StarFox Fan Fiction ❯ Star Fox Recruits ❯ Wedding Bell Blunders ( Chapter 13 )

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

 

Sometimes, hard-working mercenaries needed a well deserved period of rest and relaxation… even the very best above most like us. So General Pepper gave us all a well deserved holiday to Aquis, the water planet.

 

The great-Fox remained in orbit around the planet while most of us headed down to the surface where set up camp on a tropical island in the southern-part of the planet. The sun was shining, the weather was warm, and all the bear-necessities we could ever want.

 

Donny and I were water-skiing, while Falco was surfing on the waves. Meanwhile, the girls were sunbathing, and Fox was at the barbeque heating up the burgers and hotdogs. However… every now and then… he stopped to look up over the lid at Krystal.

 

To Fox she looked like an angel lying on the sand. It completely distracted him from his cooking and he almost barbequed his fur. He had been thinking about what I had told him a while ago… and maybe it would have been right to propose to her…

 

Sadly, Fox continued to chicken out on himself every time. Not only was he starting to feel convinced that he'd never get a chance with Krystal… he'd probably never be married ever… hey, not like he actually intended to be married…

 

Still… he just didn't what to do about it anymore.

 

His feelings however did not go unnoticed as when we all gathered for lunch, Donny, Erin and I noticed Fox wasn't eating much, and he even got up to take a small stroll around the island.

 

“He's at it again…” I whispered to my siblings.

 

“Poor, dude…” Donny said, “When's he going to wake up and go for it already?”

 

Erin simply sighed, and we all continued to eat our food, but Krystal noticed that we were all acting strange, and when she asked us if anything was wrong, we simply told her that what was wrong had nothing to do with us… but we just couldn't tell her.

 

Only Fox could… but we didn't tell her that either.

 

…

 

Fox stopped halfway around the other side of the island where we parked the Arwings and just sat their gazing out at the wide open seas. He just couldn't get Krystal off of his mind. He even began to see her face on the waves and in the clouds.

 

“What am I doing?” he thought to himself. “I can't just keep acting like this forever. I guess maybe Mykan's right… I have to try and do this.”

 

He was about to go back to the campsite, when suddenly he heard the sound of someone shrieking. “What the--”

 

He got out his blaster, and rushed in the direction of the scream, and he saw a two creatures. One was a giant sea-monster, and the other was a creature of likes which Fox had never seen before…

 

A humanoid shaped creature with pointed-eats, and a fish-tail for a lower body. She looked as though she was in real trouble, and Fox rushed into action. “Hey ugly…!” he called, “Why don't you pick on this…” and fired a few shots from his blaster, which hit the creature and caused it to turn its rage towards Fox.

 

It lunged right at him, and roared loudly…

 

“Fox…!” called a voice. Fox turned and saw the rest of us rushing towards him. It didn't take us long to realize what was going on with that huge monster. Krystal and I whipped out our staffs, “Use the ice element… that'll scare it off.” I said.

 

Both of us then began to blast the monsters with freezing winds, and indeed it was scared away as it like to be that cold on land. So it dove back into the water and out of sight. “So much for him…” Donny snapped.

 

Then we all turned our attention to help out the other creature, but Donny, Erin and I gasped. “Is-- is that what I think it is…?” asked Erin.

 

There was no doubt about it, we were gazing at a Mermaid. One who seemed to be tangled up in the kelp attached on the shore, making her an easy target for that monster…

 

Fox approached her gently trying to show he meant her no harm, and blasted the kelp apart with one shot. Then all of a sudden, the Mermaid began to SCREECH…, and the pitch of her voice was so supersonic, we all covered our ears.

 

“AAAAH…!!”

 

“Somebody… kill the noise…!” cried Falco.

 

Then suddenly, FLASH… we all felt ourselves being knocked unconscious under the sound-waves. The Mermaid then called several of her friends to come help-us… and after putting us in protective-bags, they brought us into the water with them, and carried us away with them.

 

Meanwhile…

 

Peppy and Slippy were stuck aboard the ship... and that's just how they liked it!

