled as her entire body was surrounded by a teal blue aura, and she floated up to cling to Fox like a limpet, nuzzling into his fur.

"Looks like she's imprinted on you," Peppy commented easily.  "Guess you'll be looking after her."

"I'm 15!" Fox snapped back, instinctively lowering his voice as Sunset started to fuss.  He brought his arms up to support her as her aura faded.  "How am I supposed to manage a kid?  I haven't got the time-"

"Well, you did drop out of the Academy," Peppy pointed out flatly, staring right at Fox.  "And you said you didn't want the Team.  I'd say you have plenty of time to take some responsibility."

Fox winced.  "But how am I supposed to take care of her?  I don't know the first thing about kids, let alone magic!"

"I can help you look into magic, Fox!" Slippy offered eagerly.

"And I used to babysit," Falco added.  "I know a few things about keeping kids in line."

"But your careers-" Fox began insistently.

"Already turned in my resignation from the Academy," Falco interrupted.  "You didn't really think I'd keep going there when my whole point of being there was to best you, did you?"  He gave his friend and rival a friendly punch on the arm.

"And I already finished all my science courses with full honors," Slippy added.  "And I doubt I'd get much further in the flight courses anyway.  I've never been able to keep my lunch down at high Gs."

"And I helped raise you, Fox," Peppy pointed out.  "You didn't think I'd sit on the sidelines for this, did you?"

Fox managed a smile at the others.  "...thanks," he murmured softly, trying to gently cradle Sunset in his arms.  "Guess this is the first mission of the new Team Star Fox, huh guys?"

"Guess it's something worth fighting for," Peppy offered with a gentle tease.

"Oh shut up!" Fox snapped back irritably.

Sunset's eyes shot open from the sudden loud noise and she started bawling, her horn glowing blue as various objects sitting around - including Rob64 - began flying around crazily.  "I am not designed for this!" Rob called out in fear.

Fox quickly began making shushing noises, trying desperately to calm Sunset down.  "It's alright, it's okay, sorry I yelled..."

Thankfully, Sunset's tantrum didn't last long.  After a few minutes of comfort, she smiled happily up at Fox, cooing as she reached for his face.  Then a foul stench filled the air, and Sunset started crying again.

"Oh gods!" Fox gagged, desperately trying to block his nose.  He did have the most sensitive sense of smell of the team.

"Give her to me," Slippy said quickly as the others desperately tried to block their own nostrils.  "The scent doesn't bother me as much, and the chemical odors are rather interesting."

"Here!" Fox agreed quickly, handing Sunset over to the frog.  Sunset stared up at him in fear, obviously very confused.

Slippy began making comforting croaking noises as he divested her of the shirt she'd been wrapped in, dropping it into a large specimen case for later research.  Seizing a long cloth, he quickly bundled it up around Sunset's lower body into a makeshift diaper.  "We'll need to get a few actual diapers at some point," he pointed out.  "Otherwise, we'll run out of towels fast."

"I guess it's back to odd jobs to make money," Falco groaned.  "I am going to miss the Academy providing room and board."

"With how often you complained about the meal quality?" Fox teased in shock.

"Try a few months on one ramen cup a day while the rest of the money goes to baby needs," Falco countered.  "See how quickly you miss mystery meat."
> A Little Help
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The decision to keep and raise Sunset Shimmer together was easy enough to make.  A quick legal search by Peppy showed that Corneria had nothing in place to handle 'magical foundling appearing out of nowhere' beyond being stuck into the foster system, and a similar search on magic itself by Slippy suggested that children who appeared magically out of nowhere were 'destined' to be with whoever found them as parental figures and messing with that generally caused disasters.  Sunset was also adorable and energetic, brightening up what - with the loss of James McCloud - had turned into a gloomy, oppressive homestead aboard the Great Fox.

The actual act of taking care of and raising her, on the other hand, proved far more difficult.  It quickly became apparent that Sunset had at least some command of her magic instinctively...enough, at any rate, to be able to send anything not welded to the floor in her sight flying around her head if anyone was even a moment late with something she wanted, and that included sending herself into the air to find more things to send flying around if the racket she set up didn't bring attention fast enough.  On top of that, every so often she'd clutch at her horn as it glowed and scream, a horrendous sound that somehow shorted out electronics anywhere near her and shattered glass.  There was obviously something off in how her magic was functioning, and it was causing her pain.  This left Fox and the others perplexed, desperate to help her but not knowing how.

"I don't suppose any of you have any suggestions?" Fox asked hopefully but almost silently as Sunset was once again down for her nap.  He glanced from a grumpy Falco to an injured Slippy (the poor toad and Rob64 were among Sunset's favorite things to send flying, for some reason) to a wincing Peppy.  As the one with the strongest hearing of the bunch, Peppy was suffering the most from all the noise Sunset made.

"Muzzle her?" Falco suggested snidely, though his overall stance and face showed he wasn't serious.  Something about Sunset's cries naturally evoked sympathy even from the harsh avian.

"Construct an auto feeder?" Slippy suggested hopefully, wincing as he put his webbed hand to a lump on his head near his right eye.

Fox turned despairingly to Peppy.  "Any sensible suggestions?" he asked hopefully.

"Fox, we're not just dealing with a kid here," Peppy pointed out.  "We're dealing with magic, which none of us has any experience with.  It's highly unlikely any of us will be able to come up with a sensible solution to this predicament."

"So we're screwed," Falco drawled dismissively.  "How motivating."

"Now I didn't say that!" Peppy countered hotly.  "In my experience, when you encounter something you don't know how to handle yourself, consult an expert!  If we can't handle this problem of Sunset's, hire someone who can."

"Like...some sort of magic temp nanny?" Fox interpreted dubiously.

Falco rolled his eyes.  "Oh, like that's going to work.  We'll just put out an ad!  'Wanted: Babysitter for infant unicorn.  Must be good with infants and talented in magic, with combat training to avoid flying chunks of their surroundings.  Pay questionable.  Apply in person at the Great Fox in orbit around Corneria, ask about Sunset Shimmer.'  That's going to go over real well."

Slippy blinked worriedly, his hands hovering over his remote console.  "...so I shouldn't have posted that?"

"God dammit, Slippy..." Falco growled as he buried his face in his hands.





Unknown to the group, fortune was smiling on them...or, more specifically, on Fox.

Not three days after the ad was posted, someone arrived in Corneria's orbit, sending a docking request with the Great Fox.  The ship's design was unknown in the Lylat system, being distinctly different from the standard there, and composed of metals that were also unknown.  It had only a single occupant, and that occupant was making her way towards the Great Fox and - she hoped - a clue.

Krystal was 15 years old by the Lylat calendar, and quite striking.  Born of the now lost planet of Cerinia, she was the last of a race of magic-wielding fox people in search of answers as far as what caused her home world's destruction...her only clue a face in the sky.  Her search had led her to the Lylat system...and to the end of her rations and fuel.  Her research showed her that magic in the Lylat system was hard to come by, leaving her with few ways to earn the money she needed to finance her continued search.  The want ad mentioning a unicorn infant had shown up on her feed just as she was about to give up...and she'd always been a firm believer in destiny and fate.

The information in the ad had given her pause, however.  Even on Cerinia, magic of the strength implied was rare indeed.  As such, she had prepared herself as best she could.  A ritual purification left her blue and white coat pristine, the amplification tattoos on her arms and thighs glowing faintly.  Her garb - a tight white and gold breastband, a matching loincloth and open toed shoes - was lined with runes on the inside to amplify her magical aura, as were the silver bracers, greaves, and shoulder epaulets she was wearing.  Completing the outfit was the golden choker, emerald pendant, and gold and ruby headpiece to anchor her magic completely within her, setting her turquoise eyes glowing with the contained power.

While the clothing was necessary to push her magical abilities to their maximum, she knew quite well that worlds with climates more temperate than Cerinia's had been would view such attire as...less than modest, if not less than decent, as it more than showed off how well she'd bloomed in puberty already.  As such, she also carried her staff, which worked equally well as a focus device for her magical abilities and as a melee weapon.  With luck, it should discourage any misunderstandings.

Docked with the Great Fox, she went up to the door at the end of the connecting walkway and pressed the key to request entry.  She wasn't certain what she expected, but she hoped whoever answered could be professional.  The last thing she expected was for the one to answer the door to be her own age, a red fox in a flight jacket and green flight suit with the most brilliant green eyes she'd ever seen.  He stared blearily at her for a time, then looked her over.  She wasn't surprised when his eyes stopped at two particular points.  She honestly expected that from a teenager.

What she didn't expect was his reaction.  He turned back into the ship with a roll of his eyes.  "Falco, is this your idea of a joke?" he called out quietly.

"What are you talking about, Fox-whoa!"  The blue avian who stepped up looked Krystal up and down with far more interest than 'Fox' had shown.  "Don't know who called you, but I like what I see!"  He grinned rakishly and winked at her.

Krystal's eyes narrowed into a glare.  "I'm here about Sunset Shimmer?" she asked carefully.

Both stared at her, and not in the way Falco had before.  "You're the one who answered the ad?" Fox asked in surprise.

"Totally not what I was expecting," Falco agreed.

"And just what were you expecting?" Krystal demanded coldly.

"Mary Poppins," Fox responded immediately.

"Nanny McPhee," Falco added.

Krystal stared at the pair, completely nonplussed.  "Do you need the help, or are you just going to stare at me and joke all day?"

Fox quickly held up a hand placatingly.  "I'm sorry, we got off on the wrong foot.  Fox McCloud."  He held out the hand to shake.

Krystal paused, staring at the hand.  The gesture wasn't one she was familiar with, so she would just have to try and get it right.  She stuck her hand out in an identical motion, leaving their arms crossing at the wrists.  "Krystal."

Falco snickered, which told Krystal she'd gotten it wrong.  Fox stared for a time, then smiled.  Shifting his arm, he took Krystal's hand in his and shook.  "Pleasure to meet you," he greeted warmly, giving her hand a friendly squeeze.  "Sorry I was so gruff earlier.  Sunset's left us all-"

A piercing, demanding cry echoed through the ship, making both Fox and Falco wince and groan.

"And that would be my cue," Krystal observed calmly, though she felt her confidence waning as she sensed the strength of the magic in the air.  "May I come in?"

"Please do!" Falco offered eagerly as he stepped back.

Fox smiled as he led her in.  "Duck," he spoke up warningly.

Having sensed the danger as she entered, Krystal spun and thrust up with her staff, sending the robot trapped in the bright blue aura flying over her head instead of through it.

"Thanks for not smashing me!" the robot called out as he continued his crazed flight path.

Fox smiled wanly.  "You might just be able to handle this..."
> Feel the Power
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It didn't take long for Krystal to find the source of the cry.  Her first impression of Sunset Shimmer was, to put it mildly, abjectly terrifying.  The tiny filly was in the center of an etheric vortex that had ripped several things up from where they had been welded down.  Her horn was glowing brightly, as were her eyes, and her mane and tail were waving in the air behind her as she screamed in a mix of pain and demand.

But that was just visual impression.  Krystal was able to actually sense the strength of the magical field Sunset was producing, and it was orders of magnitude beyond what she was capable of even with all the boosts from her tattoos and gear.  If she was to get Sunset under control, she'd have to get her calmed down.  She quickly made her staff shrink to the size of a baton before strapping it to her back.  She then held her hands out in front of her as she carefully walked forward into the maelstrom, trying to project as much calm and comfort into her aura as possible, desperately hoping to influence the little filly somewhat.

As she watched and pushed forward, the glow started to fade from Sunset's eyes.  Sunset stared at Krystal for a time, then let out a happy squeal.  The bits of equipment caught up in the cyclone dropped to the floor with a loud clang, and Krystal found herself surrounded in a bright blue magical field before being dragged over to where the little filly hung suspended in the air.  Sunset then dropped, landing half buried in Krystal's exposed cleavage as the vixen moved her arms to catch her.

Then Krystal's fingertips touched Sunset's horn.

It took all of Krystal's self control not to vomit from the sensations that shot through her body just from touching Sunset's horn as she pulled her finger back.  "...no wonder you're in such a state," she murmured softly.  She then turned to Fox.  "I need an opening into space with a unidirectional shield, preferably pointed towards the sun with no planets, moons, or other space debris in the way.  And quickly."

Fox tilted his head in confusion, but nodded.  "Okay, we can do that."





It took about ten minutes to arrange Krystal's request, during which she continuously stroked Sunset's mane to keep her calm.  Once it had been arranged, Krystal stepped up to the open gate with the shield.  Leveling her staff at the opening, she concentrated and fired a single magical fireball, about the size of a baseball.  It passed easily through the energy shield and careened into space for a time before losing cohesion and fading.  "Here's hoping this works..." she murmured softly.  Keeping the front end of the staff pointed out the opening, she touched the butt of the staff to Sunset's horn.

A beam of pure magical sunfire shot out the front of the staff, roaring out into space like a demon.  It was at least a foot thick, and so tightly focused that it didn't dissipate until it was swallowed up by the fires of the sun.  The beam maintained itself for a good minute before petering out, at which point Krystal dropped her staff and quickly blew on her hand.  The staff was smoking and sparking, and her hand smoked as well.  A good amount of fur had burned away, and the skin underneath was burned...though thankfully only first degree.

"What was that?" Falco gasped in absolute terror.

"Magic buildup," Krystal explained as soon as she could talk through the pain in her hand.  "Most creatures with magic naturally release the magic they don't use into their environment...but Sunset's magic aura naturally interacts with her environment, causing a recursive loop if her environment is magic-free.  That's what caused both the surges and the pain in her horn.  I've drained off most of the buildup, but her magical aura is strong.  Stronger than anything I've ever seen before."  She glanced down at her still smoking and sparking staff.  "And I doubt my staff will be up to another drain by the time she needs it.  I'm going to need to do maintenance just to use it as a focus again."

"So we need energy collectors attuned to magical energy, and arrange them around Sunset's crib to collect the magic she naturally releases into the environment before she reabsorbs it?" Slippy asked curiously, taking notes.

"Basically, yes," Krystal confirmed.  "But I doubt you'll be able to-"

"I should be able to pull it off with some old solar panels," Slippy interrupted as he collated his notes.  "The hard part will be attuning them to Sunset's specific magical frequency, and I was able to collect that data between the fireball and the solar beam passing through the shield."

Krystal raised her eyebrow skeptically, but let it pass for now.  "We've got maybe six hours before the buildups start up again.  During that time, there's a few things I need to tell you about what I've learned so far once Sunset's resting peacefully...and then we need to discuss my fee."

Fox, Falco, Peppy, and Slippy exchanged glances.  That was one part of the discussion they really weren't looking forward to.





Once Sunset was curled up in her crib, Krystal sat down with the group to explain what she'd learned.  "First I need to give you some background information on the nature of magic, as I was taught," she explained softly.  "Magic is a force that is part of reality...but at the same time not.  In small amounts, it can be used to change reality but is still bound by physics.  It's most readily controllable and predictable this way.  In larger amounts, however..."  She flexed her burned hand, glad to see her inner magic was already healing it.  "Well, it becomes exceptionally dangerous.

"The original understanding of this on my homeworld was the result of the work of a scientist named Professor Harmony(1), including a system for measuring magical potential...the Harmonium Scale.  All things in existence have some level of magical field, though it's generally less than one Harmonium.  It takes that much to leave a measurable impact on magic.  It takes a field strength of five Harmoniums to manipulate the magical field enough to directly influence the world...to 'cast spells', as some might put it.  Between one and five Harmoniums simply grants some magical abilities."  She sat back.  "My base rating is four Harmoniums, granting me telepathy and mystic empathy.  My garb and tattoos are designed to enhance my field, boosting it to eight Harmoniums.  My staff is designed to collect the magical energy my body doesn't use, giving me a store of power that can boost it to ten.

"The dangerous boundary is at 12.5 Harmoniums," Krystal continued.  "Below that rating, magic is still bound by the laws of physics.  Above that rating, and magic ignores the laws of physics, and is instead bound by will.  Nothing's ever been measured to be above that rating in the history of my homeworld, so everything else I'm about to tell you is pure theory...but you need to know."

She paused long enough to see everyone was paying close attention.  "A magical field in an individual between 20 and 30 Harmoniums would allow them complete control of their environment, up to the size of a city.  Between 30 and 40, and said being could control everything over which they hold sway, such as a whole country, or even the planet on which they live if its magical field is strong enough to sustain such power.  Between 40 and 50, and they'd be able to command the celestial bodies in their system, willing moons, planets...or even the sun to move.

"Above 50..."  She paused as she braced herself to explain this part.  "Above 50 Harmoniums, and you have a living god, with reality itself bending to their whims, unless a stronger power is present.  The only limit being their imagination and mental discipline."

Dead silence greeted this last statement.  Fox was the first to finally speak up.  "And...where would you rate Sunset?"

"Bare minimum, 15 Harmoniums," Krystal stated flatly.  "And a field that strong in an individual is only going to grow as she gets older and learns to control it.  Conservative estimate?  No less than 25 Harmoniums by the time she hits puberty.  And the more often she spikes or experiences buildups, the faster she'll reach that point."

"Then it's a good thing I've finished designing the panels!" Slippy spoke up, carrying a few large black panels with odd circuit patterns on them towards Sunset's room, cables leading from them to large canisters.  "Time to test..."

The group followed, watching as Slippy entered Sunset's room.  The moment he got close enough to the crib, the circuits on the panels began to glow the same blue as Sunset's magical aura.  He carefully arranged them around Sunset's crib, then silently made his way back out.  "These are just prototypes," he spoke up calmly, "but they should work for now."

"Someone will still need to teach her how to control her magic once she has some conscious command of it," Krystal pointed out.

"Guess we'll need your services for quite some time, then," Fox murmured with a smile.  "I can't say it'll be unpleasant to have you sticking around.  Quite the opposite."

Krystal smiled back despite herself.  "In that case, it would probably be best now to discuss my payment."

Fox rubbed the back of his head.  "Yeah...about that...we don't exactly have a...steady income..."

"Is that what the ad meant by 'pay questionable'?" Krystal asked, feeling her hopes - and prospects - sinking.

"Yeah...we don't exactly have many credits to our name," Fox admitted.  "And what we have, we're going to need to spend carefully to take care of Sunset..."

Krystal leaned on her palms, grumbling under her breath.  "That's going to be a pain..." she murmured irritably.  "My ship's barely flyable as is.  How am I supposed to get fuel and repairs to continue my mission if you can't pay me?"

Fox's eyes lit up.  "Perhaps we could trade services?" he offered hopefully.  "The Great Fox mostly mines fuel sources from stray unclaimed comets and asteroids.  We could easily provide you what you need that way.  And Slippy's great with all kinds of tech, so he could repair your ship easily."

Krystal thought about that for a time.  "Well, he did manage to get the tech needed to prevent Sunset's magic buildups amazingly quickly..."

"And we could help you with your mission, if you want!" Peppy added helpfully.  "The Star Fox team is a freelance flight team, ready to offer services when needed, but more readily mobile and actionable than the Lylat Fleet."

Krystal rubbed her chin.  "Tell you what.  We'll call a refuel, repairs, room and board fair trade for the first few months.  I'll see how your team operates in that time, and decide then if I want help with my mission."

Fox smiled widely.  "I can agree to that deal," he offered warmly, holding out his hand.

Now knowing how to handle that gesture, Krystal returned the handshake.








(1) Much of the concepts presented in the following discussion borrowed/in tribute to the amazing comic "The Birth of Equestria" by Shieltar.  The comic can be found here.
> Destiny Spoken
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It didn't take long for Krystal to settle into a routine with Team Star Fox.  Most of her day - which aboard ship was a shift rather than any measurement of planetary rotation - was spent watching over Sunset's development or repairing her staff, both tasks made easier due to the fact the very next surge - which continued to come from Sunset - rapid healed Krystal's hand faster than even her own magic could have.  The fact that Sunset was still having surges led to Slippy having to continuously upgrade the Arcane Collection and Storage Units (ACSU), as he'd come to call the collection panels he'd designed to collect her excess energy.  Upon realizing that was what caused the panels to occasionally short and spark, Sunset started making a game of trying to short the panels out by directing stronger flows of magical energy into them...which forced Slippy to continuously upgrade the circuits to handle stronger magical flows.

This also led to rapidly upgrading the storage units to hold more magical energy...until Slippy discovered a way, exactly a month after Krystal arrived, to convert the stored magical energy into other forms of energy the ship needed to function, including the liquid form of fuel the ship ran on, and raw material for the ship's synthesizers.  The boon to resources more than offset the cost of keeping Sunset fed and happy, which greatly eased the budget.

Krystal spent her 'night' shift on the ship - which was after Sunset fell asleep for the night - with the various members of Team Star Fox.  While it had taken all of them time to get used to her - and to her wardrobe, since she was forced to keep her magic at peak to handle Sunset - she had found spending time with them quite enjoyable.  Then again, having been alone for so long after the loss of her home world, any friendship was a good one.

Her time with Peppy proved to be quite relaxing.  The old hare had plenty of stories to tell, and was always a good listener.  Spending time with him reminded her of a time when she was much younger, sitting at the feet of her grandfather as he wove tales of ancient magic, distant worlds, and fanciful lands.  His presence made the Great Fox feel almost like home...almost.

Her time with Falco was interesting if challenging.  It rapidly became obvious that Falco considered himself - the Lylat term was 'a player' - and was constantly trying to impress her in some way, seeking to win her affection...or at least a tumble.  Krystal found it entertaining to watch him strut, showing himself off in a way he thought would make her swoon but generally made her laugh, as the courtship customs she was used to were quite different.  The challenging part was the amount of innuendo he sprinkled into his speech...specifically translating it in a way she could make sense of.  The 'do you have a little Avian in you' incident still left her mortified, weeks later.  Why did she pull out her knife and fork?

Time with Slippy proved to be most enlightening.  While her own world had developed magitek to a certain degree, it was always in the nature of using technology to enhance the performance of magic.  Watching Slippy go the opposite direction and develop technology that enhanced its own performance via the application of magical energy left Krystal stupefied at how effective it was.  On top of that, his ability to intuit how the magical functions of her ship worked amazed her.  And when he showed her the spell books that had come through with Sunset, books covering magical formula orders of magnitude more advanced than what she'd learned back on her home world...well, it would be worth the years it would take to translate the runes into a format she could understand.  Luckily enough, the simplest of the books had several of the simpler formulae she knew by heart, and she could take the time to try and 'Rosetta Stone' the rest, and consider the years it would take a worthwhile investment and reason enough to stay aboard the Great Fox whether she got paid or not.  Ramen noodles weren't so bad.

The time with Fox was what left her most confused, however.  He spent nearly as much time and energy taking care of Sunset as Krystal did, often leaving him too worn out to posture or flirt as Falco did.  Instead, he spent the time with Krystal simply talking.  He'd ask questions about her, about where she came from, about her likes and dislikes...and she traded question for question, learning more about him as he learned more about her.  It was a calming, peaceful interaction...if her magic would behave itself while she was close to him.

"I know what it means, of course," she grumbled to herself as she finished feeding and burping Sunset yet again.  "My gifts aren't just in telepathy and empathy.  I have a bit of the seer's gift, though a very small amount.  If my magic is responding so strongly to Fox's proximity...then somehow, our destinies are fated to be intertwined."

"Gabba doogie boo!" Sunset declared firmly, the meaning of her baby noises unclear.  She'd started making noises beyond simple 'ga, ba, ha' last week, and the entire team was certain her first real word was just around the corner.

"Exactly," Krystal replied, as though the declaration were an insightful comment.  "But how are they meant to be intertwined?  What does fate have in store for us?  And how am I supposed to figure it out?"  She looked at Sunset calmly as she set the infant into her crib, the ACSU panels humming as they absorbed the energy of her next surge before it could build up.  "I don't suppose you know what I should do to figure it out?  Or which formula in the book covers seer magic?"

Sunset grinned up at Krystal happily, then proceeded to quite seriously attempt to eat her left hoof.  Unlike most Lylat lifeforms, Sunset's equine nature extended to giving her hooves at the end of her legs rather than any sort of feet, and her entire legs were internally reinforced with her magical energy.  Slippy had theorized that should she ever choose to fly an Arwing, she wouldn't need the metal leg enhancements that most pilots had surgically grafted to their legs to better interface with the fighter's G-Diffusion system to better control the blood flow, while allowing them to easily adapt between flying and ground movement.

Krystal shook her head ruefully.  "Yeah, I didn't think so..."

"Come on, I'm totally Dad!" Falco called out as metal footsteps heralded the approach of the pair.  "She enjoys my arrival much more than yours!  She always smiles when I enter the room!"

"That's gas and you know it!" Fox snapped back.  "She hit me in the head flying out of the mirror.  I'm totally Dad!"

"I do more for her than you do!" Falco snapped out.  "I'm the one out there earning extra cash to pay the bills!"

"And I'm the one here taking care of her while you waste time flirting on your way back!" Fox countered.  "How many 'digits' did you brag about getting on the way back?"

"What?" Falco countered.  "If I'm gonna be a single Dad, Sunset's gonna need a Mom!"

Krystal rolled her eyes as the pair entered the room, heading straight for Sunset's crib.

"Why don't we let her decide?" Fox suggested as they reached the crib.  He leaned over, grinning as Sunset smiled up at him.  "Who's Dada, Sunset?  Who's Dada?"

"Hey, don't coach her without me!" Falco snapped, moving up to the crib.  "Come to Dada, Sunset!  C'mere!"

The pair continued to chivy back and forth, with Sunset glancing back and forth between them in fear.  Before Krystal could step in, Sunset flung herself out of the crib and into Krystal's arms with a loud cry of, "Mama!"

Krystal blinked in surprise at that declaration, but carefully began rocking Sunset into relaxation and crooning to her to calm her distress.

Falco threw up his hands in frustration.  "Great!  If that's how she judges, Slippy will probably end up being Dada since he's the one who changes her diapers and makes the shiny things she likes!"  Grumbling under his breath, he stormed out of the room.

Seeing Sunset's distress, Fox moved up beside Krystal, reaching out to stroke the filly's mane.  "Sorry, Sunset," Fox whispered gently.  "Didn't realize we were upsetting you.  Guess we got carried away."

As Sunset slowly relaxed and smiled up at Fox, Krystal found her own smile widening.  She didn't know Sunset's mind, but she knew who she would bet on being named 'Dada'.

...just as long as Sunset didn't use that to try and ship.  Her life was confusing enough without a teenage romance.
> Familiar Roles
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once Sunset called Krystal 'Mama', the blue vixen knew two things.  One, she was in caring for the little filly for the long haul.  Whatever the situation with her and the rest of team Star Fox may or may not have been, she'd lost too much already - her own family included - to abandon a little one who looked to her that way.  Two, she knew it was time to start working to expand Sunset's mind towards teaching her to control her expansive magical gift.  Not only had her power only continued to grow, it was rapidly exceeding the capacity of Slippy's tech to contain...mostly due to a lack of storage capacity.  The materials needed to make proper magic containment vessels simply weren't readily available in the Lylat system, and Slippy could only do so much with used soda cans, no matter how much attuning them to Sunset's wavelength did to improve their structural integrity.  If nothing else, he was running out of room for the cans.

Towards building up Sunset's cognition, Krystal started carrying Sunset with her around the ship.  As long as she made sure to hold Sunset close to an ACSU panel to make sure she didn't have a build up coming, she could carry her through the halls for nearly an hour before danger of a build up began.  Since the ship was of a size that - short of an electrical outage in the elevator - one could walk every part of the ship in a loop in less than half that time, that was more than enough to take her wherever Krystal decided to go that day.  Sunset always enjoyed the excursions, taking in every inch of the ship and naming things as best she could in her baby talk as she pointed insistently at objects.

Today, Krystal decided to walk towards the halls where Slippy was at work.  He was making modification of some sort - he almost always was these days - and Krystal wanted Sunset to get the idea that things around her would change sometimes and that wasn't a bad thing.  On the way there, she encountered the Great Fox's robotic operator, ROB 64.  He was a golden robot whose blocky joints housed his narrow limbs, as he was built to interface with the Great Fox's systems, and movement and other such functions were secondary to his design.  He rarely left the bridge, save to go down to the repair bay to get Slippy to fix up some part of him, or to visually check a confusing report from the computers.  When Krystal bumped into him, he was on his way back from the repair bay.  "Greetings, Krystal," he greeted, his robotic voice unable to truly convey emotion, though she chose to interpret that he was happy to see her.  Leaning down, he put himself at eye level with Sunset.  "Greetings, Sunset."

"Bwo-bot!" Sunset called out excitedly, reaching out with both arms to the machine.  ROB lifted one hand to let Sunset grip his finger.  As always, it was impossible to tell the robot's emotional state - or if he even had one - but he never passed up an opportunity or refused an invitation to play with the little filly, so it could be assumed that he enjoyed being her 'Bro-bot'.  That had initially been thought to be Sunset's attempt at pronouncing 'robot', but her refusal to drop the initial 'b' made it plain she knew what she was saying.

"She really seems to like you," Krystal murmured softly.

"Affirmative," ROB agreed.  "I am plainly her favorite toy."

"Pretty sure she doesn't see you as a toy-"  Krystal lost her voice as she saw Sunset's horn glow, using her aura to completely disassemble ROB's hand before reassembling it - still attached to him - as a bubble gun.

"You were saying?" ROB asked flatly as bubbles sprayed into the air from what had been his finger.  Sunset happily lunged upward, popping the bubbles that got close enough with her horn.

Krystal struggled not to laugh.  "I'm terribly sorry about that, ROB," she began sincerely.

"I did not say I minded being her favorite toy," ROB corrected as he ran out of bubbles.  Sunset's horn glowed, restoring his hand to normal.  He then patted her mane lightly before turning towards the bridge.

"Bye bye Bwo-bot!" Sunset called out happily, waving to him as he went.  As ROB rotated his upper body to wave back without stopping, Krystal continued on her way.

It didn't take long after that for Krystal to reach Slippy.  He was hard at work applying ACSU panels to the walls of the corridor, laying them carefully so the conduits interlinked with each other.  "Hey Krystal!" he called without turning to look at her, one of his eyes having already caught sight of her approach out of his peripheral vision.

"Hello Slippy," Krystal greeted softly as she knelt down so Sunset could see Slippy easier.  "What are you working on?"

"Unca Silly!" Sunset called out happily, reaching out until Slippy extended a webbed hand for her to play with.  She was always fascinated with the way the webbing between his fingers stretched and collapsed as he flexed the digits.  Letting her watch and play didn't even slow down his work, as he had simply pulled off one boot and used his similarly webbed foot to grip the tool while balancing expertly on one leg, his wide peripheral vision allowing him to both immediately correct if his balance shifted even a nano-meter and watch Sunset play and his own work at the same time.

Not for the first time, Krystal wondered just how Slippy was able to process so much mental input at once, and wondered if the attempt was somehow responsible for his clumsiness while moving at high speeds, especially when he seemed to have absolute control while standing in one place.

"I noticed you started taking Sunset around the ship to show her around," Slippy explained in his high, piping voice.  "Now, I can guess where that goes.  Once she knows her way around, it won't be long until she's wandering around on her own, whether to find whoever she wants or because she thinks it's fun to play hide and seek."  He winced slightly as that statement caused Sunset to giggle almost wickedly.  "Now, that could cause a problem if we can't get her back to her room before she starts another magical buildup.  My first thought was to try and take the ACSU tech and put it into a suit she could wear, but I hit several problems with that.

"First," Slippy began as he pulled up another wall panel, placing an ACSU panel in its place and welding it there, "the suit couldn't hold nearly enough energy in itself, and we'd have the same problem with draining the suit as we do with her buildups.  Second, I haven't figured out how to make this stuff into a fabric yet.  I was lucky to make the panels work so well on the initial design, and have just been refining it since, testing what works best.  The third problem was most significant, though."  He gestured to Sunset.  "She's still growing.  Given her size relative to the rest of us, she'll likely grow fast.  And one thing I can tell about putting this tech into fabric is that it's going to be expensive, both in terms of development and the material itself.  I'd rather wait until she's big enough I won't have to make a new one every week, and responsible enough I can give her a gun so she can discharge the collected energy in a controlled manner.

"Then it hit me," Slippy continued as he hopped sideways to work on the floor panel.  "If she's going to be wandering the Great Fox, why not turn the problem into a solution?  I've been struggling to find a way to store all the excess magical energy she gives off...but what if I turned the Great Fox itself into the battery?  By lining the entire ship with the panels and conduits, it'll make the ship itself ACSU compatible, storing the magic in the material of the ship itself and the concept of it as a unit.  From what you translated in those spell books Sunset brought with her, a structure that has 'personality' will often draw excess magical energy to itself in massive quantities to become more, which sounds remarkably like some sort of haunted house.  What if we shaped the Great Fox to do that, based in its 'personality' as a protector of the Lylat System?  With ROB at the helm, it's already got a will in a way.  That's why I installed an ACSU circuit in ROB just a bit ago, so he can interface with the ship."

Krystal shook her head, marveling at the way Slippy thought everything out so carefully and made such amazing leaps.  "Of course, it'll probably be years before there's enough magic absorbed to create a noticeable effect on the Great Fox, even at Sunset's output.  The scale the books talked about was for small houses, and maybe a manor.  A ship this size..."

"Then if it works, it'll be a long time before we have to worry about storage issues for the magical energy, won't it?" Slippy pointed out with a wide grin, before turning to grab some of his lunch out of his box with his long tongue and turning back to his work as he chewed.
> Of Maids and Men
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Slippy had predicted, it wasn't long before Sunset started prowling the halls of the ship on her own, frequently by means of self-levitation.  Krystal didn't know what to marvel at more, that Sunset could focus her magic for such controlled usage so young, or that Slippy had managed to extend the ACSU system throughout the entire ship before she started.  She was grateful that Sunset respected Danger symbols, and thus stayed away from the airlocks, the docking bay, the engine room, and the weapons bay, as well as not playing with the ship's controls once 'Bro-bot' told her not to.  She was not grateful that Sunset seemed to take delight in finding spaces big enough for her but too small for anyone else, and then hiding away in a spot that made her voice echo and giggling as she watched everyone search for her.  Still, it did mean Krystal stayed in great shape constantly chasing after her, despite the Great Fox now being so far in the black due to sale of magically generated resources that Falco was able to prepare a literal feast - for eyes and stomach - every night.  Who knew the flirty showoff was such a good cook?

When Sunset wasn't playing hide and seek with the entire crew, she would make her way towards a specific individual she wanted to spend time with, or to the kitchen to raid the cookie jar.  Despite his best efforts, no security system Slippy had managed to devise could keep Sunset from the jar for more than about ten minutes.  Still, Slippy enjoyed the effort of trying to stump her, and she plainly enjoyed testing herself against them no matter how puzzling they were.  Most everyone would have been happy to let her treat herself to a cookie as a reward for success in that regard...if only she didn't gorge every time and ruin her dinner.

More often than not it was Peppy who found her when she went to curl up somewhere after making herself sick from eating too many cookies, mostly because she wound up curled up on his bed since it was the softest in the ship for Peppy's old bones.  Whenever he found her there - whether curled up for painful stomach or just because the blankets were comfy - he would pick her up, step over to his rocking chair, and simply rock her into a restful doze while stroking her mane.  To keep her attention as he did this, he would tell her old stories from his life, anything from the adventurous to the ridiculous.  She absolutely adored those tales, and it wasn't long before a common shout heard through the ship was, "Gampa!  Stowy!"

It took Peppy ten minutes to stop his tears of joy the first time she called him that.

While most of those on the ship saw Sunset's endless wanderings as just her testing her boundaries and seeking to stimulate her forming mind, Krystal had begun noticing something else that she felt was of greater significance.  While Sunset would play her games whenever she felt like it, 'hiding' more often than not occurred any time Fox and Falco both tried to approach her simultaneously, an event that usually devolved into their fight over who was 'Dada', and ended when they noticed Sunset had vanished.  Krystal was pretty certain she knew what was going on there.  Sunset plainly was extraordinarily fond of both young men, but the idea of picking one over the other - and the other's anger at that - was far too upsetting to her young mind, leading to her running rather than facing it.  Krystal could only hope a resolution happened soon, and that it brought some measure of peace to the ship.

This was especially large in her thoughts right now as she searched for Sunset, since she'd run off again because Fox and Falco had started arguing in front of her again.  Krystal wasn't sure, but it looked like Fox at least had understood what was going on, so maybe he'd find a way to fix things...though she hoped it wouldn't be by trying to convince Sunset to make Falco 'Dad'.  Krystal was already certain Sunset saw Fox that way, even if she hadn't called him that yet, and trying to shift those affections would not end well.  Despite no longer surging or undergoing build ups, Sunset still possessed fearsome magic that demonstrated itself quite noticeably when she became perturbed.

Much to her surprise, when Krystal was finally able to track down Sunset's magical signature - a difficult task in and of itself with the ship absorbing any stray magic Sunset left behind, and blanketing the ship in the echo from storing all that energy - she found Fox kneeling beside the vent Sunset was hiding in.  Deciding to see what was going on, she stood back and waited.

"Sunset," Fox whispered softly, "I'm...I'm sorry.  I should have realized we were upsetting you sooner.  It's just...Falco and I have been friendly rivals ever since we were kids, fighting over just about anything.  When he started fighting over which of us was your Dad, I just...slipped into the habit.  It made things feel...normal, and that he was accepting things.  And I needed that normal, especially since Dad..."  His voice trailed off, and he rubbed his hand over his face.  "Point is, I shouldn't have been doing that.  I should have been focused on taking care of you instead.

"So I'm not going to fight with Falco over that anymore," Fox continued.  "If he wants to insist he's your Dad, let him.  That's up to you, not us...and we'll have plenty of other things to fight about over the years, hopefully ones that won't be upsetting to you."  He slowly reached into the vent, and was rewarded with Sunset crawling into his arms.  "I just...care about you too much to want to hurt you..."

Sunset smiled up at Fox and nuzzled into his chest.  "Da!" she stated quite plainly, making Krystal smile.

"What?" Falco demanded as he rounded the corner.

"Ha!  Suck it, Falco!" Fox called out as he turned, making Krystal facepalm as Sunset glowered and bopped him on the nose.  "...ow, she's got quite the right hook..."

"Great!" Falco complained.  "Just great!  So where do I rate with her, huh?"

"Unca Bahdi!" Sunset called out happily.

"What?" Falco demanded angrily.  "Just because I'm an avian, she calls me-"

"I'm pretty sure she's saying 'Uncle Bardi'," Krystal interrupted.  "When I talk to her about you all, I refer to you by full names...and there's no way she could pronounce even a close approximation of Falco right now."

Fox snickered.  "Unless you want to be 'Unca Fakka'!" he joked, causing Sunset's eyes to light up.

"Uncle Birdy it is, then!" Falco responded quickly, making Fox and Krystal laugh.
> The Years Turn
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With Sunset's perspective of her 'family' firmly established, it wasn't long before a routine set in.  With the ACSU installed throughout the ship, anyone could handle tending to Sunset's physical needs, and she would actively seek out whoever she desired for her emotional needs now that she was fully mobile.  With the ship absorbing her magical energy at a steadier rate, she spent less time in the air levitating herself and more time crawling or toddling around as her movements became more sure.  The sounds of her hooves on metal quickly became a common sound on the ship, one which everyone became fond of...just as they became accustomed to ducking if they saw the bright glow of her magic out of the corners of their eyes.

For her magical needs, Krystal focused on trying to teach Sunset control.  On her world, youngsters with strong magical fields were taught at an early age - training began younger the stronger the field - so she saw no reason why she shouldn't try to start early with Sunset.  Unfortunately, meditation proved to be incompatible with Sunset's mind, at least at this point.  Any attempts at teaching Sunset meditation led to one of three outcomes: one, Sunset would start vocally complaining about being bored just as soon as Krystal started to enter her own trance state; Krystal would come out of her trance state to discover Sunset had ditched her to find something fun to do; or Krystal's meditation would be disturbed by Sunset's snores.  Despairing at that, she settled for using the spell books she'd managed to translate as bedtime stories, reading off the magical formulae.  Sunset certainly enjoyed that, even if Krystal had trouble wrapping her mind around some of the concepts in the books.  Since the book that had been completely translated had been labeled 'Magic for Kindergartners', Krystal could hardly imagine just how magically advanced the world Sunset came from must be.

...it was honestly rather terrifying to picture, especially if Sunset was a typical example of their infants.

With things more or less stabilized, everyone was able to grow used to the routine and Sunset's presence, and it no longer proved a complete drain on their energy.  As such, many of them went back to the activities they'd enjoyed before Sunset's arrival, scheduling them around engaging with Sunset.  Peppy mostly caught up on his reading, doing his best to relax and recuperate.  Slippy focused his attention on repairing the Great Fox and the four Ar-Wing model fighters that made up its complement.  Now that magic-matter conversion was providing them with plenty of credits, he had all he needed to work on them...not to mention the magic-matter converted materials were much purer than anything he could get planetside or from asteroids, making them ideal for repairs and crafting.  The only difficulty was keeping Sunset out of the repair bay, as she was constantly sticking her horn in the circuitry...sometimes literally.

Falco began spending less and less time aboard the Great Fox.  He still made time to rile up Fox or entertain Sunset while he was there, but he'd often be gone for days at a time as he sought out his own sort of company at various parties, making full use of the rather large bankroll the Great Fox's situation provided him with.  He largely ignored the expressions of disgust sent his way by Peppy and Krystal when he returned from such excursions, though he did clean himself up after each before meeting up with Sunset.  Whether that was out of respect for propriety or fear of Sunset's insatiable and stubborn curiosity was impossible to know.

The biggest change was with Fox.  Now that he had energy to do more than chase after Sunset, he turned to his own life.  Re-enrolling in the Academy was completely out of the question.  He'd missed classes for too long to slip in as if he'd never left, and any accommodations made for him would rub him the wrong way, especially if it was out of 'understanding' for his 'bereavement'.  With the Great Fox's Ar-Wings still under repair, he couldn't practice combat or maneuvers, and the other vehicles were an even lower priority for maintenance as they were environmentally limited in their usefulness.  Instead, he focused his attention on the absolutely gorgeous girl living with them...and her equally gorgeous Mom/Nanny.

Since he'd taken the time to get to know Krystal somewhat while everyone's main focus was taking care of Sunset and making sure the little filly didn't accidentally destroy everything in her surroundings, Fox's initial forays into flirting were not as awkward and embarrassing as they could have been.  Rather than the usual pick up lines, platitudes, or failed attempts at looking cool, he focused on those areas he already knew they had in common.  Their somewhat similar situations - both recently orphaned, both dealing with responsibilities they weren't ready for, and both dealing with a situation they'd never imagined - created a certain kinship from the start, and Fox tried to build on that by introducing her to things he enjoyed.  Games, movies, shows, books...they were all brand new to Krystal, and he was able to parse which of them might be to her interests by the way she talked about stories from her own world.  He also made sure to ask her plenty of questions about her old world, letting her reminisce...always stopping before she started to become depressed, and distracting her with something he thought she'd like.

...if only Sunset would stop popping up in the middle of them every time Fox tried to make a move turning things towards physical.  Seriously, couldn't she keep herself entertained long enough for him to even get one kiss?  Or hold hands for that matter?

Before long, however, the Ar-Wings were ready to take out into space, and the four pilots - Fox, Falco, Slippy, and Peppy - began taking practice runs against each other.  Using tagging lasers for mock dogfights.  Krystal watched these engagements with interest, impressed at the skills three academy dropouts and one aging veteran could demonstrate...

But her interest was nothing compared to Sunset's.  From the moment the first Ar-Wing flew against the starry backdrop of space, the little filly was completely enthralled.  She watched every moment of the mock dog fights, tracking each and every arc of flight.  Krystal didn't need telepathy to read her mind when she saw that.

More than anything else, Sunset wanted a pair of her own wings.
> First Mission
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Please, Uncle Silly?"

"No," Slippy responded firmly as he continued to go over data readouts of the ship's status.

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

Krystal shook her head as she watched the interchange.  Much as she'd anticipated, Sunset had immediately started begging everyone for an Ar-Wing of her own.  Admittedly, she was still limited in language, but she'd been able to make herself clear rather easily.  Thankfully, Krystal had been able to break free of her own siege of pleas rather easily.

"Mommy!  Can I have wings?" Sunset pleaded, pointing out the view screen at the Ar-Wings Fox and the others were flying.

Krystal chuckled softly.  "Sunset, even if I were so inclined to give you an Ar-Wing - which I'm not - I don't have any way to give you one.  Not only won't I, but I can't, and no amount of pleading can change that."

Sunset pouted momentarily before perking up.  "Then-"

"And I won't help you talk the others around either."

The resulting pout was absolutely adorable.

Once free of Sunset's attempts at wheedling her around, Krystal was able to watch her attempts at bringing the others around with amused tolerance.  Her first attempt had been on Peppy, and his method of deflection was most inspired.

"Grandpa!" Sunset called out eagerly as she rushed towards Peppy.  "Can I have wings?"

Peppy blinked in surprise and confusion.  "Wings, Sunset?"

"Like you and Daddy have!" Sunset declared, pointing out at space.

Peppy paused as he parsed that, then smiled indulgently.  "Oh, you want your own Ar-Wing?" Peppy clarified.  When Sunset nodded eagerly, he chuckled softly.  "Yes, I remember that feeling well.  I remember the first time I saw Ar-Wings in flight..."

And so he had gone, segueing into a story of the past, Sunset becoming totally enthralled until she slipped into slumber.  Realizing how she'd been thwarted, she'd confronted him again...only to be distracted by a different story.  This had repeated several times until Sunset fully caught wise...and Peppy's counter stratagem was truly masterful.

"No!" Sunset interrupted as Peppy started to tell yet another story.  "Don't want story!  Want wings!"

Peppy let his face fall as he stared at Sunset.  "You don't want my story?" he asked sorrowfully.  "Well, I suppose it would come eventually."  He sighed regretfully.  "Younguns always grow up eventually.  I knew it wouldn't be that long before you didn't need me anymore, outgrew the need for Grandpa.  I guess I'll just...sit here idling my days away, missing the days you'd crawl into my lap for a story, wasting away..."

Sunset was on the verge of tears.  "No Grandpa!" she wailed, throwing herself into his lap to cling to him.  "Don't go!  Need you!  Love you!"

Peppy smiled warmly, returning the hug.  "So you still want my stories?"

Sunset nodded desperately.  Chuckling, Peppy broke into yet another tale.

After that, Sunset didn't ask Peppy for anything other than stories.  Peppy managed to look inordinately smug whenever Sunset wasn't looking.

Sunset's discussion with Fox had been quite short.

"Daddy!" Sunset called out, running up to Fox in the Ar-Wing hangar.  "I want one!"  She pointed peremptorily at the Ar-Wing.

"Maybe when you're older," Fox replied readily without even blinking.

"Not maybe!" Sunset whined.  "Want wings!"

"Would you like to go for 'no'?" Fox countered.

Sunset stared up at him.  "...Maybe good."

Krystal had been nervous when Sunset had approached Falco, though.  She knew Falco had a temper, and a foul mouth when roused.  However, to her surprise, Falco was surprisingly creative when censoring himself around Sunset.

"Flock no!" Falco snapped the moment Sunset had asked him for 'wings'.  "Fly me to the Alps, no!  There is no way in Helheim a pupping three year old is being put into farting space!  It is far too flying dangerous!"

Sunset stared up at Falco, her ears going back as her eyes started to water.

"Don't gimme that shingles!" Falco chided angrily.  "You and I both know the waterworks is a big fake to get what you want and you yell and scream when actually upset!"

Sunset's expression turned to angry, and she spun and delivered a hard side kick to his shin with her hoof before toddling away.

"Yeah..." Falco whimpered as he clutched his leg.  "Like that.  ...fighting good form there, though."

And now it seemed Sunset had turned her attempts on Slippy, though he seemed to be holding strong against it.  The 'Please?/No' exchange had been going on for nearly an hour, and Sunset showed no signs of stopping...while Slippy showed no signs of even being disturbed by it.  Eventually, Sunset was the one who broke.  "Why?"

Slippy smiled as he held out his data-pad, showing her the image on it.  "This is the G-Diffusion system of the Ar-Wings," Slippy explained.  "It's central to all its systems.  Engines, shields, maneuvering, weapons, bomb dispersal...everything goes through it to some degree.  But it isn't perfect.  Sometimes the energy slips.  Sometimes one of the systems it controls...blips.  As such, there are safeties for all of them.  However...one of the systems it controls is its primary function, controlling how the G Forces of the flight affect the pilot.  You've read my science notes, so you can imagine what would happen to a pilot if that system blips."

Sunset shuddered.  She could imagine.  She'd seen what extreme G Forces could do to fruit.  "Safety?" she asked hopefully.

"As I said, the blips only last a few moments," Slippy explained as he reached into a bag, pulling out his cybernetic leg enhancers.  "But if that system blips, the Gs will force all the blood in the pilot's body into their legs, which can cause them to black out...or cause blood vessels to burst."  Setting the leg enhancers down, he sat back and rolled up his pant legs.

Sunset stared as the metal prongs sticking out of Slippy's legs became visible.  "Those...?" she asked, her voice now afraid.

"Surgically implanted cybernetic interface points," Slippy confirmed.  "Hurts like the dickens putting them in, and anesthesia isn't an option since they have to link up properly to the nervous system so they can receive mental commands."  Slipping his legs into the boot shaped enhancers, he focused.  He gritted his teeth as a metallic clanking heralded the interfaces grasping the boots and locking them into place.  "And because we had to get the cheaper models back when we got them due to being low on cash, they hurt like the dickens when we put them on.  Fox got lucky, since his Dad sprung for the model that stays entirely within the leg when not in use.  Falco and I...not so lucky."

He slowly stood up, balancing his weight on the boots.  "These strengthen the muscles, bones, and blood vessels in the legs, allowing them to handle both a sudden increase in G forces and maintaining standard blood pressure should the system blip.  All research shows this system prevents black outs in the event of momentary G-Diffusion System failure.  Anything more than momentary, you're already dead."  He turned to Sunset.  "They don't make these in child sizes, and one of the requirements to legally pilot an Ar-Wing is to be of age to have these installed, and either get them installed or prove your biology doesn't need it.  Some species don't."  He glanced down at Sunset's hooves.  "You might not, given the shape of your legs.  But we can't get it tested until you're at least 12, when you're old enough to enroll in the Academy."

"Y-yeah..." Sunset murmured in a quiet voice.  Krystal could see it in her eyes.  She still wanted her own 'wings', but she no longer wanted them 'now.'

At that moment, Rob broadcast an announcement to the whole ship.  "Message from General Pepper!  Priority One!"

Slippy immediately leapt to his feet.  "Krystal, hold onto Sunset!" he directed as he raced for the hangar.

Krystal quickly snatched up Sunset, racing for the hangar herself.  Something big was going down.
> First Battle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The message from General Pepper echoed through the entire Great Fox along with the Red Alert.  "We need your help, Star Fox!" the General's soft, strong voice range out.  "Andross has declared war!  He's invaded the Lylat System and is trying to take over Corneria!  Our army alone can't do the job!  Hurry, Star Fox!"

Krystal, Sunset in her arms, raced up to Fox as he headed to join the others heading towards the hangar.  "I can help-" she began.

"Your ship can't make the same maneuvers an Ar-Wing can, and you aren't trained to fly one," Fox interrupted.  "The best thing you can do right now is keep Sunset safe and help Rob get the rest of Great Fox's resources ready.  We're bootstrapping here, and there's no telling how well everything will work."

Krystal flinched back.  She hated knowing she was basically useless as far as this battle was, but she couldn't argue the points.  Her ship definitely wasn't built for combat maneuverability like the Ar-Wings were, and she'd never even seen one before arriving aboard the Great Fox, let alone fly one.  "Alright," she allowed finally.  "Be careful."

"Always," Fox responded immediately with a disarming smile.

"Get in the air already, lover boy!" Falco shouted out as he rushed by.

Turning, Fox immediately took off in pursuit.  "Says the one who still needs to drive home the connections for his enhancers!" he called back.

"They're built to actuate while moving!"

Krystal quickly rushed to the bridge before Sunset could squirm out of her arms, getting to Rob's side in time to see the four Ar-Wings shoot out of the hangar and towards Corneria.  "Which one is Fox's?" she asked Rob worriedly.

Rob tapped a few buttons on the controls, and the view screen displayed a close up of the four fighters, each one highlighted with an identifier added to the display.  As they approached, Rob patched the bridge screen into the comm link, letting Krystal and Sunset see and hear who said what.

General Pepper was an older canine, just a little younger than Peppy in appearance, dressed in a medal bedecked crimson uniform.  "It's about time you showed up, Fox!" Pepper was saying to the pilots.  Sunset's eyes narrowed angrily at the impatient slight.  "You're the only hope for our world!"

"I'll do my best!" Fox responded immediately.  "Andross won't have his way with me!"

As Pepper's connection cut, Krystal and Sunset listened to the four pilots talking.  "Why wings open?" Sunset asked Rob curiously after one particular order.

"Ar-Wings have two modes of flight," Rob explained.  "The closed wing mode has much greater max speed, but less maneuverability.  This makes it ideal for flying from one planet in a system to another, and for breaching atmospheric envelopes.  Open wing has greater maneuverability, but lower max speed.  This is ideal for combat flight."

Sunset grinned widely as she watched in awe as the four fighters demonstrated their skills in live combat.  Krystal was in no less awe, but it was tempered by fear.  Too easily could she imagine one or more of them not coming back.

As the show continued, Sunset eventually wriggled out of Krystal's grip and over to the smaller screen that showed things from the perspective of Fox's cockpit.  She stayed there, eyes locked on the screen as she happily pretended that she was in the cockpit, flying the ship along with her Dad.  Krystal kept her focus on split between the larger screen that showed the entire battle and Sunset.  "Are they going to be okay?" Krystal asked Rob, keeping her voice quiet to avoid alerting Sunset.  "Those are a lot of enemies..."  She found herself staring from one dangerous looking hunting ship to another.

"You don't need to worry," Rob responded quickly.  "Those are all unmanned drones.  Obstacles at best, annoyances at worst.  They are all far too good of pilots, even ungraduated, to fail."

"Fox, help!" Slippy's voice called out through the comms.  "It's on my tail!"

"Of course, Slippy is the least skilled pilot among the group-" Rob began.

"Leave Unca Silly alone!" Sunset suddenly screamed out, her horn glowing as she dragged a finger across her screen right through the image of the drone fighter pursuing Slippy's Ar-Wing.

The large viewscreen showed the drone splitting in half, the two halves falling to the ground before exploding.  Krystal's jaw dropped.  A clang informed Rob that he needed to pick the lower half of his face-block up off the floor.

"Thanks Fox!" Slippy called out.

"That wasn't me!" Fox responded.  "Falco?  Peppy?"

"It sure wasn't me, but I saw it!" Falco answered.  "It just...split in half!"

Krystal managed to get control of herself as Sunset clapped her hands.  "Fox, I think that was Sunset," she said into the comms.  "Just before the drone split in half, she drew a line on the screen she was watching the fight from - your POV, Fox - while shouting at them to 'leave Uncle Silly alone'."

"...her reach is that far?" Fox gasped in shock.  "Just how powerful is she?"

"Talk about it when we're done here!" Slippy called out.  "We've still got a long ways to go!"

The four fighters continued along, hunting down every attacking drone they could as they sought out the ship controlling them.  Thankfully, it didn't take long to find the only attacking ship that wasn't unmanned.  It was a large ship built in four components.  The control cockpit was much larger than the Ar-Wings, and oblong in shape.  On one side, a hangar held large numbers of drone fighters ready to be launched.  To the other side were two nearly as large laser and missile batteries,  As team Star Fox got ready to fight, Sunset suddenly giggled.  "I crushy you head!" she declared happily.  She held her hand up to the screen, enclosing her fist around the drone bay by her line of sight.  "Crush!"

The drone bay collapsed inward as a blazing glow surrounded it, the ACSU panels lining the Great Fox glowing brighter at the same time.

"Crush!  Crush!" Sunset declared, repeating the action with the missile and laser batteries.  The central cockpit attempted to flee, but was quickly gunned down by the Ar-Wings.

"Okay, mission over!" Falco called out.  "Let's talk.  How the fig newton did Sunset do that?"

"Scanners indicate magical energy within the Great Fox flared when enemy ship components were collapsed," Rob pointed out.  "However, this does not explain why."

"Actually, I think it does," Slippy began nervously.  "Krystal?  Remember what you said about your staff?"

"That I used it to store my excess magic and as a focus for spells, letting me amplify my magic range and performance?" Krystal confirmed.  "What about it?"

"And you talked about just how much of Sunset's magic the Great Fox would hold due to its size and shaping, once I installed the panels?" Slippy continued.

Krystal's eyes widened.  "You mean...the entire Great Fox is acting like my staff for Sunset, but on a massive scale?"

"Slippy, figure out some safeties to keep that in check later," Fox ordered.  "For now, we'll not think about it until after we've beaten Andross."

"Roger!" Slippy agreed as the four pilots made their way out of Corneria's atmosphere and to their next destination.
> First Detour
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of the biggest upgrades Slippy had given both to the Great Fox and to the Ar-Wings was switching out fuel tanks for mana batteries.  By making the ships run directly on magic as opposed to standard fuel sources, fuel and engine efficiency increased drastically.  This improvement meant that instead of taking one direct path to confront Andross and hope that shut down his invading forces, Team Star Fox could afford - both in time and money - to clear every planetary region as they moved to the edge of the Lylat System and the Planet Venom.

The first region the Team tackled was the asteroid belt between Corneria and the rest of the system, what was normally the civilized planet's last line of natural defense against invasion.  The Great Fox took the lead, clearing some of the larger asteroids out with ship lasers while the Ar-Wings flew in close, resting within the Great Fox's magical field to replenish their mana batteries.  Once the asteroids became too small and thick to penetrate directly with the Great Fox, the Ar-Wings moved forward to hunt down any of Andross's forces infesting the belt.  This proved relatively easy for them, as the asteroid belt had been their preferred training ground once the Ar-Wings had become operational after Sunset's arrival.  They knew the twists and turns well, and Falco claimed he knew each rock by name.

Confident that nothing bad would happen in the belt, Krystal turned her attention to Sunset, who had slumped in on herself somewhat after they'd left Corneria.  Krystal didn't know what caused that, but she could guess.  Lifting her into her arms, she cradeled her gently.

"What is wrong with her?" Rob asked worriedly.

"I can only theorize," Krystal began carefully, "but even using an external magical storage unit as a focus drains the caster somewhat.  Using the entire ship like that was impressive, but the feedback from controlling that much magic must have hit her really hard.  Cutting the ship was simple enough, as that was just extending a cutting spell a great distance, only manipulating a small amount of space-time at a time as she cut through the ship.  But the crushing meant seizing the entire ship in magic at once."  She shook her head.  "Even with her natural talent, I'm surprised she was able to command that much magic at that range unaided, even if it was available."

"It wasn't unaided," Rob spoke up.  "Diagnostics indicate that her actions on Corneria made use of the Great Fox's targeting computer.  This was not apparent at the time as there does not yet exist a command prompt for the activity of magical energy within the ship.  I will discuss with Slippy about fixing that when this mission ends."

"And until then, I'll try and keep her from doing too much," Krystal murmured softly.  "I'd hate to see her burn herself out."

"Agreed," Rob offered as he changed course.  "Occupying force has been neutralized.  Now setting course for Fichina."





The mission on Fichina took the four fighters into the atmosphere to clear out occupation of a defense post, focusing only on the defense post and taking out all enemy drone ships.  With a limited space to work with, the Team was able to handle things easily while the Great Fox stayed in geosynchronous orbit around the planet, directly above the base.  Krystal and Sunset watched, though Krystal kept Sunset away from the screen since she was still a little woozy.

As they cleared out the drones, Rob detected something that was most concerning.  "A bomb has been planted at the base!" he called out to everyone.

"Geeze!" Fox called out in shock.  "Can anyone take care of it?"

At that moment, four new fighter craft similar to Ar-Wings but with far more menacing designs flew into the area.  A new com signal broke into communications.  The first image to appear was a silver furred wolf, identified as 'Wolf' by the Great Fox's computer.  "I can't let you do that, Star Fox," he declared in a playfully vicious tone.

The next image was a green-skinned chameleon identified as 'Leon'.  "Andross has ordered us to take you down," he declared in a surprisingly urbane, civilized voice.

The third image was a pink-skinned pig identified as 'Pigma'.  "Peppy!" he greeted warmly, his voice holding a vicious, taunting barb.  "Long time no see!"

The fourth image was a brown-skinned monkey in war armor, identified as 'Andrew'.  "Andross' enemy is my enemy," he declared simply, his voice showing a strong sense of duty.

"Just what I need to see," Fox growled irritably as the Ar-Wings changed course to deal with the new threat.  "Star Wolf.  Let's take care of these guys first."

As the two teams split into four distinct one-on-one dogfights, Krystal turned to Rob.  "Star Wolf?" she asked in surprise.

"It was in the report on enemy forces General Pepper provided," Rob explained.  "Since Team Star Fox under James McCloud - Fox's father - was so effective at dealing with Andross' forces, it appears he's assembled an anti-Star Fox team, Star Wolf."

