Chapter Text
Fox pulled out his blaster, aiming directly at the giant eye that seemed to be coming up out of that creature's skull. It was fixed directly at them, and was large enough to be a fairly easy target. But just how-...normal it looked was what bothered him. Other than its size…it looked like something Fox would see on a person's face. Almost reminded him of Slippy’s, how the eye looked, just a different color, a shade of light green. No, no, he needed to get that thought out of his head, the others were fine, he’ll go save them later.
Fox shot at the eye, causing the creature to retract in pain. It screamed, and it was far too much like a person’s screaming. But then as the creature dashed towards them it began to sound more primitive and wild. Fox continued shooting at the eye, then grabbing Auburn’s arm and pulling zir out of the way of the creature. Ze didn’t move from where Fox almost threw air at the shipwreck wall, and stared as Fox continued to shoot at the creature's eye. It screamed again, starting off primitive then ending in the more human-like screams. It began thrashing around, and then its long body began to twist.
Fox took the opportunity to run back to where Auburn was, now both of them just staring as the creature writhe and thrashed. He almost felt bad for it, it looked to be in immense pain. Then again, it had tried to kill them. There was a strange gurgling noise that came out of its throat, as its twisting shape began to take form. It was vaguely…frog shaped.
“And…death…comes…free” Those were the words Fox could make out within the random sounds that followed, in…Neroli’s voice…then the eye quite literally exploded, and the creature just…vanished.
“T- that was unsettling.” Fox didn’t respond, letting zir’s comment be the only small break in the silence. Instead he walked forward, and picked up the one thing left where the creature had just been. A nametag, and on it was written ‘NEROLI’.
“Good thing we didn’t give him the compass then huh?” Fox whirled around, to (thankfully) see Lucy crawling through the same entrance he had. She took off the helmet to her suit as well.
“Yes I still have it,” She patted one of the pockets in her suit “-incase you were worried.”
“N- no, I knew you were fine, totally.”
~F~
What time it was when he woke up, what day it was, if he was alive or not, all things Falco didn’t know. What he did know however, was that he did not remember ever walking into this place. It was a pristine white, no furniture, no nothing. Just the oddly warm white marble, the only thing that wasn’t the same in the room being the glowing golden crystal floating just above a white marble pedestal. There was a throbbing in his head as he pushed himself upwards.
Falco stood up, and shakily made his way towards the crystal. The throbbing in his head worsened, and there was the feeling of something in his throat. Something burning in his throat. He stumbled a bit back from the pedestal only to feel a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, and noticing his cautiousness she stepped backwards. Her eyes reminded Falco of Krystal, and so did her fur color. The gem on her forehead, the two ribbon-like tails, and the purple hair was different though. Much different.
Falco stepped back again, this time towards the crystal, and just stared.
“It’s Falco isn’t it?” Her voice sounded like Krystal's too, barely different.
“Who the fuck are you?” It came out as harsh as he intended.
“Kaia, a Suicune-aima and the former High Council-ess of Nithora. I’ll ask again, it is Falco isn’t it?” She sounded like Krystal did when Fox first brought her back to the ship, unfamiliar, cautious, and rather confused. Like she hadn’t talked to a person before, in a long, long while.
“Yeah, what’s it to you?” His throat burned up again, and Falco coughed into his arm. She started to reach out a hand, possibly in an attempt to help, but he glared at her, causing it to drop back to her sides.
“I don’t want to explain with only one of you here, but i’ll give you the basics. I’m one of the reasons this system has been tortured for so long, my mistakes have killed millions and this phase there might be a chance for me to help you, and others, fix that and finally end this.”
“You’re insane.”
“I’m sorry you don’t believe me, but you will. I know it’s you, I know you’re one of The Seven, I can see him in your eyes. I’ll explain everything in detail once you bring the others here.”
“Where exactly is here?” Falco might as well play along for now, if only to get answers and then escape.
“The planet you and the others dove into, just a different time’s.”
“What the fuck does that mean.”
“I’m in the core of this planet, but millions of years before you arrive. A day before the star that was slowly forming on top of this safe space began to incinerate everything that came close. I’m not positive how it works, but Dimour and Zoi must be protecting me. Though I haven’t decided if it's a blessing or a curse to be immortal and just viewing catastrophes.”
“Doesn’t sound like much of a blessi-” He folded over, the burning pain returning and this time the feeling of something harshly pressing against his chest. He coughed again, and welded his eyes shut. This time he didn’t fend off the hand that came to rest on his shoulder. It might’ve been the only thing holding him up. When had it gotten so hot?
“It looks like our time is up, you’re being called away again.” Falco attempted to cough out a response, instead vomiting a small portion of the burning liquid in his throat. It was silver, and oddly…metallic. Fuck.
“You’ll be able to find me again, just follow the ocean’s tide. I’ll see you again soon Falco, please don’t make me wait much longer.”
~FOX~
The avian he had been trying cpr on opened his eyes in an instant. Fox was panting heavily, and Peppy was the one who got Falco onto his side so he would cough out the astraelum he had swallowed. Fox used his now recently free hands to wipe away the saliva mixed with astraelum from his mouth and the tears that had been forming in his eyes. They had almost just lost Falco.
“Easy there son, welcome back to the livin’s land” Southern accent, that usually didn’t come out that strongly often. Fox was pulled back by Lucy, but he continued staring at Falco. The image of how Falco had looked unconscious, with the front half of helmet busted open and blood in the liquid metal after they had saved the others was something Fox was positive he wasn’t going to ever forget. The second layer of the suit had been his saving grace, the thinner and slightly less heat resistant material covering everything but the snout (or in this case, beak) to allow communication.
Everyone that had lived through the attacks of whatever those things were, were here. Nea and Neroli had been the ones taken, hopefully they could explain it to Admiral Idreius in a way he wouldn't think they were insane.
But for now, the people he cared about were safe.
They’ll make it out of here, those things be damned.