 

Peppy reckoned he was a little too old or that kind of fun and games, and even Slippy never took time off from his mechanic duties, but sometimes he did wish that he could take some whole time off, and maybe even head down to the planet. “Ah well… someone has to watch the ship. Right Peppy…?”

 

“Peppy…?”

 

He turned and saw Peppy was fast asleep in his seat, Slippy snickered softly, “Poor old timer.” Then he turned to gaze back down at the planet and wondered what the rest of us were up to now…

 

What we were up to indeed…!

 

…

 

At that very moment we were all coming too from our knock-outs, and we realized we had been brought to some underwater lair, but how and why we were able to breath, withstand the pressure was anyone's guess.

 

“This must be where they live…” Donny said.

 

“Right… I think we all could figure that out.” Falco snapped, but then he was poked at from behind by a merman guard, with a spear, and he was given the look to be silent.

 

Then we all noticed that we were wearing strange-belts that were glowing, and as we tried to loosen them, two other guards motioned for us not to, which lead us to realize that the belts the were reason why we were able to survive…

 

Then, a loud fanfare was heard and a mermaid servant swam out from the large palace that lay before us. “Hey, that's the same Mermaid we saw on the beach.” I whispered. The others agreed with me…

 

The Mermaid cleared her throat, “Announcing her royal majesty, Marina, queen of the Mer-folk.”

 

The doors of the palace opened wide and out swam four mermen carrying out a huge clamshell, which opened wide revealing one of the prettiest creatures any of us had ever seen.

 

This Mermaid, Marina, had long blonde shiny hair. Skin as soft and almost white as snow… Even the scales on her tail sparkled with real diamonds and jewels. She wore a silver tiara round her forehead and a lily in her hair.

 

Donny and I almost felt like drooling, if we hadn't remembered that we were being held against our will.

 

Marina swam off of her clam-ride, and observed the six of us. “So… it was you all who attacked my servant on land.” she practically snarled at us.

 

All of us looked confused, “Attacked…? Us…? Her…?” Fox stuttered “We didn't attack her. She was already being attacked.”

 

The servant mermaid approached her Queen, “The Fox speaks the truth, your majesty.” She said, “While on my mission, I was attacked by the great monster, Serpent-Night. This Fox and his comrades came to my aid.”

 

Marina's features suddenly changed, but she was not convinced. “Very well then… if this Fox is as good as he says he is, perhaps he can prove himself by defeating our best guards.” She snapped her fingers, one of the guards let Fox go, and four other super-muscular ones swam out to the grounds heavily armed.

 

“What? You expect me to fight these guys?” Fox asked, but he was soon shoved out towards the guards which answered his question. “Okay… so you do?”

 

Sadly Fox was stripped of his blaster, but one of the guards let him borrow his spear so as to make the fight fair. Fox kept calm and remember that he took out bigger baddies than the guards during his adventures on Sauria. Even though he was underwater and his feet not firmly on the ground, he remembered some of the training I had showed him from some of the games I had played; how to fight in a near weightless environment... He defeated the guards easily and forced them to yield.

 

Marina never knew anyone of such skills and speed, and she was getting a certain look in her eyes. “Enough… it is decided.” she called.

 

Fox and the rest of us were confused. “What's decided?” Fox asked.

 

Marina blushed, and fluttered her eyes at him, “You Fox McCloud shall become my husband.”

 

All of us gasped in shock at the same time, but Fox stayed exactly where he was, not moving an inch. “What… did… you… just… say?” he asked very slowly.

 

Marina giggled softly, “My decision is made.” She said, “Bring him into the palace, and his comrades… through them in the dungeon until I decide what to do with them.”

 

The rest of us tried to fight back this unnecessary treatment, but the guards advanced on us, not to mention the fact that our weapons couldn't function properly under-water anyway.

 

“No… Fox…!” Krystal called out to him.

 

“Krystal…!” Fox called back to her as we were hauled off to the dungeon, while Fox was brought into the palace, against his will. The guards wouldn't let him leave, as were the orders of the queen.