Krystal watched the fight for a time.  Before she could speak up, however, Peppy cut through the comms.  "Pigma!  You're going to pay for what you did!"

"Why is he so intense on that one?" Krystal asked in surprise, having never expected such intensity from the gentle old rabbit.

"Pigma was a member of Star Fox under James, alongside Peppy," Rob explained.  "He betrayed them to Andross, which led to James being lost, presumed dead."

Krystal's face fell.  "Fox..."

Sunset's eyes narrowed angrily.

After a time, Krystal found her voice again.  "They seem...rather evenly matched," she murmured as she watched each of the dogfights split back and forth, moving quite fluidly as the two groups struggled to destroy each other.

"Fix that..." Sunset growled irritably, her eyes and horn starting to glow.

Rob turned to the controls as circuits started to glow.  "Moving Great Fox into lower atmosphere to reduce distance strain," he declared quickly.

As the ship entered the lower atmosphere, it blazed with light as it released a large surge of magic under Sunset's direction, supercharging the Ar-Wings by drastically replenishing their systems.  With all four Ar-Wings now moving far faster than the other ships - identified by the computer as Wolfen models - were quickly outmatched and forced to withdraw, much to their pilots frustrations.

"You haven't heard the last of this, Fox!" Wolf roared over the comms as the Wolfens withdrew.  "I don't know what you're using to supercharge your Ar-Wings...but I'll find out!  And then you'll be sorry!"

With the bomb defused, the group made their way back to the Great Fox, setting course for Sector Y.  "Whatever Sunset just did, don't let her do it again when Star Wolf is around," Fox instructed.  "I don't want them getting any ideas there."

"Agreed," Krystal spoke up firmly.

"Orders received and accepted," Rob confirmed.
> First Fright
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the Team finished on Fichina, they detoured to the Sector Y combat zone where the Corneria main fleet was having serious difficulty with Andross' forces.  Upon arrival, this was revealed to be due to a fundamental incompatibility of forces.  The Cornerian fleet was made up of large battleships with heavy weapons and unmanned drones.  Andross' forces, on the other hand, were composed of a few large carriers filled with drone ships and three manned mech fighters designed to tear battleships apart from the inside out after ripping into the hull.  Thankfully, the arrival of Team Star Fox evened things enough to rout Andross' forces, not requiring any intervention from the Great Fox beyond dispensing of supplies.

As they watched, Krystal asked a question that had been niggling at her mind ever since they reached the zone.  "Why is it called Sector Y?" she asked Rob curiously.

Rob turned to stare at her for a time.  Upon realizing she was serious, he pointed to a prominent nebula in the zone, bright green and in the shape of a letter Y.  "It is named for the nebula."

"Wait...that's a natural phenomenon?" Krystal gasped in surprise.

"As natural as it can be assumed," Rob allowed.  "What else would it be?"

"I thought someone had named it 'Y sector' and reshaped the nebula as some sort of joke!" Krystal countered incredulously.

"Negative," Rob countered, not wanting to think about someone who could reshape a nebula so permanently for a whim.  "There are three such nebula in the Lylat System.  This one, and the ones in Sectors X and Z respectively.  They are actually useful, as their positions at the edges of the System make them natural reference points for plotting coordinates within the system, since the lines drawn from them intersect at Solar, a rather noticeable red dwarf star."  He hesitated.  "At least, it is assumed to be a star.  No one's ever bothered to investigate it before."

Krystal nodded thoughtfully, inwardly glad of the distraction as Rob set course for Aquas.  Sunset had shown a little too much interest at the mention of 'reshaping a nebula' for her comfort.





Aquas was, appropriately enough, an aquatic world with a single ocean that covered almost the entire surface of the planet.  Reports showed that Andross had some sort of bio-weapon based in the oceans, and Team Star Fox had to eliminate it.  Unfortunately, the Ar-Wings - despite being designed for all environments - were of limited use in deep ocean.  As such, the Great Fox was lowered to rest on the ocean's surface so Fox - alone - could deploy in the Blue Marine, the Team's submarine.

Unfortunately for everyone left aboard the Great Fox, the Blue Marine's communication rig could only work so well in the ocean's depths.  Rather than the continuous stream of data they'd received from the Ar-Wings, they only received occasional bursts of data - including position, hazards, hull integrity, fuel consumption, and the like - from the Blue Marine, leaving Krystal to pace worriedly as Sunset huddled in Peppy's lap.

What information they received didn't help much, as it showed how much both ocean and wildlife had altered due to Andross' interference, making nearly everything hostile from the fish to the very plants.  Peppy, Slippy, and Falco sent back any bits of information or advice they could think of to help, but there was no way to tell if Fox even heard...especially after the last burst of information they received was Fox calling out he'd found the bio-weapon, and that the Blue Marine was hit.

For the next half hour, everyone aboard the ship fretted and worried as Rob scanned the oceans as best he could...which did not show promising results as all he was able to pick up was a large explosion at Fox's last known coordinates.  Krystal did her best to keep Sunset from crying, both to protect her from what might have happened and to avoid a surge that overpowered the ship's ACSU system.  It was a huge relief to all when the Blue Marine slowly puttered into sight along the surface, the only damage to its engines, its comm rig, and its transponder.

Fox stepped out of the sub once it was docked, a smile on his face.  "Bio-weapon eliminated," he offered happily.  "The oceans should return to-oomph!"

His exhalation was due to Krystal having rushed up and pulled him into a fierce embrace.  Only when she heard Falco snickering did she pull back, blushing slightly.

As Sunset flew up, Fox chuckled.  "Maybe I should take the Blue Marine out more often-OW!"  Sunset, apparently, had strong opinions about that as she slammed bodily into his gut before crawling up to hug his face.  "I guess not..."

"Given how she's been about you two getting close, be glad she didn't aim lower!" Falco called out jokingly.  He then leapt into the air with a 'Yipe!' as Sunset fired a beam of magic at him dangerously close to the implied target.  This spawned more laughter from everyone, though it had a tinge of hysterical relief.

With the Blue Marine under repair, Rob sent the Great Fox back into orbit before setting course for planet Katina.





Katina had a climate and environment much like Corneria, though with much less surface water as it had only a few large inland seas rather than oceans, making it an oddity as far as planets in the Lylat system.  The focus of the battle on Katina was yet another military base, though this one was still being defended.

As Team Star Fox flew into the fight, they received a communication marked as a friendly frequency.  The image displayed a bull dog in an Academy graduate flight suit.  "Fox!" he called out happily.  "You made it!"

"Bill?" Fox gasped in surprise.  "Is that you?  I can't believe it!"

"As much as I'd love to take the time for an emotional reunion right now, we are in the middle of a war," Bill pointed out playfully.  "But once it ends - or I'm off duty - just tell me where to swing by.  For now, help me deal with these fighters before the Mother Ship gets here!"

"Got it Bill!" Fox responded immediately.  "Let's go!"

There was a bit of a problem at first for Team Star Fox as the enemy fighters had been painted to match Bill's Bulldog and Husky squadrons, but quickly engaging their Advanced Targeting Computers let them track friend from foe via transponder signal.

"Mothership incoming!" Bill called out as a large flying saucer shaped ship slowly approached the base.

"I will assist!" Rob declared as he shifted the Great Fox into position.  "Sunset is not the only one with new tricks.  Target locked on.  Safe zone clear.  Firing main mana cannon."

"Wait, what-" Krystal began in shock.

From the front of the Great Fox a beam of pure, concentrated magical energy shot down, punching straight through the Mothership before creating a massive explosion that billowed out in a sphere, incinerating the entire ship and all unfriendly targets within the sphere...and decimating a good chunk of landscape.

"It appears the mana cannons have some issue with collateral damage," Rob observed idly.

"Big badda boom!" Sunset squealed happily, clapping her hands.

"Slippy, what the hell was that?" Bill gasped out in fear.

"I'll...be sure to look into it once we're back on the ship," Slippy allowed nervously.
> First Star I See Tonight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next course the group set took them to the central point of the Lylat system, Solaar.  While not somewhere they would have gone normally, scans indicated Andross' armada was engaging in some sort of activity there, and that was enough for them to investigate it.  As they approached, Rob read off what data was known about Solaar for Krystal's benefit.  "Solaar is at the center of the Lylat System, but not its primary star.  Oddly enough, what gravity can be perceived of the location is not congruent with a Red Dwarf Star, nor any other natural celestial formation.  In point of fact, Solaar defies long distance scans, as any data collected from probes returns garbled and illegible due to the energy and radiation of the area.  While said energy and radiation has been determined to be non-harmful to sapient life of the system, Solaar puts out enough heat to drastically raise the temperature of the space around it for a good distance despite the vacuum.  As such, our heat shields will be straining long before we reach an orbit, and the Ar-Wings' systems will have to be rebalanced to prioritize heat shielding over other systems, meaning a drop in speed, maneuverability, and weapon strength."

"So how soon is that going to be a concern?" Krystal asked worriedly as they approached Solaar.  "Are we going to have to worry about overheating in here?"

"I will stop the Great Fox before we reach danger levels," Rob assured her.  He pointed to a display reading the ship's internal temperature and the status of the heat shields.  "We should start noticing fluctuations soon."

Krystal stared at the display...and at how neither temperature nor heat shields showed a moment's variation.  "So...how close can we get before we start seeing an effect?" she asked Rob curiously.

"We should be already," Rob observed in confusion as the Great Fox continued its approach.  "But the only thing sensors are indicating is a strengthening of the magic inside the Great Fox...and in Sunset Shimmer."

"Wait, what?" Krystal gasped, spinning to face Sunset.  The little filly sat staring at Solaar as it slowly grew larger on the screen.  The marks on her flanks were glowing brightly, and her entire body was wreathed in flames that did not seem to bother her.  Carefully, Krystal extended her hand towards Sunset...and felt only gentle warmth as her hand entered the flames.  "Elemental affinity," she breathed in amazement.

"Elaborate?" Rob inquired intensely.

"Another theory regarding exceptionally strong magical fields in individuals," Krystal explained.  "The magic can develop affinities, which can cause the individual to become stronger - physically and magically - in close proximity to the source of their affinity.  It seems Sunset's affinity is fire.  That would explain why her magic is spiking without pain or buildup as we approach Solaar..."

"And why the Great Fox is showing no strain from the approach," Rob deduced.  "Sunset's magic inside the Great Fox and the Ar-Wings grants them a fire affinity as well.  Solaar's heat will not affect us so long as the magic lasts...and the ship will be gathering more magic from Sunset as Solaar's proximity drastically increases her magical production."

"So how long until you rename this ship Dragon Fox?" Krystal asked teasingly.

"Never."

Sunset giggled happily, both at the feeling of flames surging through her body and the discussion.

Before long, Fox and the others moved close enough to Solaar to send back information...and the information was quite surprising.  "This is no star!" Falco called out in surprise.  "We're flying over lava!"

"What?" Krystal gasped in shock.  "How can a planet have such a strong gravitational field?  Or give off so much heat?"

"I think I have an answer!" Slippy called out.  "I think Solaar was originally going to be another planet in the Lylat System...but it got caught in the gravitational anomalies caused by the intersection of the energies from Sectors X, Y, and Z.  As a result, the planet was bombarded by so much stellar energies that it never moved past the molten stage of planetary formation, creating a planet of magma-yipe!"  On the screen, all four Ar-Wings could be seen diving out of the way of creatures that erupted out of the magma to attack.  "And one with life adapted to these extreme conditions!  Bouncing bog bumps, this place is incredible!"

The creatures were about the size of the Ar-Wings, and seemed more territorial than hostile as they only attacked if the fighters flew too close, and otherwise ignored them.  Eventually, however, a massive creature that seemed to be a golem made of living magma erupted out of the molten sea, roaring as it lunged for the Ar-Wings.

"Is it a bio-weapon?" Peppy gasped in shock.

"I'm picking up some sort of tech bonded to the creature!" Slippy called out.  "It's been modified and-Sunset!  What are you doing?"

Krystal gasped as she saw Sunset, wrapped in the flame aura, shooting straight for the creature.  Turning to where she'd last seen Sunset, she found...Sunset, slumped over as though napping, her aura missing as her marks seemed to flash rhythmically like a beacon.  "...well, that's not fair at all," she grumbled irritably.

"Explain," Rob inquired curiously.

"Astral projection is incredibly difficult due to needing to divert a certain amount of your magic into maintaining the link to your body so you know how to find your way back," she explained somewhat petulantly.  "But apparently, Sunset's species have a biological spirit beacon to call their soul back from projection, making it that much easier for them to do so since as long as they don't stray too far they can feel their bodies."

"Okay, so she's not physically here," Fox deduced as he watched Sunset fly up to the golem creature.  "So what is she-holy shit!"

The reason for his exclamation became apparent as Sunset flew into the creature, causing it to flare even brighter as what had looked like humanoid armor plates burst explosively off its body.  The creature promptly lost its bipedal shape, taking on a more insectoid appearance complete with a semi-solid stone carapace and extra eyes.  Sunset then floated out of the creature and began to scratch its head, cooing.  The creature seemed to appreciate the attention.

At that moment, several of Andross' ships came in, plainly a resource gathering unit.  "So that's what they're doing!" Slippy deduced.  "The molten nature of the planet makes it a gold mine of mineral resources!  We need to stop-"

The giant lava-bug turned and ate the resource ships at Sunset's directive.

"...or not," Slippy allowed as they made their way to dock with the Great Fox before seeking their next destination.

As they moved away from Solaar, Sunset returned to her body and woke up.  She then turned her most adorable pleading expression Krystal's way.  "Mama-"

"You may absolutely not keep it," Krystal responded firmly.  "Even if we could get it off Solaar without killing it, there's no way you're old enough to housebreak a pet that size."

Sunset pouted.
> First Fall
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once Krystal was able to get Sunset to stop begging to take the giant lava bug with them - and she had managed to tell it goodbye - the group made their way to Sector X.  Reports indicated Andross was developing some sort of super weapon there, and they were under orders to take it out.

Upon arrival, they found the Sector had several smaller drone ships flying around, and chunks of some sort of space facility drifting in space.  The base they were seeking to investigate - once located - proved to be the source of the drifting facility chunks, as it had been gutted and torn open...apparently from the inside.

"What could have caused this?" Krystal murmured in wonder as she watched through the cameras of the Ar-Wings.

"Can I-" Sunset began.

"And no, you can't adopt whatever it is as a pet," Krystal interrupted.  "This far from Solaar, your magic has dropped significantly.  Even if this thing turns out to be fire affinity, you won't be strong enough to rein it in, or housebreak it."

Sunset once more returned to her pout.

Eventually, they found the secret weapon that had been under development...which turned out to be some form of AI combat machine the size of the Great Fox, obsessed with destroying all enemies...and having defined everything that wasn't itself as an enemy.  Thankfully, it was relatively easy to take down...

Only for it to start self repairing.  "The view is clear!" it declared as it renewed its attack.

"I'll see if I can't figure out how to shut down its auto-repair system!" Slippy called out as he guided his Ar-Wing closer.

"Be careful Slippy!" Fox called out.  "You aren't as good a pilot as us-"

A swipe of one of the bot's arms caught Slippy's ship.  A massive energy discharge lashed out.  The bot began to explode with cries of, "I must be complete!"  At the same time, Slippy's Ar-Wing dropped - completely inert -  into the atmosphere of the nearby planet Titania.

"Rob, do you have Slippy's signal?" Fox demanded, struggling to be heard over Sunset's screams of fear.

"I have his signal," Rob responded immediately.  "Distress beacon active on planet Titania.  No other systems registering.  It appears the impact caused the mana battery fuel cell to rupture."

"Then lets get down there!" Fox ordered, setting course for the planet.





Titania had once been a lush, fertile world much like Corneria.  However, long before life developed on Corneria, Titania's environment - and native species - was wiped out by an asteroid impact.  Ruins of the civilization were left on the now arid, desert world, along with some rather dangerous pieces of intact technology and rich mineral resources.  This made it both an important tactical location and a heavily restricted one.

Fox deployed down onto the desert planet in the Landmaster tank, having decided the heavier armor and cannon was worth the maneuverability trade-off, especially as the Landmaster was the only vehicle that could safely carry a second passenger.  The Great Fox could always pick up - or replace -  the Ar-Wing, but recovering Slippy had to be a high priority.  However, it appeared Andross had forces here for some purpose, charging over the surface through the magnetic storms that ravaged the landscape and kicked clouds of the red dust into the air.

"If we can't recover the Ar-Wing immediately, we need to destroy it once we've recovered Slippy," Fox stated flatly as he drove.  "The magic-based tech inside...we can't risk Andross getting ahold of it and reverse engineering it.  We've seen how potent that is at this level."

"Fox..." Falco spoke up softly, his signal only going to Fox.  "I...I really hate to put it this way, but...if Andross' forces get there first, recovering Slippy might not be possible...even if he's still alive.  And...the Landmaster's cannon is the only weapon readily available to do that much damage to a disabled Ar-Wing."

Fox was silent for a time.  "I understand," he responded finally, "but I won't let it come to that."

The remainder of the exploration passed in absolute silence.  The Landmaster rolled through the desert sands, and Falco and Peppy flew overhead in their Ar-Wings.  The Great Fox stayed in orbit, watching worriedly.

After a time, a note of hope reached them as Slippy's communicator sprang to life.  "Help!  I'm hit!" he called out desperately.

"Slippy!" Fox gasped in relief.  "Where are you?  Are you alright?"

"Most of my ship's systems aren't working," Slippy replied, "and I'm ensnared on some sort of plant.  It's got tight hold of the ship, and I'm not sure how I'm going to get free."

"Hang tight, Slippy!" Fox called back.  "We're coming to get you!"

It didn't take long for the Landmaster to reach Slippy's location...only for the 'plant' to reveal itself as some sort of creature, withdrawing into the desert sands to escape weapons fire before erupting out of the ground, revealing technological augments.

"That's one of Andross' bio-weapons!" Peppy called out in fear.

"Slippy!" Fox called out.  "Does your ejector seat still work?"

"It does!" Slippy called back.  "But-"

"Eject!" Fox ordered.  "We aren't letting Andross get ahold of the tech you made based off Sunset's abilities.  We'll have to build you a new Ar-Wing."

"But how are you going to do enough damage?" Falco asked as Slippy ejected.

"Rob!" Fox called out as he positioned the Landmaster to catch Slippy as he came down.  "Prepare to fire the Main Mana Cannon!  Lock onto Slippy's Ar-Wing!"

"Calculating minimum safe distance," Rob spoke up as Fox gunned the Landmaster away from the creature.  "Checking energy levels...firing!"

The blast struck, obliterating the bio-weapon and Slippy's Ar-Wing.  "Was that really necessary?" Slippy gasped as the Landmaster stopped flipping end over end from the shockwaves.

"How many ways can you think of for the tech in your Ar-Wing to be tweaked to be harmful to Sunset?" Fox asked flatly.

"Point taken," Slippy allowed without answering.

"Shockwaves subsiding," Rob reported.  "Sending pickup locations.  As soon as recovery is complete, course will be set for Zoness."
> First Raid
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Zoness is one of two aquatic worlds in the Lylat System," Rob explained to Krystal as the team moved towards the planet in question.  "Unlike Aquas, however, Zoness has numerous island chains breaking up the oceans.  Its proximity to Lylat's stars also ensures an almost continuous tropical environment.  Between these two things, Zoness is a favored vacation spot with numerous resorts and widely varied wildlife, many favored delicacies."

Krystal stared out the viewscreen at the green clouds, tainted seas, and poisoned air below.  "I think you'd better change that to was..." she murmured sorrowfully.  "This..."  She couldn't find words to really describe what she was seeing.

"It's worse closer in," Slippy spoke up through the comms.  "Rob, you should keep Great Fox at that distance.  No need for Sunset to see this."

"Agreed," Fox confirmed.  "She'd either not understand, understand too well, or try to fix it.  And I doubt even her magic is enough to fix something on this scale."

"Affirmative," Rob responded, even his robotic voice muted as he moved the Great Fox to a higher orbit and cut off visuals.  "There appears to be Venomian bio-technology active on the planet below.  Andross appears to have a strong military presence here."

"He must have taken over without anyone noticing," Falco growled darkly.  "Damn him!"

Krystal raised an eyebrow at Falco's vehemence, but said nothing.  Apparently, the damage to Zoness was somehow personal for him, and she didn't want to get involved in that, or bring that out any further.  It would either upset everyone or get Sunset riled up, neither a good idea just now.

Given the level of defenses the planet had, the Team decided to fly in low and fast, taking out any scanners or spotlights they encountered to hide their approach so they'd have a chance to take down whatever was in charge of the place in the hopes of crippling the operation, if not try and reverse some of the damage.

They'd gone part of the way along their projected flight path when Rob picked up something unexpected.  "Incoming fighter craft," he warned the Team.  "Fighter is not broadcasting recognized identification signals."

"Be on guard!" Fox ordered the others.

"Wait a minute..." Falco interrupted.  "I know those codes..."

The comm screen lit up, displaying a pink feline on the other end.  "We're closing in on them, Falco," she stated as the unknown fighter zoomed in close to the Star Fox Team.  "Take the right light, boys," she instructed as she swerved towards one of a pair.  "I'll take the left."

"Katt?" Falco gasped in pleased shock.  "What are you doing here?"

"Is that any way to greet a girl?" Katt teased playfully.  "You seem to be sporting some new tech-"

"Unca Bahdi!" Sunset called out through the comms.  "Who dat?"

Katt burst into a sudden fit of giggles.  "I could use the same answers, 'Uncle Birdy'," she teased wickedly.

Falco groaned and rolled his eyes.  "Katt, that was Sunset.  She's Fox's adopted kid.  Sunset, this is Katt.  She's...an old friend."

"We should save this for later," Katt stated before anyone could question 'old friend', though Krystal noticed her voice sounded...somewhat cold.  "This isn't exactly a vacation spot anymore."

"I noticed..." Falco admitted grudgingly.

It didn't take long for the group to make their way through Zoness' defenses, eventually coming across a massive manned sub that was spewing pollution into the ocean.  With the five fighters working together, however, it didn't stay intact for long, a very satisfying explosion heralding a possible recovery for the planet.

"Is everyone okay?" Fox called out as they set course back for the Great Fox for repairs and cleansing of the ships on the way to the next destination.

"Katt?" Falco called out over the comms.  "Where'd you go?"  There was no response.

"No fighter sized explosions detected," Rob informed Falco reassuringly.

"...guess she must have had somewhere to be..."





As the Great Fox entered Sector Z, drone fighters immediately began swarming it from all directions but directly in front.  "They're after the Great Fox?" Fox gasped in surprise.

"After seeing the Main Mana Cannon in action twice, I'm not surprised," Peppy observed as the four Ar-Wings swarmed around the larger ship to protect it.  "That's the sort of tech Andross - and others - would want to get their hands on."

"Be careful everyone!" Slippy warned.  "Sector Z is filled with magnetic radiation from being so close to the Venom area and Lylat's two suns...not to mention being filled with wreckage from a huge space battle.  All navigation is going to have to be manual."

"That's not the worst of it," Krystal called out.  "Look!"

"Six missiles incoming from the left," Rob intoned.  "Identified as Copperhead missiles.  Missiles are warp capable, and will have unknown effects if explosive energies interact with Great Fox's magic stores.  Unable to rotate in time to bring ship weapons to bear."

"We'll take them out!" Slippy called out.  "They aren't that durable!"

Despite the bravado, the missiles came uncomfortably close to the Great Fox before the fighters were able to destroy them.  After the third missile was destroyed - cutting far too close to the ship for anyone's comfort - the fourth was taken out by Katt's fighter as she arrived on the scene.  "You're not going to hog all the fun, are you?" she asked playfully.

"Katt!" Falco called out.  "Where the heck did you go?"

"I'll tell you later," Katt replied readily.  "For now, let me help you protect that kid of yours."

"Thanks, Katt," Falco responded warmly.  "I owe you one."

"I'll collect," Katt purred as the last two missiles were destroyed at a much more comfortable distance.  "For now, I'm going to see what other trouble I can get into.  Keep that tyke safe, you hear?"  With that, she peeled away to head to another sector.

"She seems nice," Krystal observed idly.

"Don't start," Falco growled irritably.

Sunset giggled impishly.  "Aunty Katt?" she asked hopefully.

"Definitely not," Falco chided as the others laughed.
> First Counter Attack
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mineral rich factory world of Macbeth was the next destination for the Star Fox team.  The planet was completely under the control of Andross' forces, and the goal was to liberate the planet by attacking one of the main supply trains with the intention of making it crash into the primary base.  Unfortunately, the Ar-Wings were completely unsuited to such an assault as they couldn't fly slow enough to keep pace with the train without losing altitude and impetus.  Beyond that, none of the Ar-Wings on board weapons could do enough damage to the train to be effective.  As a result, Fox deployed in the Landmaster.

Rather than actually destroy the train, Fox found it much more effective to reroute it, causing it to crash at full speed into the main manufacturing base, destroying most of Andross' infrastructure on the world in a single massive fireball, and leaving the path clear for a later assault on Area 6.

Sunset found the display enthralling.  Krystal found that rather worrying.  Even if it was likely that Star Fox would be involved in many such scenes of massive destruction in fighting against Andross, Sunset was still much too young to get this much into it.





The Bolse Defense Satellite orbited the planet of Venom, carrying inside it enough power to drive off capital ships and even the strongest of energy blasts.  Its shields - and those of the fighters it could deploy - were powered by the satellite's bionuclear core, an unstable source of energy that was both massive and dangerous.  Thanks to some stolen plans, the team knew how to disable and destroy it.  However, the plan was...dangerous.

"You want to what?" Krystal demanded as the Great Fox approached the range of the artificial planetoid, the boxy structure spinning idly in the dark void of space.

"We're going to fly our Ar-Wings in too close for the satellite's main weapons," Fox explained softly, "and under radio silence so they don't pick up our signals.  We'll go through this passage here on the plans down into the core, shoot out the pylons keeping the core properly cooled, and then fly out before the whole thing goes up like the prototype that irradiated Sector Y."

"And how will we deal with that sudden surge of radiation?" Krystal asked of Slippy.

"The Great Fox and the Ar-Wings have already been hardened against it," Slippy responded readily.  "We just need to outrun the main explosion."  His face fell.  "I'll have to stay aboard, though.  My Ar-Wing's one of the spares, and doesn't have all the upgrades the others do, so it can't handle that.  I'll just have to work on upgrading it while the guys are gone."

"And what if you run into trouble?" Krystal demanded worriedly.  "Like Wolf and the others?"

"We'll deal," Fox said simply.  "This station needs to be taken down if we're to get to Venom and stop Andross.  We're the only ones who can, so we will.  It's as simple as that.  There's nothing more to it."

Krystal glowered at Fox for a time, then sighed.  "Just...don't die, okay?"

"Papa?" Sunset asked worriedly, clinging to Fox's head.

Smiling, Fox pulled her into his arms.  "Don't worry, you two," he offered reassuringly.  "We'll be just fine."

The plan seemed to go off without a hitch...at first.  As expected, Star Wolf did show up...but rather than attacking Fox and the others on Bolse, three of them targeted the Great Fox, attempting to do enough damage to be able to board.

"Shields at maximum!" Rob intoned as the attack began.  "Will hold for approximately 20 minutes at the current rate of drain.  Deploy backup fighters immediately."

"I guess that's just me," Slippy stated as he rushed for the hanger.  "I'm the only one who can fly one of our Ar-Wings."

"My ship has weapons!" Krystal insisted as she raced for her fighter, placing Sunset firmly in Rob's arms.  "It may not have the G-Diffusion system, but I can handle myself.  Sunset, stay with Brobot!"

"Is that my name now?" Rob observed with mild amusement as he held Sunset tight, keeping her from pursuing Krystal or Slippy to the hanger.

"Mama!" Sunset called out despairingly, trying to wriggle out of Rob's grip.

"You flew right into our trap," Wolf said over the comms as Slippy and Krystal flew to defend the Great Fox.  "We knew you'd come after Bolse, and send all you could in to try and destroy it.  Andrew may think that's most important...but the rest of us have our eyes on a greater prize than Fox right now.  The weapons you've developed...we'll take what we want!"

"We'll see about that!" Slippy declared hotly as he tried to maneuver, doing his best to keep up with the Wolfen model fighters.

Krystal didn't bother with fancy maneuvering.  Her ship was much slower when not moving at interstellar velocities.  It plodded along, rather like a tortoise surrounded by hares.  However, she knew what she was doing.  Her ship ran on her magical energy, focused and stored within it for weapons and shields.  Slippy had even installed a battery with some of Sunset's magic as backup power.  She stayed within the range of the Great Fox's shields, waiting for her time to strike.

"Hey, what's this?" Pigma demanded with a snort as he flew his Wolfen around to investigate.

Krystal grinned as she fired off her main cannon.  While nowhere near as impressive as the Great Fox's main mana cannon, it still packed quite a punch and tore one wing completely off Pigma's Wolfen.

"Mayday!  Mayday!" Pigma squealed as he desperately tried to pilot the damaged craft away.

"Oh grow up!" Leon snapped irritably.  "It's one wing, you can still fly."

"So that's where the new weapons come form," Wolf observed coldly.  "Now, Fox, Falco, and Peppy are at Bolse, and Slippy's in the Ar-Wing...so who's piloting that, I wonder?"

Krystal decided it was time to open communications.  "Come any closer and it won't be your wing I shoot off!" she snarled angrily.

Wolf chuckled darkly.  "You really think you can take me on?  I'm no fool like Pigma.  I can see how well that ship flies.  I can dodge far longer than you can keep shooting."

A massive explosion heralded the successful destruction of Bolse.  "With Fox and the others on your tail?" Krystal taunted.

Wolf grinned.  "I'll remember your face, girl," he warned darkly.  "Star Wolf, withdraw!"

Krystal let out a sigh of relief as the enemy team withdrew out of range.  She then glanced at her gauges.  "...huh," she mused idly.

"What is it?" Slippy asked curiously.

"I actually had energy for another shot of my main cannon," she explained.  "These upgrades you gave my ship are something else."

"...remind me never to play Poker with you," Slippy responded finally.

"Poker?"

"I'll let Fox teach you."
> First Boss
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the Bolse Defense Outpost destroyed, all that stood between Team Star Fox, the Cornerian armada, and Venom itself was the aerial defense field in Sector 6.  With the battle being against an entire defensive armada of fighters, stations, and other unknown defenses, the Ar-Wing team would have to be backed up with the Great Fox and its weaponry.  This didn't sit entirely well with everyone.

"I get that we need the Great Fox's firepower to deal with the capital ships in the inner air space," Fox allowed grimly, "but I don't like bringing Sunset any closer to Andross and his forces than we have to...and with Wolf and his team already going after the Great Fox at Bolse, this feels too close."

"Agreed," Krystal confirmed worriedly.  "I'm just glad Wolf seems to think I'm the source of Slippy's new developments.  With any luck, Andross will think the same and won't go after her."

"That's not much in the way of luck today even if that is the case," Falco pointed out.  "You'll be aboard the Great Fox with Sunset.  Same danger either way, and Andross wouldn't think twice about using Sunset to get to you if he thinks you're the source."

"That would not end well," Peppy murmured thoughtfully.

"Talk about an understatement," Slippy pointed out ruefully.  "Venom's atmosphere is filled with an unknown energy reaction...which the Great Fox's scanners are picking up as somewhat magical in nature, though not the same type as Sunset and Krystal use.  I don't know what would happen if we took the Great Fox or Sunset into the atmosphere, but it's something we definitely shouldn't try!"

"So we won't," Fox stated firmly.  "We take out Sector 6, and then the Wings go in without backup.  And...hope for the best."

With the plan decided - if somewhat uncertainly - the group made their way into Venom airspace.  The Great Fox's secondary weapons were just as powerful as its old primary weapons had been, blasting through the larger fortifications at a distance as the Ar-Wings flew ahead, taking out the smaller ships and the mine fields.  The Great Fox focused on taking down the capital ships as they moved deeper, though refraining from using any of the larger firepower to avoid drawing attention from Venom.

Krystal had her hands full keeping Sunset from trying to assist in the battle, holding the filly tight in her lap as she struggled and wailed.  There may not have been anywhere else for her, but in the midst of a battle of this scale obviously wasn't the right place for her.  Thankfully, the Great Fox was still far from being fully infused with magical energy, making it easy for Rob to simply redirect Sunset's angry magical flailing into the ship's circuitry.

When the missiles started coming up from the surface, all four Ar-Wings focused on taking them down before they could get too close, with some backup from the Great Fox's smaller guns.  The surplus of materials Slippy was able to produce with Sunset's magical energy had enabled adding even more weaponry onto the Great Fox to back up the fighters, and now was the best time to deploy it.

As they got closer, Andross himself came on the comms.  "Ah, the son of James McCloud," the ancient ape observed dryly, his voice urbane and composed.  "You've made some changes to those tin cans since what he flew...and you're using a most interesting energy source, one I've investigated in the past.  But I never found anything of this potency in my explorations.  Wolf may be on the wrong track, but I know that no mere Cerinian had this level of output.  So the question remains...where did you find it?  And how did you learn to weaponize it so fast?"  He chuckled darkly.  "I can see in your faces I've struck a nerve.  You don't want to tell me.  In that case, I'll enjoy showing you that even at this level you are no match for me...and taking those tin cans apart piece by piece to find your secrets, even if I must continue to taking you apart piece by piece..."  His wicked laughter echoed louder.  "And then...I'll make those fools pay for doubting me.  The answers to my research are in your hands, and I will claim them..."

As the communication cut off, Falco cut in.  "Rob, get the Great Fox out of range now!" he ordered firmly.

"But-"Krystal interrupted.

"Do it, Rob!" Fox and Peppy ordered simultaneously.

"Withdraw to Solaar orbit!" Slippy ordered firmly.  "We'll signal when we're ready for pickup!"

"Orders confirmed," Rob replied as the Great Fox turned to leave Venom air space.

"DAAADYYY!" Sunset wailed as the ship moved out of communication range.

"So that's it," Slippy murmured over the comms as they moved in further towards Venom.  "Andross was researching bio-weaponry as a way of weaponizing magical energy on a scale that simply didn't exist before, which we've unwittingly managed to do.  Whatever happens, we can't be captured here."

"Then we won't," Falco declared firmly.  "We'll tear everything here inside out, including Andross!"

Fox remained silent as the others discussed what they had to do, remaining silent even as the last defense of Venom's air space - a massive bio-metal sphere armed to the teeth that seemed to phase into reality at the last possible defense point - engaged the group.  As they opened fire and eventually destroyed it, Fox was left with only one question.

Krystal was from so far beyond the Lylat system that she didn't even know what a handshake was, and yet her people had been space capable.  So how under the Twin Stars had Andross learned of Cerinia?  As part of his 'research'?  But why?  And when?

As Fox led the charge into Venom's atmosphere, he knew that question would haunt him.  It was only a theory - more a hypothesis, really - but he couldn't shake the feeling, given what Krystal had told him, that Andross had something to do with the destruction of Cerinia.
> First Escape
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Venom's landscape was dead and barren as Fox flew his Ar-Wing through the yellow clouds filling the atmosphere.  Thousands upon thousands of drones swarmed, whether bio-weapon or technological it was impossible to tell.  Fox gripped his controls tightly as he guided his craft back and forth, firing on anything that moved or shot back that wasn't his own team.  Everything - even the planet itself - was trying to kill him here.  "Don't relax," he told his team firmly.  "We're not done yet."

That was the last thing he said to his team for some time as they flew, the landscape suddenly sprouting around them as even the grass seemed to try and funnel them for the kill, and mushrooms leapt out of the ground to attack.  Tree branches crossed the few available paths, thick enough to be mistaken for architecture rather than biology and be serious obstacles for the Ar-Wings.

The others gave encouragement and warning when the time was appropriate, but Fox remained silent.  If he said much more, he'd start sharing his worries.  About the possible connection between Andross and what happened to Cerinia...about Andross being after Sunset...about what could happen if he got his hands on her...  He couldn't let himself think or speak of that right now.  He had to maintain his focus.  He had to go after Andross, take him down, and stop the threat of Venom.  That was the only way he could protect the ones he cared about.

The paths available diverged, forcing the group of four fighters to divide their forces in teams of two.  Fox always took the path Slippy took, deciding to keep an eye on the only teammate who didn't have an enhanced fighter to work with.  The paths always converged in wide open areas after forcing them through gauntlets of seemingly endless swarms of drones.  Sparing a glance, Fox could tell they were all taking a pounding from it, with each of the other Ar-Wings scorched or burnt from lucky shots or barrages that were simply to thick to evade completely.

"This brings back memories of your Dad," Peppy observed warmly to Fox, plainly trying to lift the mood.

"Not now, Peppy," Fox replied brusquely.  "I need to stay focused.  I can't think about that."

"Indeed you can't," Andross declared, once more on their frequency.  "You know full well that those magic cans are no match for me.  They are but spare parts waiting to be harvested.  Come to me, Star Fox.  Show me your might...and I will show you death and life."

A massive temple seemed to rise out of the ground in the distance, welcoming them into its interior.  A sphinx backed by a pyramid and surrounded by statues raising and lowering their arms in obeisance surmounted a tunnel wide enough for the fighters to fly in.

"That temple gives me the creeps," Slippy observed nervously.

"Keep chatter to a minimum," Fox ordered intensely.  "Andross can access our frequency."

"Roger!" all three of his teammates confirmed immediately.

As they flew down the now stone tunnel, a massive stone golem came to confront them, only to flee as they opened fire.  The temple itself seemed to strike out at them as spires of stone erupted from walls, floor, and ceiling behind the golem as it ran to block their path.  As they continued to fire, chunks of stone broke off the golem, revealing the circuitry beneath.  Eventually, the stone skin was completely gone, revealing the robot beneath...only for it to explode from the focused onslaught.

The temple blazed white...and the group found themselves back on the surface of Venom.  "What the?" Falco demanded angrily.

"An illusion?" Slippy deduced worriedly.

"A trap!" Peppy called out as Wolf and his team flew down from the sky to the attack.

"Don't get too cocky, Star Fox," Wolf called out smugly.

Fox took a quick count of the attackers.  "Only three of you?" he asked in surprise.

"It seems your Cerinian did more of a number on Pigma's fighter than anticipated," Wolf responded easily.  "He won't be joining us...but in your current state, the three of us are more than capable of taking you out.  You sent the Great Fox away, so you won't be supercharging on us...not when you need to conserve energy for the battle with Andross."

"We'll just see about that, Star Wolf," Fox growled out.

Fox and the others flew around the towering columns, upright and fallen, that filled the area they found themselves in.  It didn't take long for them to come up with a plan, as it was incredibly similar to the exercises they'd done in the asteroid field before the war began.  It became easy enough for three of the team to keep Star Wolf in tail chases, leading them into the fourth fighter's ambush.  Careful evasion minimized the damage they all took, resulting in Star Wolf being forced to withdraw with their tails between their legs without doing any appreciable damage.

As Star Wolf went down, however, Fox checked everyone's readouts.  His fighter was the only one with all systems fully functional, though his tanks were running low.  The others all had one critical system or another damaged, though they had more energy storage.  "Slippy, can we transfer energy between Ar-Wings?"

"The magical energy, easily," Slippy responded.  "Just fly close enough together and hit the switch."

"Peppy, Falco, transfer your energy to my Ar-Wing," Fox ordered.  "I'll go the rest of the way alone.  The rest of you head back to the Great Fox for repairs."

"But Fox!" Peppy called out.

"Don't argue!" Fox snapped out.  "All three of you know your fighters are in no condition to continue."

"Dammit, Fox!" Falco snapped out.  "You better make it back in one piece!"

"That's a promise!" Fox confirmed as Peppy and Falco fed his fighter their energy.  With his shields and batteries once more full, he turned and dove into the planet.

As he dove through the shifting metal tunnels that led deeper into the planet, Andross' voice came through on the communicator.  "I've been waiting for you Star Fox.  You know that I control the galaxy.  It's foolish to come against me."  As he dove into what seemed like the center of the planet, Andross continued, "Now you will feel true pain."

Fox found himself up against a giant effigy of Andross' head...assuming it wasn't Andross himself, having horribly mutated himself through his own bio-tech research.  The face and two hands floated in a green ether, and Fox focused his attacks on the glowing spots on the palms of his hands while dodging the attacks - like lightning from a fingertip - that definitely looked magical.  Once the hands were destroyed, he focused on the main head...only for it to explode and reveal a pulsating brain.

"Only I have the brains to rule Lylat!" Andross insisted as he began to float around.

"But you seem to be lacking the heart!" Fox snapped as he pursued, unleashing as much weapons fire as he could to take down the creature Andross had become.  Before too long, it began to explode.

"If I go down, I'm taking you down with me!" Andross roared.

A massive blast of light blinded Fox...but he accepted it.  He'd destroyed Andross, he'd protected Sunset, if he was right he'd avenged Cerinia and saved Lylat.  That was a good thing...

"Don't ever give up, my son."

Fox jerked to attention as the light faded.  He knew that voice.  "Dad?"

Another Ar-Wing flew ahead of him, leading the way through a tunnel.  "Follow me, Fox," James offered stiffly.  "Let's get you back where you belong.  One McCloud already had to go without a father, I won't let another.

"D-Dad?" Fox gasped in surprise as he followed down the twisting tunnels.  He...he knew about Sunset?

"Never give up," James continued.  "Trust your instincts...and don't keep that girl waiting too long before making your move."

"That's...not exactly easy with a kid in the picture," Fox replied as he felt his cheeks flushing.

"Few things in life that are worth it are," James responded calmly.

A few twists and turns later, with Fox easily keeping up, and James gave one last message.  "You've become so strong, Fox.  I may be gone...but I'm always with you."  With that, James Ar-Wing vanished as Fox shot out the surface of Venom.

As explosions continued to rock Venom's interior, Fox shot out into space only to find it warping around him.  In a flash, he was in orbit around Solaar, being gently drawn into the Great Fox's hangar.  "Mental note," he mumbled to himself, "spend as little time this close to Solaar as possible.  Sunset gets too much of a power boost."
> First Cooldown
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Fox disembarked from his Ar-Wing, he found Falco, Peppy, Slippy, Krystal, and Sunset waiting for him.  Before anyone could say anything to him, he strode up and pulled Krystal and Sunset into a tight embrace.  This surprised Krystal and pleased Sunset, as it was several moments after Sunset started returning the embrace that Krystal did so.

"Already celebrating, Fox?" Falco suggested teasingly.

"Not now," Fox responded flatly, struggling to keep the emotion from his voice as he finally released Krystal, Sunset having crawled out of the embrace and onto his shoulders to wrap her legs loosely around his neck while lightly gripping his ears to hold herself on for the 'Pony Ride!' she started screaming for.

Falco bridled at Fox's tone, but Peppy spoke up before he could say anything.  "What happened down there, Fox?" he asked worriedly.

"I...I saw Dad..."

Everyone fell silent at that admission.  Krystal bit her lip as she glanced away.  Slippy hung his head.  Falco's ire cooled as his gaze became sympathetic.  Sunset hugged Fox's head tightly.  It was Peppy, looking stricken and wan, who finally managed to speak.  "He...he's..."

"I'd just defeated Andross," Fox explained softly.  "He decided to take me out with him, setting off chains of explosions through the planet to destroy me.  I thought I was done for...and then I heard Dad, telling me to never give up."  He looked up at Peppy, his eyes dewy.  "I saw his fighter, leading the way out ahead of the explosions.  I...I saw him on the commlink.  He spoke to me...gave me advice.  He said...he was proud of me.  And...and just before we made it out of the planet, his fighter vanished.  His last words..."  He felt his throat lock from the sadness.  "He said he may be gone...but he's always with me..."

Peppy closed his eyes tightly, trying his best to hold back his tears.  He'd always known the chances that James could still be alive were next to nothing, but some part of him had still held onto hope.  Now, with James' goodbye to his son, he felt that hope dying as he was forced to truly say farewell to his oldest friend...

"Utzum..." Krystal murmured softly.

"Hmm?" Fox asked curiously.

"It's...it's a legend of my people," Krystal explained.  "Of warriors so dedicated to the protection of their kin...that in death their spirits became anchored to their descendants, watching over them forever and even appearing to them in moments of imminent death, either to help them survive or - if impossible - guide them gently into the next world."  She shook her head in wonder.  "I...no actual instance of it had ever been recorded in our history...but he's speaking the truth.  He may be gone...but his spirit is always with you."

Fox smiled softly, raising one hand up to gently brush Sunset's mane.  She nuzzled into his head happily.

Slippy cleared his throat awkwardly.  "Well, we should probably do some maintenance and repairs now," he managed to say.  "No telling what stuck to the ships from Venom and who knows where else.  Don't want Sunset getting sick from anything we brought back, or anything like that."

"Yeah, that's a good idea..." Peppy began carefully, latching onto the mundanity to hold back the whirling emotions.

"Communication from General Pepper!" Rob announced from the bridge.  "Full crew please report to the bridge!"

"Right!" Fox confirmed, immediately turning to rush to the bridge.  He was definitely worried about something else going wrong now.  Why else was General Pepper engaging a real-time communication at this distance.  It was expensive and tough on the systems.





When the entire group reached the bridge, General Pepper's visage appeared via holo-projection to address them all.  "Team Star Fox," he greeted formally, "first and foremost I want to offer my heartfelt congratulations and the gratitude of the entire Lylat System for your efforts in this conflict.  You proved instrumental in every battle against Andross and his forces, and I can honestly say that without your efforts we would have been helpless before him.  It was a real treat to watch you in action, Fox McCloud.  I can honestly say you are every inch your Father's son, and the team you have assembled is - if anything - even more impressive than it was under his leadership.  I am certain he is proud of you.  We are in your debt."

Fox managed a smile.  "Thank you, General," he greeted, warmly but stiffly.  "It was our pleasure to assist.  Lylat is our home too."  He hesitated.  "But somehow I don't think that's all you called to say.  If it were, it would have been a burst message with an invitation for a formal event, as you did with Dad."

"You are correct," General Pepper confirmed, his expression turning somewhat dour as his gaze flicked downward, plainly glancing at reports.  "As much as I am pleased you saved us all...some concern has arisen given the nature of your performance.  Specifically, events on Corneria, Katina, and Titania, and the demonstration of...certain weapons technology."

"Katina and Titania...you're talking about the Main Mana Cannon," Slippy deduced.  "But we didn't use it on Conreria.  We'd never unleash that level of devastation anywhere near inhabited space."

"While this...Main Mana Cannon is something I wish to discuss," Pepper agreed, "the events I refer to on Corneria are in regard to your fighter's...defensive systems?  At least, I presume that's what it was..."  He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  "As well as...a gravity weapon?"

As Fox and the others looked at each other in confusion, Krystal groaned.  "You mean the enemy drone that split in half with no explanation, and the manned battle cruiser that was crushed to bits?" she clarified.

"Indeed," General Pepper confirmed.  "What technology did that?"

Fox groaned softly.  "...General Pepper, can I trust you to be discreet regarding the explanation?"

Pepper frowned.  "I'll be as discreet as I can manage, but I need to file some sort of report...especially about new weaponry technology at this scale."

Fox and the others exchanged thoughtful glances.  Eventually, Falco shrugged.  "You're her Dad," he whispered so Pepper wouldn't hear.  "It's up to you."

"You can trust General Pepper," Peppy confirmed firmly.  "Don't doubt it."

Nodding, Fox turned back to the General.  "General...this is my adopted daughter, Sunset Shimmer," he introduced.  Sunset waved happily from her spot on Fox's shoulders and atop his head.  "She did it."

"I...beg your pardon?" Pepper asked in confusion.

"Sunset Shimmer is gifted with magic on - relative to the rest of the known universe - a massive scale," Krystal explained quickly.  "This enables her to manipulate the fabric of reality in ways that physics normally doesn't allow for."

"Such as causing an enemy drone to split in half by drawing a line through it with a glowing finger on a view screen," Slippy pointed out.

"Or playing the 'I am crushing your head' game and having the ship actually get crushed," Falco added in a joking tone.

"Is...that why she's glowing so brightly?" Pepper asked curiously.

"No, that's because we're in close proximity to Solaar," Krystal explained.  "She has a fire affinity, so being so close to such a huge source of heat and flame drastically boosts her magic's reach and output."

"I...see," Pepper allowed nervously.  "Well, I'm not about to get between a child with that kind of power and her perceived parents, especially not when said parents are system wide heroes.  That would be suicide politically and literally.  Though I can't say the same for the civilian authorities."  He sighed gustily.  "You have no idea the loopholes I had to jump through to give Peppy legal custody of you after James died, Fox.  Bloody bureaucrats..."

"Wait, you did what?" Fox asked in surprise.

"Well, you were still a minor," Pepper pointed out logically.  "Speaking of minors, how old is Sunset?"

"We aren't sure exactly," Peppy offered calmly, "but Fox found her the day he learned about James' last mission."

"So you've had her for three years?" Pepper concluded.  "Definitely not interfering with that bond.  But...did her having so much magic for that long...?"

"There were some problems at first with just how much magic she generated," Krystal spoke up.  "It's what led to me being hired as her nanny...only for her to decide I was her mother.  The main issue was a magicless environment causing feedback loops as her body tried to reabsorb her own released magic while simultaneously stabilizing the magic levels of her environment...but once he was aware of the problem, Slippy was able to address it with his ACSU systems."

"I'll show you the schematics in person," Slippy spoke up before Pepper could question.  "And...well, pretty much everything else about the Great Fox and the Ar-Wings that's new can be traced to those systems, and trying to make use of all that excess magical energy."

Pepper frowned worriedly.  "...I'll need to see these schematics soon," he insisted firmly.  "And figure out how to put it into a report without giving too many details.  The last thing we need is the wrong people getting their hands on anything this potent..."





Back in the hangar, a tiny fragment of metal slipped off Slippy's Ar-Wing.  It bounced off the hanger floor and slipped down a vent before bouncing around inside the ship's walls.  It briefly passed through an open ACSU conduit, receiving a small surge of magical energy before falling into a part of the ship that would not be charged magically for a long time.

On the tiny piece of metal, a single eye opened, watching and waiting for its opportunity for revenge.
> Chilling With Friends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...and that's the basics of the ACSU system," Slippy concluded as he finished his presentation to General Pepper and the few trusted scientific advisers he knew would never misuse this information...because they were members of the General's own family, including his most trusted adviser, his five year old son.  "As you can see, all the new functions of the Great Fox - including the greater scale weaponry and higher efficiency matter manufacturing systems - are a direct result of the volume of magical energy available to work with...though now that they've all gotten a dry run in combat situations, I intend to tweak the systems to handle the energy flow more efficiently.  Burning through three months of charge in a couple of days is not my idea of an efficient system, even if it can be completely replenished by spending a day in Solaar orbit."

Stunned silence was his only greeting for several moments.  The first to speak was General Pepper's most trusted adviser.  "So cool..." the little pup marveled in awe.

General Pepper found his voice.  "So...this Sunset Shimmer really generates that much magical energy that quickly?" he asked in surprise.  "How?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Slippy responded ruefully.  "My doctorates are in engineering, not biology...and even then, Dinosaur Planet's the only world in the Lylat System with any sort of measurable magical aura, and they don't have their own space flight yet so interference is still restricted by the treaties.  I only know anything about how magic works because of Krystal, and she's not even from the Lylat System."

"And...what does she have to say about how Sunset is able to generate so much magical energy?" one of the scientists asked curiously.

"She's as flabbergasted as the rest of us," Slippy explained simply.  "From what she says, Sunset's orders of magnitude stronger in magic than even the strongest of her own people - her among them - to the point that once she learns full control, she could rewrite the laws of physics in her vicinity at will."

"She doesn't have full control?" one of the other scientists gasped in fear.

"She has as much control as can be reasonably expected of a three year old," Slippy countered incisively.  "And if her performance during the latest incident is any indication, the only reason she hasn't expressed more control is because she hasn't felt a need to before."

As the scientists began to debate amongst themselves, General Pepper frowned thoughtfully.  "This is a lot to take in," he admitted finally.  "But I can place my full trust in Team Star Fox to handle this situation."  Nodding to himself, he made his decision.  "The contents of this briefing will remain classified on a need-to-know basis, and will not leave this room or the Great Fox without direct orders from this office, corroborated with orders from the Great Fox."

Slippy nodded happily.  "Thank you, General," he offered warmly.  "It's a relief to know you're on our side yet."

"Don't thank me just yet," General Pepper pointed out.  "This means I won't be able to help if Child Services decides to stick their nose into this situation.  You do have a three year old alien foundling being raised by a group of teenage mercenaries, after all.  That's a minefield of potential issues they could take."

Slippy felt the sweatdrop slide down the back of his head as he laughed nervously.





Fox and Bill sat back, sharing a soda as they watched Sunset playing excitedly with Rob yet again.  This time, she'd converted his arm into a large butterfly net before racing off around the room, making the game she wanted plain as day.  Rob, for his part, seemed more than happy to try and catch her, clanking along behind her while Krystal watched from the other side of the room in case of injury.  "A father," Bill spoke up again, still rather stupefied by the revelation.  "Seriously?"

"Yup," Fox confirmed.  "That's why I declined when the Academy offered to give me back my spot on the roles when the 'grief period' had run out after I dropped out.  I had to take care of her."  He glanced apologetically at Bill.  "Sorry about that, by the way.  I didn't know how many strings you'd pulled to make that happen."

Bill shrugged.  "Hey, like I'd do anything less for a friend," he offered happily.  "Still, wish I'd known about it-"

"So you could have dropped out too to help me take care of her?" Fox interrupted.  "Yeah, no.  You still have a bright future ahead of you, and Katina would have been lost long before we got there without you in command.  I had all the help I needed, and I didn't want to drag you down with me."  He grunted irritably.  "Even if I did need the help, it's bad enough Falco tossed aside his future to help."

Bill shrugged.  "Does it surprise you that Falco dropped out of the Academy the instant he heard you had?" he asked teasingly.  "He takes being your rival seriously, even if you are on the same team."

"Don't get me started on that!" Fox groaned.  "We used to fight over which of us Sunset would call Dad until we realized it was upsetting her.  It's how Krystal there wound up 'Mom' first."

Bill glanced appreciatively Krystal's way, doing his best not to wolf whistle, wishing he could control the wagging of his tail.  "So she's 'Mom'...and you're 'Dad'..."  He grinned wolfishly at Fox.  "Does that mean...?"

"Not yet," Fox groaned.  "Dad used-"  He caught himself, then took a few deep breaths to control the sharp pain of grief.  "Dad used to joke that nothing killed romance faster than having kids that age around."

Bill's expression fell, ears slumping against his head as his tail tried to slip past his chair to between his legs.  "It still hurts that bad?" he asked gently, an empathetic whimper in his voice.

"It's not that," Fox corrected.  "It's...he was there.  On my way out of Venom..."

"What?"

"In spirit, anyway," Fox added.  "Krystal...described it as Utzum..."  He shook his head.  "Dad's still watching over me.  It just...brought it back fresh, you know?  I just wish he could be here...physically."

Bill smiled softly.  "Well, Sunset is magic.  Why not get her to build a robo-golem attuned to your Dad's spirit for him to possess so he can be?"

"Don't even joke about that!" Fox snapped out, glancing worriedly towards Sunset.

"Too soon?" Bill asked worriedly.

"No.  I'm afraid she just might try it!"

"Go-lem?" Sunset asked Krystal hopefully, making Fox and Bill stiffen.

"Not until you master the basics," Krystal answered without preamble.  "Then we'll see about the more advanced stuff...if you're good."

Fox and Bill exhaled simultaneous sighs of relief.  "She's a natural mother, isn't she?" Bill asked pleasantly.

"Sure seems that way," Fox agreed.

Bill's smile widened as Krystal bent over to pick Sunset up, the pose briefly outlining and accentuating the curve of her breasts and hips.  "Built like one, too," he pointed out to Fox teasingly.

"...shut up..."





In another corner of the room, Falco and Katt laughed uproariously at Fox's momentary misery.  "And that's the story," Falco concluded, having just finished catching Katt up on everything he'd been up to since they'd last parted.  "Gotta say, I was surprised to see you helping save the day.  Didn't think you liked anything military."

"And if it had been military, I'd have stayed out of it," Katt pointed out easily, brushing back her pink hair as she took a drink.  "But you guys aren't military.  Besides, you didn't really think I'd stay away from my 'niece', did you?"  She gave Falco a look.

Falco swallowed nervously.  "So you caught that 'Auntie Katt', huh?"

"And you saying 'heck no'," Katt confirmed.  "So why didn't you want me around her, hmm?  Think I'm a bad influence?"

"Nothing like that!" Falco insisted defensively.  "You're a good friend, Katt, and I'd love for Sunset to have another good female role model...preferably one who wears more, but don't tell Krystal I said that-"  He grinned as that got a snicker out of Katt.  Even if the feline's preferred wardrobe was rather form-fitting, it still managed to be somewhat modest...especially compared to Krystal's rather minimalist attire.  "But that's just it...you're a good friend.  That's why, given I'm 'Uncle Bahrdi', I didn't want her automatically calling you Aunt."

"Why would that-"  Katt blinked as it clicked, then burst into laughter.  "Falco, she's three!  I think that's a little young for her to be shipping!"

"Say that after you see Slippy trying to reverse the damage she did to the matter replicator trying to program it to make a literal metric ton of mistletoe," Falco responded flatly.

Katt's eyes widened, and then she grinned wickedly.  "Oh, I'm going to love spending time with this little 'angel'," she purred eagerly.

Falco groaned morosely.  "What have I gotten myself into?" he moaned ruefully.
> Problems With Authority
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a peaceful day aboard the Great Fox.  Bill and Katt had both left after the reunion, each having their own responsibilities to tend to.  Bill had his military career, and Katt was apparently working on something she was unwilling to discuss with them just yet.  Sunset had been upset that the new people were leaving so soon, but they'd both promised to return soon and that had satisfied her...along with a promise from Fox to swing by Solaar so she could play with 'Buggy', the name she'd given to the massive magma beetle there.

Given that it was a more or less quiet day, Fox had decided to call in an old favor from the rest of the crew.  Peppy, Slippy, Falco, and Rob were all keeping Sunset entertained at the end of the ship furthest from the crew quarters, with instructions to divert Sunset if she inquired at any point about the whereabouts of 'Mom' and 'Dad' until the end of the day.  Fox and Krystal would be spending that time together in the crew quarters.

Falco and the others had immediately agreed to the request, as experience had shown them that Sunset proved to be a romantic troll.  While she delighted in trying to pair people off - and had gone to great efforts while Katt was on board to encourage such things between her and Falco - once a relationship moved towards the romantic, she seemed to take perverse delight in popping in at the worst possible time to derail anything more romantic than holding hands.  Everyone was of mind to try and put a stop to that, at least as far as Fox and Krystal went.  As Peppy had put it, "The tension between you two is gettin' so thick I'm afraid to open the broom closet some days."  Fox had blushed brightly at the assertion.  Krystal had asked what a broom closet was.

Despite the awkward start, however, the day was going wonderfully.  Sunset was readily distracted up on the bridge, and Fox and Krystal had taken their time to enjoy their date.  Fox had started with a romantic meal, followed by a film Krystal had shown interest in that helped them relax together.  And now they'd moved to the bed, sitting together hand in hand.

"N-nervous?" Fox whispered as he leaned closer.

"Just a little," Krystal responded softly, her eyelashes lowered over her eyes.  "You?"

"Y-yeah," Fox stammered.  "A lot of steps...all at once..."

"We're ready for all of them," Krystal promised him, lifting her other hand to gently cup his cheek.

Smiling, Fox placed his hand over hers.  His eyes slipped closed as he leaned towards her face.  Her own eyes closed as her chin lifted to meet him-

"Fox, Krystal, please report to the bridge!" Slippy's voice echoed over the ship intercom.  "As soon as possible!"

Fox and Krystal both tensed up, and Fox held back several dozen words no one was allowed to say around Sunset as he mentally promised all sorts of torments Slippy's way.

"We'll be right there!" Krystal called into the intercom, though the tension in her voice at least showed Fox wasn't the only one frustrated by this timely interruption.  She turned back to Fox.  "Think Sunset did something?" she asked ruefully.

Fox groaned.  "No, but somehow I'm sure it's because of her.  Let's go."

It didn't take the pair long to reach the bridge...and once there, they found a rather unusual pair of strangers waiting for them.  One was a green-skinned gecko who was a bit on the short side, clutching a clipboard as he pushed up thick glasses, a sour expression on his face.  The other was a bear who stood easily twice the height of anyone else on the ship, and seemed to have a perpetual happy smile pasted onto her face.  Both were dressed in identical uniform suits, and everyone else on the bridge was giving them a wide berth...and seemed to be trying to subtly position themselves between the newcomers and Sunset.

The gecko was the first to spot Fox and Krystal.  "Ah," he observed, his voice dry and jaded, as though all sense of compassion had been worn out of him to the point his heart had died.  "So these are the...parents.  Fox McCloud and Krystal of...Cerinia."  He held out an ID.  "Agent Stickler, Child Services.  This is my partner...Agent Mama Bear."

