FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 19: Wedding on Aquas

The voyage to Aquas aboard to the Ocean Breeze was an enjoyable vacation where they could indulge in many of life's great pleasures. Each day there were activities they could partake in: theater performances, games, interesting seminars, and simple things such a swimming, relaxing while gazing out at the stars from the Promenade Deck, and enjoying fine dining.

On the seventh day of their voyage, they could see Aquas quickly grow until it encompassed the view out of the liner's many windows. They were having tea together in the ship's forward lounge when a beagle in a neatly pressed black uniform approached them. "Mister and Missus McCloud, Miss Phoenix, Miss Reinard, Commodore Warwick would like to invite you to the bridge for the descent to Aquas."

"Well, that is a pleasant surprise." Fara smiled and stood up along with her fiancé and friends. "We'd be delighted to join you on the bridge."

The bridge of the Ocean Breeze was at the highest point of the space liner, near the aft end. When Fox, Krystal, Fara, and Kei first stepped off the lift, they were naturally drawn to the commanding view of the entire ship ahead and below them. "It's quite a sight, isn't it?" they heard someone say behind them in a deep brogue.

Turning around, they were greeted by a regal-looking terrier in a coarse brown coat of fur wearing the same black uniform, but with the insignias and white hat of command. Stepping forward, he introduced himself. "Commodore Ronald Warrick, at your service." He shook Kei's hand first. "Welcome Miss...."

"Reinard, Sir." Kei replied, feeling a mixture of mild embarrassment and amusement that, given the yellow sundress he was wearing, he had once again been mistaken for a vixen. His natural male muskiness was also lost in the musky scent of the three other foxes with him.

Oblivious to his mistake, Ronald Warwick turned to Fox and shook his hand next. "Fox McCloud. I understand I have you and your wife to thank for stopping those hijackers in Security right below us, and for saving Mister Barker's life."

"Glad to have been there to help, Commodore."

"Most definitely. Thank you." After a brief hesitation, he shook Krystal's hand.

For her part, Krystal could sense a nervousness she recognized from many who encountered her for the first time. She smiled politely to the master of the Ocean Breeze and returned the handshake.

"Ah hummm. Yes. Missus McCloud, I understand it is you I have to thank for saving us from those pirates who were intent to hijacking this ship."

Krytal broke eye contact with the commodore and looked down while smiling softly. "The fear I sensed from here may have alerted me, but credit should go to those who came up to stop those pirates."

"Yes, but it was you who was able to communicate with Mister Barker while he was unconscious and notified Miss Phoenix's bodyguards. They have our thanks for their quick action in taking them out and doing so without any of my crew being injured....and you have my thanks for alerting them and sending them our way."

"We are glad to have been able to help." Krystal replied, and then winked to the commodore to ease his nervousness. "Besides, Sargasso is nowhere near as nice as Aquas."

Commodore Warwick laughed and nodded. "Oh, most definitely." He then shook Fara's hand and bowed in deep respect to the fennec vixen. "Miss Phoenix. I am honored."

Fara returned the handshake. "The pleasure is ours. Thank you for the invitation."

"Miss Phoenix, you of all people would always be welcomed anytime, anywhere aboard this vessel. You could..." Ronald went on to say, but was politely cut off by Fara.

"Please Commodore," Fara said while raising a hand to forestall any arguments, "My father may be your employer and this ship may be part of my inheritance, but I would never wish to intrude upon you or any of your crew while you carry out your duties here."

Though this was the first time he had met the Phoenix heiress, he found the vixen charming and very likable. "That is most gracious of you. Thank you. Now, please enjoy yourself and this magnificent view while we descend down to Aquas." His dour terrier's expression turned to a grin under his thick muzzle fur at seeing four vulpine tails begin to wag.

The master of the Ocean Breeze turned to his crew and began barking out orders. "Helm! Plot course for the Southern Leeward Islands."