 

“Guards… you may leave us now. I wish to speak to my fiancée alone.” Marina said, “Stand guard outside the doors.”

 

The Guards bowed and swam outside. Fox gritted his teeth in anger, “Look, I don't know who you are, or what you have planed… but you got to be kidding if you think I'm just going to marry you just like that.”

 

Marina fluttered her eyes and swam off from her throne, and circled around him several time, “I'm afraid my decision is final.” she said, and she explained the entire story…

 

He servants were out there seeking a husband for her, but not just any husband… but one that possessed great courage, and strength; one that possessed many great skills that would lead their underwater race to victory over all those that opposed them… particularly Serpent-Night.

 

“You Fox will be my husband. We shall be wed tomorrow.”

 

“Forget it!” snapped Fox, “No way am I marrying a total stranger just because she wants it. Besides… uh… we're two different species.” Nothing Fox said convinced Marina. She was sticking to her guns and ordered her guards to prepare Fox, and the rest of the court to prepare the ceremony.

 

“No!” Fox roared as he was being hauled away, “I mean it… I'm not going to marry you!”

 

Marina liked the way he was playing hard-to-get. It only made her attracted to him even more. She figured the sooner they were married the better.

 

Meanwhile…

 

The dungeon seemed pretty standard. Just iron-bars, a guard outside the door, and no extra-surprises… You'd think it would've been easy to break out of such a prison, but it wasn't…

 

Because we were afloat in water, and our feet not firmly planted on the ground we couldn't use enough force to even try to pries the bars loose. “It's no good…” I said feeling tired, “I can't see any way out of this one.”

 

Donny felt exhausted as he let himself float gently onto the sand. “Whoever builds the bars in this dungeons must've hard a hard nerve.” He panted, “A really hard nerve.”

 

Erin was worried about us, but she caught our attention and said, “I don't think it's us we should be worrying about.” she motioned over at Krystal who was in her own cell still desperately trying to knock down the bars.

 

“Uh… Krystal…?” Falco called at her, but she didn't respond, at least not to him directly. “I won't let her marry Fox… I WON'T…!”

 

Falco, who was in the same cell as she was, finally convinced her to take it easy. “Look, there's got to be a way out of here.” But none of us had an idea, except for one…

 

The Arwings were by far the only thing that could work underwater, but, though our wrist-computers were able to work, when we tried to use our remote controls. “Just as I thought…” I said, “We're too far below the surface, the signal can't break through.”

 

This also meant that we couldn't contact the Great-Fox either, and warn Peppy and Slippy. What bothered us most of all was what was Fox going through…?

 

Meanwhile…

 

In another tower of the palace, “Ow…!”

 

“Ouch…! Hey watch the needles!” Fox growled.

 

Marina had requested that Fox be given traditional wedding garments for those from the land. Just a small cape, sandals and a gladiators robe round his lower-half. Only his outfit needed a serious resizing.

 

“Ow! I said watch it!”

 

Finally after much struggle, and a number of needle-pricks, Fox was ready, and just in time for the Queen's royal inspection. Marina ordered her servants to let her have some time alone with Fox…

 

She swam heavenly towards Fox and circled him again, “Ooh… so handsome.” she flirted, “I don't believe anyone in my family's generations have ever bagged a man so handsome before. Don't you think so my dear…?”

 

Fox stuck out his tongue rudely, “Ugh… I think I'm going to be sick.” he moaned, and then he swam towards the ceiling. “Look… I've tried six times, but I'll try it again… I… am… not… going… to… MARRY YOU! I don't even like you.”

 

Marina giggled, “Oh, but you will… once you kiss me, that is. Then the engagement will be official.”

 

Fox gasped and then did all he could to swim away from the crazed mermaid Queen, “Come on… you know you want to.”

 

“No… hey… you stay away from me!” Fox cried, and Marina continued to chase him around the room for a long time before she finally gave up and night-time was falling.

 

…

 

The rest of us were still locked in the dungeon, and Krystal was gazing out through the bars on the window, and out at the mighty ocean. Her mind was racing a-thousand miles, completely fixed on Fox and how she couldn't believe he was going to be forced to marry someone in a short while.