'Mama Bear' rushed forward, pulling the pair of stunned foxes into a crushing bear hug.  "Oh, aren't you two just the cutest little vulpines I ever laid eyes on!" she squealed happily, her entire being seeming to overflow with parental affection.  "You make such the cute couple, and taking on such a youngin' all on your own, you just must be good people!"

"That remains to be seen," Stickler murmured dryly.  "Mr. McCloud, we have several questions regarding the youngling Sunset Shimmer.  For her sake, you and your...companions...should answer all our questions honestly and completely."

Fox nodded.  "I'll do the best I can," he agreed as he walked over and scooped Sunset into his arms.  The little filly glanced back and forth between him and the newcomers in confusion.

"Oh she's just too precious!" 'Mama Bear' cooed.  "Can...can I hold her?"

"I'd...rather you didn't just now," Fox offered, somewhere between nervously and defensively.

To his surprise, Mama Bear nodded happily.  "Good on you," she stated firmly.  "Good instincts on this one, thinks things through."

"And where am I supposed to mark that down on the charts?" Stickler growled irritably.  "Let's get on with it."

Everyone proceeded to answer the questions put to them as best they could, though the atmosphere was incredibly tense.  Stickler focused entirely on the technical questions.  Where Sunset slept, how much she ate and drank, what her diet was like, how much mental and physical activity she got, where she presently tested in terms of mental acuity, why she didn't have the appropriate paperwork for a foundling...  Mama Bear, on the other hand, seemed to focus entirely on the emotional side of things.  How Sunset related to everyone, how everyone related to each other, how caring for Sunset had effected everyone, whether Sunset had any friends...

"These are new," Mama Bear murmured thoughtfully as she tapped on an ACSU panel on the wall of the corridor.  "Much newer metal than what's on the control consoles.  What are they?"

"Sunset needs to live in a magic rich environment," Slippy explained carefully.  "Her magic interacts with her environment in...odd ways, and if there isn't enough magic energy in her environment, her own feeds back into her and causes dangerous and painful magic buildups.  These panels collect her excess magic and feed it into the ship, creating a magical environment."

"And you put them through the entire ship?" Mama Bear murmured in surprise.  "Such dedication.  With such a small crew, I can't imagine it was easy..."

Slippy shrugged.  "It's not the first time I've had to refit the entire Great Fox from stem to stern.  Probably won't be the last.  And it meant Sunset could wander the whole ship instead of being confined to one room...and I didn't have to worry about running out of soda cans."  He chuckled at Mama Bear's confused look.  "That was the first make-shift battery I used."

"Well with all the effort you put forth on her part, you must be her favorite Uncle," Mama Bear offered playfully, gently chucking Slippy under the chin.

"And you were how old when you took her in?" Stickler asked intently of Fox as he glared at him over his glasses.

"15, sir," Fox allowed nervously.

"And...how long after did...Krystal arrive to assist?"

"A few months," Fox answered readily.

"And she's been here ever since?"

"Yeah," Fox confirmed.  "Sunset kind of...appropriated her as 'Mom', and it stuck."

"Does she always dress like that?"

Fox blinked, not having expected that question.  "Well, yeah," Fox confirmed.  "It boosts her magical energy so she can more easily handle Sunset's antics, and her home world has...had a much warmer climate than any of the habitable worlds of Lylat...except maybe Dinosaur Planet.  It's just how they dressed there."

"And you two...are you in a relationship?" Stickler asked flatly.

"That's...complicated," Fox allowed nervously.

"Simplify it for me," he instructed firmly.

"We have feelings for each other, and we work together as Sunset's parents," Fox explained as best he could.  "We would like to be more, maybe take things further...but Sunset has a habit of interrupting things like that."  He glanced away in frustration.  "We were just about to share our first real romantic kiss when you two showed up."

"I see," Stickler stated flatly as he made a note.

Before long, Stickler and Mama Bear moved to compare notes, and then Stickler spoke up.  "I'm afraid by regulations it is simply unacceptable to have a child being raised aboard a military ship," he stated flatly.  "Let alone by hormonal teenagers who barely have control of themselves, let alone the child.  For Sunset's sake, she will have to be moved-"

Before he could get another word out, or Fox or the others could go for his throat or their weapons, Mama Bear backhanded him across the room to slam against the wall.  "You'll have to forgive him," she offered apologetically.  "He's seen far more than his share of truly bad situations where there's little our agency can do, and his slight frame and 'intellectual' disposition have led a lot of those bad situations to attempt to intimidate him into compliance.  He does care, really...he just can't express it well anymore.  It's why I'm paired with him.

"To be fair, he does have a point about your age and this being a combat ship," she continued ruefully.  "But both of those can be dealt with depending on how it's filed.  You've already dedicated three years to taking care of her, and she's genuinely happy here.  In situations like this with a lost foundling, that's pretty rare.  And while this ship is made for combat, it's more a house with guns than a military vessel, and most of its dangerous capabilities I understand are a direct result of retrofitting it for her comfort.  However, there's one problem that can't just be written away by changing the paperwork."

She glanced firmly at Fox.  "By your own admission, Sunset's never spent any time with anyone her own age.  She needs that sort of social interaction if she's going to grow up healthy."  She lifted her hand to forestall his objections.  "Now I know that's not easy, what with her needing a magical environment to survive...but the current situation is little better than being in a laboratory and studied, save that she's loved."

"Well what are we supposed to do?" Fox asked in frustration.  "We don't know anyone with kids we could ask to visit!  And this may be a home, but we can't turn it into a day care..."

"Actually, I think I have a possible solution to the problem," Mama Bear continued.  "Dinosaur Planet has a magical field.  It's passive, and doesn't give off as strong energy waves as the ship does now, but it is constant.  Sunset might be able to handle walking around there."  She smiled softly.  "And the King and Queen of the EarthWalker tribe just so happen to have a youngling Sunset's age.  If Sunset can handle the environment, perhaps they might make good friends?"

Krystal smiled widely.  "I actually speak the language of the people of that world," she offered warmly.  "I could take Sunset down and see if this could be arranged."

"Not to mention a full planet must offer better places for a young couple than a ship like this," Mama Bear continued in a motherly voice.  "Best to get that out of your systems sooner rather than later, so not being able never makes you resent this little lady."  Much to everyone's surprise, Sunset had made her own way into Mama Bear's arms, snuggling into her rather ample chest floof.

Embarrassment at Mama Bear's rather blunt assessment of the situation was smoothed over by amusement at Sunset's antics.  Stickler, meanwhile, carefully extracted himself from the wall.  It wasn't strictly by the book, but the situation was properly addressed and resolved.  His partnership with Mama Bear was very rewarding that way.  She had the compassion to bend the rules when doing so protected a good situation.  He had the ruthlessness to find every quirk in them that let them extract a suffering child from a bad one.  As a result, every child whose file came across their desks got the help they needed.

...he just wished she pulled her backhands.  Inertia dampening business suits were expensive.
> New Horizons
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Krystal carefully steered her smaller craft into the atmosphere of Dinosaur Planet.  She found herself constantly glancing towards the new systems monitor that Slippy had installed, which measured the ambient magical fields of her area.  The Great Fox had a much stronger magical field than her fighter, and the biggest concern was that Dinosaur Planet's ambient fields wouldn't be strong enough for Sunset's energies to safely interact with, for the planet's sake or hers.  She turned her eyes to where Sunset was strapped in, struggling to look out every view port the small craft had all at once, eager for every bit she could see.

Seeing no concern at the moment in the fields, Krystal guided her craft to the home of the Earthwalker Tribe she was heading to meet with, the ancient Walled City.  The ancient stonework glowed bronze with the light of the sun, tall walls marking the borders of the city with smaller buildings surrounding a central massive pyramid that rose into the heavens.  She assumed the pyramid was a structure of great importance, and so guided her craft to land on a flat, raised platform some distance away that showed signs of having been used as a landing platform previously...though not necessarily by space craft.  She knew it wouldn't be long before the locals showed up, but she wanted to see if Sunset could handle the environment before she had to start talking with them.

Quickly unstrapping herself, she plucked Sunset from her own seat before letting her float.  "Alright Sunset, this way," she instructed firmly, going to the craft's boarding ramp.  Much to her surprise, Sunset grabbed hold of her and pulled back.  "Sunset?"

"No!" Sunset cried out worriedly.  "Bad empty eat you!"

Krystal blinked for a time as she tried to process that.  "Bad empty?  But the ambient magic is..."  She paused, then laughed.  "Sunset, we aren't in space," she explained softly.  "This is a planet.  There's no vacuum out there to worry about.  See?"  She pressed the button to cause the ramp to lower, flinching back as a barrier of orange magic flared up around them both.

Sunset tensed up as she clung to Krystal...then opened her eyes in confusion.  After a time, she dropped the barrier, then floated down to the floor before slowly crawling down the ramp.  Krystal followed, watching Sunset's actions as she approached the edge of the ramp...and stared in awed wonder at the grass, carefully reaching towards it only to pull her hand back in fear.

Krystal shook her head in wonder.  Sunset had been raised entirely aboard the Great Fox.  At the age of three, she had no conscious memory of a planet's surface, save seen through a view screen.  A genuine living plant so close was something she didn't know how to handle.  "It's grass, Sunset," Krystal offered warmly as she stepped off the ramp.  "Come on.  It's perfectly safe."

Nervously, Sunset took Krystal's hand and let herself be led along, staring around in awe and fear at the drastically different environment.  Krystal took in the sights as well, splitting her focus between the architecture and her portable magic scanner.  So far Sunset's magic seemed to be balancing with the environment readily enough, showing no signs of uncontrolled feedback or buildups.  The architecture showed signs of magical construction, and the propensity of sun and moon engravings suggested a society strongly in tune with nature.  For some reason, Sunset seemed to really like it whenever she saw a Sun and Moon engraving close together.

"<Stay right where you are!>"

Krystal jerked upright as she heard the shout of the Saurian language.  Turning, she saw two Earthwalker guards approaching her.  The Earthwalker tribe were massive four-legged reptiles with thick skin, large horns, and head frills, resembling various Ceratopsia dinosaurs of Ancient Cerinia.  The two approaching guards had three horns - one on their nose, one over each eye - and had bronze skin and wore silver armor plates over that.  They were marching towards them in a steady walk that ate up the ground due to their sheer size.  Sunset stared up at them curiously from where she sat amongst the plants.

The first guard approached Krystal.  "<You do not have landing clearance for your craft, nor communication with our leaders!  How dare you enter the sacred Walled City uninvited?>"

Krystal winced at that.  "<I attempted to communicate before landing,>" she began, "<but my signal did not get through to any receiver.  The matter with which I needed to bespeak the King and Queen Earthwalker was urgent, however, and->"

"<You dare presume to speak to the King and Queen?>" the second guard demanded, stepping forward and nudging Krystal with his muzzle, sending her falling back onto her rump.  "<You Offworlders are always->"

"Leave Mama alone!" Sunset screamed out angrily as her horn lit up.  Both guards found themselves surrounded in her magical aura and levitating into the air, turning end over end despite their struggles.

"<The Krozoa Gift?>" the second guard gasped out in shock.  "<Impossible!  How could an outsider have their blessing?>"

"<Not even the King's Gifts are strong enough to send us flying through the air!>" the first guard gasped in awe.

"<Heresy!>" the second guard snapped angrily.  "<None are stronger than the King!  He just has no need to show his true strength!>"

"<Blind loyalist fool!>" the first guard growled.  "<We are taught to question and judge, not follow blindly!>"

"<Excuse me->" Krystal tried to interrupt.

"<To claim the Krozoa would bless an Offworlder more than the King is Separatist talk!>" the second guard raged back.  "<Would you unleash the Red Eyes 'for the sake of their rights'?>"

"<If you would->" Krystal tried again.

"<And there you go again blowing everything out of proportion!>" the first guard drolled with a roll of his eyes.  "<I don't know why I bother talking to you about anything, Tumble!  The slightest thing I say that you don't like has you blow up on me!>"

"<Like you're any better, Twitter!>" Tumble snapped back.  "<You're so against controversy you refuse to admit when I don't like something you say, only accepting positive feedback!>"

"<A happier outlook would do wonders for you->" Twitter started to say, only to be interrupted as his head was slammed into Tumble's.

"Hey!" Sunset yelled out.  "Listen to Mommy!"

Krystal quickly took advantage of the silence caused by them being whacked together.  "<As I was saying, my daughter's abilities are why I wish to bespeak your King and Queen.>"

"<Oh, that's definitely something they should be made aware of!>" Twitter agreed happily.

"<Why didn't you just say so?>" Tumble demanded in a surly tone.

"<How could she when you wouldn't let her get a word in frill-wise?>" Twitter countered.

"<I wouldn't let her get a word in?>" Tumble snapped back.  "<I wasn't the one going on and on about->"

"<Do you think one of you could give me directions before my daughter gets a headache and decides to see how well you two can function as Cloudrunners?>" Krystal interrupted, irritation slipping into her tone.

Tumble and Twitter turned to stare at her.  "<Wait...you mean she'd transform us into those winged wastrels?>" Tumble demanded in shock.

"<Or are you saying she'd throw us all the way to Cloudrunner lands just to see how well we stuck the landing?>" Twitter offered fearfully.  "<That honestly sounds more reasonable.>"

"<Whichever one she thinks is funnier, I'd say,>" Krystal observed grumpily.  "<I wouldn't put either beyond her abilities.>"

"<That way!>" the two guards intoned together, pointing to a large pagoda on the central island amongst the Walled City's rivers, the same island that held the pyramid.

Sunset promptly flung the two guards in that direction, where they landed horns first in the ground at the foot of the pagoda.

Krystal rubbed her forehead as she groaned.  "So much for a good first impression..."
> New Friends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Krystal steeled herself as she led Sunset up to the pagoda.  She knew she'd probably made the worst possible first impressions on the rulers of the largest tribe on the planet - and the primary signatories to the treaty that allowed contact between Cornerian space forces and the planet - and now she would have to work to try and salvage that.  Somehow, she doubted she'd be able to do so readily, and wondered just what the King and Queen would demand of her for what had been done.  She only hoped Sunset was getting her tension and would be on her best behavior here.

The King and Queen Earthwalkers also resembled Ceratopsia dinosaurs, though were distinctly different from the two guards who were still stuck face first in the earth before them.  The King had only one horn rising out from his muzzle, wore glowing crimson cloth over his ankles and back, and had glowing jewels embedded in his bronze head-frill.  The Queen had no horns and wore no cloth, but jewels were embedded in her head-frill and her coat glowed with royal purple highlights beneath the bronze.  Both were watching Krystal and Sunset closely as they approached.  The King was the first to speak up.

"<Now, what is so important you feel you have to disrupt our morning by embedding our guards into the ground at our feet?>" he asked intensely.

The Queen clicked her tongue against her beak rapidly, a sound Krystal knew was the Earthwalker equivalent to laughter.  "<Though given it was these two, I'm not sure I can blame you.>"

Krystal managed a weak smile.  At least they didn't appear antagonistic towards her yet.  "<Please forgive our rude arrival,>" she began courteously.  "<I attempted to send a signal to request landing clearance, but no one responded, and the urgency of my errand - and the short attention span of my young one - precluded waiting indefinitely for a response.>"

The Queen's eyes lit up as she looked over Sunset, who had floated up to examine the jewels in her flesh.

"<Oh, the Long Speaker's been down for a while,>" the King explained, using the closest the Dinosaur tongue could come to saying 'communications device', when they had no innate word for 'device'.  "<I sent a message for a replacement part, but no one's answered.  Rather disappointing to be such a low priority.>"

Krystal blinked as she took that in.  "<You sent a message...on the broken Long Speaker...requesting someone come fix it.>"

"<That's right,>" the King insisted firmly.  "<The Offworlders said I should send a message on the Long Speaker if any of their Metal Gifts broke down.  So when the Long Speaker broke down, I sent a message.  Why haven't they responded?>"

Krystal gritted her teeth to keep from groaning aloud.  It was unfamiliar technology, so it was reasonable to assume they wouldn't fully understand it.  "<Your Majesty, the Long Speaker can neither receive nor send messages when it is broken,>" she attempted to explain.

"<Which is why I sent the message->"

"<Dear,>" the Queen interrupted, "<how do you tell me when your throat is sore and you need medicine from The Trader?>"

"<With gestures, of course!>" the King responded immediately.

"<You don't tell me with your voice?>" the Queen coached.

"<Of course not!>" the King countered firmly.  "<My voice doesn't work when my throat is sore!  If I tried to use words, you wouldn't be able to hear me!>"  His eyes widened in understanding.  "<Oh!  Now I understand!>"

Krystal breathed a sigh of relief.  At least helping with this issue would smooth things-

"<Bookface!>" the King called to another guard.  "<Run down to The Trader for throat medicine for the Long Speaker!>"

One of the guard Earthwalkers lifted his head from his book, repositioning the glasses he wore.  "<I'm going to get medicine!>" he declared at the top of his voice as he began moving off towards the edge of the Walled City.

Krystal struggled not to laugh at Sunset facepalming.  Plainly she realized just how ridiculous the situation was.  The Queen's giggle suggested she did too.  "<Your Majesty, if you like I can carry the message of your request for replacement parts for the Long Speaker to the other Offworlders, so they can come repair it for you.  Not being a creature, I don't think The Trader's medicine will work.>"

The King thought that over for a time.  "<Hmm...I suppose you have a point.  You can carry the message...but we'll try the medicine anyway.  If the Offworlders arrive and find it fixed, it just shows we're starting to understand their metal gifts!>"

The Queen clicked her tongue rapidly, an indulgent chuckle.  "<Whatever you say, dear.>"  She turned back to Krystal.  "<Now, what is it that brings you here?>"

"<It is in regards to my daughter,>" Krystal explained, pleased to finally be on the right page.  "<She has a great power, similar to what I believe you call the Krozoa Gift.  I have a similar power, though nowhere near as great as hers.  Her power is so great that it can cause her harm, unless she is in an environment rich in the energy of her power.  Our family's Star Rider->"  Star Rider was the term that had been used to refer to a space ship.  "<-has been greatly modified to create an artificial environment of such a nature...but this leaves her socially stunted, as getting potential friends her own age onto our Star Rider is...prohibitive.>"  She paused to gather her thoughts.

The Queen's tongue began clicking rapidly as she pawed at the earth with one foot, equivalent to a loud belly laugh.  "<You invaded our home, assaulted our guards, raised questions to our very faith and way of life, and made my husband look quite foolish...that seems a very roundabout way to go about asking if our son can come out and play.>"

Krystal chuckled nervously.  "<My apologies.  I'm still getting used to motherhood.  It came as...something of a surprise when she chose me to be her mother...>"

Her words brought great attention from both monarchs as they looked Krystal over closely.  She tensed up, wondering if she'd said something wrong.  Eventually, the King nodded firmly.  "<Tricky!>" he bellowed.

A much smaller Earthwalker - almost as small as Sunset, with one stubby horn, no jewels, purple-bronze pebbled coat, bracers on each ankle and a collar around his neck - raced up to the pagoda, only to trip over his own feet and land on his back in front of the monarchs.

The Queen clicked her tongue as she nosed him back upright.  "<Tricky, this young one wants to be your friend.>"  She turned to Krystal.  "<What is your young one's name?>"

"<Sunset Shimmer,>" Krystal responded, tensing up as her words once again caused a stir amongst the listeners.  Maybe I shouldn't have tried to translate it, she thought to herself.

"<An honorable name,>" the King murmured thoughtfully.  "<Tricky, go play with Sunset.>"

Tricky let out a happy squeal as he ran forward in an attempt to tackle Sunset, who countered by rolling onto her back to flip him over her before lunging in with a tackle of her own.  Krystal watched happily as the pair tussled happily.  Quickly checking her scanner, she was pleased to see there were no negative interactions between Sunset's magic and the environment around her.

She noticed the King and Queen Earthwalker watching very closely as well.  She wanted to shrug it off as parental concern, but the way they reacted to the name...
> New Worries
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset and Tricky focused on playing tag and play fighting for the most part within the Walled City, running about here and there and enjoying themselves...though always within sight of the adults.  At first the King and Queen both watched closely, their gazes shifting between Krystal and the children.  However, that ended with Bookface's return.

"<I brought medicine!>" he declared loudly, holding up the bottle.  "<Look at it sparkle!>"

The King moved to guide the guard away to the 'Long Speaker' while the Queen moved up to watch the children beside Krystal.  Krystal stiffened slightly, feeling nervous in the presence of a world's sovereign.  The Queen smiled warmly at her.  "<No need to be so tense,>" she offered warmly.  "<If it helps, don't think of me as a Queen.  Just think of me as another mother, enjoying watching our children play.>"

Krystal managed a shaky smile.  "<That doesn't exactly make me any more comfortable,>" she admitted ruefully.  "<I was recommended to come to see you about Sunset playing with Tricky because social workers came to investigate whether or not Fox and I were fit to be her parents.  Being judged by another mother is more terrifying right now than being judged by a Queen.>"

"<Ah, so that's what you meant by she chose you,>" the Queen murmured thoughtfully.  "<I admit, I had wondered.  I presume it was this Fox who took her in, and you were his mate?>"

Krystal quickly shook her head.  "<No, it wasn't like that.  Fox took her in, yes, but neither he nor his friends knew how to handle her abilities.  They sent out a call asking for help from someone who did know, and I answered.  I taught them how to deal with her power, and stuck around to teach her how to control it...>"

"<And when she called you Mom, you couldn't leave?>" the Queen deduced.  "<You have a good heart,> Krystal."  The Queen made the effort to pronounce Krystal's name in the Cornerian Standard, though it was with a noticeable accent due to the shape of her jaw.  "<But you and Fox are mates now?>"

"<No...>" Krystal admitted ruefully, shooting a glare Sunset's way.  "<Though not for lack of trying...>"

"<I take it your Star Rider has little room for privacy from an inquisitive child?>" the Queen mused in an amused tone.  "<If you like, I or one of the guards can watch the children while you and this Fox find a quiet, romantic spot somewhere?>"

Krystal smiled widely.  "<I would like that...>"  She let her voice trail off as she noticed Sunset paying very close attention.  "Sunset Shimmer..." she began in a chiding tone.

"<Ah, is that what her name is?>" the Queen asked in relief.  "<Well, that is a weight off...>"

"Hmm?" Krystal asked curiously.

"<We try to avoid translating names into different dialects,>" the Queen explained gently.  "<Some meanings are different with different cultures, and with the different tribes of the planet finding different things sacred...it's just asking for trouble.  As such, we use the equivalent from Corner Talk when referring to someone by name, once we know the equivalent...to avoid giving offense.>"

Krystal quickly realized that 'Corner Talk' meant 'Cornerian Standard'.  They barely had words to describe a starship, it would be surprising if they could rationalize another planet to their language.  "<I see...>" she allowed worriedly.  "<And...?>"  She gestured towards Sunset.

"<Hmm...let me see if I can break up the words in your tongue...>" the Queen began carefully.  "Last...Light...Dying...Sun."  She tilted her head thoughtfully.  "<Yes, that sounds about right.>"

Krystal's eyes went wide, as she had been staring right at a relief of a sun carving as the Queen spoke, reminding her that the Earthwalkers were Sun and Moon worshippers.  "<Oh goodness,>" she murmured worriedly.  "<Then you must have thought->"

"<No, no thoughts of armageddon,>" the Queen reassured her.  "<We know by now that the sun does not die when it leaves the sky, but that doesn't change the origin of the word.  Truthfully...it's more that there is a prophecy that speaks of 'The Last Light of a Dying Sun'.>"

"<A prophecy?>" Krystal asked in surprise.  "<Can you tell me?>"

The Queen shook her head back and forth in a wriggling motion, another way they showed amusement.  "<Oh, you don't want to hear about the old superstitions of an ancient culture,>" she offered banally.  "<The only reason we even act like we think it's important is because the more superstitious of our people might latch onto it, and we need to dispute them.  Who ever heard of a vertical lake, and how could one dive out of it anyway?>"

Krystal felt herself tense up.  "<...by any chance, is that because the prophecy speaks of leaping out of a reflection?>"

The Queen turned slowly to meet Krystal's gaze.  "<...there are such vertical lakes?>" she asked worriedly.  "<And she arrived from one?>"

"<They're called> mirrors," Krystal explained, knowing there wasn't a word for it yet.  "<Sunset entered the world by flying out of one and hitting> Fox <in the head.>"

The Queen frowned.  "<This is...troubling.>"  She tilted her head back.  "<Bookface!  Take> Tricky <and> Sunset Shimmer <down to Thorntail Hollow, and let them play in the river and grass, and maybe chase those scarabs The Trader likes so much.  I have something to discuss in private with> Krystal."

"<I'm taking the kids to the Hollow!>" Bookface declared happily.  He gently picked both of them up and set them on his brow, bracing them on his 'eye' horns.  "<Aren't they adorable?>" he asked no one in particular as he marched off on the path to Thorntail Hollow.

Sunset's eyes lit up eagerly with this new experience, clinging to the horn as she gazed around and took everything in.

Krystal watched nervously as Sunset was led away.  "<Do not worry,>" the Queen hastened to assure her.  "<They are safe with Bookface, and the Thorntails are most gentle and are our staunch allies.  She will no more come to harm than would> Tricky."  She turned towards one of the structures off the central island of the Walled City.  "<Come.  There is something I must show you.>"
> New Games
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset stared around in awe as Bookface brought them to Thorntail Hollow.  The place was absolutely gorgeous, with bright green grass, flowers of all colors, and odd shaped growths Sunset instinctively knew not to approach closely, sensing the fire contained inside them.  Two ancient walled structures rose, one to either side of the river running through the center of the Hollow, giving the whole area the appearance of a restful, ancient home.

The Thorntail's were dark brown dinosaurs who walked on four legs, had plates on their backs, and - unsurprisingly - thorns on their tails.  They smiled indulgently as they saw Sunset and Tricky running around to explore once they climbed off Bookface's Face, but did not interfere in any way.

Eventually, Sunset decided to investigate the temple-like structure that looked in less of a state of disrepair.  The path inward dropped and curved a few times, but Sunset was able to use her magic to gently guide herself and Tricky down each floor.  Eventually, they entered a large chamber with several paths leading out of it, each path with a marking above the door.

Before Tricky or Sunset could explore further, a strange creature floated into the chamber.  It had the green skin and upright body of a carnivorous dinosaur, but instead of legs it only had a curling tail, as though it were a ghost.  It was garbed in a long flowing robe that was primarily purple, and had a large green scarab hanging around its neck.  "Welcome to my store," it greeted in a nasally voice.  "Feel free to look at the many wonderful items within these walls.  They are all for sale...if you have enough Scarabs."

"Who you?" Sunset demanded worriedly as she clung to an equally scared Tricky.

The figure looked at them and sighed.  "Children..."  Shaking his head, he focused on Tricky.  "<You know me as The Trader, or have heard your parents speak of me as such, yes?>" he asked in flawless Earthwalker dialect.

Tricky blinked in surprise, then nodded as he relaxed somewhat.

The figure turned back to Sunset.  "I am Shabunga the Shopkeeper," he explained.  "I gather useful items from wherever I find them in the world, and sell them to whoever has need.  This includes food, medicine, mechanical oddities, tools, and maps.  My preferred currency is Scarabs, which can be found under rocks in the Hollow and elsewhere on the planet."  He held up his pendant.  "They look like this."

"...sell?" Sunset asked in confusion.

Shabunga reassessed his judgement of Sunset's knowledge.  "You give me scarabs," he explained carefully, "and I give you a treat from my shelves.  Understand?"

Sunset gasped happily and vanished in a flare of light.

"Ah, a teleporter," Shabunga mused.

After a time, Sunset staggered back in carrying a single Scarab, which was nearly as large as Tricky.  "Treat?" she asked hopefully as she held it up.

Shabunga shook his head.  "I'm sorry, but even with haggling there's nothing in the store I would sell for a single scarab, ever."

Sunset started to tear up.  "But...heavy..." she whimpered as she struggled to hold up the Scarab.

Shabunga blinked in surprise.  "No scarab pouch, and only big enough to carry one?"  When Sunset nodded, he sighed.  "I wouldn't do this for just anyone...but I can't stand crying children.  Tell you what."  Reaching into his robes, he took out a large pouch and attached it to a nearby wall.  "Say your name, and put the scarab in here."

"Sunset Shimmer!" Sunset declared proudly, dropping the Scarab into the pouch.  Above the pouch, a slate appeared.  On it was Sunset's name with the number 1 underneath.

"I'm going to run you a line of store credit," Shabunga explained readily.  "Just drop any scarabs you gather into there, and I'll keep track of it for you.  Of course, in exchange I want no haggling on prices, understand?"

"Okay!" Sunset declared happily before warping back out.

Shabunga watched in mild amusement as Sunset came back in with one scarab at a time until the slate read 10.  "Would you like a faster way to earn scarabs?" he suggested curiously.

"Faster?" Sunset asked in surprise.

"Come, follow me," Shabunga explained, sweeping down towards a lower floor.  Sunset and Tricky eagerly followed.

Once on the lower floor, Shabunga presented an arena.  "How about a little game?" he suggested.  "I will throw your ten green scarabs and ten of my purple scarabs into this arena.  They will scramble around as a timer ticks down.  You have until the timer runs out to try and grab all the green scarabs.  My magic will port them away when you touch them.  The game ends when time runs out, when you grab a purple scarab, or if you grab all your green ones.  At the end of the game, you keep whatever you collected...and if you collected them all, I'll double it.  Care to give it a try?"  Sunset nodded eagerly.  "Alright then...begin!"  He tossed the scarabs into the arena.

Sunset leapt down racing around to lightly touch the green scarabs.  Between her natural speed and a bit of magical assistance, she was easily able to grab all ten before time ran out and without touching a purple scarab.

"Well done, well done," Shabunga praised as a slate in the corner showed 'Sunset Shimmer: 20'.  He turned to Tricky.  "<Would you like to try, Highness?>"

Tricky bounced eagerly, and Shabunga let him play.  Unfortunately, Tricky wasn't as agile as Sunset and wound up getting hit by a purple scarab almost immediately.  He drooped over to Sunset, who patted him gently to reassure him.

"I suppose it's not everyone's game," Shabunga allowed...only to be surprised as Sunset leapt into the arena again.  "Want to play again?  Alright."

When Sunset's ledger once more read 20, she turned an innocent smile up at Shabunga.  "...double or nothing?" she asked, remembering a phrase from when the adults on the Great Fox had played cards.

Shabunga tilted his head thoughtfully.  "Oh, a risky player, are you?" he asked curiously.  "Alright, but I'll need to up the challenge then.  An extra purple scarab each time?"

"Okay!" Sunset declared happily.  Tricky hid a wicked grin.
> New Warnings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Krystal stared in awe at the massive mural the Queen Earthwalker took her to see underground, telling of a sequence of events that was terrifying to conceive of even without understanding.  It began with a sun in a lake exploding, with a figure leaving the lake on foot without righting itself.  It then showed hosts of demons consuming the stars, a planet broken into pieces, a swarm of locusts doing battle with the light of stars, the figure returning to the lake...and a demon and angel doing battle as the sky burned, and a sleeping demon sealed within the conflict.  There were symbols around and between the pictures that she recognized as the Saurian Runic Language, though she did not know how to read it.

"<This is the prophecy I mentioned,>" the Queen explained as Krystal took it all in.  "<It speaks of events none thought would occur, because the first part was thought impossible.  However, you speak of ways one can perceive oneself beside a still lake?>"

Krystal nodded.  "<It is called a> mirror," Krystal explained.  "<It is made of fired sand laid over silver at its most basic.>"

The Queen grunted ruefully.  "<And your daughter...she came from such a> mirror?"

"<At high velocity, I understand,>" Krystal allowed.  "<Hit her father right in the head.>"

The Queen managed a chuckle, but it was plain her heart wasn't in it.  She turned her eyes to the mural.  "<The prophecy begins...'The Last Light of a Dying Sun will step forth from the world's reflection, and this shall herald the coming of the war.  Thrice around the suns, and peace will shatter.  The Demons will rise upon the Stars to consume all life to multiply, and this will be the first of many wars.  The World will shatter, and only the Krozoa know the way to repair it...but beware the voice that guides, as the Demon waits to return stronger than before with the Secret he sought.  He will hold the heart hostage to trick the knight, and his power will be unleashed.  The swarm shall come to Lylat, to wipe out that which it is not and consume what is left, bringing corruption in its wake.  And Fire will give rise to the Demon's final face, and only the Angel of Flames can drive him back...but beware the power that will bring the Angel, for misused it will bring a worse Demon to rise.'>"  The Queen turned to Krystal.  "<It is a prophecy of death...and I fear it speaks of your daughter.>"

"<'Thrice around the sun, and peace will shatter,'>" Krystal quoted from the prophecy.  "<It was exactly three years after> Sunset <arrived that> Andross <brought war to Lylat.>"

The Queen nodded gravely.  "<Then it surely speaks of your daughter,>" she confirmed.  "<That is grave indeed.>"

"<But...what am I to do with this?>" Krystal demanded worriedly.  "<It doesn't speak of anything I can do, or how these events can be handled or avoided.  Just...that they'll happen.>"

"<Focus on the figures,>" the Queen offered, gesturing first from the figure that represented 'The Last Light', and then to the figures of 'The Demon's final face' and then to 'the Angel of Flames'.

"<They're the same,>" Krystal deduced.  "<And?  All the figures representing people->"

The Queen pointed to the figure of the sleeping 'worse Demon', which showed distinct differences.

"<Then...the Demon's final face, the Angel of Flames, and Sunset are all connected somehow?>"

The Queen nodded.  "<That is what the prophecy indicates.  This is not known for sure, as it is an ancient prophecy...but I believe part of it is meant specifically as a warning for your daughter.  That something is going to happen in the future, and it will be up to her to save us all in the end.  The rest of this->"  She gestured to everything between 'The Arrival' and 'the Demon's Final Face'.  "<Are events that will happen with or without interference, and are warnings that the final event is approaching.>"

"<Then I need to show her this->"

"<NO!>" the Queen snapped out firmly, stomping the earth beneath her and releasing some of her magical energy, creating a small shockwave that knocked Krystal from her feet.  "<Tell a child that young of such a great destiny?  You would doom us all!  She would either become terrified of her fate and flee, or besotted with the idea of power and greatness and actively seek it out!>"

Krystal tensed up as she suddenly remembered Sunset constantly badgering the whole family when she wanted 'wings'.  Looking at the image of 'the Angel of Flames', that desire suddenly took on a different meaning.  "<Then...what?>"

"<Do what you would have anyway,>" the Queen explained.  "<Raise her well.  Train her to master her power.  Teach her good values.  Help her to care about others.  And when you think she is ready and can understand the scale without being overwhelmed by it...only then are you to bring her here, and show her this prophecy.>"

Krystal nodded slowly.  "<I...I understand...>"  She looked around nervously, suddenly wanting to find her little girl and pull her into a tight embrace.

"<Let's go find our children, shall we?>" the Queen suggested.  "<I feel the need to hold my son close, and I am certain you are of a similar mind.>"

Krystal smiled softly.  "<You are right on that...>"





Krystal found the dread the prophecy had filled her with fading as she reached Thorntail Hollow alongside the Queen.  The peacefully burbling river, the swaying plants, the trees so similar to palm trees as to be easily mistaken, the warm sun shining down on her fur, the magical energy in the air...it felt almost like she was back on Cerinia.

"<Bookface!>" the Queen called out as they caught sight of the guard.  "<Where are the children?>"

Bookface grinned eagerly back.  "<They went shopping!>" he declared happily, pointing to the large temple-like structure nearby.

"<But Tricky doesn't have his own Scarab Pouch yet...>" the Queen pointed out wonderingly.

"OUT!" Shabunga roared out as Sunset and Tricky raced out of the structure, Shabunga right behind them as he waved his hands at them in an angry shooing motion.  "No more games!  No more Double or Nothing!  Out of my store, you little cheat!"

"Didn't cheat!" Sunset insisted angrily.  "Played gooder!"

"There were 700 purple scarabs to ten gold ones that last round, and the arena could barely hold them all!" Shabunga snapped angrily.

"Didn'a say couldn't float!" Sunset called back.

"<Cloudrunners hover!>" Tricky added, having seen what had pissed Shabunga off so much even if he hadn't understood the words being shouted.

Shabunga clenched his fists and muttered angrily under his breath.  "Fine!  You didn't cheat!  But no more games for you!"

"Store credit?" Sunset demanded petulantly.

"Yes, yes, I'll honor your store credit of..."  Shabunga pulled his Scarab Slate open to see how much 'Credit' he now owed Sunset.  His eyes widened and his jaw fell.  "...655,360 Scarabs...sun and moon, I'll never break even..."

Krystal shook her head ruefully as she walked up to the giggling filly and scooped her into her arms.  "Played gooder, huh?" she asked playfully.

Sunset squealed happily as she threw her arms around her mother's neck.  "Played bestest!"
> Shopping Spree
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The results of the initial excursion to Dinosaur Planet were positive all around.  Not only had Sunset made great friends with Prince Tricky, but the magical environment of the planet was enough that she didn't have to worry about magical buildups and surges.  As a result, it was decided that she'd spend as much time on the planet as possible, so she could get used to natural gravity and environments with the eventual goal that either her magic would adapt to the point she could function in a non-magical environment or Slippy could use information from planetside to determine a way to make a mobile ACSU system that Sunset could carry around with her.

As such, Slippy took her down planetside for the second excursion, hoping to gather more information.  He was unsurprised that Sunset's first destination - with Tricky in tow - was back into the shop, and he followed, both to keep an eye on her and to see if the shop had anything he could use.

Shabunga floated up as they entered.  "Oh great," he groaned as he caught sight of Sunset.  "It's you.  I already owe you more in store credit than my store and all its contents are worth.  What more do you want from me?"

"Candy!" Sunset declared eagerly.

"Now now, Sunset," Slippy chided, "you're supposed to eat healthy.  Candy now will spoil your dinner."

"CANDY!" Sunset insisted more firmly.

"<Candy!>" Tricky added.  Both of them had picked up a few words of the other language from each other, though they could only understand them at this point, not speak them.

"I have candy you won't get in trouble for having," Shabunga offered with a grin.  "Ten scarabs, no haggling."

"But-" Sunset began with a pout.

"And don't bother trying to give me sad eyes or sob story to haggle with, I know you can afford it!" Shabunga declared intensely, waggling his finger at her.

Sunset scowled for a time, then sighed.  "Fine!"

Smiling, Shabunga marked off the cost from Sunset's slate before delivering to her a large stone square with odd markings and a gem in the center.  "Here you go!  Rock Candy!"

Sunset smiled eagerly as she took it, and immediately tried to take a bite.  She then pulled back.  "Ow!" she complained, rubbing her jaw.  "Not candy!  Money back!"

"And how am I supposed to sell it now it's got your saliva on it?" Shabunga countered in mock distress.  "I never told you it was edible!  No refund!"

"That wasn't very nice," Slippy observed glumly as Sunset pouted.

"I owe her 655,350 Scarabs more off double or nothing games," Shabunga pointed out dryly.  "I'm allowed a certain amount of spite.  It's not like it hurts her at all.  Now what do you want?"

Slippy turned to his readings and the ACSU panel he had with him.  "I'm trying to figure out a way Sunset could carry this with her," he pointed out ruefully.  "At the moment, she can only come down here to Dinosaur Planet or stay aboard the Great Fox.  We'd like her to have more options than that."

"Hmm..." Shabunga murmured as he lifted the panel, turning it this way and that before nibbling on one corner.  "I think I could reproduce this material in cloth," he observed idly.  "The right cloth would be easy enough to gather here on planet if you know where to look - which I do - but at best that would give her an outfit that would grant her greater focus for her magic, like that little number her mother wears.  If you want something that will let her store her magic like this does at the scale she gives off, that will take at least a decade just to research the proper runes to inscribe.  And I don't know what to do with these metal bits."

"The circuitry?" Slippy asked curiously.  "I can handle that part.  If you could provide the cloth and the magical research, I could apply it to technology and between us we could make an ACSU suit Sunset could wear!"

"50,000 Scarabs for the focus outfit, complete with a 'grow with me' enchantment so I don't have her coming back every month for a new fitting," Shabunga stated firmly.  "For the storage suit, 300,000 Scarabs for time and effort of researching runes, 100,000 for materials, and 55,000 scarabs for having to work with someone else with materials I don't have experience with.  Hazard pay and all.  Can you afford it?"

"Credit!" Sunset called out happily.

Shabunga's eyes went flat.  "Of course...with a guarantee on my part to have the finished focus outfit before the year is out, and the finished storage suit within the decade, that brings your Store Credit down to 150,350 Scarabs.  At least you no longer have enough to buy the shop out from under me..."

"How do you know how to do it, anyway?" Slippy asked curiously.

"That answer will cost you 1000 Scarabs," Shabunga countered.

"Nah!" Sunset declared as she raced out of the store with the Rock Candy on her head.

"Thought that would get rid of her," Shabunga grumbled.  "Now, here's where we'll begin..."  He began making sketches in the air, which hovered in light as Slippy immediately began bouncing magi-techno-jargon back and forth with the shopkeeper.





Sunset and Tricky's further exploration of Thorntail Hollow proved to be blocked by a cracked wall.  After giving it a thorough consideration, Sunset used her magic to float them both over the wall to the area beyond...where a massive statue could be seen slowly snoring.  It was wide at the base with two hanging arms and a rather goofy looking face, and crafted of bright green stone.  It sat an a small island of land surrounded by the river, with a ring of land around it.  Curiously, Sunset led Tricky around to the front of it.

The statue seemed to come awake as they approached.  "Wha?" it demanded curiously in a mildly Scottish accent.  "What do you want with the Mighty Warpstone?  Ye just think I'll send ye wherever ye want just because that's what I was made for, do ye?  Ye danna think about how much magic it takes ta make sure ye go where ye wanna go, and not end up in some mountain or on one o' the suns by mistake!  And just like everydino else, ye never think ta say Thanks or even ask How ye doing?"  He let out a gusty sigh.  "But that's me lot, ain't it?  Just a tool ta be used, and not even allowed ta charge a toll.  Nobody brings me presents anymore..."

Sunset's ears drooped as she heard the statue's litany of sadness.  Her ears then perked up as a thought went through her mind.  He was rock...did he eat rock?  "Candy?" she offered helpfully, holding up the Rock Candy for him.

The Warpstone gasped in surprise.  "Ye brought me a sweetie?  Even before ye heard my sadness?"  Reaching down, he gently plucked the Rock Candy from her grasp and ate it.  "Ah misjudged ye, lass.  Tell me, who be ye and what do ye need from the Mighty Warpstone?"  As he spoke, the small green circle directly in front of him Sunset and Tricky had been standing on lifted up.

"Sunset Shimmer!" Sunset offered happily, holding out her hand to shake.

"Tricky!" Prince Tricky introduced himself.

The Warpstone extended one finger to accept the greetings, though the tip of the finger was bigger than Sunset's entire body, forcing her to shake with both hands.  "Now, where be ye wanting to go, my little friend?  I can send ye both to the ancient Krazoa Palace, center of magic in this world.  Or perhaps ye'd like to explore the ancient labyrinth?  Or maybe one o' the distant lands of the planet be to yer liking?  Just tell me what ye'd like ta see, and I'll take ye there...and leave a little warp spot where ye arrive so ye can come back whene'er ye like."

Sunset and Tricky looked at each other and grinned widely.
> Magical Excursion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset grinned eagerly as the Warpstone's hand closed around her and Tricky.  The magic gathered, and she felt herself flung through the ether as the very folds of space wrapped around her to shift her to a distant location.  When the warp vanished, she found herself standing on a platform that glowed with light inside a cavern, a cold wind blowing in from the distant entrance.  She started to move forward, but paused as she noticed someone missing.  "Tricky?" she called out worriedly.

"Oh, sorry lass!" the Warpstone called out, his voice echoing around her.  "Ah was so excited to have such a kind visitor that ah fergot ta tell ya.  Ah can't warp dinosaurs."

Sunset's eyes widened in shock, than narrowed in determination.  Stepping back onto the platform, she went through the Warp and returned to the Warpstone's hand.  Wrapping her magic around Tricky, she called out, "Again!"

"But ah told ya, ah canna warp dinosaurs-" the Warpstone began.

"AGAIN!" Sunset shrieked out insistently.

"Alright, alright!" the Warpstone allowed, closing his hand around the pair.  As he expected, only Sunset was warped.  "Lahk ah told ya-"

To his surprise, Sunset returned almost immediately, her eyes now calculating.  Her energy surrounded Tricky again, but it was different this time.  "Again!" she insisted.

Shrugging his shoulders, the Warpstone complied, letting Sunset warp back and forth multiple times, surrounding Tricky with different energy each time.  After the seventh time, she leapt off the Warpstone's hand and looked Tricky over for a time.  After a time, she picked one of the bangles he wore and focused a beam of magic onto it, embedding a charged sunstone in the bracer.  "Again!" she declared eagerly.

Curious, the Warpstone closed his hand around the pair...and to his surprise, both were warped.  "Great Shiggy's Ghost!" he gasped in surprise.

Back at the cave, Tricky blinked in surprise, staring around at their location.  Sunset beamed proudly.

"Sunset, how did ya manage ta let me warp a dinosaur?" the Warpstone demanded in wonder.

Smiling, Sunset picked up an oblong rock and split it into three pieces.  She then picked up one end piece and the middle piece.  "Warpstone!" she stated, holding up the end piece.  "Me!" she added, holding up the middle piece.  She then put them together, showing where they linked up.  Setting the middle piece down, she picked up the other end piece.  "Dinosaur!" she declared, before clacking the two end pieces together, showing they did not link up.  She then picked up all three pieces.  "Warpstone!  Dinosaur!  My spell!" she declared, labeling the middle piece her spell.  She then fit the three pieces together.

The Warpstone laughed.  "So th' reason ah can't warp Dinosaurs is because our magic danna interface, so ye made a charm that provides a linkage?  Raght clever of ya lass!  Have fun on Ice Horn!"

Sunset grinned eagerly as she and Tricky raced out into the snow.  They both wound up diving face first into a snowdrift their first step outside the cave, but they promptly began to frolic with Sunset attempting to bean Tricky with handfuls of snow while Tricky used his tail to throw small spadefuls.  This continued until they found their way into a tunnel.  Looking around, they saw the tunnel sloped down into the distance very steeply.

The pair stared down the steep slope worriedly for a time, Sunset bracing herself on Tricky as she leaned over his shoulder...only for the snow Tricky's forelegs were on to sink, causing them both to slip forward and start sliding down the snow, Sunset clinging tightly to Tricky as she lay across his back as he slid rapidly on his belly.

Seeing a few obstacles along the path, Sunset did her best to steer by throwing her body weight to one side or the other as they slid down the crazy slide the slope had become, once even sending them spinning around the walls and roof of a tunnel before they reached the other side.  The entire time the pair were screaming in terror, their screams increasing in pitch as they finally shot off a precipice, only to crash down in a hot spring with a massive splash.

The pair managed to swim to shore, panting for breath as what just happened raced through their minds.  Being children, their final conclusion was quite predictable.

"AGAIN!" Sunset screamed out, Tricky's declaration teaching her how to say that in his language.

Much to their frustration, they found no way directly back up the slope from where they were.  The fact this cut them off from the Warp platform back to the Warpstone didn't worry them, as they just saw it as a new adventure, and they happily set off together.  The path led them across chasms over lava, through massive snowdrifts, and across frozen lakes.  Sunset floated them over the chasms, while Tricky dug tunnels through the large drifts.  When they came to the frozen lakes, however, both of them wound up slipping and sliding across the ice...at first on accident, but later times because they found it quite fun.

Eventually, they both grew bored of the ice - and wary of the reproachful gaze of some older Snowhorns (the woolly mammoth-like denizens of Ice Horn) - the pair moved past the ice and across another snowy area into a tunnel that lacked snow.  Bat-like creatures dove to attack them, harrying the pair to rush through the tunnel until they splashed down in an aqueduct.  The current sent them flowing around to the opposite side, where a quick levitation up a ladder led them out a high platform in Thorntail Hollow.

Since they were both wet, they eagerly leapt down and rushed over to a sunny spot in front of Shabunga's shop.  As they flopped over to enjoy the sun and dry out, Slippy stepped out putting his slate away.  "Oh, hey Sunset!" he greeted happily.  "Did you two have fun-"  Noticing their soaked state, he chuckled.  "-playing in the river?" he finished his question.

The pair of children grinned happily, both nodding virtuously.
> Time Passes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time passed swiftly, as far as Sunset could tell, as she spent more and more time on Dinosaur Planet with Prince Tricky.  It didn't take long for her to pick up the entire native language and become fluent in it, especially as she was exposed to every tribe on the planet and their unique dialects over the course of her travels via the Warpstone.  While he was normally only able to connect to Ice Horn or the Krazoa Palace, a boost from Sunset's magic enabled him to send the pair anywhere on the planet...although with rare exception, they would have to make their own way back.  At no point on any of these trips did they have trouble making it back before their guardian for the day noticed they were missing.

Whenever Slippy was assigned, he spent most of his time with Shabunga working on the suits for Sunset, leaving Sunset and Tricky to their own devices convinced they were perfectly safe in Thorntail Hollow.  When Peppy was sent down with them, the warm sun and relaxing breeze of the Hollow would lull him into a comfortable sleep within ten minutes of his arrival, and Sunset simply made sure he wouldn't get too hot or too cold while they were gone.  After the first time, Fox and Krystal came down together, and it didn't take long for them to become distracted with the natural beauty of the planet...and each other.

Falco tended to tag along with the pair of children, being of the opinion that kids would seek adventure whatever their parents wanted, caging Sunset on a magical planet would be an exercise in futility, and it was fun.  He always made Sunset promise not to tell the others he was running around with her to 'dangerous environments', not that he really considered them so.

As Sunset lay back in the sun of Thorntail Hollow with her head against Tricky's side, the pair simply enjoying a lazy day, she let her mind wander back to her favorite times exploring Dinosaur Planet.  There had been so many different places to see and explore, all of them so unique and exciting with new dinosaurs to meet.  She had taken many trips to each location to fully explore, reveling in the fun with Tricky and any other friends they made.

Lightfoot Village had been the first area they'd gone to, being the closest to Thorntail Hollow and thus easiest to get back from.  The Lightfoots were small, bipedal dinosaurs not much bigger than Fox and the others, with their young being Sunset's size.  Sunset had easily slipped in and joined the young Lightfoot in their games, though the adults had been startled by her appearance.  As much as she'd enjoyed early visits there...she'd cut her time in the rustic village built over a lake short once her name was translated.  The Lightfoot were intensely spiritual, and the moment her name had been translated the adults had started to worship her.  She hadn't liked that at all.

Cape Claw had been the next area to explore.  As the name suggested, it was a circular beach surrounding a deep inlet perfect for swimming and sporting, protected from tidal forces by the shape of the cape.  Wooden platforms formed bridges across the water, allowing dry passage if one did not desire swimming, and the sand had been perfect for the building of sandcastles and other fortifications.  There had been a few ancient structures, but they had been of no more interest to Sunset than they were to Tricky or to the Hightop - a massive long-necked dinosaur - who lived in the Cape's waters.  Sunset had learned to swim there from Tricky, at first mirroring his movements on the surface before discovering an enjoyment of diving deep.

As much as Falco had enjoyed visiting Cape Claw with them, he had learned to dread the trip back on foot.  Sunset had picked up a rather annoying habit from Tricky, and the endless, "Are we there yet?" queries did not take long to get on Falco's nerves.  He couldn't understand what Tricky was saying, but he was pretty certain given the matching impish grins on the faces of the children that it was something similar.

The Cloudrunner Fortress had been one place the Warpstone had needed to bring Sunset and Tricky back from after warping them there, as the mountaintop structure high in the clouds had no safe way down for those without wings.  Sunset had found herself strangly at home amongst the soaring towers and sweeping wings of the Fortress, and amongst the Cloudrunners - web-winged dinosaurs that soared majestically over the land - that called it home.  One of her favorite features had been the wind tunnels that served as elevators within the Fortress, letting her and Tricky ride up and down through them endlessly.

The one point of frustration for Sunset was that there were certain areas that no amount of wheedling and cajoling would get the Warpstone to send them to for exploration...not that Tricky wanted to go to those places.  Still, just the sound of 'Moon Mountain Pass' set Sunset afire with curiosity, willing to risk encountering this mutant 'Sharpclaw Tribe' to see the land...but she wasn't about to push Tricky that far out of his comfort zone.

Sunset was startled out of her reverie as Fox, Krystal, Slippy, Peppy, and Falco all stepped out of Shabunga's shop.  Fox and Falco were carrying a large cake between them, and the others all had wrapped gifts.  "Don't tell me the birthday girl forgot her own special day!" Falco offered teasingly.

"I still do not understand this custom," Krystal admitted ruefully.  "It is not one we had on Cerinia.  Still, it does seem...fun."

Sunset leapt to her hooves with a squeal of glee as Tricky raced over with her.  At Fox's instruction she blew out the candles before promptly diving headlong into the cake.

"...good thing we had a backup for us," Peppy joked teasingly.

"Don't get too dirty, Sunset," Slippy cautioned happily.  "I've got a special present for you...though I guess you kinda paid for it..."

Sunset's eyes lit up with glee as she seized Slippy's package and tore it open.  Inside was the Focus Outfit Shabunga had talked about making, which would increase her ability to control her magical discharges when worn.  It consisted of a crimson tube top with gold designs reminiscent of Krystal's top, crimson harem pants with golden hoof bracelets to bind the fabric, a golden belt, and golden bracers for wrists and a golden ring for her horn each embedded with a single sunstone, with sheer red veils connecting her bracers and horn ring that were more energy than fabric.  Sunset eagerly donned the outfit, barely giving time for Fox to erect a privacy screen for her.

Once she was fully changed and twirling around in it, the others took in the look and commented.  "It's...certainly her Mother's style," Fox managed to say awkwardly.

"Not quite traditional, but it definitely suits her," Krystal agreed happily.

"She looks like a belly dancer," Falco grunted gruffly.  "All she's missing is a sunstone in her navel."

"I was going for a Genie look..." Slippy pouted.  "It was patterned after Krystal's Focus outfit, and there were only so many modifications I knew how to make."

Seeing Fox looking increasingly awkward and confused, Peppy patted his back.  "At least she's got pants?" he offered helpfully, coughing awkwardly when Krystal looked his way with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, there are other gifts..." Fox managed to say.

"And other guests," Krystal added, pointing.

To the surprise of most of the group, several Littlefoot dinosaurs, the King and Queen Earthwalker, three Snowhorn tribesbeasts, and the Queen Cloudrunner were on their way to join the party, each bringing a gift for Sunset for her birthday.  Sunset eagerly greeted them all in Dinosaur Tongue.

"Sunset, when did you have time to meet all these people?" Fox asked in surprise, not noticing Falco turning away and whistling innocently.

"Ach, that'd be me!" the Warpstone called out from his alcove, leaning over the wall to see the party.  "E'er since Sunset figured out how ta let me send Tricky along wit' her, the pair o' them have been poppin' all over the planet with me help.  Right adventursome duo, they are.  Didn' ya know?"

Sunset glared daggers at the Warpstone until Fox and Krystal cleared their throats.  She then turned to face them with soulful eyes.  She knew she was in trouble...
> Education
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was several weeks beyond that before Sunset was allowed back down on the surface of Dinosaur Planet after that, as she was grounded and restricted to the Great Fox...both for misbehaving by running around unsupervised, and for not telling them about it sooner.  To everyone's surprise, Sunset did not scream and cry or otherwise throw a tantrum about it, and instead glumly accepted her punishment...only to mope everywhere she went on the Great Fox while staring longingly out a viewport every time they were in sight of Dinosaur Planet.

Only Falco noticed the huge smirk she gave when this resulted in a three month grounding being commuted after a single month.  He chose not to say anything.

New rules were set down regarding her excursions to the planet, however.  She was no longer allowed to just run off wherever, even within a settlement.  She was required to be accompanied by an adult at all times.  A bit of negotiation on Falco's part allowed it to be a Dinosaur adult, as long as it was someone personally known and trusted by Tricky's parents, and could easily keep up with the pair.  This in no way curtailed Sunset and Tricky's explorations, as the Queen Cloudrunner did not yet have children of her own and adored Sunset, and was easily strong enough to carry both children on her back...or in her talons for short distances without hurting them if they were especially rambunctious.  Since the tribes more or less took care of themselves and the leaders were only needed for ceremonial or arbitration purposes, she had plenty of time to look after 'the child of prophecy', though this was never mentioned where Sunset would hear.

As time went on, however, Sunset still wound up spending less time down on Dinosaur Planet as Fox and the others began her formal education.  As there was not yet a way to enroll her in a school for classroom based education, this instead involved converting one of the rooms in the Great Fox into a schoolhouse to teach her.  It took a bit of time to explain to Sunset what the room was and why she would be spending time there, but apparently she was eager to learn once she understood it was a room just for that purpose.

The first step was determining how much she already knew, and then working from there as far as what she still needed to learn.  Krystal handled that portion, as all it required was giving her several standardized tests and helping her understand what she was to do with each.  Afterwards, the tests were given to Rob - who Sunset still called 'Brobot' - to collate for results.

As Sunset was presently down for a nap, the group gathered around Rob for the results.  "Alright, Rob," Peppy began calmly.  "Let's hear it.  What's our little girl know already?"

"General assessment: Sunset is highly intelligent," Rob began.

"This comes as a surprise?" Falco joked playfully.

"Current age is estimated five years old based on physical development as compared to known similar species in Lylat," Rob continued, ignoring Falco's joke.  "Equivalent of Kindergarten student.  Knowledge tests indicate third grade understanding minimum due to absence of historical knowledge."

"Oh?" Slippy asked curiously, wondering how advanced placement would be handled there.

"Subject specific analysis: Mathematics," Rob continued.  "Sunset is able to explain her understanding of mathematical concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, exponents, order of operations, and basic algebra.  Sunset is able to correctly solve equations involving calculus, physics, advanced field mechanics, and astro-navigation, but is unable to properly vocalize or otherwise explain her understanding."

"...she can what?" Fox asked in shock, managing just barely to get the question out before the pen that had rolled off the table could break the silence by hitting the floor.

"That actually makes sense," Krystal spoke up carefully.  "Most of those maths are part of the theory in the books of magic I've managed to translate, and she seems to have an instinctive grasp of her magic, even to the more complex aspects by Cerinian standards.  Such higher maths probably come easily as a result."

"That does make sense," Slippy allowed ruefully.  "Terribly unfair, but logical."

"Now you know how I felt about her astral projection," Krystal joked, sharing a laugh with her amphibian companion.

"Sciences," Rob continued.  "Sunset's understanding appears...skewed.  If asked for results of specific scientific scenarios, has some difficulty but can grasp.  If asked about what she should do in certain scientific scenarios, invariably and unerringly responds with the steps that will lead to the biggest explosion possible."

"Keep her out of engineering!" Slippy screamed out worriedly, getting several laughs around the table.

"Can't say I blame her for that," Falco joked.  "I love it when things go kablooie, too!"

"Not when it's us!" Slippy countered angrily.

"Fair point," Falco allowed with a smirk.

"Language," Rob continued.  "Sunset has a broken grasp of Lylat Standard, but can speak fluent Cerinian and Saurian in all dialects of Dinosaur Planet save Sharpclaw."

"Broken grasp?" Peppy asked worriedly.  "Does she have a problem understanding it?"

"Unknown," Rob replied.  "She frequently shifted into Cerinian or Saurian, especially when excited or otherwise emotional.  Appears to prefer those languages to Lylat Standard."

"Can't say I blame her," Fox allowed.  "Lylat Standard is the standard...but the Saurian and Cerinian I've heard is so much more...beautiful."

"History," Rob continued once no one else had anything to say.  "Sunset possesses no knowledge of historical conflicts of Lylat system, and shows no interest in learning them.  Attempts at instruction resulted in explosive destruction of educational tapes."

Fox frowned.  "Well, we can't let her do that," he observed darkly.

"How are you going to stop her?" Falco joked playfully.

"By having you teach her," Fox responded readily.  "You're the 'fun Uncle', and we need to make History fun for her.  I'm sure you'll come up with something."

Falco glowered angrily at Fox as the others shared a chuckle.  "I'll get you for this, Fox," he muttered darkly.

"Sure you will," Fox teased back with an impish grin.
> His-Story
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Falco sighed as he sat across a table from Sunset.  "So you don't like History," he observed idly.

"Nuh-uh!" Sunset countered, shaking her head vigorously.  "It's boring!"

"Can't argue with you there," Falco allowed.  "I found it the same, and mostly coasted through it."  He chuckled as that got a grin out of Sunset.  "Though if you don't like History, how come you like story time with Peppy so much?"

"Because Grandpa's stories are awesome!" Sunset stated firmly.  "They're tons of fun!"

"So if I could make History fun and awesome, then you'd want to learn?" Falco suggested slyly.

"...maybe..." Sunset allowed nervously.  "Don't think that'll work..."

"You don't think I can do it?" Falco bridled, taking it as a challenge.