"Course plotted for Southern Leeward Islands, Suh!" Replied the beagle at the helm. "Inclination change set to 35°. Time to maneuver in T minus eight minutes, 42 seconds."

The commodore then took his seat in the command chair and depressed a switch. "Aquas Orbit Control, this is space liner Ocean Breeze, requesting permission for de-orbit to Southern Leeward Islands."

"This is Aquas Orbit Control. You are cleared for descent to Southern Leeward Islands. Safe sailing, Ocean Breeze."

"Thank you, Orbit Control." He glanced up at the ship's chronometer above the forward windows. "Inclination change to occur in eight minutes, eleven seconds."

"Roger that, Ocean Breeze." came the final reply.

Fox, his wife, and his friends all gazed out the front while all this transpired. When the space liner reached the designated position in its orbit, they saw port bow thrusters glow, slowly turning the vessel to starboard until their orbit was inclined the pre-determined 35°. Commodore Warwick then called out. "Time to de-orbit."

"14 minutes, 22 seconds, Suh!"

More orders were given over those minutes while the four foxes watched. They listened while the commodore made a shipwide announcement, notifying passengers and crew that they were about to begin descent. Throughout the Ocean Breeze, passengers gathered at windows to watch the spectacle of the massive ship beginning to plow through Aquas' atmosphere. None of it though could compare to the panoramic view that Commodore Warwick's guests were privileged to see.

At the appointed time, the liner's bow thrusters came to life, slowing the ship down just enough for their orbit to begin to decay. In the minutes that followed, a cone of ionized plasma began to grow over the Ocean Breeze's forward shields, enveloping the massive ship in a highly energized orange glow that pulsed and flickered more brightly by the minute.

For Fox, Krystal, and Fara, it was a sight they had seen very often in their space-faring careers, though none of them had seen it from such a commanding vantage point, or on such a grand scale. The light show though was soon over and they were cutting through the upper atmosphere and clouds at hypersonic speeds while steadily decelerating. The sky above them was gradually turning form black to a deep blue while the horizon was losing its curvature, flattening out into a hazy line in the distance.

Ahead of them was spread the vast, nearly endless ocean of Aquas while they continued to descend. Just as they could begin to see the white caps of waves below them, Fox was able to spot a small archipelago ahead of them that was part of the Southern Leeward Islands. None of the four vulpine were paying attention to the orders and acknowledgements being called out around them at this point. All watched raptly the unique sight of the bow of the largest space liner ever built plow ponderously into the waves to become an ocean liner.

By evening, the Ocean Breeze was docked at the Southern Leeward Islands and passengers were disembarking with thoughts of their respective vacation destinations in mind. For Fox and Krystal, it was a happy reunion with many friends they had not seen in months. At the head of their circle of friends welcoming them were Slippy and his fiancée Amanda. Fox rushed up to his friend and embraced the amphibian, lifting him off the ground. "Slippy, it's so good to see you!"

"Aww common Fox. Put me down!" Slippy complained. When his dangling feet made contact with the pavement, he grinned up at his vulpine friend. "And it's good to see you too."

Falco then approached his vulpine friend and the two embraced each other heartily as only brothers would. "So are the rumors true, Foxy? Did you finally knock up your wife?"

"Yeah. Krystal's pregnant as about a week or two ago." Fox replied while drawing Krystal close against him. He grinned and released is hold on his wife when Fay Spaniel and Katt Monroe rushed up to embrace Krystal while squealing in feminine exuberance.

Dash Bowman stepped forward and shook Fox's hand. "Congratulations, Sir, and to your wife."

"Thanks Dash." He then jabbed a thumb to his avian friend. "Falco treating you good?"

"He is. Star Falco is a great team to fly with."

Fox grinned and then turned to his old mentor and foster sister. "Peppy, Lucy, glad you could make it!"

