Introduction
Krystal walks outside of her home on Sauria carrying two glasses of juice. It is the perfect day. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, it is nice and warm, and the area around her is beautiful and peaceful. She couldn't ask for a more perfect to raise a family. In the yard is Krystal's husband Fox McCloud and four year old son Marcus. They are playing with Jonathan "Johnny" Storm (a black wolf), an old family friend, and his children Daniel (18 years old), Alisha (9 years old), and Hunter (6 years old). Krystal takes a seat in the chair on the porch. Seated next to her is Johnny's wife Fara. In Fara's arms is April, her and Johnny's four month old baby girl.
"I brought you something to drink Fara." Krystal says.
"Thank you, just put it on the next to me."
Krystal places Fara's juice next to her. Fara is too busy cradling April to notice. But she does notice something unusual with Krystal.
"So Krystal how far along are you?" Fara asks.
"What are you talking about Fara?"
"I mean how long have you been pregnant?"
"Is it that obvious?" Krystal asks.
"Krystal I've had three kids, so I know the signs."
"You got a point there. I'm four months pregnant."
"Congratulations"
Krystal notices Fara looking towards the boys playing out in the yard. Fara couldn't look happier. She and Johnny have three beautiful children. Their children are Fennec Fox and Black Wolf hybrids. Alisha, Hunter, and April got the Fennec Fox's sand colored fur and long ears of their Mother. Johnny gave Alisha, Hunter, and April the physical features of a Black Wolf. They are some of the most adorable hybrids she has ever seen. Daniel is not Fara's child. He is Johnny's son from his marriage to Jasmine, Krystal's older sister. Daniel is a Black Wolf and Blue Fox hybrid. He has his mother's blue fur and his father's features.
Krystal can't help but notice how physically fit both Johnny and Fox are. Despite both of them being in their forties, they are still in good shape. Time has had very little effect on them. They appear to be in better shape now than they were in the twenties. They need to be in good shape to keep up with their children. Johnny appears to be in better shape than Fox. But that may be because he's at least six inches taller.
Krystal sees an interesting smile on Fara's face. It's more than a happy smile. It is a funny smile, like she has just thought of something ironic.
"What are you thinking about Fara?" Krystal asks.
"I was thinking about the old days before the Lylat Wars. As you know, back then I had a crush on Fox."
"Yeah, he told me everything. Why are you bringing it up?"
"Because I was just remembering one of my fantasies. It's the one where I saw him rolling on the ground with at least three kits. And I was standing nearby with a baby. I find it kind of funny now the fantasy has come true except that I'm married to Johnny, and Daniel is not a kit anymore. But that doesn't matter to me now. I couldn't be happier." Fara replies.
Krystal can't help but laugh. She laughs so hard that her sides start to hurt. It offends Fara a little.
"What is so funny Krystal?"
"I had similar fantasies when I was a teenager. But in my fantasies I was married to Jonathan."
Fara can't help but laugh. "If that isn't irony I don't know what is."
Krystal and Fara both start laughing. They laugh for what seems like forever. They laugh so loud that it gets the attention of Jonathan, Fox, Daniel, Marcus, Alisha, and Hunter.
Three hours later, everyone is inside relaxing. The sun is starting to set causing a beautiful array of light to shine over the hills and through in the window. Fara and Krystal are busy fixing dinner. Fox and Johnny are sitting on the couch trying to relax. Johnny has April cradled in his arms. She is fast asleep. Hunter is seated next to him, tired and exhausted. He looks like he is about to fall asleep as well. Daniel is seated in a chair next to the couch studying. He is preparing for his finals test to complete his second year at the Cornerian Flight Academy where Johnny and Fox work as instructors. They both teach advanced air combat. But Johnny also teaches martal arts. He is one of the deadliest martal artists in the Lylat System in the fact that he has never lost a fight and that he is a brutal fighter. His opponents that survive usually end up in the hospital. Alisha and Marcus are seated on a couch together reading a book. They both seem to be really interested in it. Alisha is reading the book to Marcus because he can't read very well. This intrigues Johnny and Fox because Alisha and Marcus are usually not interested in a book.
"What are you reading there Marcus?" Johnny asks.
"The Adventures of Star Fox."
Fox lets out a sigh like he isn't surprised.
"What is it Fox?" Johnny asks.
"Marcus has taken an interest in Star Fox lately. When he found out that Krystal and I were members of the team he went ballistic. He thinks that we're gods basically."
"That's because you and mom were the best pilots that ever lived." Marcus butts in excitedly.
"And you guys never lost a fight. No one could beat Star Fox." Alisha adds in.
Alisha's comment catches Daniel's attention. "Alisha, how dare you say that about mom and dad? You wouldn't be saying that if you knew even half the things they've done." Daniel shouts.
Krystal and Fara can hear the conversation from the kitchen. Daniel's hostile remark towards Alisha' comment surprises them, especially Krystal. It still surprises her how aggressively Daniel will defend Fara. He defends her more than Johnny does. It surprises Krystal because Fara is not Daniel's mother but he acts and depends on her like a mother. Daniel never knew his mother, she died giving birth to him. Fara took her place when she married Johnny. Since then, Daniel has looked at Fara like his own mother.