 

Deep down… she always hoped that someone would be her. Of course it was obvious enough to everyone at the start that she had a thing for Fox... but now she knew what her heart wanted; to be with Fox… no matter what the road of life promised.

 

What good was it now? We couldn't break out of the prison-cells, nor call the Great-Fox to even try to help him. Suddenly… she had an idea, “Of course… why didn't I think of it before?”

 

The rest of us stared at her, “Krystal…?” Erin said.

 

Krystal explained how they had one chance left to try and contact the Great-Fox. “But, how…? Our communicator lines are dead.” Falco said.

 

Krystal was well aware of that, but there one final hope that would help… her telepathy.

 

The rest of us realized that it would possibly work. If Krystal could send a telepathic message to the Great-Fox and hope that Peppy or Slippy would be able to hear her thoughts maybe they could help.

 

“You do realize what a chance you're taking?” I asked. I pointed out that we were still far below hundreds of feet of water, and it would slow the message waves down. Even so… what's to say it would reach the ship anyway?

 

“Well I can try…” Krystal said as she made herself comfortable on the sand. “I'll try all night if I have to. I don't care what it takes. I won't let that awful creature marry Fox!”

 

She positioned herself in a meditative pose, shut her eyes, and concentrated. We all hoped she would be able to get through, but seeing as how there wasn't much for us to do to help her, we all decided to try and get some sleep. This way Krystal could have the silence she needed to focus, and we could rested up for the upcoming battles we knew were to come.

 

…

 

Fox was also finding it difficult to sleep in his bedroom. Even though the accommodations were nice and cozy, he was really disgusted by how he was going to be forced down the aisle the next day, to someone he had no feelings for… not to mention crazy and psychotic.

 

Sadly, there was no way to escape from his bedroom as there were guards outside the door, and even though he would have been able to swim out through the windows, there were guards around every corner, making it virtually impossible to do anything.

 

“Krystal…” he whispered to himself. “I'm so sorry… but it looks like you and I just won't be after all.”

 

…

 

The night passed by slowly and onboard the Great-Fox, and by a few hours before dawn, Peppy and Slippy were still asleep, when suddenly Slippy's began to hear a voice crying out, “Xocf mo…! Xocf mo…!”

 

Slippy moaned slightly and then rolled back over, but the voice didn't go away, “Xocf mo…! Xocf mo…!”

 

“Huh? What…?” Slippy yawned. “Who'd be calling in at this time of night…?” he asked himself as he got up and felt around the counter. “Where's my communicator? Oh wait here it is…”

 

Then suddenly he burned his hand, “AAH…! That's my hot-glue gun! AYE!” he blew on his hand cooling it off and finally found the light-switch. Now that he was finally awake, he realized what was going on… “Krystal…? Is that you?”

 

Krystal was relieved that she reached Slippy, but she was only able to speak in Saurian through her telepathy, luckily Slippy was able to use his communicator to translate what she was saying…

 

Once the details were all given, Slippy woke Peppy up, and as much as Peppy would rather sleep like the old timer he was… he never backed down when it came to emergencies.

 

They had to move fast, for dawn was slowly approaching on the part of Aquis we were on, which meant the wedding wasn't too far away either. Slippy had also heard of the mer-folk we were with…

 

Their Queen was the most beautiful creature in the whole Lylat system, but once people got to know her, and see that she really wasn't all that fun… it was no wonder why most creatures steered clear of her. She really was that annoying.

 

“What she doesn't know is… I know a few under-water races...” Slippy snickered cheekily. “I know for a fact that they'll be glad to help out.”

 

Slippy equipped himself with underwater weapons, and hopped into his Arwing, “Be careful Slippy.” Peppy warned him, “You do know that some of the creatures will be out looking for breakfast…”

 

“Don't worry about me, Peppy. I know what I'm doing… I am a toad after all.” Slippy said before he launched.

 

“Heh…! You may be a toad… but are you as slippery as one…?” Peppy wondered.