"I wouldn't miss this for anything." Peppy Hare replied, embracing his former protégé. "Bill sends his regards. He and Bulldog Squadron are on another exploration foray with the Dauntless." He glanced to Krystal and nodded. "They are following along the heading High Elder Shinkai showed him."

Krystal smiled even as her eyes misted over at the thought and hope that the remnants of her people would soon be found. "Thank you."

Miyu next greeted Fox and Krystal, embracing them both, followed by a hearty handshake from Panther. "Congratulations, to both of you, on your child."

"Thanks Panther." He then noticed a gold and diamond ring upon Miyu's finger and grinned to the feline pair. "Woah! You proposed to Miyu?"

Panther took his betrothed's hand in his and kissed it. "Yes, and she has granted me the honor of accepting."

"Oh, that's wonderful news!" Krystal gushed, stepping away from Fey and Katt to hug Miyu.

"Thank you." she replied while returning her Cerinian friend's embrace. "We'll send out invitations as soon as we have decided on a date."

"But....will you not be concerned about raising a family while flying for Star Wolf?" Krystal asked. She was doubly confused when she could sense no anxiety at her question. When Miyu glanced over to Wolf O'Donnell, the telepathic vixen began to get an inkling that some major changes were in the process of transpiring.

The leader of Star Wolf stood there, and with her arm around his, was Vanessa Chambers. The white vixen was smiling like she had caught the most prized male in all of Lylat. Even more startling was the change in Wolf himself. His prosthetic, telescoping eye was gone. In its place appeared to be a normal eye.

At their questioning expression, Wolf explained. "Don't look so surprised." he grunted while smirking at the two vulpine. He then pointed to where his prosthetic used to be. "And Vanessa here even made arrangement to give me a cybernetic implant that looks like a real eye."

"Wow! It looks good on you, Wolf, and congratulations."

"And given that piracy is all but gone, and remaining warlords have been crushed on Venom, there's really not enough work left for both Star Wolf and Star Falco." the lupine announced. "So I'm setting up an office in Downtown Corneria City for my new business: Star Wolf Security and Investigations."

"Well, I wouldn't say piracy was completely gone." Fox countered.

"Ha! You mean those pathetic excuses for pirates who tried to hijack the Ocean Breeze?" Wolf scoffed. "Take it from a former pirate, I would never have hired such screw ups like them."

"And yet, you had Andrew Oikonny flying for Star Wolf." Fox grinned, teasing his former rival.

"Don't remind me." Wolf groused. "Biggest mistake I ever made, letting his damnable uncle pressure me into hiring that idiot.

Krystal glanced anxiously to Dash and made eye contact with him. He shook his head and smiled sardonically to the vixen. "Don't worry. The only members of my family I care about are my mother and father. And Mother will not even acknowledge her father Andross or her cousin Andrew, and neither will I."

"Good for you, Dash." Falco slapped the ape on the back. "And you are a far better pilot than Andrew ever was."

For Kei, it was a somewhat overwhelming experience. Here he was, seeing some of the most renowned pilots in all of Lylat in person. It made the crossdressed tod feel very self-conscious in their presence.

When Falco Lombardi looked towards him and asked. "Hey Fara, who's your lady friend?" Kei became nervous and subconsciously began to edge behind his vixen.

Fara would not let his bashfulness get in the way of introducing him to her friends though. She even made it a point of taking his hand in hers, bringing their attention to his diamond and sapphire engagement ring. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to Kei Reinard."

The name was immediately recognized by the females present. Fay Spaniel's tail wagged and she gushed. "Oh my stars! He's so adorable and even more girly than I am!" Lucy covered her muzzle and giggled. "He does look cute." Katt, and Miyu both purred and nodded. "That he does." Katt said while grinning to her avian boyfriend and captain, whose beak hung open.

Panther Caruso stroked his chin thoughtfully. To him, this effeminate tod defied his own beliefs in masculinity, but when he saw the look of adoration in Fara's eyes, a smile slowly grew upon his muzzle. "I must commend you on a most novel way of pleasing the lovely Fara Pheonix."