"Don't think it can be done," Sunset corrected.

"Well, if anyone can do it, it'll be me," Falco stated firmly.  "So let's see...the first part of History to cover would be Planetary History, covering how each planet developed through its known History, covering the culture and customs of the peoples who lived there in those times..."

Sunset blew a raspberry to express her opinion of that subject matter.

"Yeah, the textbook version is really stupid, isn't it?" Falco countered.  "But you enjoyed playing pretend, right?  Acting in character when you played with Krystal or Rob?"

"...yeah?" Sunset asked curiously as she turned a thoughtful look Falco's way.

"In that case..."  Grinning widely, Falco started tapping a sequence away on the holo-table they were sitting around.  A three dimensional grid of several planets appeared, each planet covered with a hexagonal grid.  Several data files were connected to each planet, waiting to be reviewed.  "Pick a planet and roll up a character.  The better in character you act, the more roleplay XP you get."  Seeing the confused look on Sunset's face, Falco chuckled.  "You'll see.  Just pick a planet and we'll go from there."

Shrugging, Sunset reached out and touched the holo of Corneria...





A few weeks later, Falco laid out the next set of coursework.  "Alright, Sunset, we've spent enough time covering Planetary History," he began carefully.

"We have?" Sunset asked in confusion.  "I thought we were playing Planets and Pauldrons?"

"Same dif," Falco allowed readily.  "Now it's time to cover Interplanetary History."  Seeing Sunset pout, Falco chuckled.  "Now don't be like that.  I've seen how eagerly you look at the Ar-Wings."

"I want My-Wings," Sunset pouted irritably.

Falco laughed aloud at that.  "Well guess what?  You get to."  Grinning ear to ear, he plugged a controller into the holo table and called up a space map.  "Get ready to lead a charge through space, as you step into the boots of the mighty warriors that defended and united our system until we achieved the peace we have today..."

Sunset's eyes widened as explosions and space fighters filled the screen, laser fire and bomb blasts echoing through the room.  She slowly grinned as she began to play.

Watching, Falco grinned easily.  And Fox thought this would be hard...





"So let me get this straight," Katt began a few weeks later as she stopped in to talk to Falco...and visit Sunset.  "You were told to teach Sunset History."

"That's right," Falco confirmed easily, grinning as he lay back in his chair.

"And you spent the time you were supposed to be teaching her History...playing table top and video games with her," Katt continued.

"Yup!"

"And how long were you able to keep this going before you got caught?" Katt inquired carefully.

"Six months!" Falco crowed proudly.  "With Sunset loving every minute of it!"

"And how much trouble did you get in when you got caught?"

Falco chuckled playfully.  "Got yelled at by everyone!  Was kinda fun, actually...especially since I'd told Rob to go test Sunset's History knowledge while Krystal was dragging me off to get yelled at."

"Why especially that?" Katt asked curiously.

"Cause I got to watch everyone's faces fall off as he came back in the middle of their rant and announce that Sunset had tested out of all Academy required Lylat History courses with straight A's!" Falco laughed happily.  "Complete with using the characters she built for each of the campaigns as the basis for the special cultural projects those classes require!"

Katt couldn't help but laugh along with him.  "And that got you off scott free?"

"Eh...not quite," Falco allowed.  "See, Rob let Sunset go back to her interrupted game after she finished the tests, and...she'd just gotten to the most recent conflict that had been made into a game...the conflict seven years ago."

"Seven years..." Katt murmured as she sorted through what she remembered clearly of recent events.

"Sunset is seven years old," Falco pointed out to refresh her memory.

"...you mean...James?"

Falco nodded.  "She got to the point where the game let her play as Peppy, flying out of Venom as James bought him time to escape Pigma's betrayal and Andross' rage..."

"I...take it she didn't take it well?" Katt clarified.

"She's down on Dinosaur Planet right now," Falco explained.  "She's been...rather emotional about it.  And there's less stuff to go flying around like crazy when she starts screaming down there.  That and depending on where she is, the citizenry isn't as fragile."

"Yikes!" Katt murmured worriedly.  "Is she going to be okay?"

"Yeah," Falco confirmed.  "Peppy's down there now taking care of her, along with Fox and Krystal.  They're gonna talk her through it, stop her from doing anything stupid."

Katt blinked.  "...doing anything stupid?"

"Somehow she got ahold of a book of Necromancy and was trying to program a course for Venom into the Great Fox's computer," Falco explained ruefully.

"She was trying to raise James from the dead?" Katt gasped in shock.  "...would that have worked?  Where did she even get the book?"

"Shabunga, the merchant down in Thorntail Hollow," Falco explained.  "He's not kidding about being able to get anything...though he really shouldn't have sold a cursed book of forbidden magical knowledge to a seven year old.  Krystal managed to strong arm him into taking it back with a full refund, with orders not to sell Sunset anything magical without one of them present to approve."

"Cursed?" Katt asked curiously.  "How?"

"Apparently using it would have raised an army of unholy demons," Falco allowed.  "Not sure why that would matter if it would be on Venom..."

"Can demons fly space fighters?"

Falco blinked for a time.  "Okay, point made."

"Speaking of Venom, though..." Katt began carefully.  "The Hot Rodders have been picking up Venomian signals on Titania.  Can you spare the time to swing by and help us investigate?"

"Sure!" Falco agreed readily.  "I'm in the dog house here anyway..."
> Parting Ways
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Krystal stared worriedly at Sunset as she sat before the river that ran through the Walled City, staring into the water.  She'd passed through straight up sorrow, and she'd stopped throwing a tantrum over having the book of necromancy taken away, and she had apparently moved on to moping.  Shifting nervously, she made her way over to her daughter's side.  "Are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

"<...why'd you take the book away?>" Sunset asked sadly, for some reason choosing to speak in the Dinosaur tongue.  Then again, she was perfectly fluent in it now, and it was where they were.  Perhaps she felt no need for privacy in this conversation...which Krystal took as a good sign.

Deciding to follow along, Krystal slipped into the language.  "Sunset, <Death Magic is not something to be trifled with.  It can have long reaching, dangerous consequences, both to the caster and the subjects.  What made you think bringing your Grandfather back to life was a good idea?>"

"<I wasn't trying to bring him back to life,>" Sunset countered with a frown on her face.  "<I know that would take life magic and a willing soul to do right, and really bad if done wrong.  I'm young, not stupid.>"

Krystal blinked in surprise.  "<Then...what were you doing with that book of Death Magic?>"

"<I asked Shabunga for a book on dealing with departed souls,>" Sunset explained simply.  "<I thought that would be a good place to start as far as opening a communication channel to Grandpa's soul, especially since I remember you telling Dad something about him hanging around.  That way I could talk to him about what happened on Venom and get the whole story.>"

Krystal opened and closed her mouth several times as she struggled to rationalize what Sunset had just told her with what she'd seen.  "<But...why didn't you tell us that's what you were trying to do?  We thought you were trying to raise him so you could have two Grandpas, or something.>"

"<I tried!>" Sunset complained bitterly.  "<But it's a lot easier for me to explain things in Dinosaur, but Dad and Uncles were only listening in> Lylat Standard."

Krystal rubbed her forehead ruefully.  "<Okay, but why did you need a book on Death Magic?  You've got more than enough magic to power a seance, and the instructions for that were in the spellbooks that came with you!  You could hook a> Ouija Board <up to a> Text-to-Speech device!"

Sunset stared up at Krystal, her eyes wide.  "<Uh...I never thought of that...>"  As Krystal facepalmed, Sunset tried to defend her actions.  "I wanted to attune a speech-related device to Grandpa's spiritual wavelength so he could speak to us whenever he wanted, and from there work on attaching a few manipulators.  Then I could go from that to building him a robotic golem to possess!"  As much of what she was explaining had no parallels in the Dinosaur language, she was forced to shift back into Lylat Standard.

"...where did you get the idea to build him a robot body?" Krystal demanded in surprise.

"Uncle Birdy," Sunset allowed happily.  "Heard him talking about it with not-Aunt Katt after you talked to Dad about Grandpa hanging around Dad."

Krystal shook her head ruefully.  "Why am I not surprised?"

Sunset glanced around, finally noticing something.  "Where's Dad?  And everyone else?"

"They were called away on a mission to Titania," Krystal explained softly.  "It was a matter of urgency, so I stayed here to take care of you, since you wanted to stay here rather than come back to the ship at the time.  They'll be back soon."

"Oh..."  Sunset looked up at the sky in concern.  "How soon?"  She shifted nervously.

"It shouldn't be too long," Krystal reassured her.  "It didn't sound like it would be that big of a job.  Just some brigands or something, from what Rob said."

At that moment, an Ar-Wing flew down through the atmosphere to land on the landing pad within the Walled City.  Sunset immediately got to her hooves and ran towards it, Krystal as quickly after her as she could manage.  Even so, Sunset was easily able to outrun her mother, her body naturally built for fast running.  As Sunset reached the Ar-Wing, she gasped in surprise at the one inside.  "Uncle Birdy?"

"Hey kid," Falco replied as he leapt out, landing in front of Sunset and kneeling down to ruffle her flowing hair, so thick it could only be called a mane.  "Glad to see you.  Feeling better?"

"More stupid," Sunset admitted ruefully.  "Didn't need a Necromancy text to hook a Speak-and-Say to a Ouija Board..."

Falco blinked in surprise, then laughed.  "You just wanted to talk to him?"

"Yeah!" Sunset insisted.  "You heard me fuss enough with Grandpa over his stories to know I hate the incomplete ones!"

Falco shook his head in amusement as his laughter faded.  "Well, I'm glad you're here and I can talk to you.  There's...something I need to tell you."

"Is not-Aunt Katt going to be Aunt Katt?" Sunset asked hopefully.

"No, definitely not," Falco insisted.  "She's already got someone else.  But...it is somewhat related to that."  He glanced upward as he tried to shape words.  "Look, Fox and I...we got into a rather serious...disagreement.  And...well, with who I am and how I feel right now, I just can't stay under his command right now.  So I'm gonna need to fly solo for a while."

"Uh huh."  Sunset nodded her understanding of what he was saying...though she didn't quite understand.

"That means I'm not going to be living on the Great Fox," Falco clarified.

Sunset's eyes widened.  "You're...you're going away...?" she whimpered, her eyes starting to tear up.

"Hey, don't be like that," he spoke up quickly, pulling her into a comforting hug.  "It won't be forever, and I'll still call to talk to you on important events.  I'll even be sure to send you presents if I miss a birthday.  I just...can't be around Fox for a while."

"But...you'll be back?" Sunset asked hopefully.

"Promise," Falco confirmed, tussling her mane again before standing up.  He then glanced at Krystal and winked.  "See ya around, sweet cheeks!"  With that, he leapt back into his Ar-Wing and took off.

"...what was that about?" Krystal asked, having missed most of the conversation.

"Ask Daddy," Sunset replied as she watched the ship fly off.
> Over Time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time seemed to move both very slowly and quite fast aboard the Great Fox with Falco's absence.  He did keep his promise to Sunset to regularly check in with her, and sent her a thoughtful gift - along with a video message - on every birthday and holiday.  While Sunset appreciated it and sent messages back talking about everything that happened, she found she didn't like having part of her family missing...at all.  Sunlight seemed less bright, grass less soft, flowers less pretty and with a duller scent, and the sparkle of water seemed dimmer.

She wound up spending less time down on Dinosaur Planet and more time on the Great Fox, dedicating herself to her studies.  She continued to push further with what she could do with her magic, as well as studying everything she could about the Lylat System, its planets, and the history and cultures thereof.  She also threw herself into the maths and sciences, finding peace from her conflicted feelings in her studies.

One thing that surprised everyone was when she asked Fox and Krystal to teach her how to fight.  It came completely out of nowhere, and seemed to have no explanation.  However, she was adamant.





"Mom, Dad...I want to learn hand to hand combat."

Fox and Krystal exchanged startled glances as Peppy nearly fell over in his chair, Slippy dropped his tool, and Rob dropped his hand.  "You what?" Fox managed to get out.

"I want to learn hand to hand combat," Sunset repeated simply.  "I've looked over the Academy course work and pre-req's for the various courses, and the only thing I'm missing to get the Advanced Placement and Flight courses I really want is combat training.  I don't need training with laser guns as they're little different from shooting a blast of magic from hand or horn, and all other weapon training is derived from the basics of hand-to-hand...so I want to learn hand to hand combat."

Fox couldn't fault her reasoning, though one thing about what she said caught him off guard.  "Wait, you've been going over Academy course work?  You want Advanced Placement?"

"Well I checked with Brobot about where I stand against others my own age, and apparently in the maths and sciences I'm already at post graduate level for the standard curriculum," Sunset explained simply.  "And AP courses can push you through Flight and Command courses before graduation, so I want to give it a go and see just how far I'll get.  That way I won't have to spend too much time in the classroom once the ACSU suit Uncle Silly and Shabunga are working on is finished.  More I can get under my belt before then..."  She turned away.  "More time I can do other things when I actually can do more than study or explore a planet I know like the back of my hand..."

"And maybe make more friends?" Krystal suggested gently.

"...maybe..."

Sighing, Krystal stood up.  "I can't fault your logic, so I'll start by teaching you Cerinian combat.  It's more suited for mixing in magic like you can.  Once you've learned it, Fox can teach you what you need to know of Lylat styles."

"Well, what I know," Fox allowed.





Sunset's combat training with Krystal went quite well, and she was able to grasp some of the basics relatively easily.  Training with Fox didn't go as well, as he was forced to admit that he had never really specialized in hand to hand combat, since he was more of a pilot.

However, Falco managed to fill in the gaps, flying in to land on Dinosaur Planet to meet up with Sunset to train her without letting the rest of the team know he was there.  In addition to the happy time spent with her Uncle who was gone for so long, Sunset especially enjoyed having a secret she could keep.  There was a sort of illicit thrill to the training as a result that made it all the more exciting and fun.

Unfortunately for Sunset, things did not remain as happy as she would have liked.  One day while the Great Fox was in orbit around Solaar to re-energize its mystic stores - and Sunset was astral projecting down to play with the lava bug she'd named Volca - a distressing message arrived from Dinosaur Planet.  The planet itself had...shattered.

"How is that even possible?" Fox demanded as he stared at the image of the chunks of the planet floating some distance away from the core, like some insane jigsaw puzzle.

"Dinosaur Planet's core releases a huge amount of mystic energy," Slippy explained as he read over the details of the report.  "More than the planet can ordinarily contain.  To keep it in check, there are dark-matter crystals called Spellstones that absorb and disperse enough of the excess to maintain balance, allowing the planet to stay whole."

"That sounds like the whole planet was...constructed," Fox pointed out.  "How is that possible?"

"Has something to do with the Krazoa Spirits," Slippy explained.  "That's all I know.  I'm afraid I can't really explain anymore, or get accurate readings while the planet is like that..."

"I'll go investigate further," Krystal spoke up insistently, grabbing her staff.

"Krystal?" Fox asked in surprise.  She'd been silent from the moment the image had appeared on screen, and looked oddly pale as she spoke.

"The last time I saw a planet look like that..." Krystal started to say before swallowing against the lump in her throat.  "I was flying away from Cerinia..."  She looked straight at Fox.  "I need to investigate this, in case there's a connection.  I..."  Her voice trailed off.

Fox looked at her for a time, worry and understanding warring in his eyes.  "...you've got two days after Sunset comes back to her body to get there, investigate, and report back," he said finally.  "After that, Sunset's going to want to come after you, and the only way to stop that will be for me to go myself, after contacting Command to officially take the job.  Be careful, okay?"

"Will do," Krystal promised as she leaned in to share a chaste kiss with him before rushing to her fighter.
> Adventure: Planetfall
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As expected, Sunset had not been happy to learn Krystal had gone off on her own to investigate the apparent shattering of Dinosaur Planet...both because it meant her Mom being gone, and because she had several friends on Dinosaur Planet, not the least of which was Prince Tricky.  She wanted to go herself to investigate, but seemed to accept Fox's firm instruction to leave it to Krystal, as she plainly knew what she was doing.  Still, she wasn't at all happy about it, and tended to pout in rooms on the Great Fox distant from the others.

As a result, she wasn't on the bridge when the message came in from General Pepper.  "Fox, we've received a distorted distress beacon from Dinosaur Planet, the only clear message we were able to get a request for aid."

"We observed Dinosaur Planet has...shattered," Fox explained.  "The energies of the planet have prevented the continent pieces from drifting too far, but said energies and the broken nature of the planet prevented any deeper scans to investigate the direct cause.  That could also explain the distortion to the signal.  Krystal claimed to recognize the phenomena, and went to investigate a couple days ago.  We were about to go try and get in contact with her."

"Well, the damage could be greater than that," General Pepper explained.  "If the energies continue to expand, the explosive discharge could disrupt the entire Lylat System.  You need to investigate immediately and find a way to repair the planet.  All we know for sure-"

"I'll contact the King and Queen Earthwalker once we get there," Fox interrupted.  "I'll ask about the location of the Spellstones and where to take them to contain the energy flow, and how to align the Krazoa Spirits to restore the planet.  I'll also investigate what sort of conflict could have resulted in the Spellstones and Spirits being displaced, though from what I was able to glean on our last visit, I assume it has something to do with the Sharpclaw Tribe."

General Pepper stared at Fox, his jaw a little slack.  "How do you have so much information on Dinosaur Planet?" he asked at last.  "Our official records barely have more than the names of the important figures."

"Sunset's close friends with Tricky, the Earthwalker Prince," Fox explained easily.  "As well as several other important figures of other tribes, including the Queen Cloudrunner."

"Then it looks like you're the perfect team for the job," General Pepper declared happily.  "Your usual fee has already been approved, and will be transferred as soon as the situation is resolved and the planet is repaired."

"Well as long as this is an official job, I guess I have to cut the window I promised Krystal a little short," Fox allowed.  "I admit, I'm a bit worried about her, anyway.  I expected her to get in contact sooner than this..."

"Good luck, Team Star Fox.  General Pepper out."

As the signal cut, Fox turned to Rob.  "Set course for Dinosaur Planet.  I'll take an Ar-Wing down."

"Understood," Rob confirmed as he set the course.





Fox decided not to tell Sunset he was heading down to Dinosaur Planet.  Part of that was worry about how her magic would interact with the damaged planet.  Part of it was wanting to keep her out of direct combat, since he still felt protective of her as his kid.  However, he was forced to admit partially that he was somewhat hoping to have an adventure just himself and Krystal once he found her.

Flying the Ar-Wing through the debris field that surrounded the broken segments of the planet that hovered miles above, Fox carefully made his way down to the Thorntail Hollow approach vector.  It proved somewhat difficult, as Fox had to gather enough energy from what was scattered about to safely breach the planet's mystic envelope in its disrupted state.  Thankfully, landing on the planet itself where Throntail Hollow still was wasn't nearly as difficult as it could have been had he been trying to land on one of the floating segments.

As he landed, however, he noticed something that was immediately upsetting.  On his console was the alert, "Under-cockpit cargo hatch opening".  That cargo hatch had been installed specifically at Sunset's request so that they could give Tricky a lift up to the Great Fox via the Ar-Wings when they wanted to play not on planet, and was perfectly set up to safely transit one organic being without taking damage from the G-forces.  Hopping out, he saw exactly who had been using it this time.  "Sunset..." he chided angrily as she clambered out of the hatch.

"What?" she asked innocently as she stretched out, unwrinkling the veils of her focus outfit.  "I was pouting somewhere quiet and isolated where I wasn't going to be tripped over.  It's hardly my fault you didn't check the manifest before take off."

Fox found his eye twitching.  He knew there was no way that was entirely true.  She was way too relaxed at finding herself on planet to not have intended it.  Beyond that, he also found he was no longer comfortable with the design of the focus outfit, especially since at 11 Sunset was starting to fill it out a bit, as puberty had hit early.  At the same time, he knew Sunset knew Dinosaur Planet far better than he did, and she could help out.

Before he could speak, however, Sunset's eyes went wide.  "Dad..."  She pointed over his shoulder.  "M...Mom's staff..."

Turning, Fox saw what had distressed Sunset so much, and left him quite distressed as well.  Krystal's staff was embedded in the ground some distance away, point up.  Carefully, he went and pulled it from the ground.  A telepathic message from Krystal was embedded in the staff, and flowed into Fox's mind as he held it.

Danger...magic...scattered...Krazoa...Fox...help...

"Krystal..." he whispered softly, holding the staff in his hands.

"Dad?" Sunset asked worriedly.

Fox thought quickly.  If he was to save Krystal - and the planet - he needed every advantage he could bring, and if the distorted planetary fields weren't affecting Sunset, her magic would be a huge advantage, as would her planetary knowledge.  As long as she stayed safe...  "Stay close to me, don't get out of sight, and don't over exert yourself," he instructed firmly.  "Think you can abide by that?"

"If it means saving Mom, yes," Sunset responded firmly.

"Then let's find the Queen Earthwalker," Fox stated firmly.  "Scans showed she was somewhere here in Thorntail Hollow."
> Adventure: Limitations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Strapping Krystal's staff to his back, Fox looked around the Hollow.  "Alright, you know every nook and cranny of this place," he said to Sunset.  "Since we can't see the Queen Earthwalker, if she's here we can assume she's sought shelter of some sort.  Where could she seek shelter in the Hollow?"

"Well if we limit ourselves to the area actually defined as part of Thorntail Hollow as opposed to the paths leading to other areas, to whatever level of accessibility they have at the moment, then there are only four locations that aren't in plain sight," Sunset observed.  "Shabunga's shop, the Warpstone's glade, the Ancient Well, and the Temple.  Of those areas, Shabunga's shop and the well aren't accessible to a full grown Earthwalker, and the Warpstone's glade is sealed off by a wall.  So she's probably in the temple there."  She gestured to where a structure built into a rock wall overlooked a clearing surrounded by a stone wall low enough to be considered more of a fence.  The door appeared to be sealed shut.

"Then we'll try there first," Fox concluded firmly as he led the way there.

As soon as he stepped past the opening in the low wall, the door of the temple slid open, and four Sharpclaws raced out.  Unlike every other living being on Dinosaur Planet, Sharpclaws resembled a cross between reptilian and mammalian life, having four strong limbs, walking upright, covered in scales, and - unique amongst the residents of the planet - possessing opposable thumbs.  Their faces extended forward with a flat front and narrow muzzle, a predatory head with a mouth filled with sharp teeth.  They were about Fox's size, wearing light armor, and armed with heavy spiked maces.  The door closed as the four moved to surround Fox and Sunset.

"This'll be quick," Fox murmured eagerly.  Reaching to his hip, he yanked out his blaster and pulled the trigger...only for it to explode in his hand.  "GYAAAH!" he screamed out, clutching at his wrist as the fragments of the blaster dropped, his fur falling out from the thaumic burn.

"Dad!" Sunset called out worriedly.  As the Sharpclaws were still advancing, she thrust forward with her hands glowing with her magic.  Two of the Sharpclaws were lifted into the air in her aura before being slammed head first into the heads of the other two.  She repeated this until all four Sharpclaws stopped moving.  "Dad, what happened?"

"I don't know!" Fox gasped out as he slowly flexed his hand, sensation returning slowly.  "My blaster just...exploded..."

At that moment, the communicator beeped.  "Fox!" Slippy called out worriedly.  "I need to warn you!  Don't use your blaster!  The unstable magical field of the planet due to its fragmented state will render the mana battery we used to redesign the blasters to a more powerful level to experience an explosive backlash!"

"...well, at least now I know why it happened," Fox groaned out.

"...how late was I, Sunset?" Slippy asked sadly.

"About twenty seconds max," Sunset allowed as she wrapped Fox's hand in hers, her magic repairing the damage.

"Wait, how come Sunset's magic is working fine?" Fox asked curiously.

"Because her magic is shaped by her thoughts," Slippy explained.  "Her mind and body actively react to the unstable shifts of the planet's magical fields, the same way the Ar-Wing's G-Diffuser reacts to shifts in g forces.  In fact, the only reason the Ar-Wing functions at all in this state is because of the G-Diffuser."

Fox sighed as the pain left his hand.  "Okay...how am I supposed to fight then?"

"Mom's staff," Sunset suggested.  "It's made of living wood, and will grow and shrink to the needs of the wielder to a certain extent.  It should be able to handle the shifting fields, not to mention absorb spell forms stored within the planet at various locations specifically crafted for this situation by the Krazoa."

"While that could work, I've never been very good at staff combat.  Any chance of a non-magically boosted blaster, Slippy?" Fox asked hopefully.

"Sorry Fox," Slippy apologized, "but other than the Ar-Wing, most of our tech isn't going to function in the unstable magical fields any more the scanners did.  Rob sent down a few things to help, but they took damage from the instability.  Shabunga's already gathered several pieces, and is working to tweak them to function in the altered fields...but he's going to charge you for the work."

"You mean he's going to charge me," Sunset grumbled.  "Well, I've still got a few thousands scarabs in store credit.  We shouldn't have to waste too much time hunting Scarabs to pay him."

Fox sighed as he pulled out the staff to look at it.  "I'm really better at range..."

"Well, there's one Spell Shrine over there," Sunset pointed out, gesturing to an ancient door that had slid open as soon as the four Sharpclaws had stopped moving.  "It's got the fireball spell.  Pretty basic magic, should be good for range if that's what you really want to do.  Just take the staff inside and have it absorb the spell.  But you'll need to draw from the staff's magic stores, since your own are just barely enough to interface with it."

Fox stared flat-eyed at Sunset for a time.  "...if you weren't 11 and my daughter, I'd be handing the staff to you and letting you handle this mission solo.  You certainly seem to know exactly what you're doing."

"I'd still need a lift to the floating chunks," Sunset pointed out blandly.

Rolling his eyes, Fox got to his feet, looking down at Sunset.  She'd certainly grown more than he'd noticed.  Bare-hoofed she now came up midway to his chest, and she was already starting to fill out her 'focus outfit' in a parentally distressing manner.  "Alright," he mused idly.  He glanced up at the glowing sun sigil above the temple door that looked like a button.  "I take it I'll need the fireball spell to hit that?" he asked ruefully.

"You will," Sunset confirmed.  "I could hit it myself."

"Not until I'm better armed," Fox insisted.  "I don't want you getting hurt or overexerting yourself."

Rolling her eyes, Sunset followed Fox to the spell shrine so he could get the spell for the staff.
> Adventure: Rescue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After infusing Krystal's staff with the Fire Blaster spell, Fox and Sunset made their way back to the Temple.  In order to make it out of the hollow where the spell was sealed, Fox had to use the spell to launch a small ball of fire at a glowing red sun symbol - like the one above the temple door - to turn it green and open a gate.  With this knowledge, Fox was able to open the temple door in the same way.

Inside the temple, Fox and Sunset found the Queen Earthwalker, sprawled on her side and looking severely unwell.  Sunset raced forward immediately.  "<Your Majesty!>" she called out worriedly.  "<Are you alright?  What happened to you?  Where's the King?  Where's> Tricky?"

"<The King...Walled City...>" the Queen spoke up, seeming dazed.  "Prince Tricky...<the Sharpclaws took him...to> Ice Mountain..."

"Ice Mountain," Sunset repeated to confirm.  "<The> Warpstone <can send us there, right?>"

"<Yes...>" the Queen confirmed before laying back, still plainly listless.

"We need to get to the Warpstone," Sunset told Fox quickly.  "He can send us to the Ice Horn, where the Sharpclaws took Tricky!"  She then raced out of the chamber.

Fox raced after her, shaking his head ruefully.  "I really should have learned to speak the language..."

"I'll have a translator program for you soon enough," Slippy promised.  "Should be ready by the time you get to Tricky-"

A large explosion heralded Sunset blasting a hole in the wall around the Warpstone glade at a cracked portion, making a path through to the Warpstone for herself and Fox since levitation hadn't worked for some reason.

"...give or take a few minutes," Slippy allowed as Fox chuckled.

It didn't take long before Fox and Sunset reached the platform that let them speak to the Warpstone.  "Ah, Sunset!" he declared warmly as he saw her.  "Been a long time since ye last came ta me for an adventure!  Ah'm afraid ah'm a bit more limited than ah was when last ye were here.  Ah can only send ye to the Ice Horn or the maze just now...and only ta Krazoa Palace if ye have a Krazoa Spirit with you.  Ah canna reach further than that, or ta the broken pieces of th' planet.  Ye'll have ta find yer own way ta those."

"We'll manage," Sunset allowed intently.  "Right now, we need to get to Ice Horn."

"Then climb on up!" the Warpstone replied happily, lowering his right hand for them to step on.

"I'll never get used to this," Fox grumbled as the stone hand closed around them before flinging them through space and time.

As they came out the other side, Sunset grinned up at a woozy Fox.  "I can't get enough of it, personally."

As they moved out of the cavern, a large ship came out of the sky, lowering Prince Tricky in some sort of stasis field.  Fox immediately grabbed Sunset by the arm.  "Wait until the ship leaves," he instructed firmly as Tricky was lowered towards a pair of Sharpclaws.  "We can handle a few Sharpclaws without drawing too much attention.  We can not blow a ship out of the sky if it turns its weapons on us without drawing a lot of attention...assuming we aren't forced to run for it."

"But-" Sunset began.

"Tricky's tough," Fox insisted.  "As tough as you.  He can handle being held captive long enough for things to be safe to rescue him."  He winced as he saw one of the Sharpclaws strike Tricky with its mace.  "And you can fix him up if he needs it."

Sunset bit her lip.  She hated that her Dad was right, but she knew charging out there to rescue Tricky while the ship was there was suicide...and once the ship was out of sight, Tricky'd been moved out of sight as well.  "Well, there are only so many places they could have taken him up here," Sunset pointed out ruefully.  "Shouldn't be too hard to find him."

"Probably that large steel door over there," Fox pointed out.  "I heard it open and shut."

"I don't see a Sun Sigil," Sunset pointed out irritably.  "How are we supposed to get it open?  Somehow I doubt you want me ripping it out..."

"Yeah, we're trying for quiet," Fox pointed out firmly.  "Let's see if we can find another way.  Like you said, there's not much here to explore."

Off in one corner of the area, they found one of the Fuel Cells the Ar-Wing ran on.  "We should keep an eye out for these," Fox said as he collected it.  "It shouldn't take any tweaking to work in the Ar-Wing, and that will let us gather enough energy to safely reach the floating chunks of the planet."

"I'll grab any I see," Sunset agreed.

A large stack of boxes blocked off an area of the snowy field, but Sunset dealt with that by blasting them to bits.  This startled the two Sharpclaws behind the pile enough that she and Fox were easily able to subdue them, which revealed the Sun Switch to open the metal door.

As the door opened, Sunset caught sight of the two Sharpclaws continuing to harass Tricky with their maces.  "Leave him alone!" she screamed out as she charged forward.

"Sunset, <help!>" Tricky called out as the Sharpclaws spun to face them.  As soon as their attention was off him, he dashed to the side.

As Fox charged in to help Sunset, she slid under the first Sharpclaw and punched upward as she passed, making it collapse forward as she scooped up Tricky before hitting the downward slope they'd discovered together on their first visit.  The second Sharpclaw pursued on some form of speeder craft.  Fox KO'ed the first one as it recovered from the groin hit before snatching the second speeder to pursue.

He managed to get ahead of the second Sharpclaw and smash it against a wall to keep it from pursuing...only to find himself flying off the edge of the slope and into the hot spring below with a scream.

"<Brings back memories, huh,> Sunset?" Tricky asked with a chuckle.

"<Wish I could be as happy about it as you,>" Sunset offered sadly, "<but your Mom isn't doing well, and from what she said, I think your Dad might be a prisoner of the Sharpclaws.  Only reason I can think of why he'd be in the floating Walled City while your Mom was in Thorntail Hollow.>"

Tricky's face fell.  "<You...you're kidding...>"

"<I wish I was...>"

"Slippy, please tell me the translator is almost finished?" Fox pleaded as he clambered out of the spring.

"And...uploaded!" Slippy declared happily.

"Is there anything I can do?" Tricky asked hopefully, his words now translating.  "I want to help!"

"Well, I know you're great at digging and scenting," Sunset pointed out.  "That ought to help somewhat."

"I'll do my best!" Tricky insisted eagerly.

Smiling, Fox turned to lead the pair further into the frozen area they were now in.

"Where are we going?" Tricky asked curiously.

"Back to Thorntail Hollow," Fox replied readily.

"Are we there yet?" Sunset asked impishly.

"Sunset, you know this area better than I do," Fox pointed out dryly.

Sunset and Tricky exchanged impish grins.

"Where are we going?"

"Are we there yet?"

"Where are we going?"

"Are we there yet?"

"Slippy, can you turn the translator off?" Fox groaned ruefully.
> Adventure: Cooperation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Sunset and Tricky were familiar with the area from when they were much younger, they knew the path they had to follow, though they let Fox take the lead in case of danger.  As they moved, Sunset noticed Tricky moving slower.  "What's wrong, Tricky?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm...I'm hungry..." he whined.

"Got it!"  Sunset leapt ahead of Fox, going to where she knew some Blue Grub-Tub fungi grew.  These large, bouncing blue mushrooms were especially delectable to Earthwalkers, but somewhat difficult for young ones to catch due to how fast they leapt about.  Sunset easily seized several of them in her magic and dragged them over to Tricky.  "Eat up!"

Tricky happily chowed down on the fungi, licking his chops as he finished.  "Delicious!"

"No time for too many snack breaks!" Fox called out warningly.  "We need to get back to the Hollow somehow!"

"Oh, we should just keep going forward!" Sunset called back.  "It leads right there!"

"So how do we get that gate open?" Fox asked, pointing to a gate blocking further progress.  "I don't see any switches-"

"Right here!" Tricky called out, quickly digging up a switch and depressing it at the same time.  The gate slowly opened.

"...why didn't the dirt activate the switch?" Fox asked curiously as he moved beyond the gate to work a mechanical switch with Krystal's staff.

"Because it scans for life force and magic to activate, not weight?" Sunset suggested as she turned to track the platform it raised, carefully levitating Tricky across while she and Fox leapt over.

The trio continued their way onward in similar fashion, with Tricky digging up hidden items, paths, or switches to enable further progress until they reached the Snowhorn Wastes.  More Sharpclaws patrolled there, but Sunset and Fox were able to deal with them quickly as Fox got in combat practice with the staff.

After stopping at a frozen lake long enough to help a Snowhorn by digging up a couple Alpine roots to feed him, they continued down until they reached the path Sunset remembered.  However, a hefty-set Sharpclaw blocked the path.

"You pay me 25 Scarabs to pass!" he declared pugnaciously.

Fox started to check to see if he had enough Scarabs, but Sunset stepped up before he could.  "Or, you get out of our way now before I get upset," she declared angrily.

The heavy set Sharpclaw snorted.  "And who are you to boss me around?"

"Sunset Shimmer," she stated firmly, her inflection showing she'd translated her name.

The heavy-set Sharpclaw stared at her for a time, eyes wide...and fell flat on his face.  "Please don't hurt me!"

"Move!" Sunset barked out.

The Sharpclaw immediately leapt to the side.

"One of these days, your Mom needs to tell me why my name has such weight in your language," she told Tricky as they moved into the tunnels.  "First the Lightfoot, then the Cloudrunners, now the Sharpclaws?  What's it mean, anyway?"

"I dunno!" Tricky responded readily.  "She says I'm not old enough for that answer."

Fox frowned as he followed the pair into the tunnel.  Krystal had explained the prophecy to him...but he wasn't sure if Sunset was ready to hear it.





As soon as they entered Thorntail Hollow, Tricky made a beeline to his Mom's side, where she still lay upon the ground.  "What's wrong with her?" he asked worriedly as Fox and Sunset caught up to them.

"Looks like she's ill," Sunset observed worriedly.  "And the symptoms...look kinda familiar.  What was that she'd always give you for your tummyaches and the like?"

"White Grubtub!" Tricky spoke up happily.  "From the old well!"

"Get us an entrance and we'll get the shrooms," Fox promised.

"There's a weak spot I could dig through!" Tricky pointed out, quickly leading the way up there.  "But are you sure I can't help?"

"Better you stay with your Mom," Sunset suggested.  "I'll need to conserve my magic, so I can't haul you up and down the whole way."

"O-okay," Tricky agreed worriedly.  "Just hurry!"

A single ladder led down into the well once a tunnel was dug through the raised wall surrounding it.  The bottom was shrouded in fog Fox and Sunset had to pierce, revealing large red mushrooms that shook toxic spores that would clog their airways if they got too close.  Green grass covered the low sloping floor, and water flowed somewhat.

Sensing something, Sunset quickly blasted a hole in a small island in the middle of the brook, revealing another chamber containing a spell for the staff.  Fox quickly entered, and came back soon after.  "A rocket boost," he explained.  "There are spots I can use the staff to propel myself upward."

"Then that's the path forward," Sunset deduced, pointing to one such spot.

"Not without this lantern," Shabunga stated as he appeared.  "It gets quite dark down there, and without a firefly lantern, you're sure to get-"

Sunset sent a small amount of magic into her outfit, making all the sunstones glow brightly.

"...or you could do that," Shabunga allowed grumpily.  "Forgot it had that function.  Should have charged more!"

"I'll take the lantern!" Fox spoke up.  "That way we can split up in the deeper areas and get the White Grubtubs faster.  Time could be of the essence."

"Just charge it to my account," Sunset offered.

"Always do," Shabunga replied.  "I'll even toss in a couple of fireflies to give you a head start."  Handing the lantern to Fox, he vanished.

The pair continued into the deeper levels of the well.  The stone walls were dark red, as were the dirt floors.  Very little light extended down there, and the red mushrooms grew everywhere, shaking their choking spores into the air.  The White Grubtubs were difficult to spot as rather than a bright white, they were more a faded grey.  Sunset was able to snatch the first one easily once she spotted it.  "How many do you think we should get?" she asked curiously.

"As many as we can," Fox said firmly.  "Given the size and Tricky's appetite, I'd say at least six."

"Then let's get searching!"  The pair turned to seek out the mushrooms deep within the well.
> Adventure: Direction
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It didn't take long for the pair to scour the entire well area for the White Grub Tub, though it eventually fell to Sunset to scan through the darkened areas for the majority of them.  Despite the fireflies released from the lantern providing light in darkness, that light couldn't be directed the way Sunset could direct the light from her sunstones.  The fireflies' light extended outward in all directions evenly and continuously, but Sunset could focus the sunstone light like a flashlight, or make it blaze like a flashbang, as well as only give a small amount of light if she wanted details but to avoid notice.

Once they'd managed to gather six - and saw there were no others growing as yet - the pair made their way back to the temple.  "Your majesty," Sunset spoke up swiftly as they reached her.  "It's Sunset.  We've got White Grub Tub for you."

"Ah...Sunset..." the Queen murmured as she began to eat the proffered fungus.  "Clever as always."  Once she'd eaten the last, she slowly got to her feet, once more standing upright.  "However, I see your father with your mother's staff.  Has something happened?"

"We don't know," Fox admitted sadly.  "In addition to trying to fix what's happened to the planet, we're hoping to find out what happened to Krystal."

The Queen blinked a few times.  "It seems whoever programmed your translator forgot that we do not translate proper names," she observed idly.  "At least, I assume so."

"I'll fix that!" Slippy called out through the comm link.  "Just gimme a bit!"

"Is there anything you can tell us?" Fox asked hopefully.  "About...anything?"

"This is all the work of General Scales," the Queen explained as she nuzzled Tricky, who had rushed to her side the moment she was upright.  "He has risen to power among the Sharpclaws, and set his sights on conquering the entire world, with the intent of using the ancient power of the Krazoa to extend his reach further.  It is for this reason he has removed the Spellstones from their proper places."

"But without the Spellstones, the world is tearing itself apart!" Sunset pointed out.  "Because of how much magic is generated in the core of the planet.  The Spellstones regulate it-"

"General Scales wishes to harvest the excess energy instead," the Queen interrupted.  "It is his intention to use his technology to turn the core of the planet into a massive power generator for a magic armada with which to conquer the Lylat system.  And if the Spellstones are not returned to their places to regulate the energy soon, he may just succeed."

"But the systems that restore damage to the planet can't be activated without the power of the Krazoa Spirits!" Sunset added intensely.

"You have learned our history and lore well," the Queen complimented Sunset.  "That is indeed true.  The Spellstones must be returned to their places, and the Krazoa Spirits gathered to the Krazoa Palace.  When Krystal came here, she sought to deduce the locations of the Spellstones through raiding General Scales' flying flagship, and from there she intended to investigate the Palace in hopes of learning clues to the locations of the Spirits.  However, she had the assistance of the Cloudrunners in doing so.  Now, the Palace has moved beyond the reach of any dinosaur.  Only magic or technology can reach it now."

"The Warpstone said he could send us there if we found a Krazoa Spirit," Fox pointed out.  "That shouldn't be too hard-"

"Take warning!" the Queen spoke up intensely.  "You must not allow Sunset to become a vessel for a Krazoa Spirit.  Her magic is too potent, and the binding may become permanent...or the severing of the binding damage her when the Spirit is released."  She then turned to Sunset.  "And you must be wary of how freely you use your magic in this damaged environment.  Until the Spellstones are returned, careless use of magic might cause the magical fields to react oddly to a powerful enough discharge...and carrying too many Spellstones may weaken you as they absorb your released power."

"So get the Spellstones to their Force Point Temples one at a time, Krazoa Spirits to the Palace one at a time, and Dad's gotta carry them all," Sunset concluded.  "And don't break the planet even further.  Got it."

"If a mechanism exists to progress forward, make use of the mechanism rather than trying to circumvent it," the Queen cautioned.  "They have been put in place for a reason.  And be wary of General Scales.  He is far more powerful than he has ever been before, and we have deduced no explanation for this."

"And we need to have Tricky with us," Sunset concluded.

"Okay, I was with you both until that last part," Fox countered worriedly.  "I mean, you and I can defend ourselves easily, but-"

"We'll just have to look out for him," Sunset insisted.  "The Spellstones need to be activated once we put them into the Force Point Temples, and that requires 'a dinosaur of noble birth' to 'breathe life' into them.  Otherwise, they're just rather unique hunks of rock."

"So we need him along," Fox allowed ruefully.  "That's just great..."

"Our spies have indicated that Scales was last seen in the Darkice Mines," the Queen spoke up helpfully.  "You will need the help of the Gatekeeper, Garunda Te."

"Neither that place, nor the name, seem familiar," Sunset pointed out in surprise.

"The Gatekeepers generally keep to themselves outside times of crisis," the Queen explained, "and only a Gatekeeper can release the seal on a location such as the mines so that others can enter.  Presumably, General Scales found some way to force his cooperation.  You will need to be most careful.  He should be somewhere in the Snowhorn Wastes."  She pulled out an oddly shaped key.  "The Sharpclaws dropped this when they attacked me.  Perhaps you will find it useful."

"Wasn't there a gate in the Wastes we could never get past?" Tricky asked Sunset excitedly.  "That looked like it needed a key?"

"I always wondered about that," Sunset agreed as she grabbed the key.

"Good luck Fox, Sunset," the Queen spoke as they made their way out of the Temple.

"So where are we going?" Tricky called out as he followed.

"Your Mom just said-" Fox began.

"Are we there yet?" Sunset inquired excitedly.

"Sunset, you know this world better than I-"

"Where are we going?" Tricky demanded excitedly.

"Are we there yet?"

"...seriously?"
> Adventure: Cold Reception
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trio swiftly made their way back to the Snowhorn Wastes, finding the locked gate almost immediately upon exiting the tunnel that linked that area to Thorntail Hollow.  As predicted, the key was for that gate, opening easily to grant ready entrance to the new area.  They stepped through the gate into a wide plain with a deep pit almost entirely covered over with ice in the center, with only the trunk of a Snowhorn sticking out through the small hole in the center.  As the trunk scented them, a deep voice bellowed out, "Over here, youngsters!  Hurry!"

Fox, Sunset, and Tricky immediately rushed over.  "What happened?" Fox demanded worriedly.

"The Sharpclaw tribe imprisoned me in this infernal cave!" he explained, the tension of his situation warring with his relief at finally getting help.  "If you can bring me Frost Weeds, I'll be strong enough to get myself out.  The young prince should be able to find them.  Please hurry."

"Is that strength to get up out of the pit, or just to break the ice?" Sunset asked curiously.  "Because if it's just the ice, I have a strong magical fire affinity, and could easily melt it-"

"Remember what the Queen said about that?" Fox chided her.

"That was about mechanisms," Sunset countered firmly.  "And about large magical discharges.  There's no mechanism here, and all I'll be doing is heating the ice up a bit at a time until it can't hold its structure anymore and cracks and collapses.  It's no more magic than lighting up the sunstones in a dark cave, it'll just take longer."

"If you can weaken the ice without over-exerting yourself," the Snowhorn spoke up, "I won't require nearly as many Frost Weeds to break through it.  But whatever you do, hurry.  The Sharpclaws are sure to have heard our discussion, and will be on their way to investigate."

"Sunset, you weaken the ice but do not try to breach through entirely with only your magic," Fox ordered swiftly.  "Tricky, see if you can find those Frost Weeds.  As soon as you find one, drag it over to Sunset so she can give it to him.  I'll stand guard to keep the Sharpclaws at bay-"

A wild cry came over the drifts, and several blue-skinned Sharpclaws swarmed towards the group, armored in hardened scale garb and holding spiked maces.

"Go!" Fox cried out as in a desperate gamble, he jammed one end of the staff into the edge of the cracked hole in the ice and activated the launcher magic he'd gained in the old well.  It managed to work to a certain extent, just enough to rapidly propel him towards the rushing Sharpclaws to keep the battle away from the sealed cave and the youngsters.

"There are Frost Weeds on that tree," Sunset told Tricky as she placed her hands against the ice, pumping her flame magic into it while keeping the amount small, spreading it evenly throughout the ice.  "Ram the tree to make them fall, that should be enough force."

"On it!" Tricky called back as he charged the tree, slamming into it with his head lowered to maximize the impact force.  He staggered back a bit dazed afterwards, but managed to catch sight of the fallen Frost Weed - in appearance, little different from a tumbleweed - and push it over to the hole in the ice before it blew away.

The Snowhorn immediately pulled it in to devour it just as four Sharpclaws made their way around Fox - who was surrounded by six of them who had encircled him to trap him without actually charging in to attack - made it to the frozen lake.  As one raised his mace over Sunset - who wasn't able to pull her magic back from the ice fast enough to defend herself - the ice under his foot cracked, causing said foot to sink and throw him off balance.

As soon as he noticed this, the Snowhorn reared up, smashing through the ice and seizing the attacking Sharpclaw in his trunk before hurling him at the group besetting Fox, sending three on one side sprawling.  No longer having to watch his back, Fox quickly dispatched the other three as Sunset clung to one of the Snowhorn's huge upward-curved tusks, just below where metal wrapped around the upward curve.  As the Snowhorn settled, Sunset was able to see that he wore an intricately designed metal decoration over his shoulders that - in appearance - could only really be called a harness.  A matching helmet rested atop his head.

"So you be Sunset, then?" he bellowed out as he climbed out of the hole.  "Ah see why the Queen speaks so highly of ye.  Brave and clever of ye to find that shortcut here without riskin' too much.  So what brings ye, yer father, and th' young Prince here?"

"You're Garunda Te?" Sunset asked hopefully.  "We came to find you, to get into the Darkice Mines.  We're chasing General Scales."

"Ah, a Grand Adventure!" the Snowhorn declared expansively.  "Aye, I be Garunda Te, Spellstone Gatekeeper of Darkice Mines.  As a Gatekeeper, I'm supposed to guard the lands in which a Spellstone is forged.  General Scales learned of this, and delivered an ultimatum to me...allow him to take the Spellstone back into the Sacred Lands...or he would destroy my tribe."

"Why did he want to return the Spellstone to where it was forged?" Fox asked curiously.

"Tis the only way to deactivate the power within a Spellstone once it is activated," Garunda Te explained.  "Had he not done so soon after removing it from the Force Point Temple, the Stone would have begun to devour the inner magic of the one who held it until they were mere husks, and used that power to return to its proper place.  Knowing this, I was ready to refuse him to protect my planet...but my daughter also bears the power of the Gatekeeper, and she acquiesced to his demands.  As such, my tribe is now enslaved, and the Spellstone back in the sacred land."  He hung his head.  "My daughter has dishonored me.  Had we but stood strong, he would not have been able to break the world, for as long as one Spellstone remained active, the planet could have held."

He shook his head, trying to dispel these unpleasant thoughts.  "Hurry to Darkice Mines, and seek out the Spellstone.  Return it to the Volcano Force Point Temple, and its power will return.  It will be the first step in restoring the planet and thwarting General Scales.  Allow me to open the gateway."  Lifting his trunk, he sent a flow of power into the sky, and a wormhole appeared in the air.

"Fox!" Slippy called out through the comm.  "The energy fields around a floating chunk of the planet have stabilized!  If you've managed to gather enough Fuel Cells for your Ar-Wing, you should be able to reach it from orbit!"

"That must be the Darkice Mines," Fox deduced firmly.  "Plug in the new coordinates to my Wing's onboard nav computer under that designation.  We'll be taking off in a few minutes."





Sunset sat in Fox's lap as the Ar-Wing turned back in towards the Darkice Mines.  The under-nose cargo bay was really only large enough for one, and as such Tricky took priority there.  As a result, she found herself strapped into her father's lap and staring out the window as he dove in and about small floating chunks of the planet, aiming for one of the larger ones that held an atmosphere.  In addition to those obstacles, small mines of unknown design also littered the path, detonating if Fox flew too close.  Focused points of magical energy were marked on the in-flight HUD as gold rings Fox needed to fly through to gather the energy to penetrate the force field that held the atmosphere inside the Darkice Mines.

As they landed, they discovered that - despite the name - the Darkice Mines was actually filled with flows of magma.  The heat was nearly stifling, making the very air waver before their eyes.  As Fox opened the canopy and removed the safety straps, Sunset found herself literally floating out into the air, the proximity to such a strong source of planetary living fire drastically amplifying her magic as she was surrounded by a golden glow.  "Well...this is going to be difficult to control," she murmured worriedly, the sunstones in her outfit already blazing as they tried to expend the excess energy.

Fox quickly tapped his communicator.  "Slippy, I need you to run a scan of Sunset's magic as compared to the ambient magic of the environment," he requested firmly.  "We're rather close to magma flows, and that's causing her to react like we were in orbit around Solaar."

"Scanning..." Slippy replied immediately.  After a time, he spoke again.  "Fox, I'm not picking up Sunset's magic at all.  The reason her power is reacting this way is because the Darkice Mines are some sort of sacred source of fire magic, which she's naturally attuned to.  Even with her levels of output, as long as she doesn't damage any part of the mines themselves, the magical fields will just swallow up her larger discharges once expended like drops of water in the ocean."

"So in other words, while we're here she doesn't have to worry about large discharges as long as she abides by the 'don't circumvent devices' directive?" Fox clarified.

"That sounds about right," Slippy confirmed.

Fox felt himself getting a tad nervous at the sight of Sunset's grin turning vicious.
> Adventure: Hot Blooded
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fox continued to watch Sunset's grin worriedly as she slowly floated alongside the path into the mines, the lava below flowing up to meet her in defiance of known physics as her magic drew it to her.  Tricky moved up close to Fox as he saw this.  "Uh...should I be scared?" he asked worriedly.

"Of Sunset?" Fox asked carefully.  "Not for your own well being.  ...physical, anyway."  He frowned as he stared into the Mine.  "Though...what she might do to any Sharpclaws we encounter now that she's been told that as long as she has that glow she doesn't have to hold back as long as she doesn't damage the infrastructure...well, you might have nightmares about that."

"Pretty sure I'm already going to have nightmares about the Sharpclaws taking my Dad and beating me up," Tricky observed flatly.  "You sure watching what she's gonna do won't help with that?"

"If you were a carnivore, I'd certainly agree that it could help," Fox agreed.  "But you're an herbivore.  As such...well, I suggest you plug your nose unless we need to hunt for something.  Just to be on the safe side."

The local wildlife - mostly strange bat-like creatures that laughed when they dove on an unsuspecting victim - proved to be smart enough to avoid Sunset for the most part.  One attempted to dive on Tricky, however...only to be incinerated by a beam of focused heat and magic Sunset shot it with, leaving the wings to flutter away like discarded leaves.

"Or she might be a bit neater about this than I expected," Fox allowed as he saw the beam arc down into the lava after it destroyed its target.

"Sunset's so cool!" Tricky agreed happily.

Much to Sunset's displeasure, the magma cave did not last long, and at that point they were back outside and in the snow.  Her aura faded back to normal levels, setting her down on her hooves.  "Well, so much for that," she grumbled irritably.

"There'll probably be more magma caves," Fox pointed out.  "For now, it's probably easier to free the Snowhorn Tribe if you aren't worried about accidentally roasting them."

Sunset glanced back and forth between the magma caves and the snowy region.  "Hold on..."  Holding her hand out into the magma caves, she called a sphere of magma into the air above her hand, where it swirled around happily in her magic without cooling.  "There we go!" she said happily as the Sharpclaws in the area took one look at that and fled.

Fox chuckled.  "Okay, time to free the Snowhorns."

The Snowhorn Tribe was chained up near small huts, the chains held fast by key locks.  With Tricky's help, it didn't take Fox long to find and dig out all the keys, freeing the Snowhorns.  The first they freed spoke up.  "Thank you for releasing me," she spoke warmly.  "If you're heading down into the mine, please keep a look out for Belina Te, the Gatekeeper's daughter."  Her expression became pained.  "She didn't mean to get us into this mess by telling Scales about the Spellstone.  She did what she thought was right.  Please help her."

"That's what we're here to do," Fox confirmed.  "There's no real point to blaming someone for a past mistake in the middle of a present crisis."

"Thank you," the mammoth offered warmly.  "This might be of use to you."  She dropped an odd cog into Fox's hands from her trunk.  "I found it while I was working.  It looked important, so I hid it from the Sharpclaws."

"Thanks!"  Fox quickly stowed it in his pack to keep track of it.

As they continued on, however, the sphere of magma Sunset had gathered eventually cooled and hardened, dropping from her grip as she shivered.  "Damn..." she muttered angrily.  "This whole place is hot and cold, hot and cold...it's really doing a number on my magic..."

"Let me help!" Tricky offered eagerly.  Taking a deep breath, he pointed his muzzle near to Sunset and exhaled a blast of flame right in front of her.

Sunset let out a sigh of relief as she caught the flame in her magic, wreathing it around herself to replenish herself and warm her body.  "That feels so good..." she murmured as she practically cuddled the captured flame.

"...I'm not sure which of you I should be more surprised at right now," Fox murmured in a droll tone.

After a bit more exploration through the snow, they were eventually able to push their way past a thick snowstorm with the help of a Snowhorn giving them a lift, as the cold was too much for both Fox and Sunset to push through on their own.  During the ride, Tricky ran ahead to explore as the snow didn't bother him as much.  Fox was worried at first, until he saw Sunset completely calm.  "Aren't you worried about him? he asked curiously.

"He's got a bit of my magic in one of the jewels he's wearing," Sunset explained, "designed to interface with the Warpstone's magic.  I can feel that bit of my magic - and his energy through it - from anywhere as long as we're on the same planet.  He's just fine, and I'll know if he isn't."

Fox frowned as he led Sunset out of the blizzard and into a cave.  "Well, if you say so-"

"Speeders!" Sunset called out as she raced past a pair of Sharpclaws she slammed against the cave walls to a pair of speeders like the one Fox had ridden back at Ice Horn.  "Now I get to ride one!"  Hopping on, she sped down the nearby tunnel.

"Sunset, wait!" Fox yelled out as he leapt onto the other in pursuit.

The tunnel twisted and turned for a while before spilling out into yet another magma cavern, though in this one the magma was mostly below ground, only coming up through a few vents where it wasn't funneled into machinery for power.  As Sunset felt her power grow, she leapt off her speeder to attack any Sharpclaw she could see.  Fox quickly chased after her, now more concerned about getting separated than about Sunset getting hurt.

"Fox!  Sunset!"  Tricky waved to get attention from the cell he was in.

"Tricky!" Sunset called out, zooming up close and unwittingly melting the bars of the cell to slag before she consciously reigned in her magical aura.  "What happened?"

"I lost you both in the blizzard, and then some Sharpclaws snagged me and tossed me in here," he explained happily.  "But I wasn't worried.  With how hot this place was, I knew you'd find me and make them all pay!"

"So...the fact he wasn't worried at all is why you didn't realize anything was wrong?" Fox asked in mild amusement as Sunset facepalmed.

"Shut up, Dad," she groused, though without much conviction.

It didn't take long after that for the trio to find the key to the other cell, where a young female Snowhorn was locked up.  She was crying as they approached, but immediately gathered herself as she caught sight of them.  "Who are you?" she demanded as she backed away defensively.

"Fox and Sunset of Team Star Fox, and Crown Prince Tricky of the Earthwalkers," Fox introduced.

"Belinda Te, I presume?" Sunset asked carefully.

"You are correct," Belinda confirmed.  "Did my father send you to save me?"

Fox and Sunset exchanged glances.  "I'm...afraid not," Fox allowed.  "He only sent us to...retrieve the Spellstone."

Belinda scoffed derisively.  "My father is a fool!" she snapped out angrily.  "I had to save the tribe!  If my father weren't a Gatekeeper-"

"Then it would have been some other tribe that faced the same dilemma," Sunset concluded.  "And if you hadn't acquiesced to save the tribe, your father would have to protect you specifically, both out of love for you and because breaking the line of the Gatekeepers could have caused untold disruption of the planet's magical fields beyond what's already happened, and as soon as Scales knew that he'd be able to force even more cooperation out of your father."  She noticed everyone staring at her.  "What?  I studied the Lore.  It's why those of Gatekeeper Lines are considered noble, and are only allowed to mate within their own tribe to ensure fertile offspring, because if the line isn't preserved the Gate they Keep becomes unstable."

Belinda nodded firmly.  "That's exactly right!  And my father-"

"Probably knows that as well as you do," Fox interrupted, "but he had to do what he did because if he gave in too quickly, Scales would catch that he was hiding something, and he'd probably want to break the Line if he knew he could do so because he wants to use the planet as a power source.  And your father couldn't say anything to us because he's not just the Gatekeeper and your father, but also the leader of your tribe, and has to act it for the tribe's sake."

"And how would you know my father's mindset so well?" Belinda demanded crossly.

"Oh gee, I wonder why I would understand a leader with a rambunctious, impulsive daughter so well?" Fox offered teasingly, reaching out to ruffle Sunset's hair.

"Do I need to remind you that my body temperature not being above boiling is a conscious effort on my part to reign in my magic now, Dad?" Sunset teased.

Belinda chuckled to herself.  "Perhaps you have a point.  Either way, for now we must return the Spellstone to its Temple.  We need to get to the bottom of the mine.  I know a path I can take, but it might be difficult for you to follow-"

Sunset promptly threw Fox onto Belinda's back and picked up Tricky.  "Charge!" she declared excitedly.

Grinning back at her, Belinda charged through the back wall of her cell, using her tusks to punch through the stone walls as she made her way down.
> Adventure: Fire and Ice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Belinda continued to charge through the stone walls and several short passageways until they reached a passage into another industrialized segment of the Mine, where she started to slow down...only to feel extra heat from behind her as Sunset urged her forward.  "But there are Sharpclaws-"

"Leave them to me!" Sunset called out.  "Just keep charging!"  She tossed Tricky to Fox, who easily caught him.  She then gathered power into her hands as she blazed forward into the next segment.

As Belinda charged out, Fox saw Sharpclaws go flying into the air to slam into far walls, or fall into pits of lava, or be obliterated by blasts of searing flame as Sunset zoomed around, seeking a way forward.  He winced a bit at the sight, but said nothing.  The Sharpclaws followed General Scales, who had with his intentions declared war on the entire Lylat System.  In war, mercy to the enemy wasn't a viable option.  Not only that, they still didn't know what had been done to Krystal.  He wasn't going to rein Sunset in just yet, not as long as she didn't look to be taking pleasure in the killing itself.  At the first sign of that, he would come down on her hard.

To Fox's surprise, Sunset was quick to find a path forward at the bottom level of the tall chamber after using her magic to blast open a few seals that had been artificially placed, made of material that normally would have had to be destroyed by the blast form a nearby mounted cannon.  Sunset then flew down to the group.  "Let's go!" she directed firmly, pointing into the small chamber thus revealed and trying not to meet anyone's eyes.

"You okay, Sunset?" he asked worriedly.

Sunset looked away.  "...can we talk later?" she asked softly.

Fox stared at her for a time, then nodded.  "Okay."

Smiling, Sunset led the way to the teleporter inside the small chamber.





On the other side of the teleporter, the group found themselves in a massive cold chamber, with stone walls and no sign of magma flow, the only light and heat coming from scattered torches.  In the distance, a massive creature somewhat resembling a giant cockroach stood frozen in ice.  At the sight of it, Belinda jerked back.  "What's wrong?" Fox asked worriedly.