 

…

 

Daybreak had arrived and the morning sunlight shone through the water lighting things up. Many of the mer-folk in the palace were already wide awake and preparing for the ceremony that would occur at mid-morning… but the rest of us were asleep in the dungeon… even Krystal had fallen asleep from using her powers a lot.

 

Then suddenly, we were all awakened by the sound of someone tapping on the bars, “Slippy…?” I asked sounding Slippy.

 

“Shh… quiet… I'm busting you guys out of here.” he whispered.

 

Since Slippy was a toad, he could survive in the water without much support, and he brought along his under-water laser that cut through the window-bars and allowed us to escape.

 

“But what about Fox…?” Krystal asked. “We have to go get him.”

 

Slippy talked her out of it as there was no way we could with all the guards around, “Don't worry… I got a plan.” Slippy said, “Guys… today we're going to crash that wedding.”

 

…

 

A few hours later, it was nearly time for the ceremony…!

 

The castle-courtyard was all decorated, and the guests and palace-hands were starting to fill the seats. As for Marina, she was in her royal bed-chamber adding the finish touches…

 

She wore her long hair loose as always. Only a long shred of tulle was attached to her tiara, and her scales were shiner than ever. She fixed her face up nicely too. “Am I ugly…?” she asked while staring at her reflection, “Of course I'm not… Hmm-mm…!”

 

She couldn't wait to marry Fox and have him join the race to lead them to their ultimate victory over all other creatures, and maybe even far more than met the eyes.

 

Just then, there was a knock at the door, “Enter!”

 

The guards had brought Fox in for the Queen's inspection before the wedding. Marina giggled, and blew Fox a kiss. Fox just grunted, “I never knew how unlucky it is to see the bride before the wedding… now I know!”

 

Marina giggled and fluttered her eyes again, “Take him to the courtyard and prepare for the ceremony.”

 

The guards bowed. Fox continued to struggle in their arms as they carried him off, “Let me go! I'm not going through with this!” but the guards never let him go. In fact, once Fox was placed in his popper position, two guards stood by to make her sure he wouldn't escape.

 

As the final preparations continued, no one noticed that the rest of us were swimming near secret hiding places around the courtyard. “Okay guys. Wait for the signal.” Slippy warned us, “And until then… don't make a move.”

 

Easier said that done, as Krystal was barely able to contain herself from wanting to rush in there and show that queen a thing or two for trying to move on Fox.

 

Soon the music started, and the royal head-man announced the arrival of the bride. Marina was carried down the aisle by her four guards carrying her transport clam. Fox was shivering more than ever… and once Marina reached him… “Hey…” she flirted and pursed her lips playfully.

 

Fox shut his eyes and muttered softly trying to convince himself, “This is not happening! This is not happening!”

 

The head-man began by welcoming everyone to the queen's wedding, and went over the laws of marriage. “Where the man commits to the woman… Where he honors her… Cooks for her… Answers her every need…”

 

Fox began to think he was doomed. Until came the question… “If there is any reason why these two must not be joined, speak now, or forever keep in silence…”

 

“WE DO…!” called a voice.

 

The crowd gasped and then one by one saw each of us leap out from our secret hiding places. We also had fire arms that worked under water, “All right… throw down your weapons!” Donny yelled at the guards.

 

The guards did as they were told, even the ones near Fox. “Krystal…!”

 

“Fox…!” Krystal cried. They swam towards each other and collided in a huge hug.

 

“What's the meaning of this?” snarled Marina. “How did you all escape… and what businesses have you running my wedding?”

 

Slippy sneered at the mermaid queen, “THIS…!” and he fired his blaster up high which gave the signal for the races he knew and had gathered to rush in.

 

Races of toads… fish… even Serpent-Night was there. Fox nearly floated backwards in fear, “No, no… it's all right Fox.” Erin told him, “He's on our side.”

 

Fox was confused, but he soon began to understand once Slippy had told him about Marina and her race of thieving mer-folk. They were the most sinister criminal race in all the underwater worlds. They robbed from other races attempting to prove how superior they were over all others.