Fara grinned to the black-furred feline. "He more than pleased me, Panther. He's my fiancé."

The outpouring of congratulations and subsequent handshakes left Kei feeling a mixture of nervous giddiness and awe at getting to know them on a first-name basis. The exception was Falco Lombardi. For some strange reason to Kei, the avian ace pilot seemed uneasy being near him.

Krystal also sensed that uneasiness and telepathically reached out to Falco, tapping into his surface thoughts and saw a recollection of his most embarrassing encounter.

Falco was grinning while he watched the vixen slowly begin to disrobe for him. Already, he was feeling his maleness begin to swell with anticipation. She was down to her short skimpy skirt and her bra and winked coyly to him. When she reached behind herself and unclasped her bra, he expected to see a fine example of mammalian femininity. Instead, a flat chest was revealed. His confusion turned to astonishment when her skirt came down to reveal red panties covering the unmistakable outline of a male.

Seeing his stunned expression, the tod approached him with a slow sway of his hips. "What's the matter flyboy? Didn't you know what I had under my skirt?"

How could he have been fooled so completely? This trap was now approaching him. He felt paralyzed under his gaze even while he spoke in a sultry voice. "Oooh. A virgin with boys, aren't you? Let me show you how the other half lives. I know all sorts of tricks."

His erection quickly died when this tod reached up to stroke him under his beak. When his other hand slid down to his crotch, Falco flinched and drew away from this prostitute with no thoughts other than escape...."

Krystal quickly recoiled from the memory when she felt a powerful surge of mortified embarrassment from her avian friend. She and Fox were blushing hotly under their facial fur when Falco made eye contact with them.

Falco closed his eyes and groaned, again wishing he had never met that impostor posing as a vixen. He did not know if he should resent or feel grateful for the soothing presence in his mind.

"Falco, I'm so sorry. Your emotions at seeing Kei and your memory of your encounter with that prostitute were so strong that I couldn't help but see your recollection."

"How much did you see? Please tell me you are not going to say anything, especially to Katt."

"Not much. I quickly withdrew from that memory when I realized how embarrassed you felt....and we'll never say anything to anybody about it."

Krystal smiled when she felt a sense of nervous relief from her blue-feathered avian friend. "And I'll have you know that Kei here is nothing like that trap who tried to seduce you. He's a sweet, loving tod who just likes to dress like a vixen, but makes no attempt to impersonate one." She could still sense a nervous reluctance to even look at Fara's fiancé. "Look at how flat his chest is. He's not even wearing false breasts."

Falco's eyes snapped opened and focused on Kei, and he realized that Krystal was right. Effeminate as the tod was, he was flat-chested. It was then that he noticed how disturbingly he resembled Fox, which was another thought that Krystal picked up on.

"That's because Kei is Fox's distant cousin."

"No way!" he thought and heard Krystal giggle in his mind. "Yes way! Didn't you notice that Kei's clan name is the same as that of Fox's mother? He is Vixy Reinard's third cousins. You should get to know him. Aside from the crossdressing, Kei has many things in common with Fox."

Falco did end up getting to know Kei Reinard. The entire group gathered at a beachside outdoor bar at the island resort where all were staying for the upcoming wedding. Fox, Krystal, Fara, Kei, Falco, and Katt ended up sharing one table and Falco found himself sitting next to Fox's effeminate cousin.

For his part, Kei did not know what to say to the bird and smiled nervously to Fox McCloud's famous wingmate. The tension was diffused upon Falco breaking it in his usual bluntness.

"Uh, yeah." he began. "Look, I'll admit it. I was really weirded out when I found out you were not a vixen." When Kei opened is muzzle to speak, Falco lifted a feathered finger to forestall any apologies. "But Krystal tells me you're a really great guy and Fox's cousin too. And I consider Fox a brother. So that makes you okay in my book."