Daniel's comment catches Alisha and Marcus off guard. They did not expect him to respond so harshly. It takes Alisha a little bit to come up with a comeback.
"Daniel, I know that mom and dad were war heroes, but when you compare them to Star Fox their reputation fails." Alisha says.
"That's because you don't know what your parents have done." Fox says, trying to get everyone's attention. "I know that it may be hard for you to believe Marcus but your mother and I may not be, as you see it, the best pilots that ever lived."
"And you do you believe was better that you? It wasn't Star Wolf because you guys beat them multiple times. Was it Star Falco?" Marcus asks curiously.
"No it wasn't Star Falco, even though they were pretty good. It was Star Ghost."
Alisha and Hunter look at each other confused. "Never heard of them." Marcus and Alisha says in unison.
"That doesn't surprise me." Fox replies. "They operated primary in the Zaldon System so their deeds would probably have not reached this far. Plus the things they did were not necessarily legal. So the Zaldon government denied their existence. But believe me, out of all the teams that I have come across, Star Ghost is the one that could give Star Fox a run for their money. These guys stopped the Crocodile Army in their tracks, brought down the Tigers nation, destroyed the Ammonite Empire, and ended the Zaldon Rebellion." Fox can tell that Alisha and Hunter are impressed by the looks in their faces.
"Who were they?" Alisha asks.
Fox looks at Johnny confused.
"You haven't told your own children who you are?" Fox says to Johnny.
"Yeah, I did it for their safety." Johnny replies then turns to Alisha. "Your mother and I were members of the team. The other members were Timothy and Savannah Jones."
"Really" Alisha replies, shocked. "Can you tell us your story?"
At that moment, Fara and Krystal walk into the room. "What are you guys talking about?" Fara asks.
"Alisha wants to know a story from our Star Ghost days."
"Are you going to tell them Johnny?"
Krystal smirks quietly at Fara's question. Fara is one of the few people that can get away with calling Jonathan by his nickname Johnny. The only people that can call him Johnny and get away with it are the people he fought with when he was a member of the elite Wild Cats Squadron. The Squadron was the planet Zaldon's BlackOps Fighter Squadron, the best of the best. Johnny and Fara both served in the unit. That is how they fell in love. Everyone else calls him Jonathan or John.
"I'm thinking about it. But I just don't know how to tell it. I've never been a good story teller." Johnny says.
"Well there is a way that you can tell it without using words." Krystal says.
"What are you talking about?" Johnny asks.
"Sauria has a pool in Thorntail Hollow that allows us to view memories. All you have to do is enter the pool and we can view exactly what happened like a movie. So what do you say?"
Johnny and Fara look at each other and their looks says it all. They are a little hesitant to try this. But Krystal spends the next five minutes trying to convince them to do it. Finally, Fara agrees to get in the pool tomorrow.
The next day after lunch Fara, Johnny, Daniel, Alisha, Hunter, April, Fox, Krystal, and Marcus head to the pool. Leading them is Tricky, leader of the Thorntail Dinosaur Tribe. Tricky became leader of the tribe ten years ago after Fox saved Sauria from certain doom. He is good friends with Fox and Krystal. They trust him with their lives. Johnny and Fara are a little hesitant because they don't know Tricky. Their military and mercenary experience has told them to be cautious around people they don't know, especially when they are leading into a cave. The pool is located in a cave under the tribe's home. The cave is beautifully lit by glowing plants and crystals.
"So Tricky how does the pool work?" Johnny asks.
"Our planet has unique spiritual energy. We are still finding things out about it." Tricky explains. "This cave in particular has stones that are not found in any other cave on this planet. When the spiritual energy mixes with these stones it creates a spectacular event that allows us to view your memories like we were there with you." Trick can tell that Johnny and Fara are both nervous about doing this. "You got nothing to worry about. We've done this hundreds of times and no one has ever been hurt." Tricky's explanation calms Johnny down very little. It does at work at calming Fara down. She was a little nervous about doing this whole memory thing at first. Krystal didn't do a very good job at describing what the experience will be like. Neither she nor Fox have experienced this before.
The pool is located in the deepest chamber of the caves. The room is a small but beautiful. The light from the glowing plants illuminates off the crystals, lighting the entire room as if it was on the surface instead of in a cave. The pool is in the middle of the room. The water is crystal clear. In the water are small lights swimming around like fish. Johnny and Fara can feel the energy from the pool.
"So all I have to do is get in the pool and you all will be able to view my memories?" Fara asks.
"Yes, just get in and concentrate on the particular memory you want." Tricky replies.
"Alright" Fara hands April to Johnny then addresses Daniel, Alisha, Hunter, and Marcus. "Now kids I want to warn you may see things that will probably disturb or shock you. You may not agree with the things we did. But you must understand that we did them for the greater good."
With that said, Fara slowly enters the pool. The water is cold at first but gets warm quickly. It feels weird to her, like there is something in it. Fara can feel the spiritual energy. She walks to the middle of the pool. The water is about waist deep. Fara kneels down in the water and concentrates on the memory she wants. Within moments, the pool displays Fara's memory for everyone to see.