"It's Galdon!" she hissed out in fear.  "He's one of General Scales' experiments!  Before the General managed to catch father and I to force our cooperation, he unleashed it upon our tribe.  It easily overwhelmed nearly all of our number, until father tricked it into a deep cavern and turned the area's ice magic against it, freezing it solid.  It...it nearly killed me when it attacked, and father using that magic is what revealed to General Scales that he was a Gatekeeper..."

"So that's why it's so cold here," Sunset murmured as her aura of power rapidly faded and she began to shiver.  "Well, we don't have to deal with-"

"Look!" Fox called out, pointing to where Galdon's two raised arms clutched an orange and black stone in one of its two hands.  "Is that what I think it is?"

"The Spellstone!" Tricky gasped out excitedly.  "But it's so high up!  How are we going to get it?"

"Galdon's body, even frozen, is far too sturdy for me to damage it," Belinda explained.  "Nothing we could do to it penetrated its exoskeleton."

"And with how cold it is in here, there's no way I can levitate myself or anyone else up to grab the stone out of his grip, even if we could," Sunset grumbled angrily.  She pursed her lips, about to snap something...only to see Fox's disapproving glower.  "...Falco!" she snapped instead.

Fox snorted, struggling to hold back his laughter.  "Now that's an expletive I can get behind!"

"That's what Mom said."

"Hey!" Fox snapped angrily as Sunset and Tricky snickered.

"So what is the plan?" Belinda asked nervously.

"You said you couldn't do anything against him?" Fox asked carefully.  "In that case, go back through the warp and wait for us to tell you the coast is clear.  We're going to thaw him out, figure out how to kill him, and retrieve the Spellstone."

Belinda stared at Fox, eyes wide.  "I don't suppose telling you this plan is foolhardy, potentially suicidal, and certifiably insane would dissuade any of you?" she asked nervously.

"Not really," Sunset replied with a wide grin.

"...then may luck and the Krazoa be with you," Belinda offered fervently before stepping back through the warp pad to wait.

"So what's the plan?" Tricky asked hopefully.  "After I melt him out, I mean?"

"Observe, analyze, eliminate," Fox replied firmly, swinging Krystal's staff about as he prepared himself.

"So cool..." Tricky murmured in awe before rushing forward and unleashing his flame on Galdon's ice.

The ice slowly melted off of the giant insectoid, the Spellstone settling in his claw as he broke free.  With a roar, the blue-green chitin of the creature was revealed, the spikes surrounding its head flexing as its stinger tensed.  Without warning, it swallowed the Spellstone before roaring at the group.

"That's not good!" Tricky called out worriedly.  "Didn't Belinda say its exoskeleton was invulnerable?  How are we supposed to get the Spellstone out?"

"This is good for us!" Sunset called out.  "The Spellstones absorb magical energy, and this thing is using internal magic to strengthen itself.  Even with the Spellstone inactive, the area around the Spellstone inside it will be weakened by its presence, and if it lodges somewhere vulnerable..."  She paused as a frown crossed her face.  "But how to get a blow inside..."

"Get its attention!" Fox called out as he dashed forward, sliding under Galdon as it charged as well.

"How-" Sunset started to call out, only to feel her magic returning as the fall of the ice caused flame jets to start erupting.  While not as powerful a source of flame magic as if magma were flowing, she still felt its power infusing her.  Grinning, she dashed into the nearest flame jet before shaping its energies into a ram, slamming it into Galdon's face.  With a roar, it charged her...only to scream in pain as Fox destroyed its stinger.

"Knew it!" Fox cried out excitedly.  "I knew the sudden change in temperature would have weakened the armor on its extremities-"  His voice cut as Galdon spun towards him, its beak-like face snapping down before closing around him, swallowing him whole.

"Dad!" Sunset screamed in fear, gathering as much power as she could.  She knew this was risky with the planetary fields - especially as this was an area in flux between Flame and Cold magics - but she would not lose her father.

Before she could unleash her blast, however, Galdon jerked violently in several directions before making a gagging sound, a glowing spot appearing on its torso.  It then leaned forward and spat Fox back out, along with a good amount of icky fluids.  "Bleh!" Fox spat as he rolled away.  "That was gross...but the Spellstone is in its stomach, caught in some sort of membrane!  The membrane is weak, so if I'm able to break it free, it should spit the Spellstone back out with me next time!"

"You want us to make it eat you again?" Tricky gasped in shock.

"It's all but invulnerable from the outside, so the only way to attack is from the inside-"

"Taiyō Kaki Ha!" Sunset suddenly screamed out as the magically charged flames leapt forth from her outstretched hands, slamming into the glowing spot on Galdon's torso.  The flames bored into Galdon's armor before finally punching through, only to be sucked into the Spellstone as the membrane holding it dissolved.  Gagging and choking, Galdon collapsed as the Spellstone spilled out the wound, coming to a halt at Fox's feet.

"So much cooler!" Tricky squealed excitedly.

While Fox had to admit the technique was impressive, he found himself frowning.  "Falco showed you far too much anime," he grumbled irritably, to which Sunset only smirked in response.
> Adventure: Power Stone
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the Spellstone in hand, Fox led the two youngsters back through the warp to meet up with Belinda Te.  She gasped in amazement as she caught sight of them.  "You...you did it?"

"That we did," Fox confirmed.  "And now that we've got the Spellstone, we need to get it to the Force Point Temple..."  He paused and looked around.  "Just as soon as we figure out how to get you and your tribe back home..."

"No rush there," Belinda offered quickly.  "When the world is restored, we can get home under our own power.  Until then, I will guide my tribe here while my father guides those on the surface.  We share Gatekeeper magic, we can communicate if we need to.  And..."  She lowered her head thoughtfully.  "We need to talk about a few things.  Apologies for...words not meant, among other things..."

Fox smiled softly.  "We'll leave you to that.  For now, we'll get back to our Wing."





Once back in Thorntail Hollow, Sunset spoke up.  "There are two Force Point Temples," she explained calmly, "the Volcano Force Point Temple and the Ocean Force Point Temple.  Two Spellstones of Fire and Water each need to be installed in the two Temples to reactivate them.  As this is a Flame Spellstone, we need to go to the Volcano Force Point Temple, which lies somewhere beyond Moon Mountain Pass."

Fox nodded and smiled, pleased to see just how much information she had at this crucial juncture.  "That's good, Sunset.  And...where is Moon Mountain Pass?"

Sunset frowned.  "I...I don't know.  That's one area I never got to explore.  The Warpstone refused to send Tricky and I there, and the adults refused to give directions to children.  It's...it's where the Sharpclaws evolved, as a mutant race as a result of the crash of the world's second moon in ancient times, so it was considered too dangerous for us."

"I should say so!" Fox confirmed hotly.  "Still...it looks like we need to go there now.  We'll just have to ask for directions-"

"You've got to help us!" one of the Thorntails pleaded as she rushed up to the group.  "Those horrible Sharpclaws put out our lovely beacons, and it gets too dark at night!"  Her voice choked as she began to cry.  "We...we be scared of the dark..."

Fox frowned, and started to open his mouth to say something, only for Sunset to elbow him.  "What?"

Sunset glared up at him.  "Their eyesight is entirely adapted to daylight.  Without the beacons, they're practically blind at night.  No judging!"

"Okay, okay," Fox hastened to agree, trying to cool her irritation.  "We'll just get those beacons lit-"

Sunset's horn glowed, and fire weeds - special plant formations that burned indefinitely unless extinguished - flew from the tree where they were growing into the beacons.  She then snapped her fingers, and each beacon burst into bright orange flame.

"Show off," Fox chided grumpily.

"Like you wouldn't if you could, Dad."

"Oh thank you so much!" the Thorntail offered gratefully before pulling out a key marked with a crescent moon.  "Please take this with you.  It will help you on your quest.  It's the Moon Pass Key, and will open your way through Moon Mountain Pass to the Volcano Force Point Temple."

"And which way to the pass?" Fox asked curiously as Sunset took the key.

"Head out past the old well, and break through the sealed rock wall at the bottom of the slope," the Thorntail told them happily.  "Just follow the path from there, but be careful of toxic green gas."

The group followed the path as instructed, entering a new area that was somewhat dark and shadowed, a tunnel filled with odd pink growths.  As they moved forward, the ground they were walking on collapsed beneath them, and would have dropped them far below into powerful wind currents and dark green gas if Sunset hadn't managed to seize a strong vine in her magic and used it to lasso the trio and drag them to the other side.  Fox gave Sunset a thumbs up for quick reaction and led the way further forward.

Moon Mountain Pass itself was quite dark, the rocky walls dark grey and ominous.  Vents shot green gas into the air at odd intervals, and the strange glowing pink growths pulsed and swayed along the edges of the path.  No sunlight shone down on the land, leaving the area filled with an odd green glow to illuminate the path.

As they moved forward, they encountered a fortified position high up a slope guarded by Sharpclaws, who proceeded to try and attack the group by bouncing and rolling explosive barrels down the hill towards them.  Sunset dealt with this by seizing the first barrel to reach them in her magic and sending it flying back up into the fortified position, blasting the Sharpclaws out of it.  The group then waited for the remaining barrels to stop bouncing past before making their way up to the gate...which was unlocked by the Moon Pass Key.

Past the gate, the group made their way into an interior structure filled with heat and lava flows.  As the heat flowed over them, Sunset once more was surrounded by a glowing aura, and she let herself hover in midair.  "Well, I think this part of the trip just got easier," she purred happily as she waved a hand and floated Tricky across to the other side of a lava pit.  "I can't levitate you, Dad, since you're carrying the Spellstone."

"You can still clear a path," Fox offered warmly as he followed along, taking advantage of Sunset's power to take in the sights.

A few flame themed hurdles blocked the path, but Sunset absorbed any fire that actually threatened the group into her aura before they could be harmed, clearing the path to the massive stone temple, built into a cliff wall at the edge of a wide lava pit.  A single bridge crossed the pit, sealed with a gate that only opened when Fox presented the Spellstone to it.  The entrance of the temple itself was sealed, a quick flame color puzzle breaking the seal and granting entrance.

Once more the Spellstone granted entrance.  The interior of the Temple was not as brightly lit...and yet somehow Sunset's aura grew brighter still, to the point she actually had to move away from Fox and Tricky to keep from accidentally burning them.  "The flame magic is really strong here," she murmured worriedly.  "It's...it's actually getting difficult to control..."

"Then be very careful with it," Fox warned cautiously.  "Somehow I don't think the Krazoa are available to rebuild the Temple if you break it."

Sunset froze at the thought.  "Y...you know what?  How about I...wait outside?  Pretty sure you and Tricky can handle the Temple without me, right?  And there's a part up there open to the outside where you can call for me if you need help, right?"

Fox blinked in surprise.  "Well...if you're sure-"

"Great thanks going out to where I have more control bye!"  With that, Sunset flew back to outside the Temple.

Fox stared after her for a time, then shrugged.  "Coming, Tricky?"

"Right behind you, Fox!" Tricky declared happily.  "It's a pity Sunset can't see the inside of the Temple, though.  I've heard it's amazing!"

"Maybe she'll be able to take a look after we've installed one Spellstone," Fox observed thoughtfully.  "And if not, there's always the Ocean Force Point Temple."





Sunset floated patiently outside the Temple for some time...and eventually felt the overflow of flame magic subside partially, enough she felt confident entering the Temple safely to investigate.  Before she could, however, Fox and Tricky appeared in glowing light at the opposite end of the open air chamber that was the entrance to the Temple.  "So how'd it go?" she asked as she floated over to them, touching down lightly on the ground.

"Pretty well," Fox offered easily.  "Got new magic for the staff - the Ice Blast - and placed the Spellstone."

"Then it's time to head back out?" Sunset asked thoughtfully, glancing longingly back up towards the Temple.

"We'll be coming back," Fox promised, gently patting her head to reassure her.
> Adventure: Dire Stakes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leaving the area of the Volcano Force Point Temple proved to be relatively easy, with no new obstacles getting in their way.  It took nearly no time at all for the group to make their way back into Moon Mountain Pass.  Once they were on the slope back down again, Sunset's aura faded and she rejoined Fox and Tricky on foot...and not long after, they were caught off guard by an unexpected voice: Krystal's.

"Help me..." she was calling out in Dinosaur Language.  "Please help me...I'm dying..."

"Krystal!" Fox called out worriedly.  "Where are you?"

"I need Krazoa Spirits or I will die..." Krystal's voice continued.  "Help me..."

Fox frowned.  That doesn't sound like Krystal, he thought worriedly.  Turning, he saw Sunset looked...tense.

A masked figure appeared, only half-physical, the mask high above the trio with a long robe hanging down.  Tricky gasped in shock.  "A Krazoa..."

"Do you wish to accept our test?" the Spirit asked Fox.

Fox glanced towards Sunset thoughtfully.  "Test?" he asked quietly.

"The Krazoa Spirits won't loan their powers to just anyone," Sunset explained quietly.  "Anyone who wants to call on their power has to pass their trials, and they exact a terrible price from anyone who would seek to circumvent their trials."

"You know our ways well, Child of the Sun Raiser," the Krazoa Spirit responded readily as he seemed to become more physical.  "However, as you have been instructed, your magic is too strong to safely carry us.  To attempt to do so would risk both the Spirit's pure-magic form and your high-magic life force.  Of your group, only the elder is a viable host.  As such, the trials are only open to him...if he wishes to accept them."

"I'm here to find a way to fix the planet," Fox responded readily.  "I understand I need your help for that.  I accept the test."

The Spirit looked at Fox for a time.  "You are of stronger character than anticipated," it observed thoughtfully.  "Do you not fear the danger to your mate?"

"That's not Mom," Sunset stated flatly.  "It's her voice, but it's Ku-so'tsno, not Ku-so'tsuno.  Mom's very particular about pronunciations, and wouldn't make that mistake even when calling for help.  Someone's using collected samples of her voice to try and make us think she's calling for help."  She smiled sourly.  "Besides, if she were really in desperate need of help to the point her mind wandered to that level, she'd be calling out in Cerinian, not Dinosaur Language.  We both know it."

"It is a pity you must be denied to our trials," the Spirit observed thoughtfully.  "Already, you show both courage and wisdom.  Know however that she is in danger, and only our power can free her...and help you repair the planet.  Five Spirits still must be gathered to Krazoa Palace.  Find their shrines..."  The figure faded out of vision, as a nearby ancient door slid open.  "Defeat the creature to collect a moon seed..."

"Creature?" Fox asked in confusion as he moved towards the now open door.

A strange beast with a thick body, bulbous head, and crab-like arms lifted half way out of a nearby pit in an attempt to attack Fox.  Sunset quickly subdued it with a barrage of fireballs to the back of its head, causing it to drop the Moon Seed in question, a gray-purple seed shaped like a crescent moon settled on its ends.  "I recognize these from texts!" Sunset declared excitedly.  "These grow when exposed to fire into thick vine-like growths that even the heaviest of creatures can climb!"

"Which means we should probably plant it there," Tricky pointed out, indicating a patch of ground next to a wall near the open door.

"Then I'll check out the door first," Fox stated, heading into the revealed tunnel.

Sunset and Tricky waited patiently.  Before long, Fox came back out.  "More magic for the staff," he explained.  "The Ground Quake spell."

"That sounds sweet," Sunset purred as she planted the Moon Seed.  A bit of fire, and it sprouted into a climbing vine.  "Let's go!"





The deeper path into the Moon Mountain Pass proved a bit more hazardous, as other dinosaur-like mutants that roamed with great rage and little mind.  One such example was a creature that seemed twisted inside a spiky shell, generating intense flames from its body when approached, and only breaking down when frozen.

Moon Seeds proved greatly useful in opening paths for the trio to maneuver, as did the manipulation of gas vents.  Deeper into the Pass, they came across a doorway with odd decorations into a small chamber with a large teleporter...a chamber that actively repelled Sunset.  "Huh?" Sunset demanded in confusion.

"Must be a Krazoa Shrine," Fox observed thoughtfully as he easily walked in.  "The Spirit did say they would be closed to you."

Sunset's face fell.  "You mean I don't even get to see it?  That's not fair!"

"I'll wait out here with you!" Tricky offered helpfully as the teleporter sent Fox elsewhere.

Sighing, Sunset leaned against the wall.  "This sucks..." she grumbled irritably.  "First I couldn't see the Volcano Force Point Temple because my magic was too strong...now I can't even see the Krazoa Shrines for the same reason!  It's not fair..."

"They weren't much to see," Fox stated as he stepped back out of the teleporter, purple miasma filling his eyes.  "Just an obstacle course and a puzzle, and the architecture wasn't really anything that impressive.  Honestly rather bland."

"Still..." Sunset complained, only for her voice to stop as she caught sight of the glow in her father's eyes.  "Dad, what the hell?"

"Language, young lady!" Fox scolded.  "I don't want you swearing until you're at least 13."

"But your eyes!" Sunset insisted.

"Yeah, that's the Spirit's energy," Fox explained, touching his face awkwardly.  "Come on, let's get back to the Warpstone so he can send us to the Palace."

As Sunset started to speak, the Krazoa Spirit that spoke to them before suddenly appeared.  "You have proven yourself to be pure of heart," it spoke calmly.  "Bring the Spirit to Krazoa Palace, and I will guide you further.  Come to Krazoa Palace."  It then faded away.

Sunset frowned thoughtfully.  "That...that wasn't the same spirit as before..." she murmured worriedly.  "It...it wasn't speaking the same language..."

"Then we'll just have to be careful," Fox decided firmly.
> Adventure: Soul Power
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the trio made their way back through Moon Mountain Pass, Sunset kept glancing worriedly at Fox until he finally stopped to face her.  "What's bothering you?" he asked firmly.  "Aside from there being some spiritual power apparently manipulating the conflict here and us via holding Krystal hostage?  I already know about that worry, as it's one we share."

"You have a spiritual life form cohabiting your body," Sunset pointed out blandly.  "You expect me not to be worried that, if nothing else, the high level of magical energy your body isn't adapted to might be altering you?"

Fox blinked in surprise.  "Okay, that part's a worry I hadn't thought about, and possibly valid," he allowed thoughtfully as he turned to lead them along again.  "And here I thought your concern along that regard would be the spirit affecting my mind or trying to take control of me."

"I'd already thought about and dismissed those concerns," Sunset countered flatly, smirking in amusement.  "After all, the Krazoa are benevolent and passive unless awakened in concert.  That's one thing that's constant throughout the writings.  How do you feel magically?"

"Overfull, but otherwise unaltered," Fox admitted.  "A bit like being near you when in Solaar orbit, but otherwise no different than normal."

"...then you should be fine," Sunset allowed thoughtfully.  "If it were any stronger, that'd be a concern, but you're already adapted to that level from raising me."

"You're as strong as a Krazoa Spirit, Sunset?" Tricky gasped in awe.  "Wow!"

Sunset rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment.  Chuckling, Fox led the group the rest of the way back to Thorntail Hollow.





"Ah see ye have a Krazoa Spirit!" the Warpstone declared jovially as the trio approached him.  "Ah take it that means ye be headin' ta Krazoa Palace next?"  He held out his left hand.

"That's right," Fox agreed as he leapt onto the hand, Sunset and Tricky following.  "Not only do we need to return the Spirit, we need-"

"Ah need ta stop ya raight there," the Warpstone interrupted.  "One o' ya's gonna need ta stay here."

"What?" Sunset demanded angrily.  "Why?"

"Cause ah can only transfer three souls through the void safely at a time," the Warpstone explained, "and in its current position, the only way ye can get back from Krazoa Palace is if ah leave the void link open for ya, so ah can't send anyone after ya."

"What if-"

"Any body I warp without a soul is lost ta the void," he interrupted Sunset.  "And the jewel that lets Tricky use mah gates only works if you and he both stay th' same, so tryin' ta combine the two of ya into one body - or one o' ya with yer Dad - wouldn't work either.  And the magical fields are too unstable fer ya to try remakin' the stone to allow it."

"How are you anticipating her so well?" Fox asked in awe as Sunset pouted.

"Ah was crafted by the Krazoa ta serve a specific purpose," the Warpstone explained readily.  "They put a lot o' thought inta makin' my powers work right, and the safeties involved.  Ah just asked meself what one of the younger Krazoa would have come up with tryin' ta game the system."

"It's alright, Sunset," Tricky said as he stepped off the Warpstone's hand.  "I'll wait here.  I'll be fine."

"If you're sure..." Sunset allowed worriedly.

"I'll just go stay with Mom!" Tricky agreed.  "She's still here in the Hollow after all.  You go check on your Mom, and I'll do the same!"  With that, he turned and scampered off into the Hollow.

"If'n ya both be ready?" the Warpstone demanded firmly.  When he got a nod from both of them, he lifted his hand and sent a beam of energy from the crystal embedded in his forehead into the pair, sending them into the void.





As the pair exited the void, they immediately found themselves drenched as the pouring rain flowed over them.  The warp platform they arrived on was outside, and the most ancient structure either of them had ever seen was just visible in the distance, all grays and blues with brighter colored stained glass windows.  Flames of various colors sat in torches along a bridge over emptiness that crossed to the main structure from the warp pad, and odd floating creatures that somewhat resembled jellyfish floated back and forth in patrol.

"Other than being soaked and c-c-chilled, this is amazing!" Sunset managed to stammer out as she shivered.

"Let's get you inside where you can dry yourself off, quick," Fox said firmly, hastily leading Sunset forward as he shot the jellyfish-like creatures with fireballs from Krystal's staff.

Once they were under an overhang and out of the rain, Sunset flared her power to get the water out of her fur.  "Ah...that's better-" she began, only for her fur to instantly floof up.

Fox did his best not to burst into laughter at the sight.  The four Sharpclaws that had leapt out in ambush out of strange light showed no such reticence...and once Sunset demonstrated how she felt about that with her magic, Fox was glad he'd kept his own amusement internal.  "You okay to move like that?" Fox asked carefully.

"Yeah, I'm good," Sunset confirmed as she shook herself enough to get her fur to start to settle.  "It'll go back to normal on its own in time.  But I'm asking Shabunga for an umbrella before we come here next."

The first chamber of the Palace past the overhang was in complete darkness, and Sunset quickly lit her sunstones to give them light.  A cracked wall was the only way in, so Sunset stayed by it with her lit sunstones so Fox could find his way back with an explosive fuel barrel, using a firefly from his lantern to trace his path.

A few more flame-based puzzles with more explosive barrels lined the path forward beyond that, leaving the pair to marvel at the architecture as they walked through.  The chambers soared upward, brightly lit in blues and golds to the point it was hard to tell what was actual structure and what was light-created illusion.  Further along, they entered a chamber that went straight up all the way to the roof, powerful wind turbines generating updrafts to lift the pair to higher levels.  Sunset, recognizing these modes of conveyance from her time in the Cloudrunner Fortress when she was younger, leapt into them.  Seeing they were safe as a result, Fox happily followed.

The last wind tunnel took them out onto the roof, back into the wind and rain.  Sunset went flat eyes as a result of being soaked once more, but followed Fox around the roof...only for them both to gasp at what they saw.

In the center of the roof was a raised platform with a ramp leading up to it from either side.  In the center of the platform was a glowing pink crystal trapped in circling machinery...and Krystal could be seen trapped inside, with a single Krazoa Spirit orbiting her.

"Krystal!" Fox called out worriedly.

"Mom!" Sunset screamed out as she rushed forward, gathering her magic in an attempt to reach through the crystal to try and save her.

No!

Sunset winced as she was forcefully knocked back before she could get in range of the crystal.  "M...Mom?" she asked, confused.

Power...wants...not...stay...away...

Fox quickly grabbed Sunset and pulled her away.  "Sunset, until we can get your Mom free of this, you need to stay as far away from that mechanism as possible," he stated firmly.

"What?" Sunset demanded angrily.  "But-"

"I'll explain later!" Fox snapped as he forcefully dragged her away.  "Let's find where I need to release this Spirit, and get back to the Hollow."

As he spoke, a stone carving of a Krazoa Spirit extended from the side of the platform.  Walking over - dragging Sunset behind him as she struggled - he approached the stone carving...and the Spirit left his body as he gasped and struggled as that wracked his whole system.  The Spirit superimposed itself on the carving, only to appear orbiting the crystal above.

"Dad, what-" Sunset began, only for them both to be pulled forcefully through the Void and back to the Warpstone.

As soon as they arrived, Fox turned to Sunset.  "Whoever is manipulating this conflict is after magic power," he explained firmly.  "He's using Krystal as a medium to tap the power of the Krazoa Spirits and the core of the planet, but he'll only get what he wants if we gather all six together...or if he manages to get ahold of you.  Your power dwarfs Krystal's, after all."

Sunset's lip quivered.  "But...what'll happen to Mom?" she asked worriedly.

"...I don't know," Fox admitted finally.  He then turned to the Warpstone.  "But I know Krystal would agree with me that keeping you safe takes priority there...so until we've gathered the last Krazoa Spirit, you aren't to go to Krazoa Palace again, understand?"

"But-" Sunset began angrily.

"As ye say, Fox," the Warpstone agreed readily.  "Ah won't send her without yer say so."

Sunset frowned up at the pair, then sighed.  "Okay..."

"For now, ye two need ta head to the seaside," the Warpstone explained helpfully.  "The next part of yer quest lies that way..."  He paused as he looked Sunset over.  "Though ye might be wanting ta tumble-dry yerself first."

Sunset glared up at him flat-eyed as Fox once more suppressed his snickers.
> Adventure: Seaside
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fox and Sunset made their way into the small temple where the Queen Earthwalker was staying as she recovered her strength.  Tricky grinned up from between the Queen's forelegs as they entered.  "Finished at the Palace?" he said excitedly as he rushed up to them.

"Yeah," Sunset confirmed, forcing a smile onto her face.  "We're done there, and heading down to Cape Claw.  Some fun at the sea, right?"

Tricky looked at Sunset oddly.  "Sunset, are...are you okay?"

Before anyone else could speak, the Queen Earthwalker spoke up.  "Fox, please take my son outside," she instructed, her voice soft but firm.  "Sunset, come here please."

Fox blinked a couple times, then smiled as he realized what was going on.  "Come on, Tricky.  Let's see if I can teach you to catch your own Blue Grubtub."

"Oh wow, hunting lessons!" Tricky declared excitedly as he dashed out, Fox close behind him.

Sunset glanced after them as she walked over to the Queen.  "I don't-" she began.

The Queen cut her off by gently pushing her down into a sitting position between her forelegs, then resting her beak over Sunset's head, gently enclosing her.  "It's alright, little one," she murmured softly.  "You do not have to hide in strength with me.  You will not break if you let yourself feel."

Sunset gasped, stunned.  She'd tried to put up a tough front once she learned what had happened to Krystal, wanting to power through it...and the Queen had seen right through it.  "I..."  She buried her face against the Queen's leg, feeling like she was enveloped in a motherly embrace.  "I'm scared.  What...what if I lose Mom?  What if whatever's using her...uses her as a vessel after it's got the power it wants?  What if I'm never able to speak to her again...and I never got to say goodbye?"  Tears fell from her eyes against the Queen's leg.

"And you fear to tell your father how you feel, because you need to help save your Mom if you can," the Queen concluded comfortingly.  "Child, it is alright to weep when you fear or hurt.  You barely have a full decade behind you, and no one but you expects you to be an unstoppable warrior.  But if confiding in your father is hard, you can speak to me if you need to."

Sunset managed a soft smile.  "...thank you," she replied warmly, wrapping her arms around the Queen's leg to return the embrace.

"And if he asks why you talk to me and not him, tell him it is female issues," the Queen added before grinning widely.  "And tell me the face he makes the first time you do."  Her smile softened as she heard Sunset giggle.





Althought Fox's attempts to teach Tricky to catch his own Grubtubs had proven less than successful, the pair were glad to see Sunset come out of the Temple with a much more natural smile on her face.  Fox did not question it, certain that Sunset had needed a motherly touch that the Queen had provided, given her own worries for Krystal.  With a silent gesture, he indicated for Sunset to lead the way to Cape Claw.

Sunset calmly led the way through a brief twist of stone passages that led to the forest just outside Lightfoot Village.  Since they had no business there yet, they kept going through the silent forest until they reached the gate that barred the passage to Cape Claw.  As Sunset approached a large scarab-shaped statue before the gate, it glowed in recognition of her and the gate lifted, allowing them passage.

"Been this way before?" Fox asked playfully.

"This is the path to the Cape we took when Uncle Falco was watching us," Sunset explained with a sad smile before ducking through the gate.

Fox let Sunset get a ways ahead, then opened a private com channel.  "Slippy, see if you can get in contact with Falco," he whispered, doing his best not to let the message carry.  "I think Sunset could use his company, given what's happened with Krystal."

"Peppy's already put me on it, Fox," Slippy replied just as quietly.  "Rob is trying to track him as we speak."

"Thanks," Fox replied before cutting the signal, running to catch up to Sunset and Tricky before they wondered why he was lagging.

Beyond the gate, a maze of stone walls barred the way to the coast.  Sunset and Tricky both knew the path from frequent trips, and led the way unerringly to a series of wooden platforms inside the cliff to make the way down to the coast, ladders linking the different levels together.

As the group reached Cape Claw itself, the sun shone down brightly on the tall palm trees, the short waving grass, the sandy paths, the ocean waves caressing the Cape, and the waterfalls that fed the still pool inside the arcs of beach.  Fox took in the vistas with a wide grin, momentarily wishing he and Krystal had brought Sunset this way when they'd been watching her together planetside.  A beach trip for the three of them-

His thoughts took a somber tone as he remembered Krystal's current state.  There will be another chance, he told himself firmly.  We'll save Krystal and put the planet back together...and then we'll all come down to the beach to relax.

A wooden bridge crossed between the two outer points of Cape Claw, and a Hightop - one of the Dinosaur Tribe that resembled Brachiosaurs - stood forlornly in the water with his head hanging over the bridge.  Fox spotted Sunset and Tricky talking with him, before they raced back over to him.  "So what's up?" Fox asked them.

"He buried four gold bars around here when he heard the Sharpclaws were coming," Sunset explained, "but he can't remember where."

"If I dig them up for him, he'll help us with our quest!" Tricky declared excitedly.

Fox chuckled indulgently.  "Then let's go prospecting," he joked as he led the pair lead him around the beach.  He didn't have time for maudlin thoughts.  He needed to be strong...not just if he was to have a chance of saving Krystal, but for Sunset's sake too.
> Adventure: From Sea to Sky
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It didn't take long for the group to gather the missing gold bars.  While they did so, Fox discovered an easier way to handle the larger Sharpclaws they faced that didn't tax Sunset's magic, as without a heat or flame based power boost she had difficulty simply flinging a foe so heavy around.  The frost spell he'd gained for the staff could freeze one of them solid if held on them long enough, at which point a single heavy blow would shatter them.  This proved much easier than trying to pound them into submission even from a multi-pronged assault, and helped conserve everyone's energy.

With the gold bars returned to the High Top, he offered the help he had promised...which involved making a ladder drop to allow the group access to an odd temple-like structure at the center of the curved beach.  As the group turned to go, though, he spoke up.  "The Sharpclaw have captured a Cloudrunner."

"A Cloudrunner?" Sunset gasped in shock.  "Where?"

"I do not know," the High Top admitted.  "I would have opened the path sooner, but without my gold I cannot control the energies released from my massive bulk.  Had I tried, I might have drowned her, wherever she is."

"We'll take care of it," Fox said quickly before Sunset could let her temper get the better of her.  He could see that she was starting to lose her cool over being given a 'fetch quest' when someone was in danger on top of the planet falling apart, but upsetting a local wouldn't do them any good.  "Come on."  He turned to lead Sunset and Tricky over to the ladder that had dropped.  Sunset glowered for a brief moment, but let out a sigh and followed.

The ladder led to a switch, which raised a gate to a cavern chamber.  Inside the chamber, nothing of importance seemed visible until the trio tried to leave.  When they did, a stone door closed and four blocks shifted of their own accord to unseal vents that released toxic gas.  "Hold your breath-" Fox started to call out.

Flames erupted at each of the vents, consuming the gas before the room could fill.  "I can't hold these too long," Sunset carefully spoke as her horn glowed.  "Close the vents quickly please, before I lose focus or the flames consume all the oxygen in here."

Fox quickly shifted the blocks back into place to seal the vents, Sunset releasing and extinguishing each flame just before Fox pushed the block into place.  As he did so, the stone door opened, and they could hear a gate opening below as well.  "Looks like this was the right way to go."

"Then let's see who they locked up," Sunset said quickly before rushing down to the source of the sound.  As she got there, she gasped in surprise.  "Your Majesty!"

"It's good to see you again, Sunset," the Queen Cloudrunner said warmly as she carefully stepped out of the cave, leaning forward to preen Sunset's mane with her beak.  She was wearing her regal garb, a purple robe and golden helm and choker.  "I shouldn't be surprised to see you running about with the planet falling apart.  It was you who freed me?"

"Dad, Tricky and I," Sunset answered readily as Fox and Tricky arrived.

The Queen Cloudrunner glanced towards Tricky thoughtfully before turning back to Sunset.  "I owe you a personal debt of gratitude, Sunset," she offered calmly.  "Despite the fact that each tribe is meant to work together to oversee the good of the planet, for a long time the Cloudrunners and Earthwalkers have been..."  She paused as she searched for the proper words.  "Less than courteous with one another," she settled on finally.  "We never saw eye to eye, and thus were often...unpleasant to one another.  However, your discovering a way for the Warpstone to send young Tricky to the Cloudrunner Fortress with you at a time as I was considering nesting led to me seeing the Earthwalkers in a different light through Prince Tricky, and the joy he found with the youngsters of my tribe led to him refusing to accept old views from his Father regarding us.  The King Earthwalker and I are...cordial and pleasant to one another, a first in centuries to our peoples, thanks to the two of you."

"Happy to help!" Sunset offered happily, Tricky nodding eagerly as well.

Fox smiled proudly at the pair, then turned to the Queen.  "Am I correct to assume that General Scales locked you up personally?  And that you are also the Gatekeeper of Cloudrunner Fortress?"

"You presume correctly, Fox," the Queen confirmed, nodding her head.  "I would carry the three of you to the Fortress myself, but it has moved to the barest edge of the atmospheric envelope.  I can manage the passage, but the air would be much too thin for the three of you.  You will need to make your own way there with your ship.  I shall open the Gate, and ensure the landing pad is safe.  One of the Water Spellstones was forged in our lands, so it will likely be there now.  Please hurry, to save the planet...and my tribe."  With that, she sent a beam of light into the sky, revealing a warp hole like what had appeared when the Snowhorn chief had opened the Gate to the Darkice Mines.  She then spread her wings, flying into the sky.

"Let's get back to the Hollow," Fox said firmly.  "We need to get to the Fortress."

"Umm..." Tricky began thoughtfully.

"What's wrong, Tricky?" Sunset asked curiously.

"I dunno if I should go up to the Fortress," he began carefully.  "I mean, most of the paths up and down were wind turbines, and those could barely make me float even with your magic assistance when I was younger Sunset.  I'm older and heavier now, and I dunno if I could make my way around.  General Scales is starting to beef up his forces, so you need all your magic...especially if one of them tries to throw you off the Fortress."  Seeing Sunset's frown, Tricky grinned.  "Don't worry about me, though.  I can just stay in the Hollow with Mom."

"That's good thinking, Tricky," Fox agreed warmly.  "Don't worry, we'll take care of things up there.  You watch the ground front."

"I won't let you down!" Tricky declared proudly, lifting one foot in a playful salute.
> Adventure: In the Clouds
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took barely any time at all for the group to return to the Hollow, and Fox and Sunset took the Ar-Wing up into orbit to fly to the Cloudrunner Fortress.  Fox's piloting skills made quick work of gathering the necessary magical energy to stabilize the path into the Fortress, allowing them to breach the atmospheric envelope with ease.

Sunset stared out the cockpit as they slowly came in for a landing on the only pad at the edge of the Fortress.  Though she'd been there many times before when she was younger, the view from above never failed to be breathtaking.  The Fortress sat atop a mountain peak plateau, with lakes, rivers, and forests surrounding it...though the top of the mountain itself now floated separate from the planet.  The landing pad was at the edge of a bridge out from the Fortress, braced above a deep lake with trees all around, the Fortress standing tall in the distance shimmering in green stone and marble columns that had only somewhat dulled from time.

Fox couldn't help but stare as well as he leapt out of the Wing with Sunset.  As they did, the Queen Cloudrunner flew overhead, settling down on the head of a large green statue of a Cloudrunner to one side of the path in.  "Welcome back to Cloudrunner Fortress, Sunset," she said warmly.  "Your flier is most effective, if you got here almost before I did.  My compliments, Fox...but do not get overconfident.  The Sharpclaws occupied us here, and danger may wait.  I'll fly ahead and see if it's safe.  Meet me inside."  With that, she spread her wings and flew towards the Fortress.

"Let's not keep her waiting," Fox joked as he rolled his shoulders and pulled out Krystal's staff, extending it to combat length.

"We'll need to open the gate," Sunset pointed out, gesturing to a tall fence that blocked the path in at the end of the bridge.  "The switch is down in the water, but one of us will need to run a course to 'prove worthy' to enter.  It's an old system, originally designed to only be opened by those who could fly."

Fox glanced off the side of the bridge, seeing several arches rising out of the water with a few crates floating in the water beneath them.  "Through the arches?  I think I could make that..."

"Or I could propel myself through with fire," Sunset offered.  "I've been meaning to try that, and I know from past experience the water's quite comfortable if I mess up.  I'll also have a much easier time drying off than you in that case."

"Fair enough," Fox allowed.  "Show me what you've got."

Grinning, Sunset leapt off the bridge, shooting flames out of her palms to slow her fall to a distant platform before activating a switch.  She then blazed through the rings that appeared in the air through the arches until she reached the last one, revealing a fireball switch above the gate.

Fox waited for Sunset to get back up before activating the switch, making the gate swing open.  "Not bad," he praised happily.  "You've got some flying talent."

Sunset's eyes widened in excitement.  "Does that mean I can get my own wings?" she asked eagerly, gesturing to the Ar-Wing.

"No, you still need to clear the Academy course first."  Fox ignored Sunset's pout as he turned to head into the Fortress.

It didn't take long for them to make it to an upper level of the Fortress, where some rubble blocked a path through but allowed them to see General Scales himself and a squad of Sharpclaws, having recaptured the Queen.  General Scales stood nearly three times Fox's height, covered in armor and wearing a horned helm, his scales bright green and his entire frame bulging with muscle.  "I know it was Fox and his daughter that set you free," he growled at the Queen.  "Now where is she?"

Fox immediately grabbed Sunset and pulled her back before she could try to squeeze through the gap to get to the Queen.  Is he involved with that second spirit? he thought silently, remembering the image of a Krazoa Spirit that seemed to be trying to manipulate him and Sunset using Krystal.

"I do not know what you are talking about!" the Queen insisted as she struggled to move, held down flat to the ground by the Sharpclaws.

General Scales suddenly let out an angry growl.  Turning, he knocked his own troops to the side as he seized the Queen by her throat, hefting her into the air.  "You will tell me!" he roared in fury, his eyes glittering yellow and purple.  "Where is the Marked One, the Sun Killer?"

Fox quickly put his hand over Sunset's mouth before she could gasp in shock.  So that's how it's translated for the Sharpclaws, he thought, remembering his talk with Krystal about the prophecy they were certain was about Sunset.

The Queen closed her eyes and looked away from General Scales.  "She will find you," she stated firmly.  "And then you will wish she hadn't."

General Scales shrugged as he dropped her.  "Take her away!" he ordered his men.  Reaching into a pocket, he pressed a switch on a remote.

Drones suddenly appeared in the air all around Fox and Sunset, lashing them both with electrical discharges.  Sunset was just barely able to get a magical shield up around herself to deflect them, but she still felt each hit on her barrier and saw Fox falling from the zaps.  "Dad!" she called out worriedly.

General Scales smirked as he glanced towards them.  "You didn't really think I didn't know you were there, did you?" he asked cruelly.  "Fox McCloud and the Sun's Last Light, quite a catch wouldn't you say?"

Sunset glowered at Scales, grinding her teeth.  "You're dead..." she snarled out.

"Perhaps," he allowed with a chuckle.  "But it will take more than you have to-"

Sunset dropped her barrier and shot a beam of intense light from the sunstone around her horn straight into Scales' left eye.  He reared back with a roar, clutching at his face as several explosions caught his ears.  He managed to force his right eye open.  He saw his drones so much slag, and no sign of Sunset or Krystal's Staff.  Fox was still unconscious, however.  "Take him away!" he ordered as he turned away, still covering his left eye as he felt liquid dribbling out that was not tears.  "And find that filly!"

When Fox had been dragged away, Sunset finally let herself relax, and the Sunstones stopped bending light around her and her Mom's staff.  She hadn't known the two magics would interact that way, or react to getting hit by the zaps of lightning like that.  For now, she had a more important concern.

She needed to find her Dad.
> Adventure: Solo
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset calmly looked around for a trace of her Dad.  At first, she couldn't see anything to follow, and her own physical senses weren't strong enough to track him that way.  As she felt despair and loneliness starting to creep up on her, however, she felt an odd hum from her mother's staff.  Holding it out, she saw one end glow faintly.  When she turned it around so it pointed the other way, the other end glowed faintly.

Following the glow, she saw that the crystals on the staff glowed as they detected the magical traces of her father's passage, the end pointing in the way he went - or in this case, was carried or dragged - glowing brighter than the other.  Moving carefully, she followed it to an area that was set much deeper into the structure of the Fortress than the rest.

As she went that way, Sunset felt like smacking herself in the face as she realized where she was going.  The prison!  Of course!  It was part of the Fortress that she and Tricky had explored when they were younger, and they'd had quite a bit of fun in there since the walled passages were designed to be difficult for Cloudrunners to maneuver, making it the perfect area for hide and seek when there weren't any prisoners.  If Sharpclaws had conquered the Fortress, it would only make sense for them to take prisoners to the prison.

Once she knew where she was going, she stopped using the staff to track her Father's passage.  Instead, she once more synchronized her sunstones with the staff's crystals, making her vanish anew.  If Dad's in the prison, he'll be guarded, she thought to herself.  If he's guarded, I can't let myself be seen.

Ducking into a nearby wall corner, she found what she was looking for.  The Fortress had not been built by the Cloudrunners, anymore than the Temples had been built by the Earthwalkers or any other tribe.  All these ancient buildings were made by the Krazoa, and left behind for the Dinosaur Tribes to use and claim for their own.  While they were incredibly sturdy and had stood for ages, some small bits and pieces had started to crumble.  As a result, the structure was honeycombed with small tunnels through the walls of the interior.  Too small for even the youngest Cloudrunner to spread their wings in and thus ignored...but perfect size for a young equine or Earthwalker who loved to explore.  Sunset knew every tunnel like the back of her hand, and with her Mom's staff now strapped to her back in its smallest size, she crawled along the path that barely left room for her, far too small for even the smallest Sharpclaw to get into, and too twisting for their drones to maneuver.

As she approached where she knew she could exit into the prison, she heard her Dad's voice speaking Cornerian, the translator off.  "Krystal's staff!  It's not here...Sunset must have it.  Well, I'm going to be in trouble without it...but I'm too unguarded here.  I know I can't get out easily without the staff, but this is just asking for Sunset to break me out...which means I'm bait.  General Scales must expect her to immediately try and break me free, so he's probably got some way of dealing with her magic power without making her useless to him...probably a sonic weapon to destabilize her sunstones when she tries to use her magic, that feedback would be seriously unpleasant."  He chuckled softly.  "He may be smart...but I'd lay credits to croutons Sunset's smarter.  It may be hard for me to escape without the Staff, but not impossible...especially if Sunset's off rallying the Cloudrunners to drive Scales' troops nuts.  Not only that, Krystal's psychic impression is in her staff, and it won't let anyone but me or Sunset hold it.  All I have to do is find it, and then they'll be sorry..."

Sunset couldn't stop the grin that crossed her face.  Her Dad knew she would be trying to rescue him...and so had made sure she would hear him 'rambling' about what she should be doing instead.  She lightly rapped a code her Uncle Falco had taught her, one that he'd apparently used with her Dad when they were younger to say 'Message Received'.

Her Dad chuckled again.  "These Sharpclaws won't know what hit them..."

Sunset quickly made her way back out of the tunnels, and looked around the main part of the Fortress.  Quite a few Sharpclaws and drones wandered around on all levels, and Sunset could see that the wind lifts that connected the various levels for those who could not fly were down.  Sunset knew she could easily levitate herself wherever she needed to go, but there would be no way to hide the glow of her horn or her own aura, and it would be taxing.  Not only that, if her Dad had been right about Scales having a weapon to target her sunstones while she was casting, relying on her magic like that was asking for trouble.  She needed some way to be able to move freely through the Fortress without flying or glowing...

An odd thought percolated through her mind.  She couldn't fly freely, but climbing?  She let that thought grow in her mind, gently encouraging it while not focusing overmuch on it for fear of losing the spell she could feel forming from seizing it too strongly.

Leaning forward, she cupped her hands under the tip of her horn...and liquid magic dripped from the tip into her palms, glowing golden with the spell she'd crafted.  Rubbing the liquid into the palms of her hands, she then bent down to coat her hooves with it as well.  Turning, she placed her hands against the nearest wall.  Then one hoof.  Then the other hoof...

She grinned as she hung suspended from the wall, her enchantment letting her cling spider-like to the surface with hands and hooves.  Moving quickly but carefully, she raced up the wall to the platform overhead before moving across the underside of the platform.  This was a rather crazy idea, as if anyone looked up she was dead since she couldn't defend herself from this position without losing the climbing enchantment.  Not only that, if she lost focus or grabbed the wrong spot, she would fall and make a lot of noise...and if she tried to climb the underside of a platform that extended off the edge of the Fortress, or along the outer wall and made such a mistake...

Why did that sound so exciting?
> Adventure: Excitement
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset decided the best way to go as far as making a ruckus was to make her way to the Sky Dock, as that would give her a good look at everything that was going on so she could address it.  The problem there was that the Sky Dock stuck out the edge of the Fortress, since it was where young Cloudrunners learned to fly.  The only way in from within the Fortress was in plain sight of anyone walking along the Dock...so if she was to approach unnoticed, she would need to crawl along the underside of the Dock before going along the edge, peeking up over the edge whenever she could risk it.

Moving quickly but carefully, Sunset made her way there before gripping the edge of the platform extending out from the Fortress, only empty sky below her until the edge of the mystic shield that contained the atmosphere that protected the Fortress.  Huh, she thought curiously as she looked that over.  The Krazoa must have designed these portions to separate like this if the Spellstones were removed.  They really did plan ahead.  Guess that's why Gatekeepers are needed to get in and out of these sectors when the planet separates.

Turning her gaze away from contemplating ancient magitek, she peeked over the edge of the platform.  Seeing a Sharpclaw pursuing an infant Cloudrunner that was just barely keeping itself aloft, Sunset grabbed the Sharpclaw's tail as it turned away from the edge, yanking back hard and sending it falling away with a despairing scream.

"Shut up, Wilhelm!" another Sharpclaw snarled before turning back into the Fortress.

Glancing down, Sunset watched as Wilhelm fell to the edge of the atmosphere...only to burst apart as he left the boundary and went from one atmosphere to zero instantly and all the air in his body tried to escape all at once.  Swallowing convulsively, Sunset thanked her lucky stars that it was far enough away she did not see details, and prayed she would never be close enough to examine the phenomena in detail.

The young Cloudrunner landed happily, making happy cheeps Sunset's way.  Sunset quickly gestured for it to stay put, and it did so.  Moving around the platform, she found three other young Cloudrunners being similarly tormented by Sharpclaws who sought their capture.  Those that moved close enough to the edge of the platform, she calmly jerked off the platform to let them fall, not looking down to see what happened to them when they reached the edge of the area.  Two of them were being tormented in areas without such drops, however, and Sunset was forced to improvise.

The first one was in the central area she'd been in when General Scales had captured her Dad, being pursued by two Sharpclaws.  While there was nothing she could use to finish them off quickly, their position did allow for a way to get the kid to safety.  Ducking behind some rubble, she charged a fireball between her hands, focusing it until it was nearly solid.  Waiting for her shot, she arced it around so it struck one of the Shapclaws where his tail met his back, sending him leaping forward from pain and kinetic impact.  He slammed into his compatriot, knocking them both off the platform and to the level below.  With a few quick gestures, she sent the young Cloudrunner to join his brothers on the outer platform.

The next one was on an upper level of the entrance area of the Fortress, being tormented by three Sharpclaws who sought to capture it.  Rather than confront the Sharpclaws directly, she made her way to the top of the domed entrance above the area they were struggling in, and drew the youngster to her by imitating the voice of a Cloudrunner, making the sounds to call a youngster.

Once she had all four young Cloudrunners gathered, she looked them over.  Despite them all being smaller than Tricky, she could see that they were siblings and aware enough to think critically, even if their vocal chords weren't developed enough yet for the Dinosaur Language.  That meant she could talk to them, even if they couldn't talk back.  She sat back to figure out what to do next...and sat up in shock as slipping into her magic revealed Gatekeeper energies in all four of them.  "You're the Queen's kids," she breathed in shock.  "Do you know where your Mom is?"

All four pointed one wing towards a central area...one that had only one path to it that wasn't by flying, and where all walls were in plain sight of patrolling Sharpclaws.

Sunset frowned, biting her lip as she looked it over.  "Not sure how I'm going to get there..."

The four youngsters hopped up onto her.  One gripped each of her arms, and one gripped each of her legs.  All four began flapping frantically, carefully lifting her off the ground.

Sunset's eyes widened in shock.  "Okay...did not see this coming!"  As a wide grin crossed her face, she focused her magic to levitate herself.  Not enough to illuminate her whole body and draw attention, but enough to lessen her weight so the four youngsters could carry her to the Royal Quarters, where she saw the Queen's perch had been transformed into a cage.

The Queen smiled broadly as she caught sight of Sunset.  "You have done me a great favor, young Sunset," she greeted warmly as her children took perches around the cage.  "But where is your father?  Is he not with you?"

"Last I checked, he was in the prison as bait for a trap for me," Sunset pointed out thoughtfully.  "Though I'm sure he's broken free by now.  He's clever, too."  Focusing her magic, she pulled the pillar beneath the perch/cage down, collapsing the floor and letting the Queen fly free.

"I fear he may be in danger, then," the Queen observed worriedly, tilting her head as the youngsters cheeped at her.  "Massive explosions rocked the prison very recently, and one of my children saw a Sharpclaw leaving there heading for the Wind Lifts.  I fear he may be up to mischief."  She then blinked against a blaze of light as Sunset vanished.  "...I did not know she could teleport..."





Fox moved carefully along, the holographic disguise Slippy had sent him making him look like a rather short Sharpclaw.  He'd managed to get out of the prison with a few well placed explosive fuel barrels, and had managed to figure out how to get to the Wind Lift controls and found the keys needed to reactivate it.  He now moved to do so warily.  After all, once he did the Sharpclaws would know that he had escaped and would be hunting him actively, and without Krystal's staff he had no way to protect himself.  He just hoped he found Sunset before too much longer- "WAAGH!"

His thoughts were interrupted as something slipped between his legs out of nowhere, sending him tumbling before feeling a hard strike right to the small of his back that sent him flying, slamming into the wall with his arms pinned as he felt the point of a staff at the back of his head, the crystal digging in.  "You have ten seconds to tell me what happened to the prisoner before I send enough lightning through this staff to leave you a vegetable," Sunset growled angrily.

Chuckling, Fox managed to disengage the disguise.  "Those hand-to-hand lessons did you good, Sunset," he managed to croak out.  "I should have paid attention to them."

Sunset gasped in shock.  "Dad!" she cried out before throwing herself at him and pulling him into a crushing embrace.

"Gack!" Fox gasped out.  "Sunset, that's where you just kicked me!"

"Sorry!" Sunset squeaked out, though she didn't let go.
> Adventure: Together
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fox struggled to focus through the pain as Sunset began to excitedly babble about everything she'd been up to since he got knocked out, along with the plans she'd tried to make and how well - or badly - they had gone.  He wasn't able to follow specific words despite his best efforts, but he was able to get the general thrust of events.  He winced as he heard the description of 'Wilhelm's fate, glad Sunset would not be traumatized by seeing it any closer.  The effects of purely technological explosive decompression were part of the training to become certified as a Pilot at the Academy, which is why those courses were restricted to students 12 years old or older.  The idea of magically amplified explosive decompression sounded like something out of a slasher horror movie in terms of gore.

Once Sunset had calmed down enough she wasn't trying to squeeze the life out of him on the spot she herself had injured - which meant she'd moved her limpet-like cling from the small of his back to just under his shoulders under his arms, not that she'd actually let go - he managed to get a few words in edgewise.  "So you've managed to free the Queen Cloudrunner, save her children, give General Scales a black eye - figuratively and literally - developed a new way to use your magic, and done all that without getting noticed by any enemy soldiers?"

"More or less, yeah," Sunset allowed, wrapping her legs around her father's waist as she shifted her grip for a piggy-back ride.

"I have to say, Sunset, I'm very impressed," Fox observed happily.  "I need to talk to Shabunga to see if he can put a rush on your ACSU suit without reducing functionality.  Skill wise, I think you're ready for the Academy."

Sunset gasped excitedly.  "Does that mean I can get My-Wings?" she asked eagerly.

"Sorry, Pilot training is restricted to twelve or older, and you're only eleven," Fox pointed out dryly.  He couldn't help but chuckle when that resulted in an adorable pout from Sunset.  In truth, he was just glad she was focused on the adventure and the future, and not thoughts about Krystal.  It was hard enough for him to keep his thoughts from turning maudlin as he worried about his vixen love...and Sunset was a child missing her mother in that regard.  It had to be harder for her.  What a trooper, he thought to himself silently as he finished installing the keys to activate the Wind Lifts.

"So which way to the Queen's roost again?" he asked aloud, trying to bring focus back to the present situation.

"I'll show you!" Sunset exclaimed excitedly as she handed Krystal's staff back to him before scampering off, leaving him to run to catch up.





With the wind lifts active and the two of them working together to get through what Sharpclaws were still willing to patrol the Sky Dock - few and far between after so many mysteriously fell to explosive deaths - it didn't take long for them to reach the Queen Cloudrunner's roost.  She smiled down at them as they arrived.  "It is good to see you two reunited," she spoke warmly.  "Although it may take some time to repair the damage to the prison..."

"Yeah, Dad!" Sunset scoffed playfully.  "If I'm not allowed to randomly wreck the structures, I don't see why you are!"

"Well the explosives were just sitting there waiting to be used..." Fox countered defensively.

"Peace you two, I meant no censure," the Queen hastened to interrupt.  "The energies that keep the Fortress intact and protected are in no danger from such minor damages, and the structure will be easily repaired.  It will only be costly in time, not effort or resources."  Once she had the pair calmed down, she spoke up again.  "General Scales placed the Spellstone in the Treasure Room, where the sky energies of the Fortress are strongest, and keep the stone quiescent.  I know not what other defenses he may have placed there beyond the Fortress' own security, or what of that security is still intact or normally functioning.  I shall open the path for you...but do be careful."  Spreading her wings, she flew up to a perch near the top of the roost...causing it to sink down on a lever, revealing itself to be a switch.  "Sunset, you know which way the Treasure Room is."  Her beatific smile changed to an impish smirk.  "I had to chase you and Prince Tricky away from there often enough when you were both younger..."

Sunset chuckled nervously as she rubbed the back of her head.  "I wanted to see what was inside..."

"And now you shall," the Queen allowed graciously as Sunset and Fox made their way out of the roost.

Sunset led Fox to one side of the Sky Dock, where a ladder led to a lower level that hung precariously out over empty air, only a very narrow path against the side of the Fortress available if one could leap across the gaps.  Fox took the leaps with speed and care, while Sunset crawled along the wall.  At the end of the path, a gate blocked the way into a fully interior portion, the path to the Treasure Room.  The gate lifted at their approach, revealing golden walls lit by torches.

Sharpclaws patrolled the paths here, but Fox and Sunset were both readily able to deal with them now that they were once more working together.  The path beyond had sand piled up in the corners, and several fireflies floating about.  This then led into deeper caverns with rough hewn passages, rather than the stone and mortar of the previous passages.  After switching off a wind lift in the middle of the path, the pair found themselves entering a dark cavern.

"Don't light your sunstones!" Fox barked out in a whisper as Sunset raised her arms to do just that.

"But it's dark-" she began in confusion.

"Meaning that your lit sunstones will light you up as the perfect target should any of General Scales troops here have a weapon designed to shatter them to disable you," Fox hissed pointedly.  "I've got plenty of fireflies for the lantern.  We'll deal with less light while in an occupied fortification that could have a siege point around any corner."

Nodding, Sunset moved behind Fox as he released a firefly, letting him lead the way through the darkness.  She tried not to let fear show, as it was more than just the idea of a weapon waiting to shatter her sunstones and fry her mind with magic feedback that filled her with dread.  Somehow she knew there were things in the dark that had nothing to do with living beings or technology...things that feared and loathed the light, that fed on the magic of those foolish enough to brave the dark unprotected.

It was why she'd been so glad her focus outfit came with such clear, flawless stones perfect for holding light.  Light in crystals was very good at keeping those things at bay...

It didn't take long for Fox to find a crack in the wall they could blast through, and after peering through it to make sure there was nothing waiting for them on the other side, he let Sunset blast it open rather than making her face the dark again to backtrack to an explosive barrel.  Behind it was a ladder that led deeper into the dark...only to light up as they reached a sandy area around two corners.  Beyond, General Scales could be seen along with a few of his Sharpclaw troops...and a bright blue Spellstone.

"Blast that filly!" Scales groaned as he clutched at his head with one large hand, covering his left eye.  "If she weren't such a strong source of magic, I would order her disemboweled for this!  She's more trouble than she's worth!"

"Begging the General's pardon," one of his troops mumbled as they worked on something, the voice somewhat higher pitched than the sounds other Sharpclaws had made, "but if she weren't such a strong source of magic, she wouldn't be this much trouble, would she?"

"If I didn't need your smaller hands for this job, I would break you where you stand," Scales snarled angrily.

"That reminds me, once installed it will take about 30 seconds to fully integrate," the Sharpclaw offered quickly.  "It's best you not engage in any strenuous activity until it settles, such as breaking any subordinates spines or bothering to keep track of them as they leap for the nearest speeder to be out of your way until your temper subsides."

Scales' right eye gave the tinkerer a gimlet stare.  "Eyepatches are far easier to deal with," he growled out.

"Eyepatches don't prevent infection from having an eye melted out of its socket," the tinkerer observed thoughtfully as they handed Scales a strange construction shaped like a half-mask.  "They also don't come equipped with lasers or the sonic weapon attuned to the filly's sunstones."

Scales uncovered his face, briefly revealing the gaping hole that had been his left eye, blood and pus still dribbling out of it as the exposed flesh inside the socket pulsed with visible burns.  As he put the half mask in place over it, revealing a crimson optic crystal that sat in place of his eye, he stared after the tinkerer as they leapt onto a speeder to race off.  "That dino is worth fifty of her fellows for her skills," he grumbled to himself.  "...it'd be 100 if she didn't have that attitude.  Still, she took the Spellstone with her-"

"Yoink!" Fox and Sunset called out together as they dashed past Scales and his other troops to snag two of the other speeders, chasing after the tinkerer.

Scales stared after them a full 30 seconds until the cybernetic eye fully settled in, dinging as it became fully active.  With a feral scream, he leapt to his feet, grabbed the nearest Sharpclaw, and hurled them against the wall hard enough to splatter.  "AFTER THEM!" he roared at the remaining ones, who immediately leapt to the other speeders in pursuit.
> Adventure: Turncoat
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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."
> Adventure: Thunder
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The group found the Queen Cloudrunner waiting for them as they arrived at the landing pad, where the Ar-Wing waited.  "Well done, Fox and Sunset-" she began, only to stop as she caught sight of Tink.  "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, shifting to a combat stance.

"A defector," Fox explained simply.  "She wants to help us overthrow and destroy General Scales."

"Are you certain you can trust her?" the Queen asked archly, still glaring daggers at Tink.

"...absolutely," Fox confirmed after a time, his eyes still hard from what he'd deduced from what Tink had been unwilling to say in front of Sunset.

The Queen glanced from Fox to Tink to Sunset for a time, then relaxed.  "Very well," she allowed.  "With the Spellstone recovered, General Scales can no longer hold the Fortress, and the Sharpclaw forces have been repelled.  My people can now begin to rebuild their lives.  You have our gratitude."

"Thanks," Fox replied, trying to put some warmth into his voice.  "Let's go."  He climbed into the pilot seat of the Ar-Wing.

Sunset clambered in after him to strap herself into his lap.  Tink calmly curled herself up into the under-canopy storage space.  With that, Fox set course for the Great Fox.  Until things were safer on the surface, the best place for Tink was off-world.  Besides that, if she could put a laser weapon, a decontamination system, a fully-functional self-installing cybernetic eye, and an experimental sonic weapon into a paper-thin metal face plate with a tube designed to fit into an empty eye-socket using only planet-based tech and metals...what could she make teamed up with Slippy and his rapidly developing magitek expertise?  Maybe she could even figure out a way to get Fox's blaster to work in the crazed magic environment.