Kei's muzzle snapped shut and opened a few times before he finally voiced his mixed emotions when they settled upon feelings of gratitude. "Thanks. That means a lot." He rubbed the back of his head. "I have to say that I really admired what you, Fox, and the rest of Star Fox did too. I even dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot like you guys, but well, life took me in another direction."

Falco couldn't help but preen at the admiration from Kei. "Hey. Don't worry about it. Not many can fly a space fighter, especially an Arwing."

At that comment, Kei laughed. "Well, I guess I'm more than many, thanks to Fara."

"Huh? What are you getting at?"

"Well, you see, Fara owns a two-seat Arwing, and she took me flying to Station L2 at Corneria's second libration point where she gave me flying lessons. She even had me do some target practice and take out debris around the space station."

When Falco saw the glint in the tod's eyes, he knew he had found a kindred spirit in Kei. "It's something, isn't it? Have a space fighter strapped to your back, and you feel like you can take on the universe."

"Yeah....and I got pretty good at handling an Arwing too." Kei mused. "I mean, I know I'm nowhere near as good as you guys, not with less than a 100 hours flying experience, but Fara did show me all the basics. She even offered to help me get my pilot's license and build me my own single-seat Arwing to solo in."

Falco laughed. "You're going to be the only CDF pilot who privately owns his own Arwing!"

Kei shook his head. "I'll pass. I love flying, but I enjoy working for Fara at Space Dynamics even more and being with her all the time."

"I'm cool with that." Falco replied. The plumage on his head then puffed out. "Besides, not many can be an ace pilot like I can."

"He may not be an ace pilot like we are, but I'd wager he'd best all of us in a sword duel." Fox quipped.

Kei looked down at his hands and smiled, feeling humbled by the high praise. Falco though was challenged by the declaration. "Oh? What makes you think I'd not be as good with a sword too?"

"Because you are not the one that Master Yun Bao of the Yazhou Mountains monastery is taking on as his apprentice." Fox countered.

This garnered expletives of amazement. The Yazhou Mountains monastery on Corneria was well-known throughout Lylat for its martial arts masters. "No way!" Falco squawked. "You serious?"

Fara, who was seated on Kei's other side, leaned over and said to Falco. "Master Bao was actually on board the Ocean Breeze and gave a seminar on martial arts. Kei had a private session afterward where Master Bao helped him improve on his sword forms. When he learned that Kei had defended me in an actual sword fight, he was impressed and decided to take Kei on as his apprentice."

At the table adjacent to them, Miyu and her own fiancé had overheard the conversation. "Panther is rather good with a sword too."

"Indeed. I've had to defend myself on several occasions, much to my opponents' regrets." Panther declared with unabashed confidence.

Wolf O'Donnell was also drawn into the conversation. "If Miss Phoenix's betrothed is being trained by a martial arts master, you may find yourself outmatched this time, Panther."

"Care to test that with a friendly duel?" Panther asked Kei.

Fara's tod though politely declined. "I wouldn't want to disappoint Master Bao before I even begin training with him."

"Oh? Are you that unsure of your skills?"

Kei shook his head. "No. It's not that. There's this saying at the Yazhou Mountains monastery. 'After a year's training, you learn to fight one opponent. After three years, you learn to fight three opponents. After five years, five opponents. After ten years training, you learn to fight no one.'"

"That's deep." Katt declared.

"I placed third at the Havenwood Regional Fencing several years ago, but I want to make Master Bao proud and never get into a sword fight again if I can help it."

Panther stroked his chin. "I know of the Havenwood Regional Fencing competitions. To place third among hundreds of contenders is quite impressive. And anybody who does not feel the need to prove himself to othersshows self-confidence. I can respect that."