 

When we were on land, Serpent-Night was attacking the mermaid servant because he knew she was up to no good. Now he was back, and so were many of the other races to take back their stolen goods.

 

Marina wasn't willing to go down without a fight though, and she began to SCREECH; Slippy had told us that was her race's special ability, the sonic-screech. It was powerful enough to even knock out the strongest of foes.

 

Fox fell unconscious at once, and so did most of the other races, but the rest of us, and Serpent-Night were fully unaffected. “Foolish creature…!” Serpent-Night growled deeply, “You should know that your Sonic-Screech in ineffective against me and my kind.”

 

And Slippy explained that the rest of us were wearing special earplugs he had brought. “As long as we have these, we can't fall to your tricks.”

 

“It's the end of the line for you fish-face!” snarled Falco. “You going to go quietly, or do we get tough?”

 

Marina knew she was hooked, and lined, so she decided to sink into defeat.

 

Later on…

 

It took a little while for the underwater races to recover from their knockouts, but they promised to deal with Marina and her kind so they would no longer cause anymore trouble. So we all returned to the surface to resume our holiday.

 

“Star Fox. X-Team…We of the underwater races are most grateful to you all…” Serpent-Night said to us. “You have freed us from the wrath of the mermaids, and our way of life will regain its prosperity. How can we ever repay you?”

 

We told him to never mind. “It's all in the days work…” I joked, “Though we're supposed to be on vacation.”

 

Serpent-Night understood, and informed us that if we would ever need help in the battles we had yet to face, “The underwater races will there to aid you.” Then he was gone, back below the water.

 

Now that he was gone, we could finally get back to relaxing, only, “Hey guys…!” Slippy called. “Check this out.” We all gathered round, and saw Fox and Krystal sitting alone together, and Fox seemed to be telling her something important.

 

“Hey… you think this is it?” Donny asked.

 

…

 

Fox wanted thank Krystal again for bailing him out of that jam down there, “If it wasn't for you guys, I'd pretty much be stuck in a shameful marriage for the rest of my life.”

 

“Oh… uh… well... it was the least we could do.” Krystal said sounding slightly nervous. “I wasn't about to stand there and let her marry you just like that.”

 

“But Krystal…” Fox replied, “I have to tell you something important.”

 

He paused…

 

“To me… marriage always means that I'll have to be there for someone. Someone like you… it's just that, you're not like other females I've met. You've gotten used to the dangers the Star-Fox teams have faced… but you also realize… I'm not sure I can love you as a normal creature.”

 

The rest of us gasped when we heard that, it was as if he was saying they were just going to be friends. “That idiot… he's not going to get away with this!” Erin grumbled.

 

Krystal felt like her heart breaking, and her tears were starting to fall. “Oh? Really…?” she said trying not to cry, “Well… I knew that. It's just that… even after all that we've been through… it isn't as if I believe you could ever settle down and learn to see me as something else.”

 

She got up and tried to leave, but Fox held her tail stopping her, “I'm not finished…” he said. “Look… I don't know how else to say this, so I'll just be blunt.”

 

“Krystal… if this war with Andross' forces should ever come to an end, and peace should return to the Lylat-System…” he paused and then said, “If we make it that far and we survive… will you come and stay with me.”

 

Krystal gasped, and her heart beat like crazy as her tears cascaded down her cheeks.

“I love you Krystal. I'm not ashamed to admit it anymore. So I'm asking… will you be my wife one day?”

 

The rest of us couldn't believe it, he finally popped the question, “Come on Krystal… say it!” Erin grunted under her breath.

 

Krystal collapsed her knees and sobbed into her hands. “Yes…!” she answered.

 

“Krystal? You will?” Fox asked her.

 

Krystal finally turned round to face him and they held hands as their eyes met. “Yes… I will.” She answered with a smile on her tearful face. “Oh, Fox McCloud… I thought you'd never ask Me.” and she threw her arms around him causing their lips to meet for the very first time…

 

Much to all of our approval… “Well… it's about time.” Falco said.

 

The rest of us went back to camp laving Fox and Krystal to sit with her head resting his shoulder as they watched the sun go down.