While in transit to the Great Fox, Fox briefed Slippy somewhat on the situation with Tink, figuring he'd be the best one to get her settled on board, not to mention the one who'd be working with her the most.  While he had to be careful what he said because he didn't want Sunset to put too many details together, it turned out he barely needed to say anything.  All it had taken was saying that the Sharpclaws were formerly matriarchal, and Slippy caught on immediately.

Upon arrival, Slippy was already in position to escort Tink around the ship, show her to comfortable guest quarters, and immediately launch into a rather distracting discussion of comparative technologies, magitek, and technomancy.  Between that and Tink explaining the blueprints of General Scales' new optic enhancement, Fox knew he could leave them to it.

"Let's get back to Thorntail Hollow," Fox told Sunset firmly.  "Tricky's probably wondering what's taking us so long, and the Queen Earthwalker probably knows where we can find the Ocean Force Point Temple for the Spellstone."

"This is just a wild guess," Sunset supplied archly, "but might it be somewhere near the ocean?"

"Scamp," Fox chided playfully, mussing her mane with one hand as they climbed back into the Ar-Wing.





Once they landed, Tricky - as expected - raced up to say hi to Sunset and ask about what happened in the Cloudrunner Fortress.  Fox leaned back as Sunset walked off with her friend, telling the - slightly embellished - tale of her adventures in that floating land.  He shook his head in amusement at how energetic Sunset was in her telling, gesticulating wildly as she bounced from hoof to hoof in her excitement.  Tricky was plainly enthralled.

As he sat back, he noticed his communicator blinking.  Curious, he tapped it...and found a text-only message from Slippy.



Fox
Tink wanted me to pass on something to you where Sunset couldn't hear.
General Scales promised two things to the male Sharpclaws that united them entirely under his banner of conquest.
First, that the gender balance of the bipedal races of the rest of Lylat was nearly 1:1.
Second, that the armed forces they would be fighting - and slaughtering - as part of their conquest would be mostly males.



Fox stared at the message for a time before closing it out.  It was far too easy to read between the lines there.  He felt his hands clenching to fists as something stirred inside him.  "Sunset, stay close!" he barked out, getting the children's attention.  "We need to get to the Force Point Temple."

"Right Dad!" Sunset called back as they made their way towards Cape Claw.

Everything went as it had before until the group reached a glade along the path, one Sunset knew to be the entrance to the Lightfoot Tribe's secret swamp village.  As they reached it, Fox quickly hand-signed Sunset and Tricky into hiding.  He'd spotted two Sharpclaws...but they hadn't spotted the group yet.  He carefully moved forward, hoping to get close enough to hear what the pair were saying.

"So the priority on snagging that pony girl just went up again," the first one muttered darkly.  "Like we'd actually have a chance at that."

"Oh, I don't know," the second one mused idly as he leaned back.  "If we got the drop on her - or the fox - we could manage it, I think.  Either knock her out quick, or have a hostage long enough to knock her out quick.  That'd be worth it, I think."

"And why would you think that?" the first Sharpclaw snarled irritably.

The second one grinned, showing all his teeth as his long tongue licked them.  "Have you gotten a good look at the vixen the General's got acting as the mana channel just now?  Our females sure don't come that soft and curvy..."

Fox felt the tension building in him again, along with a protective rage.  He struggled to contain it, to keep listening silently.

The first Sharpclaw rolled his eyes, though he smirked a bit.  "Like you've even seen one of our females outside yer mum?" he taunted.  "The waiting list for a 'morale boost' is a mile long, and the higher ranks get priority, you know that.  And they're all being kept on tighter leashes since the Tinkerer went missing.  Though I can't deny what you're saying about the vixen...not like it matters.  She's the mana channel, after all-"

"Until someone catches the pony girl," the second pointed out with a wicked cackle.  "Then she'll be the mana channel, and as for the vixen..."  He rubbed his clawed hands together eagerly.

"True enough," the first allowed thoughtfully as Fox felt something growing inside him, waiting to burst...a feeling like having a Krazoa inside, or being close to Sunset while in Solaar orbit, yet...different, more his own, like white heat leaping across his fur.  "But what's that got to do with us?"

"Scuttlebutt says the General'll let whoever brings in the filly get first crack at the vixen," the second explained eagerly.  "And rumor is she scents pure."

The first Sharpclaw's eyes lit up.  "Now that would be worth the risk," he hissed out eagerly.

The second Sharpclaw tensed.  "Does...does it feel like a storm to you?  I swear I taste lightning in the air-"

"Ferget that!" the first Sharpclaw insisted.  "If we do catch the filly...ya think she's of breedin' age-"

The sudden roar shook the trees and shattered a nearby boulder...and it wasn't until several minutes later that Fox realized it had come from his own throat.  Lunging forward, he seized both Sharpclaws by their throats and lightning lashed from his body into theirs.  Their screams were agonized and brief, though the lightning went on...until Fox, feeling spent, released two handfuls of charred, black ash into matching piles of the same below.

Some distance away - far enough that they couldn't hear what was said - Sunset and Tricky stared at what had transpired.  Tricky then turned to Sunset.  "Did you know your Dad could make lightning?" he gasped in awe.

Sunset dumbly shook her head, her lower jaw hanging as she struggled to wrap her mind around what she'd just seen.

Tricky's eyes lit up in excitement.  "That is...so...cool!" he squealed eagerly.

A wide grin slowly crossed Sunset's face as she nodded in fervent agreement.
> Adventure: Assistance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset quickly ran up to Fox's side.  "Dad, that was so cool-yipe!"  As she reached out to grab his arm, lightning sparked over it, causing her to jerk back as she got a small shock.  It was no worse than a bad charge of static electricity that Fox, Krystal, and Peppy had to deal with frequently in the carpeted segments of the Great Fox, but it caught her off guard and the lightning was still arcing over his fur.  "D-Dad?" she asked worriedly.

"I...w-where did that come from?" Fox asked worriedly as he stared at his arm, bringing his other hand up in a futile attempt to brush the lightning off his arm, first with hand and then with staff.  Neither worked well.

"It came from inside you, dolt!" Shabunga declared as he floated out from behind a nearby tree.  "Did you really think raising a child with enough magic to reshape the fabric of reality wouldn't have long term effects on you?  Especially when you then design all your tech to work with her magic?  Your own magical quotient has been building up in response, and it's been activated by carrying a Krazoa Spirit inside you.  Your natural inclination towards battle between the stars is a sky affinity for the air element...and that's combined with Sunset's fire affinity to give you natural lightning magic."  He shook his head ruefully.  "Very dangerous magic to have.  Unless you learn to control it, it's as likely to kill you as someone else.  Don't go swimming until you stop sparking, and I'd suggest not handling any artifact that generates magical fire anytime soon."

"Air and fire, huh?" Fox asked curiously, a thought beginning to shape in his mind.  "And I need to purge the excess?"  Reaching into his pack, he placed his hand against the bright blue Spellstone they'd retrieved from Cloudrunner Fortress.

Before his very eyes, the Stone glowed faintly before the lightning was sucked off his arm and into the Stone.

"Not bad, not bad," Shabunga allowed, reaching into Fox's pack and pulling out what was left of his blaster.

"Hey!" Fox snapped.

"Do you want to be able to use lightning without frying Prince Tricky?" Shabunga demanded harshly, causing Tricky - who had come close to investigate - to pull back quickly.  "Then let me work!"  Shabunga did a quick bit of tinkering before handing the blaster back, along with an oddly configured glove.  "There.  The blaster now runs on your lightning magic, so as long as you hold it in the hand wearing that glove, you'll be able to shoot different sorts of magical blasts based on how you learn to shape your lightning.  200 Scarabs deducted from Sunset's account for the work.  Now get going before the Spellstone eats you!  At least the remaining two are Earth and Water, which won't react to you."  With that, Shabunga vanished.

Sunset and Tricky stared after him.  "I will never understand him..." Tricky murmured ruefully.

"...does he look anything like Tink to you, Dad?" Sunset asked thoughtfully.  "Other than floating, Shabunga does kinda look like a Sharpclaw..."

Fox held up his repaired blaster, weighing it in the glove.  Holding it forward, he visualized the lightning he felt inside him leaping forward from the barrel...and pulled the trigger.

A blast of white heat erupted from the blaster, scorching a trail against the stone wall opposite the trio as the arc of lightning linked wall and gun briefly before fading as Fox released the trigger.  With a grin, he holstered his weapon.  "A distinct possibility," he allowed, "but not something we need to speculate about just now.  We can ask Tink up on the Great Fox next time we need the Ar-Wing.  For now, let's get to Cape Claw."  Feeling a bit more confident now that he had his blaster back - even if it was in an unexpected way - Fox led the way down to the Cape.





While the blaster was an exceptional ranged weapon - especially with the new upgrade - except for emergency Fox decided to stick to using the staff.  While lightning was powerful and versatile magic, even when used as just energy, one thing it was not was subtle.

Once at the Cape, the group found a Lightfoot Tribesman being harassed by two Sharpclaws.  Sunset immediately leapt down onto the sands below, gathered fire into her hands as she rolled, shoved her hands into the sandy beach, and came up with glass daggers that she shoved upwards into the Sharpclaws under their tails before spinning around to drag them up their bellies, releasing a blast of fire along the blades into the Sharpclaws to knock them flat.

...much to her chagrin, the Lightfoot was on his face in front of her by the time she was finished.  "Oh, get up," she groaned out ruefully.

As the Lightfoot got back to his feet - a glowing orange gem in his delicate hands - Fox and Tricky managed to catch up.  "You're really enjoying making glass weapons that way, aren't you?" Fox asked Sunset, marveling at just how effective she'd been there.

"If hot glass protects me from the sonic barrage, I should get used to using it," Sunset answered readily.

"Thanks for help!" the Lightfoot professed eagerly as he handed Sunset the gem.  "Sharpclaws want this, say I steal it!  You take!  You deal with them!"  With that, he rushed off as a Sharpclaw siege cannon swiveled to lock onto the group.

"Everyone sca-"

Fox's words were cut off as Sunset flicked her wrist, sending one of her newly made glass knives whistling through the air.  In the distance, there was a wet thunk, a pained grunt, a shocked scream, and a splash.  The siege cannon stopped moving, the Sharpclaw who had been controlling it struggling to swim with a glass blade lodged between vertebrae and collarbone.

"...remind me never to play darts with you," Fox muttered to Sunset.

"Darts?" she asked curiously.  "What's that?"

"Ask Falco to teach you some time," Fox suggested with a grin, remembering how much Falco used to brag about being the best dart player on the team.  It would be fun watching his beak fall off if that wasn't just a lucky throw.
> Adventure: Water Water
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The glowing gem the Lightfoot carried, on closer examination, turned out to be a Fire Gem, a Krazoa artifact that stored fire energy for use in powering various mechanisms.  Remembering Shabunga's warning, Fox left it in Sunset's care to avoid it interacting with his new lightning magic, or vice versa.

Under the assumption that the Sharpclaws did not place siege weaponry randomly or pointlessly, Fox directed the group to the temple-like structure at the center of the Cape.  Fox's Hologuise granted access to the interior, where they found a chamber filled with water.  "Okay...this place could be difficult to maneuver," he murmured as he looked around.

"Over there!"  Sunset pointed firmly to a platform just above the water level.  "There's a staff switch there."  Sunset had taken to referring to the controls that lacked a lever - which Fox circumvented by jamming the staff into and using it as one - by that name.  "I'd bet it controls the water level in here.  If you stay up there and manipulate it, I can figure out where to put the Fire Gem."

"Good thinking," Fox agreed, starting to take a step forward.  He paused when he noticed sparks on his metal leg covers.  "That's going to be a problem," he muttered, mentally trying to figure out how to touch the Spellstone in his pack with his feet.

"You probably shouldn't feed too much of your magic build-up into the Spellstone, Dad," Sunset warned nervously.  "I mean, Shabunga did say we had to hurry before it ate you..."  Fox frowned irritably as he glared at the sparking energy.

"It's too bad you can't use it for a speed boost or something," Tricky offered facetiously.  "Then you could run across the water too fast to get wet."

Fox rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  "I doubt I could move my legs that fast even with magic.  But as for propelling myself..."  He looked up at the switch, braced the staff in his arms, crouched...and lunged.

Lightning erupted from his legs as he launched across the gap, the staff sticking in the staff switch to stop his forward momentum.  He gently set his feet down on the platform as he positioned himself to work the water level.  "Whenever you're ready, Sunset!" he called out happily.

"...so awesome..." Tricky breathed excitedly.  Sunset could only nod in agreement.

As it turned out, the switch in question controlled the water flow elsewhere, rather than inside the structure itself.  Rather than try to zap across the water again, Fox let Sunset investigate.  It turned out it shut off a waterfall to one side of the structure, opening a hidden alcove that could only be reached by swimming.  Inside, a winding path led to a relief carving of a Krazoa face that had another Fire Gem in it, wreathed in flames.  Sunset quickly removed it...which caused the water above to flood into the chamber she was in, emptying the upper chamber and leading her to an opening lower down on the outside of the temple.

Sunset then rejoined Fox and Tricky in the main chamber, where two more relief carvings could be seen with a door between them, these lacking in gems.  Sunset quickly placed the Gems in the carvings, but nothing happened.  "That's...odd," she murmured thoughtfully.  After a time, the one on the left began to glow.  "Okay...that's a start..."

"Sunset!" Tricky called out.  "Only one of the eyes is open!"  He jerked his head to indicate the front of the temple...which on closer inspection was a large Krazoa relief carving, with one of the eyes overgrown with vines.

Grinning, Sunset sent a burst of flames into the vines, reducing them to char...and causing the other Gem to glow as the sun's light touched it.  The door promptly slid open.

The path into the Ocean Temple had plentiful water, and the stone walls were grey and covered with carvings...and green moss.  This exited out into a hidden alcove of sand, waterfalls, small pools of water...and the massive Temple itself, soaring to the top of the enclosed area, a vision in marble and glass, some of the 'pillars' actually solid water constructs that continuously flowed in defiance of natural law.

As they approached the structure, Sunset felt herself getting...heavier.  "This feels...ugh..."  She reached up one hand to rub her head, trying a minor healing spell to fix the issue...and found her magical energy greatly reduced.  "Wha...?"

"Sunset, are you okay?" Fox asked worriedly, turning to check on her.

"My magic...it's...low," Sunset explained in confusion.

"Like how it was super high at the Volcano Force Point Temple, but the other way around?" Tricky asked curiously.

Sunset nodded thoughtfully.  "Yeah...exactly like that..."  She managed a smile.  "At least I know what it is.  Come on, let's go."

While Fox was worried about letting Sunset continue when she was feeling weak, he could see the determination in her eyes.  Beyond that, there were three very good reasons to have her keep going in an area where her magic was artificially weakened.  First, leaving her alone in such an area was just asking Sharpclaw forces to catch her for General Scales.  Second, it would be good for her to learn how to function without magic, in order to teach her not to rely on it so much.  And finally, the Ocean Force Point Temple was bound to be as full of water puzzles as the Volcano Force Point Temple had been of fire puzzles, and it would be very frustrating to get most of the way in only to have to turn around just because Fox started sparking at the wrong time.  "Alright then," he allowed finally.  "Let's go."  Seeing Sunset grin excitedly up at him, Fox was glad he made the choice he had.

The group quickly clambered up to the top of the Temple's outside - with Sunset carrying Tricky on her back, rather than in her magic - and opened the door to the interior with the Spellstone.  Once everyone was braced to go inside, they walked through the gate and into wonder.
> Adventure: Everywhere
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the bottom of a long, winding stone tunnel, the main Ocean Force Point Temple opened up in a massive chamber.  The walls soared high above low pools of water, and glowing rune-inscribed floor panels heralded some sort of trap.  The ceiling seemed to vanish into a cloud-like mist in the distance above, and Sharpclaws could be seen patrolling in the distance.  The very air itself felt wet and heavy, as though the group had stepped into the bottom of the sea and yet could still breathe.

Sunset frowned as she tried to gather her magic, only to barely be able to bring any of it forth.  "...that's not good..." she murmured worriedly.  "I...I can't even make my sunstones glow.  How am I supposed to do anything down here?"

"Here," Fox said, handing her Krystal's staff.  "I think it's time for me to burn some magic."  He calmly walked forward onto the obviously trapped floor panels.

Electricity arced across the floor, blazing into Fox...and he stood there and let it flow into him as first his eyes and then his body began to glow with a sparking white light.  As the power flowed into him, he raised his hand and launched a blast of lightning forward, arcing through the air to strike down the Sharpclaws from a distance, frying them to ash as the amplified magic lashed through the Temple and cleansing it of those who had invaded and did not belong.  Fox calmly walked forward until he reached the edge of the panels and the magic stopped flowing.

Turning back, he frowned.  "Okay, now how to get you both across-"  He blinked as he saw Sunset and Tricky right beside him.  "What?"

"Not all the panels sparked when you triggered it," Sunset explained with a grin.  "We just walked on the ones that didn't."

Fox chuckled indulgently as he ruffled Sunset's mane.  "Smart kid."  Glancing around, he saw that most of the rest of the path led through deep pools of water.  "Looks like you're up."

Grinning, Sunset rushed forward.  Without any hostiles to block the path, she was able to make her way easily through to throw some switches, activating a flame puzzle higher up.  She used the Staff's fireball spell to solve it, activating a warp panel.  "Up here, Dad!" she called out, running to the edge of the platform and waving him over.

Fox quickly used his Lightning Dash to get himself and Tricky up there before the group stepped onto the warp pad.





At the other side of the warp gate, the Temple was a series of interconnected square rooms that seemed to extend up and down much further than dimensions should have allowed for, with platforms suspended over deep pools of water.  Once again, the group made their way forward carefully with Sunset seeking out any puzzles or manipulators that needed swimming to get to while Fox zipped after her once she determined the safe path.  As they moved, though, Tricky found himself wondering something.  "How come Fox's magic is so strong here?" he asked curiously.  "I mean, I get it's lightning, but he only just unlocked it.  Should it really be this strong or this readily available."

"Well, Shabunga said that Lightning is a mix of Fire and Air," Fox pointed out.  "This Temple is Air and Water energies, while the other one is Fire and Earth energies.  So the Temple is feeding one side of my magic while suppressing the other, which...basically lets me regenerate magic a lot quicker, I think.  That's why I only get a supercharge while in my element."

"Then our second trip here's going to be rough," Sunset deduced worriedly.  "We've got the Air Spellstone, which will block off the Air energies flowing into this Temple.  Next trip here, there will only be Water energies...and that'll suppress both of us."

"And I won't get charged up in the Volcano Temple next trip, since the Flame energies are already being cut off," Fox confirmed worriedly.  "We'll just have to be careful."

Eventually, after a great deal of running around, the group reached a deeper warp plate, taking it into a new chamber.





As the warp faded, Sunset gasped as she stared at where they arrived in awe.  "The Heart Chamber!" she exclaimed as she looked around excitedly.  "I've read about this place, but I never thought I'd get to see it!"

Fox chuckled as he looked over the chamber with her.  It was a massive circular room that rose and fell into seeming infinity, with an X shaped platform at the level they arrived, extending to the edges of the room.  All around the outer walls were what looked like stained glass windows that seemed to thrum with inner power.  In the center of the platform stood what looked like a massive, upside-down cauldron.  Energy flowed endlessly from below, drawn into the central structure.  The Flame Spellstone was active and placed in one of four indents on the structure, lined up to each of the four paths to the edge of the room, one where they had arrived.  Three colors of energy flowed freely from the top of it; a pale blue, a dark blue, and a pale yellow.

"The Choke!" Sunset squealed as she rushed up to it.  "This is what the Krazoa built to contain the endless flow of magic inside the planet...but also to release it if there was ever a need.  The Spellstones aren't supposed to be removed to do that, as that results in uncontrolled flow, but..."  Her eyes widened as she looked over the runes inscribed into the structure.  "Ohmigosh!  Is this...no, I have to be reading this wrong!  There's no way...or is there?  It would explain so much..."  She immediately began going over the runes on the structure in much finer detail.  "...by six souls..." she murmured in awe as she reached the end.  "No way..."

"Something wrong?" Fox asked her curiously as he and Tricky made their way around to where the Air Spellstone belonged.

"If I'm reading this right...this Choke and the Spellstones weren't built to maintain the planet's structure," Sunset explained.  "Or...not in that order.  If I'm reading it right...this planet was built around the Choke to contain the energy it regulates...to hide it."

"To hide it?" Tricky asked in surprise.  "But why would the Krazoa have wanted to hide a source of limitless magic?"  Turning, he exhaled his Flame Breath into the placed Air Spellstone, waking it to absorb the energy from the planet.  The pale blue stream above the Choke vanished.

"Well, there's a word here...and I'm almost certain I'm reading it wrong..." Sunset murmured worriedly as the Warp opened to take them out of the Temple.

"Oh?" Fox asked as the Warp enclosed them.  "Why?  What do you think it says?"

"...weapon..."
> Adventure: Little Steps
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the trio reappeared just outside the Ocean Force Point Temple, Tricky turned to stare at Sunset.  "What?" he gasped out.  "You mean-"

"Hush!" Fox snapped out quickly, making Tricky pull back in shock.  "We won't discuss that anywhere we might be overheard.  If it's accurate, the knowledge alone could be dangerous.  If it's inaccurate but the idea reaches the wrong people..."

Sunset shuddered at the idea as she wrapped herself in her magic, breathing a sigh of relief now that it was no longer suppressed by the Temple's energies.  She handed the staff back to Fox as she got herself ready to continue the journey.

"Okay, got it," Tricky allowed ruefully.  "Still...wow..."  The group began their return to Thorntail Hollow in silence.





As the group entered the clearing where Fox had unlocked his lightning magic, they caught sight of a young Lightfoot staggering in the middle of the clearing.  As Fox began to make their way forward, Sunset tugged hard on his arm to hold him back.  "What?" he demanded in confusion.  "I'm just going to-"

"Walk into a trap," Sunset pointed out flatly.  She then turned to the nearby trees.  "Must you all?" she called out, the shapes her lips made showing she'd shifted into a different dialect that was still being translated.  "You know how Tricky and I will react if we're caught off guard."

The trees began to rustle, and several adult Lightfoot dropped from the branches, standing about Fox's height.  "He is the storm!" one of them snapped angrily.  "He is dangerous!  He must be contained!"

"He's my father," Sunset countered angrily, taking a few steps forward as her Sunstones glowed.

The one who had spoken quailed.  "But...but the Storm...the lightning inside..."

"Was brought out by wrath," Tricky pointed out calmly.  "Do you want to see what that brings out in Sunset?"

The entire group let out a startled noise that sounded something like "Gleep!" before scooping up the young one and rushing through the secret entrance to the Lightfoot Village.  The last one through turned back with a terrified smile.  "Welcome honored guests, please don't kill us, please don't swim!"  He then dashed ahead, leaving the entrance open to them.

Sunset groaned ruefully.  "Really, Tricky?"

"...well, it worked, didn't it?" Tricky demanded petulantly.

Chuckling, Fox led the way in.

The Lightfoot Village was built at the edge of a swamp, the buildings resting on raised mounds with bridges linking them.  The lay of the land and positions of the structures suggested that the swamp water had once been higher, but had lowered some time ago and left very fertile land behind.  There were signs that both plantlife and swamp critters had been gathered as food for the tribe.

"This way, Dad!" Sunset called, leading the way to a large mound build of interlocked stones, a round door in the base with a stone circle blocking it.  "Ah, they're still keeping it safe," she said happily.  She then turned to Fox.  "There's a Krazoa chamber down here, but the path to it will only activate when the Spirits are needed.  I only know about it because I'm an honorary member of the Lightfoot Tribe."  She held her hands toward the door, and it rolled easily to the side.  "Come on!"

Fox quickly followed inside.  It turned out the mound was completely hollow, hiding a massive internal chamber with a large totem pole in the middle.  There was a design on the totem pole, but each segment was twisted around so the design was unclear.  "I'm guessing we need to make the design flow true," Fox murmured as he examined it.  "But how?"

"There's a switch up here," Sunset pointed out as she clambered up a few boxes, "but I was never heavy enough to activate it-Whoa!"  The switch depressed as she stood on it, and the totem pole segments began rotating except for the one on the bottom.

"Here!" Fox called out, tossing her the Staff.  "Use the fireball to stop the segments when they match!"

"Got it!" Sunset called as she caught the Staff in her magic, holding it close enough to the pole that she could trigger the fireballs just as the pole segments reached the right positions, completing the pole to display the design of a swirling spirit, the symbology used by the Lightfoot for the Krazoa.

Completing the totem caused a barred gate to raise, revealing a tunnel.  When Sunset rushed towards it, she found energy blocking her path.  "Looks like another Krazoa shrine," she grumbled fitfully.  "Good luck, Dad."

"I think I've got this," Fox said warmly as he rushed through.  Reaching the warp pad, he stepped on.





Fox raced quickly through the hurdles presented to him in the Test Chamber, each one being rather simple as it involved activating a switch near the start of the room that raised a gate at the other end, and then getting through the gate before it closed.  A quick burst of lightning dash got him through easily, though it did leave him a little singed in the first chamber when he mistimed one of the flame jets.

The Krazoa Spirit, as usual, awaited him in a massive chamber at the very end.  It gazed at him as he approached.

This is the Test of Fear, the Spirit told him in his mind.  Stand and face your deepest fears without flinching from them, or letting them sway your quest.

Fox felt energy balancing within him, shifting back and forth.  He shifted his body to match the balance, keeping it from completely leaving his body.

Succeed and I will be yours to return to the Temple, the Spirit intoned before vanishing.

A portal appeared at the end of the chamber, and what looked like Velociraptors leapt out, circling him for a time before lunging at him.  As they leapt, Fox closed his eyes and braced himself, focusing his energies on the balance within.  The danger seemed to fade, and when he opened his eyes the raptors were gone.  Bursts of fire and ice erupted out of pillars towards him, and he shifted back and forth to avoid them while maintaining the balance.

A sudden scream caught his attention.  Turning, he saw a silhouette of General Scales standing over Krystal and Sunset as they backed away in fear.  Scales laughed as he reached for them...

Rage erupted inside Fox as the energy balanced within him by the Spirit locked in place.  Before he was even aware of what he was doing, his blaster whipped out and discharged a lightning laser straight into Scales still flesh eye.  The silhouette bellowed in pain...and the chamber returned to normal.

You have done well, the Spirit intoned as it reappeared in front of Fox.  I did not want to show you the true shaping of your deepest fear there.  It is...darker than I could stomach.  The semblance thereof appears to have been effective, however...even with interference.

Fox blinked in confusion.  "...wha?"

It is unimportant, the Spirit explained as it flowed into Fox, infusing him with its energies.  Now used to his lightning, the infusion was far less painful and unsettling than the previous one had been.  It wasn't long before Fox was warped out of the Test chamber.





Sunset was surprised when the first thing Fox did when he returned from the Krazoa Chamber was to pull her into a tight embrace.  She didn't fight it, though.
> Adventure: Inside Outside
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once Fox got his emotions under control, he turned to immediately lead the way back to Thorntail Hollow, saying nothing and refusing to answer Tricky or Sunset's questions about what had happened in the Krazoa Chamber.  The youngsters ceased to press the issue well before they reached the Hollow, and sat patiently as the Warpstone sent Fox to the Krazoa Temple to release this Spirit.

While he was gone, one of the female Thorntails raced up from an alcove near the Warpstone's glade, dripping anxiety.  "My eggs!" she screamed out in despair.  "They're stealing my eggs!"

Before she could say more, Sunset and Tricky raced into the alcove.  A wide circle of sand was surrounded by cave walls, with four narrow furrows that led to the center where a pile of eggs rested.  The furrows ended at four holes in the circular walls, and small reptilian creatures that resembled snakes with arms slithered out of the holes as they sought the eggs.  Sunset and Tricky immediately leapt into action.  First, Tricky kicked up a circle of sand close to the eggs that Sunset fused into glass.  It wasn't very thick or tall and wouldn't provide any obstacle for a Thorntail of any age, but it would provide a momentary hurdle for the thieving lizards...especially with Tricky inside it racing around blasting them with his fire breath as they got too close.  With that done, Sunset raced to each hole, kicking up sand and blasting it with flame to seal them over with a much thicker coating of glass, making it so no more creatures could get in.  Once she'd finished with each hole, the pair of them hunted down the remaining creatures and exterminated them.

"Thank you so much!" the nesting Thorntail called out happily as she relaxed.  "You've saved my eggs from those evil creatures!  How can I ever repay you?"

Sunset shrugged.  "Just happy to help," she offered warmly.

The Thorntail smiled happily, then lifted her head in thought.  "There is a certain magic the King Earthwalker used to keep secrets hidden," she began.  "I believe a spell to access those seals can be found within this alcove..."  As she spoke, part of the sand floor in the alcove began to glow green.  "Ah, right there.  I believe your mother's staff can utilize the spell."

"Well, that's useful," Fox spoke up as he entered the alcove, having returned from the Krazoa Palace.  As he walked to the spot, he pet Tricky's head and ruffled Sunset's mane.  "Nice work, kids."  With that and a warm smile, he descended into the space.

Sunset and Tricky sat back to wait.  "So...any idea where we can use this magic?" Sunset asked Tricky.

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a habit he'd picked up from Sunset.  "Well, there's this weird runic door in the little Temple Mom's staying in that wasn't there before everything with the Sharpclaws happened," he pointed out thoughtfully.  "Off in the back.  No idea what that's about."

"We can ask your Mom when we go try it out," Sunset allowed as Fox returned, having not taken long to get the magic.  Grinning, Sunset turned to lead the group there.

As they arrived in the little Temple, the Queen looked wan.  "It's good to see you all," she greeted warmly, "but I have bad news.  I have located where my mate is being held prisoner."

"Isn't that good news?" Fox asked in confusion.

"Unless it's in the Walled City," Sunset spoke up worriedly.  "He's the Gatekeeper for that region, and while Tricky could command that power eventually, he's too young.  Short of the King sealing a Key Spell somewhere we have access to outside the Walled City, we'll have no way in to save him."

The Queen nodded her head.  "That's correct, Sunset.  You do pay close attention to lessons, don't you?"  She glanced to the rune covered wall Tricky had mentioned.  "And he was wise enough to do as you suggested, sealing his Gatekeeper power behind this sacred seal.  However, I do not know the spell to unlock the seal..."

"I think I just got that," Fox offered happily, heading up to the seal and inserting one of the staff's crystals into the hole and twisting.  The wall rotated, collapsed in on itself, and vanished, revealing a cloud of glowing white light behind it...that immediately shot out of the temple and into the sky outside, shaping a wormhole like what the other Gatekeepers had opened.

"Fox!" Slippy called out through the comm.  "I don't know what happened, but the path to the Walled City has opened!"

"That's good to hear," Fox replied eagerly as the trio raced to the ship.





As they soared down over the Walled City seeking the landing pad, the group found that the view of the Walled City was just as grand as ever.  The soaring pyramids and pagodas, the delicately carved yet visibly strong walls, the paths lined with verdant undergrowth...the only thing that detracted from the view was the total absence of Earthwalkers visible.  In fact, the only Dinosaurs visible were massive two-legged dinosaurs that looked somewhere between an Alosaurus and a Tyrannosaurus in appearance.  "What the-?" Fox gasped out in shock at the sight of them.

"The Red Eyes!" Sunset gasped in fear as she caught sight of them.  "But...but they were sealed!  What are they doing out?"

"Probably General Scales doing," Fox muttered darkly as he glared at them.  "If they've joined up-"

"They don't have the cranial capacity," Sunset interrupted.  "They're endlessly consumed by their hunger, and serve no one."

"Then he probably just let them loose so they could cause problems for us," Fox concluded.  "Still, we should be able to handle them.  Between my lightning and your fire-"

"They're immune to magic," Sunset interrupted.  "The only thing that affects them is powerful kinetic impact or devastating earth shakes, stronger than what the staff can presently generate.  Outside the Volcano Force Point Temple, I can't generate a magic fire hot enough to harm them, and your lightning would just bounce off their scales."

"...so we're sneaking around until we can find some large explosives or an upgrade to the earthquake spell," Fox grumbled worriedly as he set down.  "Preferably both.  Anything else I should know about them?"

"That's all I know," Sunset admitted ruefully.  "I never really thought to learn about them since I never thought I'd encounter one..."  She hung her head in shame.

"Then we'll just figure it out as we go along," Fox responded, gently rubbing her shoulder to reassure her as he set the Wing down gently.  "Be careful everyone."
> Adventure: Walled In
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the Ar-Wing set gently down on the landing pad, the trio stepped out carefully.  Thankfully, the landing pad was a good distance away from the central structures of the Walled City, and far outside the area where the Red Eyes stalked to hunt.  A bridge crossed a fast-moving river to the main island, and beyond the bridge on the near side a familiar Earthwalker was visible.  Sunset immediately rushed up to him, Fox and Tricky close behind.  "Bookface!" she gasped out as quietly as she could manage.  "What's the word?"

"Our King is being held within the Temple!" he proclaimed dramatically, keeping his voice down so as not to draw Red Eye attention.

"Well, at least we know where we're going now," Tricky muttered as he turned towards the Temple.

"You're not going to ask him anything else?" Fox inquired insistently.

"It won't be helpful," Sunset explained as they turned.  "He announces big things, he doesn't keep track of small things.  If we want useful information we'll need to find one of the others...and hope it's either Wikin or Faqu, cause if we get Tumble or Twitter, we'll have to slog through conspiracy theories, propaganda, complaints about their daily lives, or waxing eloquent about their latest 'artistic endeavors' before we get to anything useful."

Fox couldn't help but stare at Sunset.  "...that sort of naming convention just can't be coincidence..." he murmured ruefully, rolling his eyes.  As he did, he spotted a 'fireball switch' high up on the nearby tree, and quickly shot it with the staff.  A torch in the distance atop a pillar ignited in blue flame .

Carefully, the trio crossed the bridge, moving as silently as they could to avoid the Red Eyes' attention.  As they moved, they came across a circular raised stone with odd runes on it, glowing with inner light.  "Okay, this is definitely a switch of some sort," Fox murmured as he knelt to examine it.  "Needs to get pressed in...but the three of us aren't enough to make it depress."

"Bet the Quake spell would slam it down," Sunset pointed out.  "Only question is...what does it activate?"

Tricky took a sniff of the switch.  "Smells like the torches," he pointed out, gesturing to the platform raised above them where a device was inset into the stone.  "Normally they're raised, though...but the only way to them to ignite them is through the pyramid."

Fox rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he looked from the switch to the pyramid to the sunken torch.  "Based on how other mechanisms have worked, I'd bet this switch opens one of those two doors up near the top of the pyramid, which is a path up onto the platform.  Then we'd need to run up the pyramid, through it, and onto the platform to ignite the torch to activate something before it sinks back in."

"So should Tricky and I get to the top of the pyramid and signal you?" Sunset asked curiously.

"I was thinking you could just stand on my shoulders and leap off onto the raised platform when I jump to unleash the quake," Fox countered logically.

Grinning, Sunset clambered up to Fox's shoulders.  The distances proved to be exactly what they needed.  While the unleashed quake did draw Red Eye attention, Fox and Tricky quickly ducked behind the torch platform to avoid detection, while Sunset ignited the torch.

They repeated this with the other quake switch, which caused a platform made of a sun and moon panel to sink into the ground, becoming a ramp to a lower area.  The trio quickly rushed down...and Tricky raced ahead as he spotted a very familiar figure.  "Dad!  Dad!"  He practically cannoned into the King's legs.  "You're okay!"

"Tricky, my son," the King declared, expansively and affectionately.  "You don't need to worry about me!" he boasted.  "I am the King, after all!"  He let off an affectionate laugh.  He then smiled as Sunset and Fox approached.  "Ah, if it's not the heroes of our world.  You've done so much already."

"There's more to do," Fox stated firmly.  "I don't suppose you have the Spellstone?"

"I do not," the King admitted apologetically.  "It lies in the lair of the Red Eye King.  To open the way, you will need the two sacred teeth."  He gestured to where two stylized carvings of predatory dinosaurs of some sort were braced against the back wall of the chamber, one carved in red and marked with the sun, the other marked in blue and marked with the moon.  "Unfortunately, they are protected by the very life force of the Red Eye tribe.  There is a Magic Cave somewhere within the Walled City.  It contains the spell you will need to continue."

"I never saw anything like that when I've been here!" Sunset insisted confidently.  "And I know every inch of this city with how often I've prowled around here with Tricky!"

"The Magic Caves and similar areas only unseal themselves when the world is in danger," the King explained quickly.  "Otherwise, they are too dangerous for anyone wandering around."

"Can you give us a hint about where we might find it?" Fox asked curiously.

The King frowned thoughtfully.  "...the magic in the Cave is inimical to the Red Eyes, so it will not be on any land mass they patrol."

"So one of the islands across the moat-river," Sunset deduced.  Her eyes suddenly lit up.  "Like the soft dirt patch above the climbing wall?  We could plant a bomb-plant there and blast something open!"

"That may very well be it," the King confirmed.

"This way, Dad!" Sunset called out eagerly as she raced out of the underground chamber, leading the way.





Her directions proved to be accurate, and a plant and a fireball blasted open an underground chamber that glowed with magic.  Fox jumped inside...and shortly thereafter returned with a wide grin.  "Super Ground Quake," he announced firmly.  "Let's test it out."

"I saw some Sharpclaw fuel barrels scattered around!" Tricky spoke up.  "Think we could throw those at the Red Eyes if the Super Ground Quake only stuns them?"

"I can handle that!" Sunset insisted.

The strategy worked flawlessly.  Sunset would levitate one of the fuel barrels in her magic from a distance while Fox raced up to unleash the Super Ground Quake.  The shockwave knocked the Red Eye prone, leaving it vulnerable to the fuel barrel explosion after Sunset chucked it at high speed while Fox dashed away.  It wasn't long until all four Red Eyes were wiped out, and the gates sealed by their life force fell, opening the path to the first 'sacred tooth', a Gold Redeye Tooth.

"So...where's the other one?" Fox asked curiously.

"...light four torches?" Sunset suggested uncertainly.





It took some time to locate the other three fireball switches high up on trees, but once they'd done so it activated rings of light in the river-moat.  Sunset's eyes widened as she stared.  "There's a blue pagoda at the other end of the moat," she pointed out.  "Like the red one we found the Gold tooth in.  I bet if one of us activates the rings-"

"We'll need to swim all the way around and hit all the light rings," Fox interrupted.  "Otherwise we'd be circumventing the mechanism, wouldn't we?"

Sunset sighed.  "Yeah, guess we can't jump everything."  Grabbing the staff, she strapped it to her back before leaping out into the water, putting flame jets out from her hands to zoom over the surface of the water, activating all the light rings before she finally reached the pagoda.  Opening the chest inside with the Staff, she obtained the Silver Redeye Tooth.

"Now all that's left is to use them," she murmured as she made her way back to Fox and Tricky.
> Adventure: The MFing T-Rex
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Returning to the chamber where the King waited, Fox and Sunset carefully placed the Redeye Teeth, Sunset placing gold in the gold relief, Fox placing silver in the silver relief.  The two carvings lifted, and a ramp lowered between them leading to a raised gate.  "So the Red Eye King is in there?" Fox asked carefully.

"He is indeed," the King replied firmly.  "Be wary.  He is the most powerful Dinosaur to ever be born on this planet, and has lived for uncounted centuries.  He will not be easy to defeat, and he endlessly hungers.  Failure will mean death and consumption."

Fox waited for Sunset's cheeky counter...but it never came.  "Then we won't fail," he responded instead, somewhat worried about Sunset's lack of adventuresome enthusiasm.  While he was glad that she was aware of the danger, he'd expected more excitement out of her.  Then again, she had studied these dinosaurs and knew their abilities...and much of her bravado was from the strength of her magic, which this beast would be completely immune to...

"Good luck!" the King called as the trio descended into darkness.





The trio raced through the darkness until they eventually stepped out into a corner where two long, tall, well lit hallways met and ended.  A stone wall closed and sealed behind them once they were inside.  In the distance around a far corner - from the sound, at a similar corner at the opposite end of the square of corridors - another stone wall could be heard to scrape open.  A heavy 'THOOM!' echoed and shook the ground, causing concentric ripples in a nearby puddle of water.  The sound echoed a couple of more times...followed by a loud roar that echoed with predatory hunger.  The loud sounds - now recognizable as the footsteps of something massive - began again, fast as though something were racing down a far corridor.

Sunset quickly shot a fireball at a switch above them, opening a gate in the corner revealing a low-roofed segment with a fuel barrel generator inside.  "In here!" she hissed quickly as she and Fox ducked inside.  She then saw Tricky still in the hallway.  "Tricky, what are you doing?!" she gasped out in fear.

"I am Prince Tricky of the Earthwalkers," he stated firmly as he took a few steps down it.  "I am the son of the Gatekeeper of Walled City.  I will not run and hide from the bogey-beast of our fables-"

The King Red Eye rounded the corner, standing tall and massive to the point he filled the corridor.  He looked like the normal Red Eyes, but so much bigger.  His scales were far darker, and there were short spines in ridges along his back from his head down to his tail.  Everything about him screamed power...including the Spellstone embedded in his forehead that glowed to show it was actively draining the beast's magic and it was still this strong.  Its eyes glowed as it caught sight of Tricky, and it let out a hunting roar as it charged.

Much to Fox and Sunset's shock, Tricky stepped forward.  "I..." he managed to gasp out, his entire body shaking as he struggled against his fear.  "...will not..."  He stepped onto a glowing platform that had a sun-relief on it, which sank as he put his full weight on it.  Halfway down the corridor, light glowed along the walls.  "Run!" Tricky screamed as he exhaled a blast of flame, closing his eyes as he tried to make his flame big enough to push the beast back.

The light down the corridor erupted, generating a wall of lightning just as the King Red Eye charged through it.  With the Spellstone actively draining its power, the energy was too much and it was knocked prone for a short time.

Tricky blinked as his fire faded.  "...did...did I do that?" he gasped in surprise, having not seen the wall of lightning.

Fox grabbed Tricky and raced away as Sunset used her magic to propel the fuel barrel into the King Red Eye, the explosion of kinetic force making it roar in pain as it staggered to its feet, charging down the corridors after them.  The trio ducked into another alcove the moment they were out of its sight, letting it charge past them.

"No, seriously, did I do that?" Tricky whispered insistently.

"Yes," Fox responded, amusement dripping from his words.  "You stepped on the floor switch to activate the stun field defense system that knocked the beast prone."

"O-oh," Tricky allowed, his head drooping a little.

"It was still very brave of you," Sunset hastened to assure him.  "And you looked so cool!"  This made Tricky perk up happily.

"Sunset," Fox spoke up, handing Sunset Krystal's staff.  "You used this before to turn yourself completely invisible.  Do so again, and scout around for more fuel barrels and the control switches for those security fields.  We need to plan how we're going to take this beast down.  Something tells me it won't fall for the same trick in the same place twice."

Nodding, Sunset combined her magic with the staff and vanished before racing up the side of the wall, moving around to try and track down where the fields were, the controls, and the fuel barrels.  Before she even made it halfway down the first corridor, however, the King Red Eye spun and lunged for her jaw first.  "Yipe!" she yelped as she leapt out of the way, only to land on the beast's back.  It reared angrily and began to charge down the circular path, trying to shake her off.  She held on tight as it ran the loop, focusing on sensing the controls, the fuel barrels, and the fields as it ran.  When it raced past Fox and Tricky, she leapt off and landed with them...though it continued to run for a while.  "One in the middle of each corridor," she whispered as she handed the Staff back, "the controls at variable distance from the fields, and can only be activated when there's enough of a magic charge in them, and it's far too strong for you to try to power it yourself or get supercharged by it outside a Temple, Dad."

Fox frowned at that.  "Well there goes one shortcut..."

"The fuel barrels are at the corners," Sunset finished.  "I managed to open all the gates on that loop, though.  But it can either sense magic or find me through some other way when I'm invisible-"

"Like its giant nose?" Tricky asked curiously.  "It's about 100 times stronger than the Sharpclaws' sense of smell, and the legends say it could smell the fear of those who tried to fight it."

"...that'd do it," Sunset admitted.  She then turned back to Fox.  "And we need to make sure it's actually dead before we remove the Spellstone.  If it were able to unleash its full magic power against us..."

Fox nodded firmly.  "Alright, let's get to work..."





While very intense and terrifying, the battle with the Red Eye King did not last very long.  Each time it spotted them at the opposite end of the corridor, it would roar and charge.  If they stepped onto the trigger platform for the security field just as the roar ended, the beast would enter the range of the field just as it went off, putting it in the perfect spot to hit with a fuel barrel before it could recover.  The fourth field's controls were much closer to the field, and Tricky insisted on triggering it himself while Sunset wielded the fuel barrel.  The Red Eye King nearly landed on him as it fell, but he backed up fast enough to avoid that as the field faded.  With the fourth barrel hit, the King laid still, eyes closed.

"Is...is it dead?" Tricky asked worriedly.

"It...looks it," Sunset murmured as she used Krystal's staff to lever the Spellstone from its forehead, the glow fading as it fell to the ground.

"Remember not to hold it!" Tricky called out as Sunset turned towards it.

"I know-"

"Watch out!' Fox called out as the Red Eye King suddenly lunged forward, trying to close its jaws around Sunset...only to scream as it backed up, half its tongue burned off as Tricky blasted his hottest flame right over Sunset and into the beast's jaws.

Sunset staggered back in shock as she realized just how close she came to a painful death due to her carelessness.  "We need to get-"

Fox raced up the wall, Krystal's staff in his hands as lightning raced along it.  "You do not do that to my little girl, you son of a bitch!" he snarled as he kicked off the wall and drove the staff into the indent on the beast's skull where the Stone had rested, driving it straight through to the brain before discharging the spell.

The Red Eye King screamed in agony as it thrashed...and then it fell, the impact shaking the pyramid...and lay still, its magic and life force gone.

"...I can not wait to tell Dad about this!" Tricky squealed out excitedly.  "But...what's a 'bitch'?  I don't think our language has that word."

Sunset couldn't help but giggle as Fox facepalmed.
> Adventure: Sweet Little Tykes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset sat back quietly, watching as Tricky eagerly regaled his father with the tale of their battle with the King Red Eye, only slightly embellished from the child perspective.  The King was an eager and avid listener, nodding along and gasping at all the right moments, only occasionally glancing towards Fox with a look that said without translators 'Did that really happen?'  Fox always responded with a calm smile and nod, leaving the King to turn back to his son in amazement.

"...and then Fox raced up the wall and screamed, 'You do not do that to my daughter you son of a bitch!' before driving the lightning into the beast's skull, sinking it into the weak spot on its scales left by the mana drain of the Spellstone!" Tricky finished excitedly.  "It thrashed and writhed, and then fell dead, only half its tongue left to fall between its teeth from my flame!"  He grinned excitedly as he finally finished bouncing around and gesticulating.  "By the way...what's a bitch?  That word didn't translate to our tongue."

"Good question," the King murmured as he turned to Fox.  "What is a bitch, exactly?"

Fox chuckled nervously.  "It...it's a term for the females of canine species during quickening and whelping," he explained carefully.  "During that time, their emotional state is...at its most volatile.  It...also has become something of a shorthand insult to refer to someone as being irrational and useless due to the evolution of language...and something of an expletive-"

"Oh, like calling someone an eggbound crackshell!" the King declared in understanding.  "I'm honestly surprised that didn't translate...but then again, even if it's used to mean the same thing, I suppose the origins are very different."  He turned and gave Tricky a stern look.  "Don't use that word unless it's part of a story you're telling.  It's an Adult Word."

"Got it, Dad!" Tricky agreed happily as he bounced around.

"Well, we'll be heading back to the Volcano Force Point Temple to place this Spellstone," Fox spoke up calmly as he placed it into his pack.  "Should we see about transferring you down to Thorntail Hollow?"

"No need, Fox," the King offered warmly.  "Someone must stay here to keep an eye on Walled City, and as the Gatekeeper that is my responsibility.  Good luck to you all."

Nodding, Fox turned to lead the way back to the Ar-Wing.  As they moved, Sunset moved up beside Tricky.  "Tricky..."

"Yeah, Sunset?" he asked curiously.  "You okay?  You've been acting kinda funny ever since the fight.  You didn't get hurt by the King Red Eye, did you?  Or from my fire?"

"No, nothing like that," Sunset insisted somewhat awkwardly.  "Just...a little flustered, I guess."

"Flustered?" Tricky asked in confusion.  "Why?"

Sunset closed her eyes as she gathered her thoughts.  "Tricky...I know you're of the Gatekeeper line, and that means to keep the line from being broken you can't Bond outside your tribe, and I'm not about to be so irresponsible as to ignore that...but you saved my life back there.  If not for that blast of fire, I..."  She shivered as she thought about just how close she'd come to painful, violent death.  "Well, that's not something I'm ever going to forget."  Leaning over, she planted a gentle, swift, chaste kiss on his cheek.  "So thank you."

Tricky blinked in surprise, but smiled.  "You're welcome!  I wouldn't want to lose my best friend.  But...why the talk about bonding?  And why'd you put your lips on my face?  Is that important?"

Sunset's happy smile transformed into an irritable scowl.  "Forget it!" she snapped before stomping after Fox.

"But Sunset!" Tricky called out as he raced after her.  "What does it mean?  I don't get it!  Do I taste good or something?"

Fox leaned into his communicator.  "Slippy, please tell me you managed to get that recorded!" he whispered softly.  "Krystal would kill me for missing that if she couldn't see it for herself."

"In full 4D definition," Slippy whispered back.  "Tink turned the recorders on as soon as Sunset walked up to Tricky like that.  Guess she's got a woman's intuition for things like that."

"Don't tell Sunset it's on video, though," Fox hissed out eagerly.  "Save it for when she does find her first boyfriend."  Closing the comm, Fox smiled to himself.  He never thought cultural differences would skew something like this...but as a result it was harmless, and absolutely adorable.





It didn't take long for the group to make their way back to Volcano Force Point Temple, during which Tricky was constantly pestering Sunset about why she did what she did, Sunset kept running ahead to get away from his questions out of frustration and embarrassment, and Fox was constantly trying not to laugh about it.  Once they got close enough to the Temple, it was discovered that while Sunset's magic was still enhanced from entering to the same point as when she was surrounded by lava, it did not strengthen to the point the area around her was in danger of melting from it going beyond her control.  Once she began flying around and roasting Sharpclaws to vent, Fox decided to intervene and pulled Tricky aside.

"Tricky," he began softly, "what Sunset did is called a kiss.  In our culture, it's a very significant expression of affection...especially for a young girl like Sunset.  On the one hand, I'm honestly not surprised she got a little twitterpated with you from saving her like that, since stories of the fair maiden and the gallant hero were some of her favorite bedtime stories that Krystal read her.  On the other, I'm proud of her for knowing to not let herself explore that because of the responsibilities you have for your future."

Tricky blinked a few times.  "Oh...so that's why she was talking about Bonding..."

"Exactly," Fox confirmed.  "And the reason she's so flustered, embarrassed, and frustrated about it is because she bared her heart to you in a gesture she meant to deepen your friendship...and you didn't get it.  She gets why - she's too smart not to - but..."  He groped for how to explain this without getting Sunset more upset if she overheard.

"Mom told me warm-blooded females have a lot of extra chemicals in their blood that makes thinking through emotions harder as they grew up, and not to be surprised if Sunset acted irrationally sometimes, but to always be sure to be kind and friendly with her when it happened," Tricky offered thoughtfully.  "Is that what this is about?"

Fox blinked in surprise.  "Actually...pretty much, yeah," he allowed.  "But I wouldn't put it that way to her unless you want flying lessons."

Tricky gasped excitedly.  "You mean Sunset can teach me how to focus my internal magic to float around like she does?"  He dashed after Sunset.  "Hey Sunset!  Sunset!  Which chemicals in your hot blood are making you act irrational right now?"

Fox promptly buried his face in both hands, groaning in frustration.
> Adventure: It's Getting Hot In Here
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tricky stared at the several dozen Sharpclaws shooting into the sky in response to Sunset's frustrated howl.  "So...is this like, the what not to do demonstration?" he asked in confusion.  "Cause I already know going too high or too low is bad with flying."

"Flying?" Sunset snapped angrily.

"Yeah!" Tricky responded eagerly.  "Mom gave me an explanation that made sense about why sometimes you wouldn't be able to explain things plainly with how you felt, and how to recognize it so I could act extra friendly and understanding when it happened, and Fox said if I told you about it, you'd give me flying lessons!"  He grinned up at her from ear to ear.  "So you're gonna teach me how to use my magic to float around like you do now, right?"

Sunset stared at Tricky in disbelief for a time, then rounded on Fox.  "Da~ad!" she screamed out in irritation, the two pools of lava to either side of the bridge to the Volcano Force Point Temple erupting upward in response to her emotions.

"It's not my fault teasing sarcasm doesn't translate!" Fox called out defensively.

"Not that!" Sunset complained.  "You really think I'd toss my best friend about in my magic just because he's being an idiot?  Especially after he just saved my life?"

"Well not on purpose," Fox allowed apologetically.

Sunset turned her back on him with a, "Harumph!"

Sighing, Fox led the way into the Temple, knowing it'd be a while before Sunset got over her pique, and hoping marveling at the architecture might help.





Fox smiled as he watched Sunset zoom around the inside of the Temple, taking in every side passage and squealing over how she could feel the shaping of the very stones to channel the magic the Temple was built to guide and contain.  When they took the elevator to the deeper levels of the Temple, she skipped over the surface of the lava pools as she made thorough notes on how the channels were shaped to contain active lava flows without either damaging the stone paths or causing an eruption.

As they moved into areas Fox and Tricky hadn't explored last time they were there, they found new flame-based puzzled involving extinguishing flames in the right order based on their color.  Sunset wasn't able to assist there as while she could manipulate the colored flames, she couldn't absorb or extinguish them.  "Flame magic...I can't use?" she marveled in surprise at discovering this.

"I guess even magic as powerful as yours has limitations," Fox allowed.  "Even where they aren't expected.  You'll need to be careful of that in the future."

"Right," Sunset agreed thoughtfully as they moved on, her expression oddly downcast.  Thankfully, the next puzzle simply involved giving fireballs the right colors to activate gem switches by shooting them through a color-changing flame at the right angles and times.  Sunset's hovering made that much easier, putting an excited smile back on her face.

Just beyond there, the group reached the warp to the Heart Chamber, where the Choke resided.  "So can I ask about what Sunset was talking about last time we were here now?" Tricky asked curiously.

"I'd actually like more details on that myself," Fox observed calmly, turning to his daughter.  "What did you-"

"There are more runes!" Sunset gasped excitedly as she raced up to the Choke.  "Placing the second Spellstone illuminated more of the inscription to make it legible."  Kneeling close, she muttered under her breath as she traced the inscriptions, light shining in her eyes and from her horn showing she was using her magic to draw forth her memories of language lessons to contrast directly, rather than relying on normal recall.  "...well, looks like I did read it right," she managed finally.

"About the weapon?" Tricky asked in surprise.

"Not the part I meant," Sunset explained.  "This part revealed more...history.  The Krazoa...they aren't native to this planet, they never were.  They came from...somewhere else.  They found...an immense source of magical energy, stronger than they'd ever seen.  They knew such a power source would cause conflicts, so they built Dinosaur Planet around the energy to hide it.  And they left structures on the planet to control the magical flow, as well as ways to release more of it.  That's why certain parts of the land neutralize the Spellstone's magic absorbing properties.  But..."  She knelt down to another part of the inscriptions.

"Sunset?" Fox asked worriedly as he approached.

"This is the part I read as 'weapon'," Sunset explained worriedly as she traced her fingers over it.  "Apparently, the Krazoa wanted a way to be able to use large amounts of the magic in the source all at once, to stave off...some sort of disaster they foresaw in the future.  Something about...guarding reality from the Fallen Angel unleashed...I can't make sense of it."  She ran her fingers over a seemingly blank portion of the Choke.  "This part is still missing, I think it'd explain that-"

"I think you should stop reading for now, Sunset," Fox spoke up carefully.

"Huh?" Sunset and Tricky asked at the same time.

"Why?" Sunset demanded insistently.

"Yeah, this is super interesting!" Tricky agreed.

"That sounds like a prophecy of some sort," Fox stated firmly, "and the last thing I want to do is get tangled up in a prophecy."  He placed the Spellstone in its slot, where the energies of the awoken Choke triggered the Spellstone to begin absorbing the energies released from the planet's core.  "Focus on the conflict in the now, deal with the rest of it later."

"But-" Sunset gasped as the very segment she had been looking at lit with runes, runes she was immediately able to translate...but didn't dare speak out loud.

Power comes from the land of the New Sun.  The Dying Sun shall seek the power in the hour of need.  If the Dying Sun rises alone, then the Angel will Fall.  This weapon awaits, for if that comes to pass, only the power contained will suffice to erase the Fallen Angel and the Demon born of her power.

"...Sunset?" Fox asked worriedly as they were pulled into the warp, to the entrance of the Temple.





The group made their way back to Thorntail Hollow in silence.  Despite urging from Fox, Sunset refused to speak about what she'd seen on the Choke, and Tricky couldn't bring himself to say anything as he watched Sunset in worry.  As they reached the Hollow, it was raining heavily...and bat-like creatures dove to attack the Thorntails.

"We have to help them!" Sunset cried out, getting ready to leap into action.

"I have an idea!" Fox insisted as he pulled out his gun.  Holding it tight, he focused carefully through it, then swept the targeting site over the bats that were circling each Thorntail, pausing briefly on each one.  Once he'd done so, he closed his eyes, focused his energy, and pulled the trigger.

A tiny bolt of lightning leapt from the gun barrel, locking onto the first bat before leaping to the others, frying them all in a flurry of chain lightning that echoed in the storm.  The nearest Thorntail breathed a sigh of relief as the threat passed.  "Thank you for saving us yet again," he offered warmly.  "Is there anything I can do to repay you?"

"Happy to help," Fox offered readily.  "Though...any clues as far as what we should do or where we should go next would be welcome."

"I hear Shabunga has some new inventory," the Thorntail responded with a smile.  "That help?"

"Only one way to find out," Fox replied, glancing worriedly as Sunset remained uncharacteristically quiet.
> Adventure: You're Hot and You're Cold
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fox, Sunset, and Tricky quickly made their way to Shabunga's shop.  "We hear you have something new for sale?" Fox asked curiously as they entered.

Shabunga smiled softly.  "Well, rumor travels fast," he observed calmly as he floated into one of the side rooms, guiding the group to what looked like a Alpine Root - the preferred food of the Snowhorn Tribe - carved out of gold.  "I found this Snowhorn Artifact while searching the Snowhorn Wastes for more of your technology.  For you...65 Scarabs."

Sunset blinked in shock.  "But it says 130 here..." she pointed out, indicating the runes on the pedestal the artifact sat on.

"Do you want generosity or not?" Shabunga snapped irritably.

"It's not stolen, is it?" Tricky asked worriedly.

"Lost and found at worst," Shabunga insisted waspishly.  "Do you want it or not?"

"We do want it," Fox spoke up firmly, giving Sunset and Tricky a look to silence them both.  "Charge it to Sunset's account?"

"As usual," Shabunga agreed, marking down the charge as he handed the artifact over.

"And is there anything you want us to tell Tink from you?" Fox continued as he put the artifact away.

Shabunga hesitated.  He then glanced from Fox to Sunset.  "...it shows, doesn't it?" he offered awkwardly.

"It does," Fox confirmed softly.  "At least, to those who know what to look for."

"If you actually manage to beat General Scales...bring her here," Shabunga offered softly.  "Until then...beat it!"  He aggressively shooed the trio out of the shop.

Turning, Fox led the children out, much to their confusion.  "Let's get back to the Snowhorn Wastes," he stated firmly, giving them a look that told them not to question just now.  To his relief, they heeded it.

...at least, about not questioning Shabunga's behavior.

"Where are we going?"

"Are we there yet?"

"Where are we going?"

"Are we there yet?"

"Slippy, please tell me how to turn the translator on and off," Fox groaned ruefully.

"Wouldn't do any good, Sunset knows a translation spell that uses ambient magic instead of her own, and there's more than enough there to use it," Slippy offered apologetically.

"...fantastic..."





To Fox's relief, the trip to Snowhorn Wastes left the youngsters with little energy to keep up their hijinks once they exited the Hollow.  In the Wastes, it didn't take long to find a blue furred Snowhorn who was bemoaning the loss of his 'Gold Root'.  On sight of the artifact Fox was carrying, he crowed happily.  "My Gold Root!  It has been missing for so long...I am so glad you have found it!  In return, let me give you the chance to prove yourself."  Taking the Root, he caused a Snowhorn Call platform - one of the platforms that responded magically to the Snowhorn call that Fox and Sunset had acquired on the way to the Darkice Mines - to rise out of the snow.  "Blow the horn here, and the challenge will begin."

Stepping up onto the platform, Fox blew the horn, causing the platform to build up a magic charge that slowly dropped.  In his mind's eye, he saw another platform reveal itself elsewhere nearby.

"Activate all the platforms to clear the trial," the blue-furred Snowhorn instructed.  "Then a new path will open."

Fox raced against the clock, activating each platform before the built up magic charge could run out, following the mind's eye picture of the next one as he moved.  Sunset attempted to help by making her way to one platform that raised near her, but as accurate as her Snowhorn call was, it did not carry the proper magic to activate the platform.  Still, it wasn't long before Fox activated the last platform and a gate opened, revealing a Krazoa Shrine.  Seeing that the trial was only just beginning, Fox made his way onto the Warp Pad while Sunset and Tricky waited outside.

Before long, Fox returned with the Krazoa Spirit, and the group made their way back to Thorntail Hollow.





Once Fox returned from Krazoa Palace, the Warpstone spoke up.  "Well done, you three!" he praised happily.  "Three Spellstones down, and only one to go!  It's time for you lot ta head to Dragon Rock!"

"The three Gatekeepers so far have been Snowhorn for Fire, Skyrunner for Air, Earthwalker for Earth..." Sunset began carefully.  "So would it be the Lightfoot or the Thorntail for Water?  Those are the only two tribes of the alliance organized into a heirarchy of any sort..."

"The Gatekeeper for Dragon Rock is closer than ye think!" the Warpstone insisted happily.  "Though yer analytical mind will serve ye well in findin' him.  One with no voice has much to say."

"Doesn't one of the Thorntails barely talk to anyone?" Tricky suggested helpfully.  "At least, since General Scales' campaign?"

"Oh yeah!" Sunset said eagerly, quickly leading the way to the Thorntail who stood just outside the entrance to the old well.

"Let me talk to him," Fox insisted before they got there.  "He might have a reason why he hasn't been talking..."

"That'd be because I have a lot I don't like talking about," the Thorntail spoke up.  "But you need to know now.  The truth is...I led a campaign against General Scales back when the war started...but he caught wind of it and crushed our attempt, and three of my friends were imprisoned on Dragon Rock, where the fourth Spellstone now lies."  He nodded towards Sunset and Tricky.  "And yes, your surmise is correct.  Having seen all that you three have proven capable of, I am confident in sending you on your way...to Dragon Rock."  Lifting his head, a stream of blue light shot into the sky, joined by matching streams from the other Thorntail in the Hollow and opening a whirlpool of light in the sky.  "The path to Dragon Rock is open.  Good luck, and please...save my friends."

"You can count on it," Fox stated firmly as the group rushed to the Ar-Wing, all three eager and ready as they set course for Dragon Rock.
> Adventure: Rock the Dragon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dragon Rock proved to be a desolate wasteland at first glance, with neither plant nor animal life visible from the air as the group settled down on a particularly blasted patch of dirt that looked almost like a crater.  As they landed, they saw that the first impression wasn't too far off, as the only plant life that wasn't desiccated was oversized weeds that looked like they'd been drastically mutated, as did the extremely hostile wildlife.  The group decided to keep their distance from both - and the floating sentry pods - unless it became necessary to do otherwise.  Fox didn't need to tell Sunset and Tricky to stay close.

Despite the intense heat, Sunset did not feel a magic boost and shuddered oddly whenever she used her magic.  "There's...darkness here," she muttered the first time, despite the bright sun shining unceasingly down on them all.

It didn't take long for the group to find their first objective, an Earthwalker locked up inside a large building behind a cage door.  A quick bit of reconnaissance revealed the controls behind a mess of machinery parts that the heat and odd energy of the place had fused together.  With a bit of work, a fuel barrel was moved into position to blast the path clear, letting Fox open the gate.

As they approached, the warrior briefly nodded to the group.  "You've done well to find me," he stated firmly, his voice somewhat gravelly, "but there are others."

"We know," Fox replied readily.  "Your Thorntail friend told us about it."

"I'm glad to hear of his safety," the Earthwalker responded, "but the High Top, Koh'sole, is not so fortunate.  Together, we can free him."

"Together, we will free him," Tricky corrected firmly.

The Earthwalker warrior grinned.  "Your confidence honors me, my Prince."

"What's your name, anyway?" Sunset asked curiously as Fox - at a silent direction from the warrior - climbed onto his massive back.

"Mmo," the warrior responded readily.

Sunset gasped in shock.  "I've heard of you!" she declared excitedly.  "You're the most decorated warrior of the Earthwalker Tribe!"

"Decorations are for houses and holidays," Mmo countered dismissively.  "A warrior is more than that!"

"So what do we do?" Fox asked, deciding to ignore the continued 'pattern' he'd noticed in Earthwalker names.

"Each security drone has its own shield generator," Mmo explained.  "While the shield's up, they're invincible, and Koh'sole would be helpless against them.  Destroy the generator..."  He jerked his head, bringing his sharp horns to bear on the air in front of him.

"And they're helpless against us!" Sunset crowed eagerly.  "Let's show them!"

"That's the spirit!" Mmo declared aggressively.  "Let's do some damage!"

They immediately began a charge around the open field where the cages were.  Mmo kept his head down and horns bared for maximum impact damage.  Fox focused on steering, indicating with gentle tugs when and which way Mmo needed to turn.  Sunset used her magic - focused additionally through Krystal's staff - to deflect any incoming projectiles.  It wasn't long before the four generators were destroyed, at which point they turned the charge on the security drones with Fox using his gun to strike them down with lightning as they rushed through.

Once all four drones were down, a new gate opened up, allowing the four to enter the cage where Koh'sole was locked up, bound by collars on his neck linked to four pillars by energy tethers.  Fireballs flung at appropriate switches from the high catwalk disengaged the tethers, and once all four were disengaged he wrapped his long neck around one of the pillars and squeezed until the collars broke off.  "I guess we're ready to go," he spoke, firmly but calmly, to the group.

"Where to?" Tricky asked curiously

"We're crossing the plain to where Pea-shi is caged, and you're going to have to protect me," Koh'sole explained firmly as he walked under the catwalk.  Fox and Sunset readily leapt to his back as he forced the walled exit opened.

The central tower - an obvious Sharpclaw installation - fired missiles at Koh'sole as he walked, but Fox and Sunset easily took them out before they could get near, Fox relying on the 'chain shot' from his lightning gun while Sunset launched fireballs from both hands and horn.

Eventually, Koh'sole reached a switch high up on a massive gate, causing it to lower to reveal a long path.  "That's what I was looking for," he said firmly.  "I can't go any further, the path's too narrow for my bulk, but I'm sure you'll be able to find Pea-shi and set him free."

It didn't take long before the group could hear Pea-shi screaming, "Help!  Get me out of here!" repeatedly, telling them he was close.  A bit of cleverness with a fuel barrel, some fireball switches, and wind tunnels allowed them entrance to the place where he was caged, in an actual cage held up by an ordinary rope.  Sunset quickly leapt across to the cage, clambered up to the rope, and surrounded herself with flames as she grasped it.  The rope burned through, and the cage dropped to the ground and burst open, allowing Pea-shi to catch her as she dropped.

"Geeze, you're as crazy as Krystal!" he declared excitedly as he settled in for landing.  "I like it!"

"You know Mom?" Sunset gasped in shock.

"That certainly explains a lot," Pea-shi joked.  "I'm the one that helped her get onto General Scales' galleon...but I was captured shortly after that, and I've been stuck here ever since."  Leaning forward, he spread his wings wide.  "Climb on, all of you.  I need to stretch my wings!"

Once everyone was on, he took to the air and explained the plan.  "The Spellstone is hidden beneath the great tower, but to get in you'll need to destroy the four spires that protect it.  They can only be destroyed from the air, but have potent anti-air defenses."

"I'm on shields!" Sunset declared eagerly as she grasped Krystal's staff.

"I'm on weapons!" Fox agreed as he primed his gun.

"I'm on snacks!" Tricky offered helpfully as he pulled a few sandwiches out of Fox's pack and toasted them with his flame breath, much to the amusement of all.

As they approached the spires, swarms of missiles came their way.  Fox dealt with those using the 'chain shot', switching to the 'discharge' when the missiles stopped firing as they got close to the spire.  Sunset added her own blast at that point, which was enough to destroy each spire's focus crystal in a single pass.

"It's all up to you now!" Pea-shi stated excitedly as he settled at the top of the tower, where a deep pit showed a path deep into the land.  "The Spellstone is inside, but General Scales has it guarded by a terrible creature, a mutated dinosaur shaped by dark energies!  You must be care-"

"Geronimo!" Fox and Sunset declared eagerly as they leapt into the pit.

"-ful..."  Pea-shi sighed ruefully.  "So very much like Krystal..."





As they descended, Sunset felt her magic blaze forth as they approached intense magma flow.  To Fox's surprise, he felt his own magic starting to flare from the intense electricity generated in the Dark Geothermal Plant that they were approaching.  Both slowed to a halt above a floating platform, Sunset surrounded in a heat aura, Fox bristling with lightning.

Above was a horribly mutated monstrosity.  Bipedal with massive limbs and bat-like wings, thick claws, red skin, and heavy steel armor...it looked like Scales had tried to forcefully graft the strongest qualities of each of the Tribes onto a single creature, getting a result that looked more demon than dinosaur.  It flapped away into the plant...and Sunset and Fox followed, zooming through the air as their magic exploded from their bodies.

The Drakor quickly found itself outmatched in terms of firepower, and instead focused on staying ahead of them as they zoomed around.  As they moved through, Sunset had a sudden realization.  "Dad, keep going!" she declared before zipping back the other way.

Taking Sunset's directive, Fox continued to follow the Drakor, harrying it with his lightning so it kept moving forward.  Before long, a complete circuit of the plant had been made...and the Drakor found its path blocked by a wall of magma as Sunset waited for him in the original chamber.  Now cornered, Fox and Sunset unleashed their magic power on the Drakor, tearing its body apart until the Spellstone broke free of its flesh to drop onto the platform, and its body fell into the magma to be destroyed.

Fox and Sunset landed easily on the platform, which raised them and the Spellstone back to the surface.
> Adventure: And Not a Drop to Drink
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With Spellstone in hand, Dragon Rock liberated, and General Scales 'mutant dinosaur' plan destroyed, the group made their way back to Thorntail Hollow, and from there to the Ocean Force Point Temple.  "So this is gonna fix the planet?" Tricky asked eagerly as they made their way there.

"Not yet," Sunset admitted ruefully.  "It'll stop it from damaging itself further...but the actual repairs won't be possible until all six Krazoa Spirits have been gathered and infused into the Krazoa Temple.  Once that's happened, they'll be able to call the pieces of the planet back together, making it whole again."

"What do you mean, 'prevent further damage'?" Fox asked curiously.

"It's part of what I translated from the inscriptions," Sunset explained readily as she used her fire on the sand they were crossing to craft several glass blades.  "The pieces of the planet where the Spellstones' energies can be neutralized?  They're designed to break away like that if the magic wellspring within the planet stops being contained.  They're mana vents, giving the energy somewhere to escape from when this happens.  The problem is the mana flowing out is exactly the size of the vents, and if left flowing too long might start wearing away at the edges, or punch a new hole somewhere as the flow peaks.  It's a good thing we arrived when we did, since even one Spellstone in place prevents that second one."

"Talk about good timing," Fox murmured as they reached the Temple.  He then staggered slightly, putting his hand to his head.  "Why...why do I feel..."

Sunset braced him as she herself staggered.  "It's only water energy now," she explained.  "It's suppressing the fire aspect of your lightning, and you're no longer being fed air energy to counter that.  Neither of us is going to be able to use magic this trip."

"R-right," Fox agreed as he straightened.  "I expected that.  I just...didn't expect it to feel so..."

"Yeah," Sunset agreed.  "I know what you mean."  Once they were both steady, she followed him up the ladders to the Temple entrance.

With his magic reduced, Fox wasn't willing to risk trying to absorb the energies of the electric trap, so Sunset held down the switch to activate the wall panel that gave the safe panels.  After that, they fought their way through the Sharpclaws that had somehow invaded the Temple, Fox relying on the magic of the staff while Sunset used the glass blades she'd prepared earlier, aiming for vital points when she could.  Tricky also assisted where he could with his flame breath, which proved quite effective as a damaging distraction.

The warp pad took them to the same area as before, but it was now flooded with water, forcing them to take different paths through the same rooms to get to where they needed to go.  Even swimming proved dangerous, as water dwelling creatures would swim up to attack them while they couldn't defend themselves, and proved adept at hiding from the Staff's fireballs while they were on the platforms.

Eventually, after throwing several switches to open the right doors and get the water level to the right height, they made their way to a chamber with four Krazoa statues around a raised platform in the center, each statue with a fireball switch beneath it and a colored square below that.  When last in this chamber, Fox had needed to activate the switches to dump water from the statues onto torches on the central platform as it rotated...but the colored squares hadn't been there before.  When he activated the chamber, their meaning became clear as the four torches lit up different colors matching the colored squares beneath the statues.

Only water from the right statue would extinguish the flames as it passed under it, and each time a torch was extinguished the platform rotated faster.  Thankfully, it didn't take long before all four torches were extinguished, and the path forward opened.

After another puzzle involving pushing a fireball block around into the right receptacle, the path opened to the warp pad sending them to the Heart Chamber.

Once there, Fox paused as he saw Sunset not approaching the Choke eagerly as she had before.  "Sunset?" he asked worriedly.

"I...I know what it says already," she admitted softly.  "I...I don't really want to think about it."

"What do you mean?" Tricky asked in confusion.  "I thought you were really eager to learn everything about why the Krazoa built Dinosaur Planet!  What could you have learned here that-"

"It was made to destroy me!" Sunset snapped out finally.  "That's why I don't want to think about it!"

Fox and Tricky both stared at her in shock.  "What do you mean?" Fox asked worriedly, kneeling beside her.

Sunset lowered her head.  "All the prophecies about 'The Last Light of the Dying Sun'...they're warnings about me.  Something's going to happen in the future...and if it goes wrong, I'll end up becoming the worst monster the Lylat System has ever seen.  A...'Fallen Angel' as it's described here.  And...the Krazoa feared that so much they built Dinosaur Planet as a hidden magical super weapon specifically to use against me if that happens."

Fox stared at her, struggling to rationalize what she was saying.  He opened his mouth, trying to find something to say to her to make her feel better...only for Tricky to beat him to it.  "Then we just need to make sure nothing goes wrong!" the young prince insisted eagerly.  "Then you'll become something great, right?"

Sunset glanced at the markings worriedly.  "I...guess?  It mentions me fighting something if it goes right..."

"Then we just need to make sure it goes right!" Tricky insisted.  "It's gotta say something about that, right?"

Sunset blinked thoughtfully.  "Well, it does say it'll happen 'if the Dying Sun rises alone'..." she allowed.

"Then we just need to make sure you aren't alone when it happens," Fox deduced firmly.  "Once Shabunga finishes the ACSU suit, we'll enroll you in the academy and you can make lots of friends."

Sunset managed a smile at that.  "That...that sounds nice..."

"Now no more fears or worries about the future," Fox insisted.  "Yes, it will happen...and we'll deal with it when it does.  I know you'll do me proud."  With that said, Fox placed the final Spellstone into the Choke.

As they watched, an image of the planet appeared, the chunks floating back into their spots...only to float away again.  As this happened, more markings appeared upon the Choke.  Sunset looked close to read them.

Guard the heart of the Dying Sun, for broken she will Fall.  Open the doors, and many will Rise, for Power shared is Power controlled.

Sunset managed a smile as the group was warped back out of the Heart Chamber.  It seemed things would work out, after all.
> Adventure: Lifted Spirits
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trio quickly made their way back to Thorntail Hollow, where the Queen Earthwalker was waiting for them.  "Fox, something is wrong," she began worriedly.  "The Walled City has not yet returned to the planet."

"The Krazoa Spirits haven't been gathered to the Temple yet," Sunset explained quickly.  "Until they're all gathered there, they can't guide the magic back into the planet to seal it up."

"That is true," the Queen agreed thoughtfully.  "But that raises the question, how did this come to pass in the first place?  When enshrined and in slumber, the six Spirits create an unbreakable seal around the Heart Chamber, and it is impossible to warp there.  How were the Spellstones removed in the first place?"

"The answer to that should be obvious," Fox pointed out dryly.  "General Scales must have awakened and absorbed one of the Krazoa Spirits.  If he hasn't released it, but is instead tapping its power...that would explain how he's gotten so strong."

"But that is most reckless!" the Queen spoke up worriedly.  "To tap the power of a Spirit is to bind your life to its power!  If he were to release the Spirit, he would die!"

"Then he has no intention to," Tricky deduced thoughtfully.  "He is trying to use the magic of the planet for his own ends.  Why would he want the Spirits to put it back together?"

The Queen frowned worriedly.  "A valid point.  Which means...you will have to battle him for that Spirit, so it can be infused into the Temple.  You will have to kill him."

"We were expecting that to begin with," Fox murmured dryly, remembering Tink's plight, and the plight of the Sharpclaws under General Scales' rule.  "So we need to get the other five Spirits in place.  I've delivered three of them to the Temple already..."

"One is enshrined in the Temple itself," Sunset spoke up.  "Mom must have released that one, since there was a Spirit orbiting her when we..."  Her voice trailed off as she thought about Krystal's plight, her eyes dropping.

"Well...that's five accounted for," Fox spoke up quickly, trying to distract Sunset's thoughts.  "One was in Moon Mountain Pass, one was in the Lightfoot Village, one was in the Snowhorn Wastes...where would the last one be?"

"Well, there's only one place we haven't fully explored," Sunset pointed out.  "The Walled City.  We were kind of in a rush when we were there last time."

"There is a Spirit enshrined in the Walled City," the Queen pointed out.  "And it cannot be the one General Scales claimed, as the world began to break apart before he took the City."

"Then we're off to the Walled City," Fox confirmed grimly.  "And from there we'll fly straight to Krazoa Palace."  Turning, he led the group to the Ar-Wing before taking off.





As they landed in the Walled City, the King Earthwalker stood on a raised platform on the outside of the central pyramid, flanked by two of his guards.  He smiled as he saw the group approaching.  "My thanks to you Fox, Sunset, my son.  With the Spellstones returned to the Choke, the flow of magic has been contained and the planet is saved.  All that is left is for the Krazoa Spirits to be gathered in the Krazoa Temple, and the planet will be restored."

"And the last Spirit enshrined is somewhere here," Fox concluded firmly.  "Can you tell us where?"

"I do not know the exact location," the King admitted.  "It is protected by magic.  Only the light of the Sun and Moon Stones when enshrined in the pyramid will pierce that veil, and illuminate the path to the shrine."

"Then we'll just have to go get those stones," Sunset concluded firmly.

Nodding, the King closed his eyes and focused.  Two doors opened, granting access to the paths to where the Stones were.

Heading through the first door into the sun-themed area of the City, the group found several sun-marked stone blocks in an enclosed square area, floating sun images marking where the blocks had to be.  However, when the blocks were pushed, they slid along the floor until they were stopped, or until they intersected with one of the floating sun symbols.  Pushing a block against the wall into the wall caused the blocks to return to their original position.  After a bit of experimentation - and Sunset floating herself up to a higher point to get a different perspective on the puzzle - they were able to complete.  This caused a nearby monolith to iris open a circular hole in it.

"Wonder what that's for?" Sunset mused as she floated up to it and gazed through it.  As she stared, she saw a reflective sun-disk set in the mountainside...which suddenly blazed with focused sunlight.  "Ack!" she cried out, turning away to shield her eyes as a beam of light shot through, causing a path to open in the base of the structure.

"You okay, Sunset?" Fox called out worriedly.

"I'm fine!" Sunset called back.  "Just...gonna blink a bit for a while.  You go inside and grab the Stone."

Nodding, Fox ducked inside the structure.  Tricky hesitated just outside.

"Go on," Sunset insisted.  "He might need some fire."  Nodding, Tricky ducked inside.  Once they were both in, Sunset stood up.  "Okay...I think I'm good.  I'll see if I can solve the other puzzle while I wait for them.  I don't want to go somewhere dark just now..."  Turning, she floated over to the other side.

The puzzle proved to be similar to the block puzzle from the sun side, but moon themed and with the blocks and moon symbols in different positions.  It took a bit more experimentation both to determine where to move the blocks and how to get them to move as she didn't have as much upper body strength as Fox and her magic slid right off the blocks.  By the time she'd managed to solve it, Fox and Tricky had arrived, Sun Stone in hand.

"Just couldn't wait, could you?" Fox asked teasingly, ruffling Sunset's hair and making her giggle.  Smirking, he went up the monolith to trigger the Moon Plate, which caused the path to open.  "How about you handle this one?" Fox called out, tossing Sunset Krystal's staff.  "Have some fun."

Squealing happily, Sunset raced inside, Tricky close on her hooves.  Fox shook his head with an amused chuckle.





The first hurdle Sunset encountered inside the Moon Shrine involved gates that raised and lowered in a pattern to block access to the door.  Sunset simply floated over them, while Tricky raced in when the gates dropped.  The next hurdle proved to be an invisible maze that appeared when the door switch was activated.  However, as it was made of magical energy, Sunset was able to sense the pattern and easily found her way through to the end.  The final hurdle proved to be a slowly moving circular wall panel with the Moon Stone in the center and a small window that revealed three fireball switches next to engravings representing the phases of the moon.  From her studies, Sunset knew which order to activate the switches...and doing so caused carvings of dragon heads to either side of the chamber to exhale frost, revealing a magical path to the Stone.

With the Stone in hand, Sunset and Tricky returned to where Fox awaited them before the trio headed for the Pyramid.  Sunset then led the group back to where they placed the Gold and Silver Red Eye Fangs, where places for the Sun and Moon Stone were now revealed.  Placing them caused the carvings to rise up further, which made the top of the Pyramid rise up to reveal the Warp to the Krazoa Shrine.

Sunset raced ahead to the warp, only to once more be denied access.  "So unfair..." she pouted yet again.  "I really want to see what it's like..."

Fox chuckled wryly.  "There's really not all that much to see," he pointed out as he stepped into the warp.
> Adventure: Fated Battle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It wasn't long before Fox stepped back out of the warp, his eyes glowing with the purple mist that showed he was infused with the Spirit.  "Alright you two," Fox spoke up calmly.  "It's time to head to the Krazoa Palace-"

"A moment," the King Earthwalker spoke up quickly.  "Tricky, you can't go with them any further."

"What?" Tricky demanded in shock.  "Why?"

"It is forbidden for one of the Gatekeeper line to step into the Palace," the King explained calmly.  "The energies of the Gates and the Palace are incompatible, and there is no telling what might happen if you were to enter, even though you are not yet old enough to start manifesting Gate energies.  You must remain here with me."

"But...but..." Tricky whimpered, staring up at Fox.

"Sorry, Tricky," Fox apologized.  "We're going straight there, and if you can't enter..."

Sunset pulled Tricky into a hug.  "It's okay," she promised warmly.  "We'll be back before you know it.  Thank you...for everything."

Tricky leaned into the embrace.  "Just...just be sure you come back in one piece, okay?" he asked worriedly.

"I promise!" Sunset assured him earnestly.

Tricky followed Fox and Sunset as they made their way to the Ar-Wing, and watched as they took off into the air.





Fox set his Ar-Wing down on the roof of Krazoa Palace, not far from where Krystal was still trapped and four Krazoa Spirits encircled her prison.  As the pair hopped out, Fox grabbed Sunset's arm.  "Stay close to me," he insisted firmly as he turned to head into the palace, seeking the place where he would need to release the Spirit.  "General Scales is sure to know we're here, and we need to be ready for anything."

"Got it," Sunset promised firmly, following Fox into the Palace proper.

It didn't take long for Fox to find the place where the Spirit needed to be released, as there were only so many places within the Palace he hadn't already been.  Once the Spirit was released, there was a sound of a mechanism activating high above them.  "Sounds like it came from the roof," Fox murmured as he stared upward.  "Guess we're heading back up there."  Sunset silently followed him.

Once on the roof, they saw that a fence that had been blocking off a Warp Pad had lowered, revealing a Warp very much like what had led to previous Krazoa Shrines.  "I'm betting General Scales is in there waiting for us," Sunset murmured worriedly.

"And we need to go face him," Fox stated firmly.  "He has the last Spirit...and there's no way I'm leaving you alone anywhere at this point.  Let's go."

Nodding, Sunset stepped onto the Warp Pad alongside him, and the pair were warped into a Krazoa Shrine.  Much as Fox had told Sunset, the architecture wasn't much to look at.  Plain stone walls and roof, torches here and there providing illumination...and through a raised gate, a raised platform could be seen that couldn't have looked any more like a prepared arena if there had been a goblin selling popcorn off to the side.  "Get ready," Fox murmured worriedly.

Nodding, Sunset stepped away from Fox and shook herself off, shedding the water that had soaked into her fur from the rain outside and using low levels of her magic to dry herself off.  She then slipped her hands into her pockets.  "Ready."

As they stepped through the gate, it closed behind them and sealed with a barrier that showed it was bound to someone's life force.  Nodding, they clambered up onto the platform.

"I've been waiting for you, Fox McCloud, Sunset Shimmer," General Scales voice declared angrily as he leapt down from the roof, forcing the pair to leap back away from them.  He stood armed with a sword in one hand, the optic Tink had made over one eye...and an eyepatch over the other with a lightning bolt shaped scar above and below where the flesh had been seared with white-hot heat.  "You both may have returned the Spellstones, and taken both of my eyes...but the war is not over yet!  I will slay you here, Fox McCloud, and Sunset shall be used to channel the power of the planet into my weapons to conquer the Lylat System!  En Garde!"

"Stay on his right side!" Fox barked out as he lunged to the General's left, away from the sword strike.

"On it!" Sunset declared as she lunged the other way, gathering her magic as her Sunstones lit up.

"You think direction will stop me?" General Scales roared as he turned his back to Fox, the optic-mask lighting up and releasing an intense hum.

Sunset immediately pulled her hands from her pockets, tossing up a cloud of sand that turned to hot glass in a flash of heat, covering her hands from the wrists and her horn as she gave herself blades.  "Don't count on it!" she snapped out as she felt the sonic vibrations strike and distort on the hot glass...and she focused her magic to release a counter blast of sonic waves focused right on the optic.

General Scales roared in pain as he reared back, clutching at his face.  "Damn you!" he roared out as he pulled back his sword, only to scream as a blast of lightning seared the armor from his back.

"You might want to rethink your priorities!" Fox snapped back as he gathered energy into his gun and Krystal's staff, ready to unleash even more of a barrage.

"You will pay for-GRAAHG!"  General Scales cry of pain showed that Sunset's glass blades were as sharp as expected as she drove them into the flesh just above his ankles as he rounded on Fox.

"I'm just full of surprises!" she snapped out as she leapt onto Scales' lashing tail and began racing up his back.

General Scales swept his sword up, intending to swipe Sunset off his back with it, but another blast of lightning sent the blade flying out of his hand.  "And just what do you intend-"  His words were cut off in a roar of pain as an ordinary butterknife was jabbed into the optic of his mask, making him rear back blindly.

"Now Dad!" Sunset screamed out as she dove for cover.

Taking the cue, Fox unleashed all the lightning he'd gathered in a single, overcharged blast, aiming straight for the knife.  The metal channeled the electricity straight into the circuitry of Scales' optic mask...and from there into his brain.  He jerked and thrashed violently...and then collapsed to the ground.

The Krazoa Spirit slowly floated up out of Scales' body before flowing into Fox, infusing him fully.  The deed was done.
> Adventure: Pulling the Strings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fox and Sunset stood over the body of General Scales, staring down at the once proud, powerful warlord.  The silence hung in the air for a time...until Sunset broke it.  "Does that seem anti-climactic to you, too, Dad?" she asked curiously.

"I know exactly what you mean, but I'm not surprised," Fox pointed out.  "We know there's something pretending to be a Krazoa Spirit that tried to manipulate us with Krystal's voice.  I wouldn't be surprised if it was pulling General Scales' strings, too.  We know we'll have to face whoever that is, too...and they want all the Spirits gathered."  He shrugged his shoulders.  "To be perfectly honest, I'm surprised whoever it was even let Scales fight us, instead of just making him give up the Spirit."

"They probably would have if it was just you," Sunset pointed out thoughtfully.  "But I don't think they want to tip their hand until I'm less of an unknown variable.  You and I have both pulled out tricks no one could have predicted this mission."

"That makes sense," Fox agreed.  "Which means they're not going to make their move until we release this spirit and free Krystal."  He frowned thoughtfully, trying to plan a way to deal with that.

"Then when he does, we're gonna punch him in the schnoz!" Sunset insisted eagerly, thrusting her fists out one after the other.

Fox couldn't help but chuckle.  "That we will," he murmured warmly, ruffling her mane as they were warped back out.





The last point to release the Krazoa Spirit was directly in front of the warp pad, opposite the one where Fox released the first Spirit he'd collected.  Approaching it, he knelt to release the Spirit from his body, watching it infuse itself into the Temple.  As he saw it appear in the air around Krystal's crystal prison, he rushed up the ramp to see what could be done to help her.  To his surprise, the Spirits were swarming around the crystal, closer and closer...

"No!" Fox and Sunset both screamed out in anger, throwing their hands up.

Flame and lightning lashed through the air, surrounding the crystal as the Spirits slammed into the barrier...absorbing it and flying over to a massive statue of a Krazoa.  The machine surrounding the crystal collapsed, and the crystal vanished, leaving Krystal dropping.  Before she'd even opened her eyes, Fox had zapped forward on lightning and caught her, pulling her to safety before she could fall through the hole she'd been suspended above into the depths of the Temple.

"Fox...?" she murmured in shock, reaching up towards his face...only to jerk back as lightning danced over his fur.  "W-when did you get elemental magic?"

Fox chuckled as he made his magic subside.  "There's a lot we need to catch you up on," he murmured softly.

"But I was only gone two days!" Krystal countered insistently.

"Four, actually, with the time we spent here," Fox corrected dryly with a wry smirk.  "And with this group, that can be quite a long time..."

A wicked cackle echoed over the Temple as the stone head of the statue slowly floated into the air.  "I am reborn!" a familiar voice declared triumphantly.  "The mighty Krazoa God!"  A familiar wicked laugh echoed.

"Andross!" Fox gasped out in shock.  "But I killed you!"

"Indeed you did, Fox McCloud!" Andross laughed wickedly.  "But I always knew that was a possibility, and had prepared accordingly.  Before you ever reached Venom, I used the dark magics I discovered in the rubble of Cerinia - the very magic I destroyed that planet to acquire - to sever pieces of my soul, to ensure I would survive beyond death, each one preserved so that should I fall, I would be drawn to them, infuse them, and rise again!"

"You!" Krystal snarled venomously as she seized her staff and prepared for battle.  "You destroyed my home!"

"Wield all the magic you like!" Andross laughed as he floated up into the air, before turning around to reveal his own face on the back of the statue head.  "But you are nothing compared to the power of the Krazoa that is now my own!  General Scales has served me well...and his destruction of the culture of the Sharpclaws has served me as well!  The meteorite impact and mutation of that race into their present form was the will of the Krazoa, that there would be a species that could stop their power from being awakened and misused, since they did not draw power from the Spirits or planet for their magic!  And anyone who had a chance of severing this bond is now no more!"  Andross laughed anew.  "So kneel, all those who would stand before me!"

"Yo, monkey face!" another familiar voice called out aggressively.  "Heads up!"

Andross spun towards the sky.  "Wha-?" he began to scream, only for an Ar-Wing to dive into his open mouth...and come out the back of the statue head as the entire thing dissolved, the six Krazoa Spirits dispersing as they swirled over the Temple.

"...what?" Fox and Krystal gasped out in shock.

"Uncle Birdy!" Sunset called out into her communicator.  "You're back!  How'd you do that?"

"Aw, come on!" Falco complained.  "Do you have to call me that, Sunset?"

Sunset grinned wickedly.  "Okay, Uncle Fucker-"

"Uncle Birdy it is," Falco groaned ruefully, making Sunset giggle.

"I dunno," Fox spoke up with a grin.  "You really fucked up Andross' plan.  How'd you do that anyway, Falco?"

"Tink has all the projects General Scales ever initiated in her head," Falco explained readily.  "One of them was supposed to be a way to extract his own soul from his body, leaving it as a vessel to store the Krazoa Spirits in so that they could be combined and he could get an ultimate form like what Andross just made.  Problem is, anything with magic in it wouldn't work with the device, since it'd screw up interactions with the Spirits.  And...it just so happens I took one of the old Ar-Wings Slippy never got around to updating with the magitech based off Sunset's powers!"

"No!" Andross' voice suddenly screamed out angrily...though somehow tiny and high-pitched.  "How?  How is it possible one of the techno-shamans survived General Scales' rapacious endeavors with her mind intact?  Impossible!  I will not be so cheaply cheated of my victory!  You will rue the day-"

"Oh, shut up!" Falco snapped out.  "So yeah, now we've got an evil dictator in a bottle.  Come on and get back up to the Great Fox.  It looks like the Spirits are getting to work on the planet."

Chuckling, Fox and Sunset pulled Krystal towards their Ar-Wing.  Krystal, for her part, looked really confused.  "Tink?"

"Like I said, a lot to catch up on," Fox offered teasingly as Sunset held both their hands joyfully.
> Adventure: Cleaning Up
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Fox's Ar-Wing coasted in to land next to Falco's inside the Great Fox hangar, the under-nose cargo bay was already opening to let Sunset leap out to glomp onto Falco, practically bowling him over.  "Uncle Birdy!" she cried out excitedly as she held tightly to him.  "I missed you so much!"

Falco chuckled as he regained his balance and ruffled Sunset's mane.  "Missed you too, squirt," he offered playfully.  "But I didn't miss struggling to breathe!"  As he expected, this only led to the hug tightening.  "So was it you that found Slippy a girlfriend?"

Sunset gasped excitedly.  "You mean Slippy and Tink are getting together?"  She then blinked, scratching her chin.  "Isn't that a little fast?  I mean, it hasn't even been a full day since they met..."

"In their case, I'm not surprised," Falco admitted readily.  "Slippy's brilliant and a great friend, but he has zero skills with the ladies.  A girl on his brain level willing to spend extended time with him?  Instant smitten.  As for Tink..."  His voice trailed off and his eyes grew hard.  "Well, he's a smart gentleman and...well, tense survival situations can do things to you.  That's enough for the initial hookup, and as long as they've got enough in common I can see it lasting.  Be good for both of them, I think."

"And here I thought dispensing wisdom was something I did," Peppy joked as he waddled over, resting his hand on Sunset's head gently.  "So...are you back for good, Falco?"

Falco nodded slowly.  "Yeah..." he admitted slowly.  "I mean, most of the issues the fight was over just...well, getting some distance put things in perspective, and I guess it's important for the Team and for Sunset that we disagree.  As for the real sticking point that came up..."  He sighed ruefully.  "I suppose it's okay if Sunset goes to the Academy-"

"Wait!" Sunset interrupted as she stepped back, glaring up at Falco.  "You left because you didn't want me going to the Academy?"

"No, not at all," Falco corrected quickly.  "The tipping point was Fox pulling the 'I'm her Father and I know what's best for her' card on the issue.  I just didn't think you really needed the Academy when there were other ways to get Ar-Wing certified once you're of age-"

"But I want to go to the Academy!" Sunset interrupted fiercely.  "Once I have the ACSU suit from Shabunga, I'll be able to go there and actually make some friends my own age!  It's been nice playing with Tricky, but there aren't any other kids to play with on Dinosaur Planet, and Tricky's going to have to start Gatekeeper Training soon."

"Wait...that's why you wanted to go to the Academy all along?" Falco asked in surprise.  "Why didn't you say so in the first place?"

"Nobody asked," Sunset pointed out teasingly, causing Falco to facepalm, much to her amusement.

"So..." Peppy asked carefully.  "Was Krystal okay when you found her?  Uninjured, I mean?"

"Well, other than being trapped in crystal, yeah," Sunset confirmed.  "And Dad caught her before she could fall too far once she was freed.  And we kept the Krazoa Spirits from draining her of her magic when they were under Andross' control.  Why?"

"Well, I'm just wondering why Fox and Krystal haven't opened the cockpit yet," Peppy explained in confusion.

Falco snickered impishly.  "Do I really need to spell it out for you, old man?"

"Not in front of Sunset," Peppy snapped snidely.  "Besides, they've only been apart four days!"

"And at what point did Fox learn what was planned long term by General Scales?" Falco pointed out.

Peppy blinked thoughtfully at that.  "Point made.  I suppose we should-"

Sunset clambered up onto the Ar-Wing and banged on the canopy.  "Mom!  Dad!  Save that for the bedroom!  I wanna see the Spirits put the planet back together!"

Falco couldn't help but snicker as the canopy opened and a frustrated parental pair clambered out.





As everyone watched from the bridge of the Great Fox, the six Krazoa Spirits - having expanded to a massive scale with their power fully awakened and free of tether - moved to each floating piece of the planet and pushed it into the space it had broken free of.  In a blaze of magical energy, the pieces fused into the rest of the planet's crust, creating a once-more unbroken spheroid of a world.  The Spirits then shrank down to a more normal size as their energy sank into the world, once more going dormant until they were next needed.

"I thank you for freeing my people," Tink spoke up softly, staring down at the world.  "If fortune smiles on them, they may yet recover from what Scales' ambitions and Andross manipulations led us to.  I...was not the only one to escape unscathed mentally, and those still on world will work to repair the damage."

"And you?" Fox asked curiously.

"If it is acceptable to you...I would like to remain here," she offered delicately.  "I have ever been of an inquisitive nature, and the space beyond my home planet holds many mysteries for me to explore.  I would gladly lend my knowledge of the mystic arts to your endeavors as repayment."

Seeing the pleading look in Slippy's eyes, Fox couldn't help but chuckle.  He knew what answer he would have given even without that.  "Welcome to the team, Tink," he stated warmly, holding out his hand.

Tink stared at it for a time, tilting her head back and forth.  Krystal started to lean forward to explain it, but before she could Tink reached forward and gently grasped the offered hand with her claw.  "This is...the correct response?" she asked hopefully.

Fox nodded as he pumped her wrist up and down once, completing the handshake.  "It is," he confirmed.  The smile on her face held surprising warmth for the number of teeth it revealed.  He then blinked.  "Uh...you can let go now."

"Oh, yes," Tink agreed, the frills along the back of her head and neck rustling as she carefully released her grip, making sure her claws didn't catch his flesh.

At that moment, the communicators went off, and a hologram of General Pepper appeared.  "General Pepper here!" he greeted jubilantly, not noticing the way Tink leapt back from the image in shock before carefully inching forward to examine it.  Slippy began a quiet explanation of the technology involved as General Pepper continued, "Good work, Star Fox Team!  I've received a message from the King and Queen Earthwalker that their world has now been saved."  He paused, glancing down at something.  "Oh, and Tricky wants to know when Sunset's coming back so he can be sure she's in one piece."

Krystal raised an eyebrow.  "Did...something happen?" she asked Fox in a whisper.

"I'll show you the videos later," Fox whispered back, grinning from ear to ear as he couldn't wait to see her reactions.

"I was, however, very surprised to hear that Andross is still alive," the General continued.

"He isn't, er, wasn't...technically," Krystal corrected.  "Before the battle on Venom, he used dark magic to sever portions of his soul, anchored in various places...one of which hidden here on Dinosaur Planet.  When his main awareness died, whichever severed portion was strongest would draw his essence from the land of death to resurrect him, if enough energy was present to do so."

"I suspected something of the sort when General Scales started speaking of developing the technique to extract a soul from a living body," Tink spoke up diffidently.  "While such magic as you mention is completely foreign to any teachings of our world, it is why I ensured that the device Falco used to disrupt Andross' resurrection was designed to capture his living spirit, rather than shatter or disperse it, so it could not be drawn to the next fragment."

"I don't know who you are, but if you speak true then you've done a great service to the Lylat System!" General Pepper responded warmly.  "Andross is the greatest threat the galaxy has ever faced, and the idea that he might come back over and over even when slain is not a comforting one."

"This is Tink, a Sharpclaw Techno-Shaman," Slippy introduced her, using her proper title as he'd come to understand the translation.  "She defected from General Scales' side before his downfall was clear, and has been a great help in completing the mission...and at her request and with Team approval, is now a proud member of Team Star Fox."

"With everything that's happened since Sunset's arrival, I suppose it's only to the good that more magical expertise is a part of your Team," General Pepper allowed.  "Congratulations to you all, you become a more and more valuable ally us all, Team Star Fox.  I'm transferring your fee as we speak...and I've talked with the Headmaster of the Academy.  As soon as Sunset is able to move freely in a non-magic environment without difficulty, she can take the placement tests to put her in the appropriate course levels."

"Thank you, General," Fox responded warmly as Sunset began bouncing off the walls while squealing excitedly.

"No, Fox, thank you," the General corrected with a wide grin.  "Pepper out!"  The communication cut.

Krystal managed a smile.  "You weren't kidding about how much could change in a few days," she allowed ruefully.  "So how about catching me up?"
> Catching Up, Moving Forward
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It didn't take long for Fox to catch Krystal up on everything that happened on Dinosaur Planet during their quest to find her.  This was mostly because Sunset actually remained quiet unless it was covering part of the adventure where she was moving about separately from Fox, since she realized just how happy her parents were to be reunited and knew trying to stretch out the conversation - and thus delay them 'celebrating' their reunion - would likely result in Uncle Birdy taking her planet side to see Tricky instead of staying to spend time with her Mom again.

Krystal proved to be an excellent audience, listening along intently, showing shock and awe at all the appropriate moments, and pulling Sunset into a comforting, motherly embrace at the parts where Sunset had went through emotional turmoil, especially since she saw reliving them caused her distress.  The only pause came when they reached the part of the story where Tink defected, at which point Fox was exceptionally vague about how his lightning magic awakened.

"Fox, I need more details," Krystal interrupted insistently when he tried to skim over that.  "The reaction it caused...magic awakening can do odd things to a being's essence and mind, especially elemental magic.  I need to know more details to be sure it didn't...damage you."

"C...can I give you those details later?" Fox managed to ask, glancing awkwardly towards Sunset.  "I don't think now is a...good time..."

Sunset let out a sigh through pursed lips.  "Geeze Dad, is it really that hard to tell Krystal that Andross through General Scales turned the Sharpclaw into a rape focused culture and you heard those two Sharpclaws talking about Mom and I in an unpleasantly flattering light in context?"

Krystal's eyes popped open and her jaw dropped.  "They what?"

"How did you-?" Fox began.  "I thought-?"

"Uncle Birdy has weird tastes, didn't lock his holo-cube cabinet when he left, and Brobot is very good at explaining things," Sunset answered readily.  "Mom's worried the lightning magic might have anchored to your Id and needs to know your reaction was fully justified."

"Given that, I'd say it was," Krystal murmured in shock.

Fox rubbed his face ruefully.  "I was...trying to protect you from realizing what might happen..."

"I didn't put it together until Tink mentioned escaping 'mentally unscathed'," Sunset pointed out.  "Given how eager she was to escape, that didn't seem right unless it was relative."

Krystal nodded in understanding.  "I...suppose that does make sense," she allowed.

"Though Falco's still going to be in trouble for not locking that cabinet," Fox growled irritably.  "And ROB for not mentioning it..."

"What sort of holo-cubes would tell you about such things, though?" Krystal asked curiously.

Fox turned to stare at Krystal in shock as Sunset giggled wickedly.  "Hey Dad, maybe you should show Mom your cubes so she can get the idea?" she teased.

"Hush..."

After that the story telling went quite smoothly, though much to Sunset's embarrassment when it got to her interactions with Tricky post the King Redeye...especially when Fox showed Krystal the video.  ...at least her laughter about Tricky 'trying to get flying lessons' pushed that back for a while.





Fox and Krystal lay back in Thorntail Hollow watching as Sunset played happily with Tricky, the two friends simply letting themselves be as they kicked up water and dashed over and around boulders.  The Warpstone was under instruction not to send them anywhere...though the pair showed no interest in using his abilities at the moment.  Apparently, they'd had their fill of adventure for now and just wanted to play.

"I'm...amazed," Krystal managed to say.  "I...I knew Sunset was powerful, but...I hadn't realized just how strong she'd become."

"I know what you mean," Fox agreed softly.  "I wanted to protect her from all this...but she pulled through better than I did."  He chuckled softly.  "Peppy would say that meant we've done a good job, that she's turned out better than us."

"Yeah," Krystal agreed thoughtfully.  "Which means...soon as her suit's ready, she'll be heading off to the Academy.  School, training, friends, parties...boys..."

"Don't get me started there," Fox groaned ruefully.  "Somehow, Sunset wound up in a full color news snapshot in her focus outfit.  ROB's already filtering her network messages to limit it only to those she actually knows."

"Is he doing the same for me?" Krystal asked curiously.  "I mean, I'm not dressed that differently from her..."

"He is," Fox confirmed, "though in your case it's still getting through, just marked as filtered.  Can you imagine the stink Sunset would make if-"

"How do you know 'Brobot' hasn't flat out told her what you're having him do, why, and shown her how many messages he filters out on a daily basis so she agrees with you?" Krystal quipped playfully.  "He's plainly a lot more straightforward with her than we expected."

Fox sighed ruefully.  "That's true..."  He looked up to where Sunset continued to cavort.  "I know she's ready to head to the Academy, to move on with her life, to grow up...but..."

"But you aren't sure you're ready to let her go?" Krystal asked softly.  When Fox only nodded, she rested her hand on his.  "I know exactly what you mean..."

They sat in silence a while longer as they watched the children play, letting it all turn over in their minds.  Eventually, their calm deliberation was interrupted as Shabunga floated out of his shop.

"It's ready!" he barked out intensely, holding a package out to Sunset.  "Now try it on already, so I can be sure it's working!"

Gasping eagerly, Sunset rushed over and seized the outfit before jumping into the shop, ducking around a corner so she was out of sight.  Fox, Krystal, and Tricky watched on curiously, waiting for her to come out.  When they did, they were able to see the outfit she was wearing now.

The main part of the outfit was a black bodysuit, running from her feet to just under her shoulders, leaving her arms bare.  Blue straps held the outfit up passing over one shoulder, and connected the outfit to yellow gloves and boots, shaped to her legs and hooves.  In a holster at her side was a blaster in black and red, with the same blue as the straps of the outfit.  Every blue circuit - as it was revealed to be - glowed with the blue of Sunset's magical aura.  On each hip, the symbol from her own hips - the one the books of magic she'd come with called a 'Cutie Mark' - was emblazoned, outlined in the circuitry.  The tight fit of the outfit showed, even more than the skimpiness of her focus outfit, that she was growing up well, and was definitely becoming a young woman.  She was grinning eagerly as she looked it over, turning this way and that to show it off.

As Shabunga moved in to check everything over and explain the connections between outfit, boots, gloves, and blaster, Fox and Krystal watched on with matching bittersweet smiles.
> Red Tape
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What do you mean she can't attend?" Fox snapped out, slamming his hands down hard on the desk.

The admissions officer on the other side - a young mole - flinched back, definitely regretting his life choices at this point.  Getting on the wrong side of a system-wide hero?  Always a bad move.  Getting on his bad side involving the child he was known to be protective of?  Even worse.  Doing so after it's discovered he now had lightning magic driven by his rage, among other things?  He was beginning to think he should have stayed in the family mine like his parents wanted.  "I-I'm sorry sir," he apologized sincerely.  "It's out of my hands in this case.  Regulations and all that."

"What regulation exactly is keeping Sunset from attending the Academy?" Fox demanded coldly.  "It certainly can't be academic, I've seen her test results-"

"That actually is a problem in this case," the admissions officer apologized worriedly.  "She's tested out of just about all the courses the Academy offers except electives and the flight courses that require Ar-Wing certification.  In situations like this, standard procedure is to get certification cleared through and then slot them either directly to military career or whatever field they choose...in Sunset's case, probably being part of your Team."

"But she wants to attend the Academy so she can learn alongside students her own age and make friends!" Fox snapped.  "How is this supposed to help her?"

The young mole swallowed nervously.  "Well...all fraternity and sorority events to the contrary, the Academy isn't supposed to be a social club.  It's supposed to focus on learning."

"Well, what about the physical courses for military training?" Fox demanded irritably.  "Surely she-"

"Rates in the top ten percent in terms of physical fitness and already has three black belts," the officer pointed out nervously.  "She already outclasses the majority of her peers in every reasonable category."

"What about the accelerated programs for the specialists?" Fox pressed.  "Can't she be placed in those?"

"While that's normally an option...things have gotten political there..."

Fox stared at the young mole flat-eyed.  "Political," he repeated calmly.  "How, exactly, is it political?"

"She's an honorary member of every tribe on Dinosaur Planet because of her significance in their mythology and role in saving them recently," the young man explained carefully.  "Officially, she has ambassadorial status and diplomatic immunity...and there are restrictions regarding those with that status taking the accelerated programs..."

Fox closed his eyes and took a few calming breaths.  "I'm not specifically angry with you," he explained in as rational a tone as he could manage.  "You're just doing your job, going by the book, just like you're supposed to.  As you said, this sort of thing is out of your hands."

The admissions officer let out a sigh of relief.  "Thank you for understanding sir-"

Before he could get another word out, Fox was on the desk and had the young man pinned to the wall by his collar, lightning dancing around him.  "But if you don't tell me whose hands it is in, that will be your choice...and then I will be angry with you," he growled.

"Only the headmaster can approve exceptions to regulations!" he gasped in response.  "And he needs approval from military and civil authority as well as the planetary government involved in order to do so for those involving political matters!"

Fox calmly released him and brushed him off.  "Thank you.  If you'll excuse me, I'm going to talk to General Pepper and the rulers of Dinosaur Planet about getting this fixed, and finding out why I wasn't informed this would be an issue in the first place.  My apologies for losing my temper."  With that, he turned to go, taking a few calming breaths.  Krystal had a point, the lightning inside him had affected his self-control, especially when it came to his anger.  He lost his cool much quicker and with far less warning now.  He'd need to look into keeping that in check before Sunset started dating.  She'd never forgive him if he scared off all the suitors by roasting one.





"We're working our way through the red tape, Fox," General Pepper said calmly.  "I admit, this is on me.  I'd only talked about streamlining Sunset's application for standard courses and testing into her level with the Academy headmaster.  I hadn't realized Sunset had gotten so advanced she'd need to go into the accelerated programs in order to be with her peers."  He frowned, stroking his chin.  "It's proving especially difficult as, with the exception of actual Ar-Wing certification, she'll need to be placed in all the accelerated programs to be at her level...which is going to be difficult since most of them take place at the same time for focused learning.  I don't suppose she's picked any specialties she's particularly interested in?  I'd rather not find out if she can time travel with magic to meet all her classes."

"Agreed," Krystal spoke up rapidly.  "That's just asking for trouble...especially since Sunset would probably want to find out what would actually happen if she encountered herself."

"Ar-Wing Piloting, Cultural Interchange, Extra-steller Astro-Navigation, Mixed Martial Combat, and Field Medicine," ROB spoke up before Fox could respond.  "These are the areas of Academy courses that Sunset has shown the most interest in while studying, and has the easiest time adapting her magic to.  I believe if she were forced to choose specialties for her first Academy lessons, these would be them."

"And as luck would have it, their schedules don't conflict because they work well together as skill sets for those wanting to get into the Diplomatic Corps," General Pepper observed calmly as he read the sheet.  "If we can put that down as her long-term goal, her diplomatic status should actually open doors for getting the application through all the proper hoops."

"I'll see if that's what she'd like to do, but I'm pretty sure it is," Fox concluded thoughtfully.  "She's definitely determined to set her own path to somewhere..."
> Punch the Rainbow
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The examiner frowned as he carefully manipulated the controls to the G-Force chamber, meant to test applicants for the Ar-Wing training program in how they did against G-forces should the G-Diffuser fail for however long.  For the most part, this was only to test if the implants a new student at the academy had installed functioned within required safety parameters, although some particularly competitive students also used it to determine 'how tough' they were against G-forces with their implants.  In addition, whenever a new species applied for the Ar-Wing courses, the chamber was used to test what degree of protection they needed in their implants against G-Forces.  When that happened, they were stress tested until their vitals started to drop...as was happening now.

Much to the examiners frustration, however, the present subject's vitals hadn't dropped no matter what he'd done so far.  He'd been increasing both the limitations and the shift rate very slowly since in addition to being a new species on record for the Academy the subject had ambassadorial status, but nothing he did seemed to affect her.  In fact, in-pod cameras showed she was bobbing her head and tapping her hooves to her music player in the middle of everything happening...and he was rapidly approaching the maximum G-shift recorded in Ar-Wing flight, and that was when a particularly insane pilot - James McCloud, according to records - had slingshot around a small singularity as part of a military maneuver.

"Well?" his supervisor asked as he stepped in.  "What's her limits?"

"I don't know if she has one," the examiner grumbled irritably.  "I've got her vitals here...and as far as I can tell, that...'magic energy' we were told about reinforces all the cells in her body to whatever the G-forces are as they shift...and to impossible levels at that!"

"What sort of impossible levels?" the supervisor asked flatly.

"From half a G to 300 as fast as the machine can make the shift."

The supervisor's eyes narrowed.  "That's impossible."

"That's what I thought, but-"

"No, it's impossible," the supervisor repeated with a different tone, "and it didn't happen.  You misread the dials."  Reaching forward, he pressed the button to put the test chamber into cool down.  "Understand?  Just mark her down as not needing implants, and that's it."

"G-got it," the examiner agreed, making the appropriate markings.

Sunset stepped out of the machine as it came to a halt.  "Is that it?" she asked in confusion.  "I thought I was going to experience some G-forces.  I was listening to music while I waited for you to turn the thing on."

"She...she didn't notice..." the examiner began.

The supervisor stepped up quickly.  "Oh, don't worry about it," he said quickly as he guided her towards the exit.  "We can see you're as tough as they come, and won't need any implants for the lessons."

"Well that's good," Sunset stated happily.  "So I passed?"

"Passed?" the supervisor said expansively as they left the chamber.  "You made an Academy record!"

"Well that's...nice?" Sunset offered as she turned to head to her class.

Neither of them noticed an Avian standing around the corner, or her fists clenching.





Sunset smiled as she made it to her locker, settling her books for her other courses inside it as she checked to see what she'd need aside from her ACSU suit for flight lessons.  Seeing that she wouldn't need anything else today, she made to close her locker.

"You must be pretty smug after breaking my record," a harsh voice growled out behind her.

Sighing, Sunset closed her locker and turned around.  She found herself facing an Avian about her age, maybe a couple of years older at most.  She was wearing a brown flight jacket with grey belts bound shut, blue leggings, and thick black boots with metal braces showing her implants.  What could be seen of her feathers were cyan, save for her head and tail feathers which went through the seven colors of the rainbow in regular patterns.  Her magenta eyes glared straight into Sunset's emerald ones.  "Can I...help you?" she asked bluntly.

The Avian's fist slammed into the locker next to Sunset.  "Let's get one thing straight, Newbie," she growled out angrily.  "Everyone around here knows I'm the toughest student and the fastest pilot in the Academy, and no genetically gifted newcomer is going to come along and unseat that, understand?"  The way she said 'genetically gifted' made it an insult.  "I earned my place here, and I'm not about to be overshadowed just 'cuase you've got connections.  So are we going to get along nicely...or is there going to be trouble?"

"You know, I think that punch hurt you more than me or the locker," Sunset countered flippantly, unwilling to take any guff just for being new, magical, or connected.  She was going to get other students to take her seriously as a student, and this seemed like a good place to start.  "You may be tough and fast, but it looks like you need to work on your aim-"

With a snarl of fury, the Avian's other fist went straight for Sunset's face, but she shifted around it so the blow hit the locker again even as she lifted her leg to strike out with her hoof.  The Avian turned side-on to the blow, but winced at the impact before pulling her fist back and catching Sunset's mane, trying to throw her to the ground...only to get pulled down as well.

The struggle was quickly in earnest as the pair of girls tumbled back and forth, trading punches, kicks, knees, elbows, claws, pecks, headbutts, and bites.  The Avian also went for more grabs at hair and limb...but quickly learned that grabbing at Sunset's horn meant sticking her hand into an open flame and didn't attempt so more than twice.  Her eyes also showed more confusion and less aggression when she realized that was the only time Sunset countered in any way other than physical...and that Sunset was grinning ear to ear.  Before long, the Avian was grinning as well.

Without warning, a massive bear pulled the pair apart.  "How many times is it now, Prismaya?" he snapped out.  "How many times am I going to have to drag you to the Headmaster over this?"

"Up yours!" the Avian - Prismaya, apparently - snapped out as she struggled.  Sunset simply rolled her eyes.  At least her Uncle Birdy would be proud of her getting into trouble on her first day.





The Headmaster glowered across his desk.  "So what's your excuse this time, Prismaya?  Bumped into you 'maliciously'?  Was she being a bully on her first day?  Did she sit in your seat?"

"Tsk!" Prismaya huffed disdainfully.

"You've been getting a lot of leeway regarding your aggressive behavior because of your talent," the Headmaster continued with a glower.  "Heaven knows those slotted into the Accelerated Programs are eccentric by definition.  But this time it has political implications.  Assaulting an ambassador...that's a suspension minimum, and without an acceptable explanation, expulsion!  So what do you have to say for yourself?"

Prismaya's eyes widened as her face paled.  "P-please sir, i-it's not what-"

"It's my fault, sir," Sunset spoke up swiftly, catching the attention of both of the others.

"Ex...cuse me?" the Headmaster asked in confusion.

"It's my fault," Sunset explained calmly.  "I started the fight."

The Headmaster blinked several times, not noticing Prismaya's beak dropping open in shock.  "...why?"

"She approached aggressively to confront me regarding breaking one of her records," Sunset explained.  "Her movements, tone, and actions were exceptionally similar to the Lightfoot Tribe's Dominance Challenge, and after spending years among them I reacted to it automatically.  Prismaya only fought back."

The Headmaster glanced back towards Prismaya, who quickly schooled her expression to make it seem like she wasn't surprised by this at all.  Sighing, he turned back to Sunset.  "Well, I have no choice to take your word for it, Sunset...but you aren't on Dinosaur Planet anymore, and casual fighting in the halls isn't permitted."

"Understood sir," Sunset agreed.  "It won't happen again."

"See that it-"

"Next time I'll drag her to the gym first."

Prismaya quickly clamped her hands over her beak to keep from bursting into laughter, while the Headmaster brought one hand to his face.  "...really, Sunset?" he asked ruefully.

"Well, it does have a ring," Sunset pointed out logically.

The Headmaster's other hand joined the first.  "...very well.  I'll consider this matter closed.  Now stop by the medical wing if you feel you need treatment, then get to class."

Sunset stood up and headed out.  She'd only gone a few feet out the door when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"H-hey," Prismaya offered nervously.  "T-thanks for taking the heat for me there."

Sunset shrugged.  "No problem."

"Why'd you lie like that for me, anyway?" the colorful Avian inquired.  "I mean, we just met and I tried to intimidate you and then beat you up-"

"The only thing I lied about was who threw the first punch," Sunset pointed out.  "And if you'd kept the trash talk going, my next counter would have been 'I don't have time for this' and blacking your eye."

Prismaya blinked in surprise, then let out a cackle of laughter.  "Heh, I was wrong about you, Fire-Head.  You're tougher than you look."

"You're not so bad yourself, Prismaya," Sunset offered easily.  "If you promise to keep your hands off my horn, I wouldn't mind finishing that fight in the ring sometime."

Prismaya grinned widely.  "You're on!" she agreed with a punch on Sunset's arm, making them both wince.  "Just one thing, though.  My friends call me Pris."

Sunset grinned in response.  "I'll keep that in mind...Pris."

Pris waved easily as she headed for the medical wing.  "See you in class, Fire-Head!"











Pris has joined Team Shimmer



> Patching Things Up
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset groaned and rubbed her arm as she made her way to her first Field Medicine class.  Pris had taken her up on the invitation for a rematch in the gym - repeatedly - and they'd been sparring in every free moment when they weren't working on assignments for their classes.  At least Pris had helped Sunset go over the workbooks for Ar-Wing Arwing controls and maintenance, as well as correcting a long-held mistake of how it was written.  Not that it was her fault, considering she'd only ever heard it spoken and it sounded like there was a pause there.

She firmly pushed that thought aside.  Helping Pris with her other assignments had made her feel less of an idiot in that regard, so at least Pris respected her learning in that regard.  Still, she was starting to feel the bruises from their sparring, no matter how tough growing up on Dinosaur Planet and fighting Dinosaurs - and the war against General Scales - had made her, but she refused to use her magic to heal them unless she could do the same for Pris, and she couldn't think of a way to make that offer without making herself or Pris sound weak-

"Yo, Fire-Head!"

Wincing at the volume and the rather heavy blow her left ear flap had taken towards the end of the sparring, Sunset turned with a smile at that call.  Pris was running up towards her, towing a Lagomorph - a member of Grandpa Peppy's species - behind her.  The poor bunny girl had yellow fur, pink hair, blue eyes, and was trying to hide behind Pris while looking like she would bolt at any moment.  She had the same braces on her legs as Pris, showing she had G-Diffusion implants, but rather than full boots she went barefoot...the only part of her other than her head that didn't have some form of armor on her.  Between that and the armored pack on her back stuffed with medical supplies, it would be easy to shrug her off as a terrified weakling...until one took a closer look and realized the pack and all its contents had to be five times her weight including the heavy armor she was wearing, which easily had to outweigh her on her own...and it didn't seem to be slowing her down at all.

If she shed all that armor and pack, she might outrun Pris, Sunset thought to herself as the pair approached.  "Hey Pris!" she called out.  "Who's this?"  To her surprise, the bunny seemed to calm and relax the moment Sunset addressed the Avian.  Remembering what she'd been told, she continued, "Friend of yours?"

"Yeah, this is Faris," Pris explained, pushing the bunny forward.  "She's the reason I haven't spent half my time at the Academy in the medical wing.  Figured if you felt anything like I did this morning, you'd want her to take a look at you, too."

"Oh my goodness!" Faris suddenly gasped out as she caught sight of the bruising around Sunset's ear, hopping onto the nearest cabinet to get a better angle as she pulled supplies out of her pack.  "Pris, what did you do to her?"

Sunset rolled her eyes.  "Hey, I gave as good as I got.  I'm sure you saw what Pris looked like after-"

"She looks like that after every weekend, one way or another," Faris countered flatly as she started treatment.

"I won't pull my punches or kicks next match then," Sunset teased, though she didn't have much fire in it.  She was too busy trying to figure out how Faris was maintaining her balance without breaking the cabinet she was standing on when more than half the weight of her, her armor, and her pack had to be overbalanced.

"You'd better not, Fire-Head!" Pris countered smugly.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Sunset asked finally.  "I mean, I've got no problems with nicknames, but what's the point of calling me one longer than my real name?"

"Because Fire-Head suits you better!" Pris countered.  "It's a real warrior's name!  'Sunset Shimmer' makes me feel like I'm talking to an exotic dancer or something-"

"W-what?" Sunset yelped as her cheeks pinked.  Faris' cheeks weren't far behind.

"I mean, not that you don't have the body for it-"

"Pris!" Sunset cried out in an embarrassed squawk - an actual squawk, as she'd picked up that particular sound reaction from the Cloudrunners - as her cheeks burned brightly.

"-but I don't wanna feel like I should be waving credits every time I try to get your attention," Pris finished with a cheeky grin.  "Hey, could you make sure Faris actually makes it to her Field Medicine class today?  I'm already running late to my other classes, and she's missed three classes without me to get her there already.  Later!"  With that and a wave, she dashed away.

Sunset groaned, burying her face in her hands.  "By the Eclipse..." she groaned, using an oath she'd learned by accident from Tricky's father that she felt was appropriate.

"Pris is always like that," Faris admitted comfortingly.  "It wasn't until I got the breastplate for my armor that she stopped making comments like that about me."  She tapped the piece in question, drawing attention to both how it protected her and hid any sort of physical definition in terms of her figure.

"Huh," Sunset murmured thoughtfully.  "I'd look into getting one for myself, but I've already been in the news wearing less than this...Krazoa droppings, if Pris sees one of those pics..."  She buried her face in both hands.

"Oh, it can't be that bad-" Faris began, only for Sunset to call up one of the images in question - of her mid-combat in her focus outfit - on her wrist unit.  Her eyes widened in shock.  "Oh...my..."

"On the one hand, more teasing along the lines of just now if she sees pictures like this," Sunset groaned to herself.  "On the other hand, she might actually call me by my real name, and I'm not sure that would be an improvement...how do you put up with all that?"

"Because she's worth it," Faris replied readily as she hopped off the cabinet, checking Sunset over for other injuries.  "Sure, she's a bit crass and doesn't really have a filter, but there's no meanness or cruelty in her when she does, it's just how she was raised."

"Yeah, I'll believe that," Sunset muttered, remembering just how often 'Uncle Birdy' had almost forgotten to censor his speech around her.

"Because of that she doesn't have many friends, but she's one of the best friends you could hope to have," Faris continued calmly.  "I know that for sure.  A military Academy isn't...exactly a friendly place for an avowed pacifist..."

"Had some problems with that, I take it?" Sunset asked softly.

"Not since Pris put five students four years older than me who thought they'd have some 'fun' with me in the ICU while disrupting an Assembly in the process," Faris continued with a soft smile.  "While it was amazing for her to stand up for me like that...I don't think it was good for the Headmaster's heart based on the shade of purple he turned..."

Sunset managed a snicker.  "Wish I'd seen that.  Don't suppose it wound up on Starvid?"

"Look it up under the heading 'Rainbow Smash' later," Faris explained with a giggle.

Sunset smiled widely as she gave Faris another look.  She was certainly calm and relaxed when acting as a Medic, but it did raise the question of why someone who was an avowed Pacifist would enroll in a Military Academy to begin with.  Then again, Grandpa Peppy had talked a bit about his family...  "How much of your family's in the military?" she asked pointedly.

Faris let out a startled yelp, jumping a bit...though her hands didn't shift from the medicine she was applying.  "...that obvious?" she asked quietly.

"Grandpa Peppy told me a bit about his family, and the expectations in Lagomorph culture," Sunset explained calmly.

Sighing, Faris nodded.  "Becoming a Medic was the only way I could get military service like the rest of my family without hurting anyone," she explained as she stood upright, brushing her hands off.  "How's that?"

Sunset blinked in surprise.  She'd been so involved in the conversation that she'd lost track of the work Faris was doing.  She shifted her limbs a bit, surprised to not even have any lingering soreness.  "Wow!" she declared in amazement.  "Even the healing magic I've learned isn't this effective!  You've got to teach me a few things."

"Oh, I'm not that good-" Faris began.

"Nonsense!" Sunset insisted, throwing an arm companionably around Faris' shoulders.  "You've got a real talent here, and I'm not seeing it squandered under false modesty!  I'm going to pump you for every trick I can apply to my magic...and then I'm gonna teach you the magic I know so you can apply it to medicine!"

"O...okay," Faris offered nervously, though her smile was relaxed.  "Umm, my class is-"

"I know, I've got it too," Sunset replied as she guided Faris towards the Field Medicine class.

"You do?" Faris gasped in surprise.  "But...if you're in Arwing piloting-"

"The only five accelerated courses that don't have schedule conflicts," Sunset interrupted with a smirk, "making it one of the only courses the Academy has left to teach me."

Faris stared at her for a time...then burst into giggles.









Faris has joined Team Shimmer



> Fashion Forward
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset had a lot to think about as she headed for her Extra-Stellar Astro-Navigation class, a course designed to teach applicants how to navigate through space without the usual shortcuts used for maneuvering in the Lylat System, both to allow more unique maneuvers within the System and to prepare them for navigation beyond its limits.  While the class itself interested her for all sorts of reasons beyond simply learning for learning's sake, other things were more prominent on her mind.

She was still sparring quite frequently with Pris, and being treated by Faris after the fact.  As nice as it was to be interacting with friends her own age...Pris had seen the pictures.  Thankfully, Pris only treated it like a joke, teasing her about 'fitting her name' whenever they sparred to goad Sunset into hitting back harder.  Otherwise, Pris still called her 'Fire-Head' and treated her like a friend and a fighter.  While a relief in that regard, it had spread the knowledge of those pictures wider than Sunset had hoped, and now she had several guys - and girls - throughout the school hitting on her in awkwardly unwelcome manners...the worst of which being one of Faris' brothers who thought he was a ladies' man but had a terminal case of foot-in-mouth and head-up-ass disease.  It had been a relief when Faris had given Sunset permission to deal with him physically, since he was apparently tough enough to take it even if he had no skill in fighting back.

Casting those thoughts out of her head, she tried to focus on her upcoming class...but the train of thought continued, leading her back to what Faris had talked about regarding her breastplate.  She doubted a change to her wardrobe to be less form-fitting - or at least more modest in some other way - would fix her present issues now that the pictures were out there, but at least then the guys trying to flirt with her would be looking in her eyes instead of elsewhere and might catch the signs she wanted them to back off.  Not that there was a chance of being able to alter her ACSU suit.  Slippy had needed Shabunga's help to make it work, and the shopkeeper had been conspicuously absent ever since Sunset had enrolled in the Academy.  Tink had refused to comment, though she'd taken up residence in the shop whenever she was planetside.

Finally shaking those thoughts out of her head, Sunset focused on the actual class coming up.  She had reasons for wanting to learn to maneuver outside the Lylat system beyond just learning all she could.  She'd managed to get details - from asking questions and hacking into her father's journals - about her origins, and knew she'd come through some sort of wormhole.  That meant the wormhole, if she found it, would be one way back...but she wanted to see if she could find another.  A world as strongly magical as she was...what could it be like?

As she reached the classroom, she saw she was quite early.  At first glance, it looked like she was the only student there...until she caught sight of a flash of laser fire around the corner of the classroom.  Curious, she followed the flash of light with her magic gathered ready to create energy shields, and discovered that the classroom was divided almost in two with a narrow path at one edge.  As she reached that path, she heard a purring voice on the other side.

"No...still not quite accurate enough...I think I need to tweak the weave a bit morrrre..."

Stepping around, Sunset blinked in surprise as she caught sight of what was obviously a workshop of some sort.  Scattered about were diagrams, holo-displays, mechanical components, and a great deal of fabric.  In the center of the room was a Felinoid with a rather fetching clouded coat pattern, a cascade of purple curls falling down the back of her head to cover her neck.  She was clad in what looked like a simple combination of blue blouse with violet skirt and boots, but all of her clothing gave off an odd silvery, metallic sheen as she moved, a laser pistol in one hand as she stared at fabric piled on the desk at the other side of the room.  "I know I got this to worrrk beforrre..." she growled under her breath, her gaze turning from the fabric to a wide burn mark on the near wall.

"Got what to work?" Sunset asked curiously.

The young woman spun, raising her weapon instinctively and pulling the trigger.  Sunset deployed her shield, which deflected the laser fire back towards the stranger, only for it to deflect off her fluttering skirt as the silver sheen passed over, sending the laser into the wall for a focused burn mark.

"See!" the woman snapped angrily at her skirt.  "It works just fine here, but-"  She hesitated as she got a better look at who she'd just fired on.  "Oh...Ambassador Shimmer...oh dear, I'm terribly sorry, I-"

"How did your skirt deflect laser fire?" Sunset demanded eagerly, completely disregarding that she was just fired upon.  Ducking down, she took a closer look at the fabric, once more catching sight of the odd silvery sheen.  "Reflective properties?  Some sort of metallic fabric?"

"Oh, nothing so gauche," the Felinoid corrected with a chuckle.  "A little experiment of mine, Diffusion Weave.  Puts the properties of the G-Diffusion system into fabric and metal with any number of properties.  In this case, a wave of the fabric deflects incoming fire just like the so-called 'barrel roll' in an Arwing."  Her glower returned as she turned back to the pile of fabric on her desk.  "But for some reason, my attempts at duplicating the effect has only created a diffuse energy flash when hit by laser fire."  She held up the colorless fabric, shifting it so the silvery sheen caught the light.  "I can't for the life of me figure out what-"

"Did you test it before coloring it when you made the skirt?" Sunset asked curiously.  "Laser fire is focused light, so the change in reflective wavelength might have something to do with the altered diffusion..."  Her statement was greeted by silence, and she turned back to see the other young woman's crystal blue eyes staring at her in a mix of shock and dismay.  "Uhh...?"

"I can't believe I overlooked something so simple!" she snapped, gathering up some colored fabric and testing it with her laser pistol.  When it reflected just like her skirt, she pumped her fist.  "Yes!  I told them it wasn't just a fluke, and Diffusion Weave could be used in fabric just as well as armor!"

"Armor..."  Sunset's eyes widened as she put things together quickly.  "You made Faris' armor, didn't you?  And that's how she can brace on a cabinet with that much weight on her without crushing it!  Is the Diffusion reducing the weight she's carrying, too?"

"Oh, you noticed!" the woman purred.  "Yes, the poor dear was struggling just to function between her pacifism and, shall we say, natural appeal?  And no, much to my surprise, I not only wasn't able to make the effect reduce the weight on her own muscles, I didn't have to.  She's just naturally that strong, somehow.  A pity she's a pacifist, or those boys would have learned their lesson right away."

"How'd you come up with this, anyway?" Sunset asked as she picked up some of the uncolored fabric, examining it with her magic.

"Oh, I've always had a way with things like this," the woman explained.  "Though I got into it when I was first being measured for those ghastly implants.  I mean really, as advanced as technology's gotten and the best we can do for balancing biology and speed is to stick bulky machines in our legs?  I wanted to make uniforms that did that instead...though that's still a ways off."  Lifting her leg, she twisted the top of her right boot.  The hiss and clink of machinery could be heard, and she slipped it off, showing numerous manipulators inside and how the fur on that part of the leg was oddly matted.  "This is the closest I've come, and it's still just brute forcing the problem.  The only difference between this and the implants is that it isn't a part of me, completely modular.  Not exactly the elegant solution I was aiming for..."

"Still quite a bit more advanced," Sunset commented as she examined it carefully.  "I can tell it's creating an isolated G-Diffusion field in your legs to prevent the G-Force damage that G-Diffusor failure would cause."  She carefully examined the mechanics inside.  "These seem to mostly be about restricting the field to your legs, to keep it contained and balanced.  I don't suppose you've considered making it a full bodysuit, containing the field in the fabric and helmet?"

"Oh, I tried," the Felinoid brooded as she pulled over a schematic.  "But I couldn't manage to stabilize the power source-"

"Plug it into the Arwing," Sunset interrupted easily.  "Or design the larger ships to have an ambient power source that it taps into automatically.  It's how the Great Fox works now, and how my suit works."

"Speaking of, I had been wondering about it," the young designer observed calmly.  "As fetching as it is and working well with your color pattern, the circuitry...dare I hope it's functional?"

Sunset smiled widely.  "My body generates a large amount of magical energy.  In a non-magic environment, that caused issues with feedback."  She tapped the suit on one of the glowing blue circuits.  "This absorbs the excess to simulate a magic environment to deal with those issues."

"Amazing!" the woman purred as she ran her fingers over the fabric.  "If I could study its workings and combine it with the Diffusion Weave-"

Sunset caught her hand as her fingers started to move somewhere a little less comfortable.  "I won't say 'buy me dinner first', but could I at least get your name?" she asked teasingly.

A blush colored the Felinoid's cheeks under her fur.  "I take it you know Pris, too?" she groaned.  Seeing Sunset smirk, she shook her head.  "Though do forgive my forwardness, and my rudeness.  I am Raquel, and it's a pleasure to meet you."  She held her hand out to shake hands.

Sunset happily accepted the gesture.  "If you like, I've got some spare of the material we can work on.  I'd love to see if I could adapt this Diffusion Weave to it."

"I thought you'd never ask, Darrrling," Raquel purred, pulling over her schematics.  "We've got a while before class starts yet..."









Raquel has joined Team Shimmer



> A Bucking Good Time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Much to Raquel's frustration, attempting to bind the Diffusion Weave to the ACSU fabric directly proved impossible, as the Diffusion effect interfered with the system's ability to absorb the ambient magical energy Sunset released automatically.  To Sunset's surprise, however, applying a Diffusion Weave coat over top her ACSU suit worked just fine, and allowed the Diffusion Weave to draw power directly from her suit.  Functionally, it was exactly the same as making a fabric that was a mix, without any of the technical issues.  They'd tested the result, and Sunset was now able to deflect laser fire off any part of her suit, and was even able to direct it by the movements of her body.  However, seeing Sunset kick a laser away had led to an interesting hypothesis: did the Diffusion Weave also reduce the force of physical impacts in this configuration?

Raquel was unable to bring an appropriate level of physical force to test the hypothesis, so Sunset intended to test it out next time she sparred with Pris.  The opportunity would present itself sooner rather than later, as the next class Sunset was heading to was Mixed Martial Arts, another class she shared with her.  She knew how hard Pris could hit and how that felt, so it would give a good measure of how well the Diffusion Weave worked at reducing the force of physical impacts, or at least how well it held up to it if it didn't reduce it.

As Sunset reached the gym where the class was held, she took another look around.  While she'd been here several times before sparring with Pris, this was the first time there'd been anyone beyond herself, Pris, and Faris there.  With the lights turned up, she could see the variable G exercise equipment scattered about, with each set designed for the musculature of the different sapient races of the Lylat System, which was a much larger variety than she'd first assumed based on her classes alongside Faris.  Even the races that had similar builds had different muscular systems based on their native environments and dietary habits.  As such, 'basic physical education' was a much more complex class at the Academy than at homeworld schools.  However, before she could focus too much on any of that, her attention was drawn to the center of the gym...and the Ring.

At first glance it was just an ordinary boxing ring, until one looked close.  The controls were to one side, and could be used to alter the configuration of the floor, gravitational effects, and even the environment of the ring itself.  One could fight in the standard flat arrangement, atop mountain peaks, in zero gravity, in a high pressure electrical storm, and anything in between right in the Ring.  Admittedly, only the teachers had the clearance to access the controls, so all of Sunset and Pris' sparring sessions had been in the standard arrangement, but she'd always been eager to see what it was like to fight in the other simulated environments.

At present, much to her disappointment, the Ring was in its standard arrangement.  Much to her surprise, Pris was one of the combatants in the Ring...and she was losing.  Her opponent was a Lupoid - a member of Wolf O'Donnel's species - female with an orange coat, blonde hair, bright green eyes, and an odd white freckle pattern on the fur of her cheeks.  She was garbed in an overall-design green-and-blue flight suit, heavy metal boots, fingerless work gloves that exposed her claws, and a cowboy hat of all things.  Despite Pris' phenomenal speed in the Ring, the orange wolf simply shifted slightly to avoid each incoming attack or redirect it, and frequently countered with heavy blows where Pris wasn't expecting.  Sunset quickly rushed down towards the Ring, hoping she could cheer Pris on-

"Don't bother," Faris suddenly whispered to her from nearby.  "Jacqueline there is the reason I have to patch Pris up every weekend.  No matter how hard Pris tries, she's never managed to land a blow on her."

Sunset glanced at Faris.  "It can't be that bad, can-"

A sudden howl cut off Sunset's words, and Pris came crashing down between Sunset and Faris.  "...ow..." she moaned out ruefully.

Sighing, Faris knelt down and began treating her injuries.  "Why do you keep doing this?" she asked ruefully.  "You're already the top pilot in the year, why do you keep trying to get top fighter?  How many times do you think I can patch you back together?"

"She's not...so tough..." Pris growled angrily, trying to push herself up only for Faris to pin her down.

"Ya really oughta stay down, suga'," Jacqueline said as she leaned over the edge of the Ring with a smirk.  "Next time ah might not pull mah punches so hard."

"Why you!" Pris snarled, trying to get to her feet.

"Hey, take it easy," Jacqueline pointed out with a wolfish smile.  "Ya lasted a full minute longer than last week.  Whoever ya been sparrin' with must be pretty darn good."

"Thanks for the compliment," Sunset offered with a grin of her own.

Jacqueline's grin widened, showing off her sharp teeth.  "Well now...think ye can last longer than yer friend?"

"You never know," Sunset offered as she felt her blood beginning to race.  "But I bet I can get that hat off you."

"Bring it on!" Jacqueline countered as she leapt back into the Ring, taking a ready stance.

Pris sent Sunset a wicked grin.  "Take her down a peg, Fire-Head," she hissed out eagerly.

Grinning back, Sunset leapt into the Ring, landing in a basic ready stance from standard martial art forms.  Nearby, the teacher shook his head.  "Fine, another grudge match," he grumbled.  "Why did I agree to teach this class...begin!"

Sunset and Jacqueline immediately closed the distance, their fists and feet lashing out as they sought holes in each others defenses.  For a full minute, neither managed to land a blow on the other that wasn't deflected.  At the end of the minute, Jacqueline pulled back, a smug grin on her face as she relaxed her fists, curling her claws for combat.  Seeing her arms outside the standard guard position, Sunset lunged forward to take advantage of the momentary hole in her defenses...but something was off.

Without being certain why, Sunset lashed out with a wide kick instead of a straight punch.  Jacqueline's eyes widened as she ducked under it, scampering back for more room.  Seeing the hole again, Sunset lunged forward...and this time she saw what was wrong.  There...were there two Jacquelines?  One more visible than the other?  Acting on the thought, she lashed out with her other fist...and snatched Jacqueline's hat off her head as she ducked under the strike.

Jacqueline blinked in surprise as she saw Sunset twirling her hat on her hand.  "Well now," she murmured in awe, "been a while since anyone saw through the Wolf Shadow."  She got back upright, loosening herself up as she changed stances, shifting to a wider stance that had her lower to the ground.

"You'll have to teach me how it works," Sunset observed calmly as she plopped the hat on her own head before getting back into her stance.  "Never seen anything like it."

"And ye won't again," Jacqueline responded before dashing forward, her claws leading the strike.

Sunset stepped back, trying to evade, but the claws slashed across her belly.  Seeing the metallic sheen briefly, she was relieved to learn the Diffusion Weave kept the claws from slicing through her ACSU suit.  To her surprise, the force of the strike sent her flying back into the edge of the Ring.  She braced herself there, taking a few breaths.  It didn't actually hurt, but it had taken the wind out of her.

"Heh, you can take a hit good, too," Jacqueline observed with a smirk.

Bracing herself, Sunset stepped forward.  "Let's see how well you take one," she growled out as she shifted her own stance.  She braced her legs firmly, and held her arms up with her fingers brought together to a point.  This was her Dinosaur Stance, taking the combat styles of the Earthwalkers, Cloudrunners, and Lightfoot and blending them together into her own style.

Jacqueline raised an eyebrow.  "That's different," she murmured before dashing forward.

Seeing the strike coming, Sunset leaned forward into it to throw off Jacqueline's point of aim.  Her right hand lashed forward and caught the extended arm like a beak between pinched fingertips.  The other hand lashed out like a tusk and jabbed hard into Jacqueline's side.  With a grunt, Jacqueline spun free of the bind.  "It's effective," Sunset replied eagerly.

Jacqueline panted a bit, then grinned widely.  "Is that so?" she growled, her fur beginning to move oddly despite the absence of any air currents.

"Looks like you've got one last trick to pull," Sunset murmured as the visible circuits of her ACSU suit glowed brighter, showing she was focusing her magical energy into her own body.

"Let's see if yours can stand up ta it," Jacqueline replied eagerly.  Shifting her stance wider, she tilted her head back, flung out her arms, and howled.  The air around her seemed to vibrate, and Sunset tensed as she felt strong spiritual energy being focused into Jacqueline's body.  When the howl ended, Jacqueline lunged forward...and two shadowy images of her lunged outward from her to come at Sunset from the sides.

Seeing the three pronged strike coming, Sunset closed her eyes and sank into her magic, feeling for the physical threat.  As she'd thought, two of the images coming towards her were made up of pure spiritual energy, tied through blood and...something else to Jacqueline.  While they could strike her physically, any counter strike of her own would pass right through her.  The real Jacqueline was the only one she could physically counterattack, and she was...

Behind!

Spinning around, Sunset left herself open to the visible attacks as she brought her 'tusks' down and caught Jacqueline at the neck and navel, just as Jacqueline's claws closed around her own throat and the images halted at her ankles and belly, like the hunting strikes of a wolf pack.

Jacqueline grinned up at Sunset as she felt the sharp points her 'tusks' shaped around her hands.  "And here ah thought Pris was the only one here who could gimme a workout worthwhile," she chuckled.  As they both relaxed, Jacqueline took her hat back and plopped it on her own head.  "We need to face off again sometime.  Next time, ah won't hold back at all."

"In that case, neither will I, Jacqueline," Sunset replied.

Grinning eagerly, Jacqueline took Sunset's forearm in her hand.  "Call me Jackie," she corrected warmly.

Sunset returned the grip.  "Sunset."









Jacqueline has joined Team Shimmer



> Life of the Party
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset sat back in her desk, struggling to pay attention in her latest class.  This was the last of the specialty accelerated courses she had elected to take, Cultural Interchange.  This was specifically to train potential ambassadors in interpreting cultural mores and understanding the details of the various cultures of the Lylat system and how that influenced individual and group behavior, as well as how it could be applied to analyzing a brand new culture, should such be discovered.  After her Immersive History lessons with Uncle Birdy, she'd thought this would be an excellent class to take and get her involved.  Unfortunately, a few things were getting in the way of this.

First, a couple hours before class she'd indulged herself in a three-way sparring session with Pris and Jackie.  While exhilarating and intense, exactly the sort of workout she'd hoped for in a free-for-all with fighters of their skill...it had also been physically taxing and exhausting.  Even all of Faris' medical treatment couldn't cure the enervation without the use of stimulants, which Faris was unwilling to use on Sunset without a prescription or pressing emergency as her inner biology still wasn't fully understood.

Second, rather than the immersive approach Uncle Birdy had taken with her once he realized she was bored with book learning for History, the class was starting out with a series of lectures.  While she was certain lectures could be enthralling - the ones in the Field Medicine class certainly were, as they were always accompanied by visual or tactile immersion on the discussed subject - the teacher seemed to be going out of his way to make it as dull and sleep inducing as possible.  She really wanted to lean on the part of intentional for some reason, as anything else felt like inappropriate speciest profiling.  Then again, he was a Slothian...

Third, the cultures being covered in the first few lectures - in the vein of understanding new cultures - were those of Dinosaur Planet as their influence was finally expanding beyond their home planet.  Apparently, the leaders of that world were now considering sending their children to learn at the Academy, and 'there was already an Ambassador in attendance'.  Now, she could easily push herself to be interested in what someone else had to say about Dinosaur Planet's culture just for a new point of view...but the lecture material was being drawn straight from the report she filed to denote her understanding of the planet's cultures to prove she was qualified to act as their Ambassador in a political standing, rather than just having Diplomatic Immunity without real reason.

Fourth, the poodle girl behind and to the left of her was groaning quite loudly, which was really distracting.  To try and overcome at least one of these distractions, she turned her attention to her to see what her problem was.  The girl was a very bright pink in coat, hair, and tail, and both hair and tail were so thickly curled that the only reason they couldn't be dubbed an afro was they seemed to move as though they had a life of their own.  Someone had obviously made some attempt to tame them, as Sunset could see a few broken comb teeth...being actively devoured by the hair around them.  She wished that was an exaggeration, but one tooth was being subsumed and absorbed even as she watched.  Shuddering, she turned her attention lower.

Like everyone else she'd seen at the Academy in the accelerated courses, she was wearing a flight suit that had been personalized into a style.  Hers was a bright blue top, yellow skirt and gloves, and weighted boots.  She could tell they were weighted because they audibly clunked when she tapped one against the other when she sighed.  She had bright blue eyes and pure white teeth, and her overall face seemed far more expressive than musculature and physics should allow, as it was currently drawn into an almost cartoonishly exaggerated expression of boredom and frustration.  However, the moment she noticed Sunset looking at her, she sprang up into a happy smile that seemed wider than her whole face and gave Sunset a friendly wave.

"Is there something you want to share with the class, Miss Rocksalt?" the teacher spoke up, slowly and concisely.

"Ugh!" the poodle girl snapped.  "I've asked for everyone to call me Diane!  And this class isn't at all what I thought it was.  I was expecting immersion!  Understanding!  Intrigue!  But this is borrrrrring, bee oh sextuple arr ing!"

"That is not how you spell boring-"

"It is with the way you teach!" Diane barked out, setting a few titters around the class.  Sunset struggled not to let out a laugh herself.

The teacher frowned.  "Diane Rocksalt, General's granddaughter or no, you need to behave yourself in class, especially when we're discussing the Ambassador's adoptive culture when she's in class with us."

"She looks just as bored as I am!" Diane pointed out, gesturing to Sunset.

Sunset squirmed a bit as attention turned to her.  "To be fair," she explained a trifle sheepishly, "I wrote the report you're teaching from, and I was required to make it as dryly anthropological as possible...I think just to prove I could."

"...I see," the teacher observed flatly.  "Would you say it is still accurate?"

Sunset shrugged.  "As...accurate as a report like that can be?"

"I knooooowwww!" Diane groaned out expressively as she threw her hands up in despair.  "The only people those super sciency reports interest are the super sciency people who like to pick apart meanings they don't actually understand in someone else's culture to point out just how 'backward' they are compared to themselves so they can feel smarter and superior!  How is that supposed to teach us to be diplomatic?"

"Well, you're certainly off to a great start," the teacher deadpanned, which set Diane - and much of the rest of the class, Sunset included - into fits of laughter.

"I don't want to hear what some Doc says other Docs should think about another culture!" Diane pointed out despairingly.  "I want to hear from someone who's lived it how it feels to be a part of it!  If we're gonna talk to someone who isn't us, how are we supposed to communicate what we need to say if we don't know what it's like to be them?  Isn't that what diplomacy is about?  Getting in each others' shoes so you can communicate properly and solve problems?"

The teacher stared at Diane for a time, then glanced away.  "...ideally..." he allowed ruefully.

"So let's do that instead!" Diane spoke up eagerly, spinning in her desk to face Sunset...from in front of her, somehow.  The student who had been sitting there blinked a few times, then shrugged it off in their new seat.  "Come on, Sunny!" Diane pleaded hopefully.  "We were just going into that Solstice Celebration with all the dancing...what's it like to be there?  What's it feel like?  What's it really mean?"

Sunset swallowed nervously before glancing at the teacher.

The teacher shrugged.  "By all means, Ambassador Shimmer," he allowed.  "If we are studying your material anyway, we may as well hear it straight from you."

Smiling, Sunset stood up and moved to the front of the class so she could face everyone, Diane's energy seeming to be infectious as she - and the whole class - got a bit more energized.  She was somehow unsurprised to find Diane having relocated herself to the front row without standing up.  She'd have to ask General Pepper about his granddaughter and her...odd abilities.  She didn't sense any active magic, or any spiritual energy like she had with Jackie, but one never knew.

Facing the class, she glanced through what she'd written of the celebration...and frowned in distaste.  "Okay, first off...forget what I wrote here."  She tossed the papers aside.  "I had to write it to satisfy stuffy anthropologists and politicos, and despite the documented evidence of etheric fields, the slightest mention of 'magic' makes them shrug whatever you're saying off as 'primitive superstition'."  Frowning, she snapped her fingers and conjured a fire portal in the air, linking to the fires of Solaar and letting Volca stick his head through briefly to see what she was up to before pulling back as it was too cold and he started to harden, instead just looking through from the other side.  "Does this look like superstition to any of you?" she demanded a bit more intensely than she'd intended, reaching through to pet Volca to calm herself, her own magic shielding her instantly from the intense heat and his molten nature.

"I don't know about stishy, but it sure looks super!" Diane exclaimed happily as she reached through to pet Volca as well, much to Sunset and Volca's shock.  Her yellow glove seemed to glow as she pet the creature, and when she pulled back there was no heat.

Sunset blinked at that before pointing at the glove.  "Is that...Raquel's work?" she asked curiously.

"Yupper!" Diane said happily.  "The reflective properties she was working on with Diffusion Weave are new, but environmental protections are old news."

At that level, and it's 'old news', Sunset mused to herself as she waved to Volca as the portal closed.  She then turned back to the class.  "Anyway, what you need to keep in mind is that every planet has an etheric - or magical - field, as does every living creature, just from how the living energy impacts the magical.  In most cases, it isn't strong enough to manifest, so it goes unnoticed.  The field of Dinosaur Planet, however, is quite strong on that scale...so every living creature native to the planet is able to manifest some level of magical energy...and the festivals are about the tribes pooling their magic together with that of the planet.

"That's why the dances might look clumsy from an outside perspective," she continued, glad to see everyone hanging on her words.  "While each tribe has a specific base dance pattern for the festival, each individual is expected to interpret the pattern in their own way, however it best expresses their individual magic to link it to that of the planet.

"For example, the Earthwalker dance pattern involves a lot of heavy steps, and even a few jumps to shake the earth beneath," she continued, demonstrating a few of the steps as best she could, stomping her hooves as she thrust down with her arms.  "This is to 'wake' the earth to draw out its magic.  The Cloudrunners, on the other hand, have more swooping gestures..."  She made a few sweeping gestures of her arms as though striking at the wind.  "...since they link to the Air magic.  I participated a few times, but since my magic was strongest with Fire, I had to improvise a bit..."

She began demonstrating what she meant, stomping heavily with her hooves to wake the earth as she swept her arms down and up rhythmically, twirling about as she called the flames beneath.  To her surprise, she felt the weak magic of Corneria responding immediately to her call, the energies of the planet's inner fire flowing up through her hooves and out her hands.  Caught up in the flow, she continued her dance all the way through as her stomps shifted to light leaps as she called the fire higher.

She became dimly aware she wasn't the only one dancing, as she felt a different elemental energy flowing beside her.  It wasn't Fire, wasn't Earth, wasn't Air...and wasn't Water.  It was definitely elemental magic...but she couldn't recognize it.  As she let her eyes open, she saw Diane dancing beside her, her dance a mix of shuffles, spins, swoops, stomps, and shimmies as energy flowed around her before dispersing into the ether.

As the energy subsided, Sunset came to herself and realized she'd just danced in front of the entire class...an entire class that - from the stares she was getting - had seen the images of her in her focus outfit and was imagining the dance in that garb.  She struggled to suppress a growing blush-

"Wowie-zowie, you really do feel it!" Diane piped up excitedly as she glomped onto Sunset without warning.  "You gotta tell me more about this, Sunny!"

"...please take your seats and behave yourselves," the teacher instructed dryly, staring flat-eyed at the pair.

Sunset smiled sheepishly...but seeing Diane's exuberance, she couldn't really find true contrition in herself.









Diane has joined Team Shimmer



> Unexpected Assault
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sounds like you've been having a heck of a time at the Academy," Fox said calmly over the communicator.  "I don't remember getting into that much in just my first week."

"Yeah," Sunset allowed in a relaxed tone as she idly leapt from one branch to another, catching a vine to swing to another brace point as she glanced from her wrist unit to her surroundings, taking in the lush vegetation, blue waters below, and points of focus that she was keeping her eyes out for.  "Thankfully it calmed down after that...enough that I'm finally able to give you a call.  Missed talking to you, Dad."

"We missed you too, Sunset," Fox told her warmly.  There was a momentary pause.  "So...what day was it again you got hauled to the Headmaster's Office with Pris?"

"My first day," Sunset replied readily.  "Why?"

"Just making sure I got it right..." Fox answered awkwardly.

Sunset smirked.  "Uncle Birdy won the pot, huh?"

"Dammit."

"Dad!  Language!"

"Oh, like you don't say worse!"

"Saurian oaths aren't offensive once translated!"

"Why are you upset over it?"

"Because you'll ship me some ice cream in the next care package if I threaten to tell Mom."

"No dice there, she's standing right next to me."

"Dammit."

"Sunset!" Krystal scolded.  "Language!"

"Fine.  Ack-tuva."

"...that is terrible grammar."

"Hey, I'm lucky Saurian has a word for 'dam' as is."

"So that's your folks on the line, huh?" Pris asked as she dropped in from above.  While most Avians couldn't actually fly under their own power - that evolutionary line having closed in exchange for opposable thumbs - Pris could manage an impressive glide if she put her mind to it, and between that, the effects of her new Diffusion Weave garb, and the natural thermals where they were, she proved especially adept at 'Falling with style!' as Diane insisted on calling it.  "And here I thought my family could get confrontational."  While her tone showed her usual tough attitude, a hidden quiver showed she was nervous.

Sunset rolled her eyes.  "Pris, they may be celebrities and war heroes, but at home they're just parents...even if they still haven't gotten around to the wedding yet."

"We have set the date, though," Fox pointed out easily.  "Two months after you graduate."

"Oh?" Sunset asked in surprise.  "Why then?"

"As Falco puts it, enough time for you to get back from celebrating, but soon enough you won't have settled into a career yet," Krystal explained warmly, the smile audible in her voice.  

"In that case, maybe you should make it three months!" Pris joked into the comms.  "Diane will be along for the parties, after all-"

"What's this about a party?" Diane asked as she dropped out of the foliage above them.  "What theme?  Dinosaur Planet style, native, Cornerian, stellar-"

"We're talking after graduation, Diane," Sunset pointed out.

"Oh, we've got plenty of time to go over my plans for that one," Diane explained easily.  "But we should really wait until we've cleared the prophecies first.  Otherwise the plans won't make sense."  With that, she leapt from the boughs and dove into the water below without so much as a ripple, only to pop out of a hole in the ground several dozen yards away.

"...Dad?" Sunset began awkwardly.  "Next time you talk to General Pepper, can you ask about his granddaughter Diane Rocksalt?  There's something...etheric about her, I think."

"He actually asked me to pass on a message to you about her in the briefing for our latest mission," Fox explained.  "Insisted we pass it on once he realized you shared some classes."

"You mean he has an explanation for the craziness about her?" Pris asked urgently.

"No, the message was to not question it unless you're old enough to drink and have several barrels handy."

Sunset sighed ruefully.  "Well, that somehow seems...appropriate."

"What, to shrug it all off as 'It's Diane, don't question it'?" Pris asked.  "That's lame.  You know all the magic stuff, you can figure it out!"

"I'm not entirely certain it is magic," Sunset explained ruefully.

"And you should keep your voice down-whoa nelly!" Jackie screamed out, her voice going from aggressively triumphant to dismayed as her sneak attack led her right into a trap that dropped her down on one end of a large balanced log.

"That's my cue!" Pris declared as she leapt down, slamming onto the other end and sending Jackie soaring in the opposite direction.

"What's all that noise?" Fox asked in confusion.

"Live training," Sunset explained readily.  "Those at the top of their classes got to go on a field trip for simulated combat divided into teams."

"When did that happen?" Krystal demanded in shock.  "Why weren't we told?"

"What are you talking about?" Sunset asked in confusion.  "The permission slips got signed-"

"You're an Ambassador, remember?" Diane pointed out as she stuck her head out of a knot in the tree.  "That gets sent to your government to sign, not your parents."

"...oops?" Sunset offered apologetically.

There were a few groans from the other side of the line.  "So are you somewhere out in Corneria countryside, then?" Fox asked ruefully.

"No, Fortuna," Sunset answered readily.  "There's an old base here with a few Arwings and other facilities, and the environment here is perfect for these sorts of exercises, and growing up on Dinosaur Planet makes this place feel like my backyard-"

"And it's about to be ground zero for a major conflict!" Krystal insisted urgently.  "The last dregs of Andross' forces have gathered there under the leadership of his nephew, Andrew Oikonny, for a major battle against the Fleet!  That's the mission we were being debriefed on!"

"Wouldn't we know about that then?" Pris demanded in confusion.  "There'd be a message to return to base or something!  You're team leader, Sunset, didn't you get something like that?"

"...is that what the message alert I've been ignoring while on the comm with my parents is?" Sunset asked nervously as she glanced at the blinking red light on her wrist unit.

"Get to shelter, Sunset!" Krystal snapped just before communications were cut.
> Racing Danger
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset quickly sent the alert out to her friends.  "Girls, we need to get moving now!" she snapped over the comms.  "This place is about to go from live training to live battle, and we're ground zero!"
"What?" Raquel demanded as she raced up.  "How did that happen?  What's going on?"
"A battle against the last of Andross' forces!" Pris called out as everyone gathered, Faris getting there just ahead of Jackie and Diane somehow already being there.  "We need to get back to base now-yipe!"  She leapt up as the tree she was standing in unfolded into a gun placement that began firing randomly.  "That's not supposed to be there!"
"I don't think this was an accident," Sunset stated as she pulled Pris out of the tree, getting the group to ground level and ducking under an automated tank's view as it rolled by.  "Did it seem to anyone else that this field trip came out of nowhere...and has suspiciously few adult overseers?"
"Y-you think it was a trap?" Faris managed to ask.  "But why?"
"Because in addition to being in the accelerated courses, some of us also happen to have rather significant connections to the military and quasi-military forces that might be thrown against the invading force," Raquel pointed out with a growl as she rapidly began tapping on her wrist console, causing everyone's Diffusion Weave garb to shift coloration to a more camouflaged shade.  "Thus making us ideal hostages to use against General Pepper-"  She glanced at Diane.  "-or Team Star Fox."  Her glance shifted to Sunset.  "Not to mention others of rank high and low throughout the military."  Here she glanced at Faris, who ducked her head to hide under her hair.
"Then why not send in Team Star Wolf?" Pris demanded urgently.  "They may not have as stellar a rep as Star Fox, but they've gone straight and Wolf O'Donnell would love to have McCloud owing him one for saving his kid!"
"Wait, O'Donnell?" Jackie demanded in surprise.  "Dark blue and silver fur, about yea high-"  She gestured a height not much taller than herself.  "-missing his left eye?"
"Of course you know his looks, he's infamous-wait," Pris paused, turning to Jackie.  "How come it's his last name that tipped you off?"
Jackie carefully looked away.  "...no reason..." she began awkwardly.
"Other than being registered in school as 'Jaqueline O'Donnell'?" Raquel pressed gently.
"You're related to that mercenary bastard?" Pris gasped in shock.
"Hey!" Jackie snapped angrily.  "Gramps may not be choosy about jobs, but his folks were definitely hitched before he was conceived!"
Gramps? Sunset thought in surprise, finding the situation oddly humorous...a humor quickly dispelled as they were all forced to duck under further fire as the forces engaged in the skies above.  "We can talk family histories later!" she snapped out.  "Right now we need to avoid getting killed or captured and used as hostages."
"We'll have better luck on that if we can get in the air," Pris spoke up quickly, her feathers shifting as she sought familiar landmarks.
"Well that's rather obvious," Raquel complained.  "But it's not like one of us just happens to have six Arwings stashed somewhere nearby that no one knows about!"
"...back at the temp dorms, actually..." Faris offered meekly.
Everyone turned to stare at her in shock.  Sunset was the first to find her voice.  "And...how do you just happen to have six unaccounted for Arwings to stash?"
"...he may be a pervy ass most of the time, but he's also rather overprotective..."
Pris stared at her in shock.  "Faris, if we make it out of this alive, tell Zeke to join us for lunch, okay?"
"But he still needs to mind his manners while eating," Raquel insisted.
"Well, for now we need to get to the dorms while they're still standing and get in those Arwings!" Sunset insisted.  "And last I checked, that's about 30 miles that way."  She pointed through the heaviest part of the active combat, where laser fire, missiles, and bombs turned the once tranquil forest into a war zone.  "I don't suppose anyone has any ideas how to do that safely?"  She sighed as no one responded.  "...how about stupid-awesomely?" she asked desperately.
"Sorry, left my trading cards back at the dorms," Diane apologized helpfully.
Five heads rotated to stare at Diane...who was standing in front of six All Terrain Hover Cycles not unlike those Sunset had raced on back on Dinosaur Planet, each bearing a single patch in their colors among the camouflage.
Sunset shook her head ruefully.  "I really shouldn't be surprised, should I?"
"Oh dear..." Faris observed nervously as the group raced for the cycles.  "I don't know if this will work-"
"Holy shit, these things have guns!" Pris squealed excitedly as she found the targeting controls.
> War Under the Stars
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset held on tight as her hover cycle bucked under her grip, the speed being much higher than she'd anticipated and nearly twice as fast as the one she'd ridden on Dinosaur Planet.  The others were all on their own bikes around her, taking whatever paths they were most comfortable with.  She could see Pris leaping off every slope, oversized log, or ravine she could, performing various flips and stunts while in the air and firing on gun emplacements that targeted the group before landing safely and shooting off faster than before.  Raquel was dodging in and around the rest of the group, using focused fire to clear obstacles for the group or create them for the gun emplacements, occasionally tossing a small device into the mechanism of an auto-gun that caused it to target other fortifications rather than themselves.  Jackie was right out in front, triggering the turbo on her cycle to bash through any obstacles to big to shoot through, and once or twice she kicked the barrel of a turret aimed at her, causing it to bend and explode with the next shot fired.  Faris stayed close to Sunset, carefully maneuvering over obstacles and keeping her med kit open and ready to use, just in case.
Diane was nowhere in sight, save for explosions that occurred randomly just when they were needed to let the group pass through.  Having seen some of what the poodle girl was capable of, Sunset quickly put that from her mind.
Glancing up, Sunset noticed numerous aerial drones flying about, and some were beginning to lock onto the group.  She checked the guns on her cycle, but found she couldn't make them point up without making a jump, something she didn't presently have the ground for.  Noticing one drone coming a bit too close to Pris for her liking, she reacted by launching a beam of flame into it.  However, as soon as she did, her cycle began sparking and slowing down.  "Ik-tosha!" she snapped angrily as she struggled to gain control.
"What happened?" Faris asked worriedly as she pulled close.
"I must have released more magic there than I meant to, and the excess is screwing with the cycle's circuits!" Sunset replied in frustration as she tried to maintain heading and speed, only for smoke to start leaking out.  "Dammit!"
"Hold us steady!" Faris instructed as she pulled in close, locking their cycles together as she pulled out a multi-tool and some circuitry.
"Wha?" Sunset began, startled, but quickly grabbed both controls as instructed.
For her part, Faris popped the engine compartment of Sunset's cycle and began switching out parts and repairing others even as they moved at high speed, only bothering to even dodge if a rock came between them.  Leaves she let brush her harmlessly, and branches broke against her armor.  Before long, the smoke stopped pouring out.  "That's the best I can do, but it'll just fry if you use magic again," she offered apologetically.
"Use this!" Raquel called out as she pulled close, handing Faris a bit of the ACSU fabric she and Sunset had studied when trying to apply the Diffusion Weave to her suit.  "Draw a circuit pattern on it and stick it in close to the main power converter!  That should let the cycle handle stray magical energy as long as Sunset doesn't try and pump energy into it directly...at least to the dorms!"
"Got it!" Faris replied as she drew the proper pattern on the fabric before slapping it into the engine and slamming the compartment shut.
Sunset grabbed hold of her own controls again, glad to find it responding properly once more.  "Thanks!"
"Don't mention it!" Faris called back as she hunched low over her own cycle as she took control once more.
"Good ta see you two alright!" Jackie called back as she lowered her arm, an energy barrier she'd been holding in front of the pair lowering as a disc on her wrist stopped glowing.  "Glad mah reflector held out as long as it did, but we got company!"  She pointed upward.
A strange, purple, butterfly-like creature was descending towards the group rapidly, easily large enough to squash the entire group through sheer mass.  Odd energy waves and beams of pure heat lashed from it, striking the area around the group as it pursued them.
"What is that?" Raquel demanded in disgust.
"Whatever it is, don't let it touch you!" Sunset called out as she felt a slimy sensation in her magic as she looked at the thing.  "There's something...evil about it!"
"Of course there is!" DIane called out as she zoomed in.  "It's an Aparoid!  Don't any of you pay attention in history class?"
"Don't take that course," Jackie pointed out.
"Puts me to sleep," Pris allowed.
"Excused from it due to my developments," Raquel added.
"Tested out of it," Faris and Sunset responded together.
Diane just gave them all a flat-eyed stare before blowing her poofy hair out of her eyes.  "Well, don't let it touch you, it might infect you!"  With that said, she turned her cycle into a hedge.  "Come on, we need to take a shortcut!"
Without hesitation, Sunset turned to follow Diane, as did the others.  The Aparoid shot past them, only to disappear as they took a few odd turns under an overhang, only to come out at the hanger next to the dorms.
Sunset quickly shut her cycle down as she turned into the hanger, looking up at the mass-produced Arwings that awaited them.  "Pity it won't work with my magic," she murmured under her breath, "but at least it'll get us into the air and out of danger."
"Move fast, everyone!" Pris called out as she leapt off her still moving cycle to land in the open cockpit of one of the Arwings, strapping herself in even as the cycle smashed into a tank that was turning to shoot at them, the resulting explosion disabling the assault vehicle.
"Don't gotta tell me twice!" Jackie called back as she clambered into another Arwing.  "Hope these are up ta snuff."
"We'll just have to deal with what we've got," Raquel pointed out as she vaulted into another.  "Beggars can't be choosers, after all."
Faris leapt into the only fighter that showed signs of customization, having bulkier shields and an odd sheath on either side of the cockpit.  "Oh good, Zeke remembered the field repair kits," she murmured happily as she worked the controls.  "I should be able to patch any damage we take, though not too much..."
"We'll just try to avoid damage, then," Sunset declared as she climbed into one of the last two Arwings.  Diane seemed to appear in the last one, and it was only a few moments before everyone was strapped and sealed in.  "Engines hot!"
With that call, all six Arwings shot out of the hanger and into the air, heading for space and - hopefully - away from the conflict.
> War In the Stars
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the group of friends managed to get their Arwings out of the atmosphere, they found that this didn't quite make them safe.  A pitched space battle was still ongoing, with Lylat forces heavily engaged with a rather surprising armada under Oikonny's banner...and several of them immediately began targeting the group once they entered space.
"Well that could have gone better!" Diane giggled playfully over the comms as she sent her Arwing into a spin around the first volley of shots, managing to deflect every single one before they could hit the group.
"So what now?" Jackie demanded irritably as she began shooting the closest, doing her best to inflict enough damage to make a path...somewhere.
"We need to get to the Great Fox," Sunset stated firmly as she swerved around one fighter that tried to crash into her, braking so she could get a few shots off before accelerating to catch up with everyone else.  "If my folks are here, it'll be here, and it's the safest place this side of Solaar."
"Then we just need to find it," Raquel growled as she shifted rapidly between "high speed" and "high maneuverability" modes on her Arwing to pull maneuvers that left her pursuers baffled and crashing into each other.  "Would it be towarrrds the back of the forrrmation orrr the frrront?"
"Depends on who's calling the shots of the space battle, and whether or not my folks are already planetside," Sunset allowed worriedly.  "But we need to find out fast."
"I just had a crazy idea!" Pris called out with a somewhat crazed laugh.
"Oh dear..." Faris murmured worriedly as the 'field repair kits' attached to her fighter began shifting under her controls.  "Be careful..."
"What's the idea?" Sunset asked curiously.
"Sync the reactions of your G-Diffuser to mine," Pris explained as she shot dangerously close to an enemy fighter, leading to its weapons fire exploding in the barrel due to the wake of her Diffuser's passage.  "We'll spin around each other until we build up a ton of speed, then slingshot through the formation!  Whoever finds the Great Fox radios the others!"
"That's insane!" Jackie barked out in shock.
"The systems can't handle strrress like that anymorrre than you can!" Raquel insisted worriedly.
"I knew you'd come up with something like this..." Faris groaned morosely.
"Sounds dangerous..." Sunset mused thoughtfully before grinning eagerly.  "I'm in!"
"Or we could just run away with everyone else since more Aparoids show up!" Diane suggested thoughtfully.  As she spoke, dozens of purple, butterfly like creatures descended on the two armadas heading for the planet below, sending most of the ships scurrying every which way.  "Like they are now."
Pris pouted.  "Well sure, if you want to do it the lame way..."
"How about the way that gets us all home safe 'n sound?" Jackie grunted as she jerked her ship to the side, just barely evading the descending Aparoid.
"So...since no one's shooting at each other anymore, maybe we could try calling the Great Fox?" Faris suggested diffidently.
At that moment, three Aparoids were obliterated by concentrated magical cannon fire, and a massive ship's prow moved into the space left behind.  "Sunset, is that you?" a familiar stilted signal came through.
"Or they might be able to track me by my ACSU suit's energy wavelength, or my magical one," Sunset allowed ruefully with a wide grin.  "It's me, Brobot!  Can my friends and I get on board before things get worse?"
"Docking bay open," ROB stated firmly as the Great Fox turned to present the docking bay to the group.  "I will get all of you to a safe distance until Fox and the others can regroup."
"Would have been awesome..." Pris grumbled under her breath as the group came in for landing.



Once everyone was aboard, it wasn't long before more fighters came to dock.  To Sunset's surprise, she saw Krystal's ship alongside the four Arwings her father, uncles, and grandpa used in battle.  "Is it that big?" she asked worriedly.
"It was once the Aparoids showed up," ROB clarified as he allowed Sunset to check the readouts on each ship as it came in.  To her relief, none were even damaged.  "Thankfully, the magitek upgrades made each fighter more than a match for a single Aparoid solo, even with Slippy at the helm.  The scouting force has been completely eliminated."
"Scouting force?" Pris asked worriedly.
"It's the pattern the Aparoids followed last time," Diane explained with a frown.  "First there's a scouting force, a small group that hits one or two planets to investigate...something, we don't know what.  Not long after that, the main swarm comes in, thousands strong.  Last time, something happened that caused them to withdraw, we don't know what."
"So the swarm is coming," Fox concluded with a firm frown as he entered the bridge with everyone else.  "And we all need to be ready to face it...and whatever might come after."  He turned to ROB.  "Get in contact with General Pepper immediately.  We're going to need a council of war as fast as possible."
"Already making contact," ROB stated firmly.
Sunset leaned over to Jackie.  "Think you could contact your Gramps and get him involved on our side?" she whispered hopefully.
"If you get me a secure comline and some privacy, I'll see what I can do-" Jackie began.
At that moment, the com screen blinked.  "Incoming communication..." ROB began before his voice trailed off.  From the way his head moved, had he eyebrows, they would have raised.
Mental note, give him eyebrows at some point, Sunset thought to herself.
"...from Star Wolf," ROB finished.
"Seriously?" Fox demanded harshly.  "What does he want?"
"...you could try asking?" Krystal suggested warily.
Fox was silent for a time.  "Put him on screen," he growled finally.
The com screen lit up, and Wolf O'Donnell's silver furred face appeared.  "Fox McCloud," he began coldly.
"What are you doing here, Wolf?" Fox demanded irritably.
"My business here is just that, my business," Wolf growled back.  "I'd just rather not have to deal with dodging your fire while I deal with this, so consider this a courtesy call-"
With a groan, Jackie stepped forward.  "Ah'm just fine, Gramps," she grumbled irritably as they both fell silent as she spoke up.  "Ah'm already safe, so ya don't need to go down and get me."
"Gramps?" Fox and Krystal asked each other quietly in surprise, even as Falco struggled to stifle snickers.
Wolf went completely still.  "And what are you doing on the Great Fox, Jacqueline?"
"Visiting a friend at her place?" Jackie countered with a playful smirk as she leaned casually against Sunset.
Wolf turned to stare at them for a time, then let out a rueful sigh that was half groan.  "This is going to complicate things..."
"Save the complications fer after the Aparoids are dealt with," Jackie suggested firmly.  "Plenty o' time ta figure out how ta be friendly rivals instead o' bitter enemies."
"Somehow I can't see that happening as long as Pigma's working for you, after what he did," Fox growled at Wolf.
"Then it's a good thing he isn't anymore," Wolf snarled angrily.  "Not when he's willing to sell out to an infestation."
"He's working with the Aparoids?" Diane gasped in surprise.  "Why?"
"We'll go over that once your grandfather is in the loop," Wolf stated bluntly.  "I don't want to say it more than once."
> War Beyond the Stars
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It didn't take long for ROB to get Lylat Command in the loop, and it was soon a three way communication between Star Fox, Star Wolf, and General Pepper.  After a brief nod from the General to his granddaughter - which somehow managed to make Diane snap to attention and become completely serious - he turned to the others.  "I understand there's new intelligence regarding what we're facing?" he began calmly.  "The initial reports of Aparoids was disturbing enough..."
"It gets worse," Wolf spoke up calmly.  "Last time the Aparoids showed up, it was just a mindless swarm with guiding instincts in battle.  This time, however, a guiding intelligence has taken control of them.  Someone - I don't know who - has managed to take complete control of the Aparoid swarm and is guiding it, using military tactics that it never used before."
As Fox's eyes widened, General Pepper frowned darkly.  "Are we certain it is an external intelligence making this happen?" he asked worriedly.  "As unnerving as it might be to consider, it might just be the swarm intelligence evolving..."
"It made direct contact with Pigma," Wolf growled out angrily.  "It hacked our comm signal to communicate directly with him, and he made a deal with it.  I was able to get some of it out of him when I caught up to him, and it's what led to me bringing the Team to Fortuna when I did.  Apparently, this being - whatever it is - that's seized control of the Aparoids wanted something taken care of in Lylat before he arrived with the main body of the swarm, and in exchange for Pigma taking care of it, he would be placed in a position of power and dominance once the swarm overran the system."
A growl echoed from Pepper and Fox for a moment before the General spoke up.  "I want to be shocked that he'd sell out everyone to an enemy like that for personal power and prestige, but this isn't the first time he's done so."  He glanced apologetically towards Peppy and Fox before turning back to Wolf.  "And what did this being want taken care of before the swarm got there?"
"We don't know, exactly," Wolf allowed uncertainly.  "Leon's still working on decoding the original communications.  All we know for sure is that Pigma's the one that arranged this 'field trip' that Jackie and her...friends wound up on, as well as hacking the communication protocols so that priority warnings didn't automatically activate like they're supposed to."
"So he wanted all of us here where the battle was going to happen and the Aparoids were going to attack...and wanted us caught off guard?" Sunset deduced thoughtfully.  "But...why?"
"Obviously, they wanted you all captured or dead," Wolf pointed out flatly.  "The why of that, though..."  His voice suddenly trailed off, his eyes locked on his granddaughter.
Jackie, for her part, was oddly tense.  Her eyes seemed to gleam, every muscle in her body quivering in suppressed fury, and her fur seeming to move of its own accord as though blown in a non-existent wind.  Shadows seemed to surround her...as well as Sunset, Raquel, Faris, Pris, and Diane.  As she felt the shadows touch her, Sunset could have sworn it felt somewhere between a warm embrace and a protective grasp, like a shield of raw protective emotion given metaphysical form.
Wolf suddenly let out a snort, his ears twitching.  Jackie immediately settled and the shadows faded, looking somewhat embarrassed.  "Well, that explains more than it doesn't," he observed dryly, a rueful smirk on his lips.  Noticing looks turned his way, he explained, "Not in regard to the Aparoids, something else."
"Has Leon managed to decode anything of the original communication?" Slippy asked curiously.
"Just some nonsense about 'magic ponies'," Wolf answered in frustration.  "But there's not much to go on there."
Fox gave Wolf a flat stare.  "My daughter is a unicorn, and you think 'magic ponies' is nonsense?"
Wolf blinked for a moment, then glanced at something on a data pad he held.  "And here I thought Jackie was exaggerating..." he mumbled under his breath, making Jackie snort dismissively.  "Well, the exact line was about 'eliminating any touched by pony magic', whatever that meant.  If the 'magic pony' was referring to Sunset, then I see why the focus was on their group as far as eliminating them, though not why."
Krystal frowned thoughtfully, thinking back to what she'd discussed long ago with the Queen Earthwalker.  She didn't know if Sunset was ready to know of the full prophecy about her, but she already knew that such prophecies were there.  "The Krozoa left writings about Sunset on Dinosaur Planet," she spoke up finally, though uncertainly.  "Nothing indicates that the Krozoa were native to Lylat...though nothing suggests the contrary either.  It could be that however the Krozoa learned about Sunset, whatever is currently commanding the Aparoids has similar information sources."
"Then again, Sunset came flying out of what had to be some sort of space-time rift," Falco pointed out flatly, causing Sunset to look his way in surprise.  "Maybe whoever it is encountered others like her and knows just how much trouble her people can be?"
"If Sunset is a typical example of her race, I can believe that," General Pepper observed thoughtfully.  "However, this does raise another concern.  If Pigma was commissioned by this being to eliminate anyone connected strongly to Sunset, them Dinosaur Planet is likely also a target.  We need to get defenses into position immediately.  Star Fox, Star Wolf, I know it's asking a lot of you all, but can I count on you to work together to protect the Lylat System?"
"Just try and stop us!" Sunset snapped out as she turned to head for her Arwing.
"Sunset!" Fox called out firmly.  "You aren't cleared for Arwing combat!  You haven't passed the course-"
"Ki'tvala that, Dad!" Sunset shouted back, misusing the Saurian term for mating as a pejorative to take advantage of translation issues to get away with swearing.  "They'll be targeting Tricky directly!  No way I'm not going to help him!"
"But the Arwing you came in on isn't designed to interface with your magic!" Slippy called out worriedly.  "The interacting energies could-"
"I'll swing by Solaar and brute force it!" Sunset snapped back, already halfway to the hangar.
"Not alone, ya ain't!" Jackie snapped as she popped out of a chute next to her.
"Don't think you'll get there before I do!" Pris added as she caught up.
"You need someone who can plot the prrrroperrr courrrse the swarrrrm will be taking," Raquel pointed out over the comms as she calmly took the lift there rather than running, taking the time to slip into her flight suit.
"Yay!  Adventure!" Diane proclaimed happily from inside her Arwing.  "No, wait, you already did that one.  Time for an Assault!"
"If I don't come, someone's going to come back in pieces," Faris pointed out calmly from beside Raquel as they exited the lift, giving Pris and Sunset significant looks.
As the hangar doors opened of their own accord to let the six fighters take off for Dinosaur Planet via Solaar, Fox turned to glower at ROB.  "Why didn't you stop them?" he demanded irritably.
"How, exactly?" ROB countered flatly, his finger visibly on the "close hangar doors" button as the screen above it displayed an "override error".
"Looks like we're on our way," Wolf growled irritably.  "We'd better get there before they do, or there's no telling what might happen."