Conversations meandered from there to exploits from Star Falco to Star Wolf's final missions to Venom to possible names for Krystal's pup to Slippy's research lab on Aquas. Many were eager to hear more about Wolf and Vanessa's budding relationship. Kei listened avidly while Fox and Krystal told him about their training of CDF pilots in the Mk3 Arwings. Fox even offered to continue his cousin's flight instruction.

It was a joyful evening, filled with laughter and tall tales swapped between them. Past midnight, the festive mood started waning with the late hour. When Peppy started nodding off, Lucy stood and helped her father up to get him to their room, and Fox decided to call it a night as well.

*****

At sunset the next day, all were gathered on the beach in the shade of palm trees. Slippy and Amanda stood under an arched pergola festooned with tropical flowers. The groom was attired in a black suit over a white shirt with a red bowtie. He wore black shoes polished to a shine. A black top hat perched on his head. The bride was dressed in a white, flowing wedding gown. A gold necklace with a large emerald at the center encircled her neck. As the matron of honor and chief usher, Krystal and Fox stood with the couple under the pergola. With the chief justice of Aquas officiating, Slippy and Amanda declared their love for each other and exchanged their vows and the rings which Fox and Krystal each handed to them.

Under a clear, starlit sky, the wedding party partook of a tropical banquet replete with the fruits of the sea. Fox regaled them on some of the misadventures he had with Slippy, many of them dating back to before their Star Fox days. It was while Slippy was telling his wife and friends of some of the practical jokes he had played on Fox and Falco that Fox decided to reveal the one he had pulled months ago at his and Krystal's wedding.

"Hey Slippy, do you know what the best practical jokes are?"

"What would that be, Fox?"

"It's the one where the victim never realizes that a joke's been played on him."

Slippy frowned and scratched his chin. "How is that a good joke if the victim never realizes it?"

"Because I'm going to tell you and Falco right now that I did play one on you months ago."

"Huh?!?" Slippy became alarmed and glanced to Falco, seeing nothing amiss with his avian friend.

"Okay Foxy, out with it." demanded Falco.

Grinning like the sly vulpine that he was, Fox revealed the secret he had kept from his two friends. "Remember that Cerinian wedding tradition where I said you were required to wear loincloths?"

"Yeah, you said it was because Slippy and I were your closest friends."

"Well, I made that up. There is no such Cerinian tradition. Only Krystal and I had to wear loincloths."

"What?!?" Slippy's croaked, mouth hanging open.

"No way!" Falco squawked, his own beak hanging open. Everyone around the table broke in uproarious laughter. Even Wolf O'Donnell broke his normally serious, stoic demeanor in a howl of mirth.

"Yes way!" Fox and Krystal replied together with matching grins. Krystal went on to explain. "Fox decided to play that joke on you because you two kept teasing us when we got back together. When I read his mind and saw what he was thinking, I went along with it."

"And the best part was when Peppy figured out what I was up to and got his own loincloth to keep up the charade." Fox laughed. His expression softened and he smiled to his friends fondly. "Even though it was a prank, it still means a lot to Krystal and me that you guys went through with it." His gaze then traveled to Panther, Miyu, Katt, and Fay. "And that you'd also get your own loincloths makes this less of a practical joke on Falco and Slippy and more of an affirmation of friendship from you guys too."

"You area a credit to your species, Fox." Wolf chuckled, but was then distracted by Vanessa's hand stroking him under his chin while she said to him in a husky voice. "And does my Wolfy want me to exercise her foxy wiles on him as well?"

Fox snickered, "Wolfy," but to his surprise, Wolf did not take the bait. He instead growled throatily to Vanessa. "Only if you let your Alpha assert himself over you afterwards, My Dear."

The white vixen shivered and replied to her wolf with a voice full of want. "Oh yes. I'll howl for you like a she-wolf, handsome."

Slippy and Amanda laughed. "Mammals can be so vocal." Amanda giggled.

Fara smirked to Vanessa. "Should I make plans to have your name in your employee file changed to Vanessa O'Donnell?"

The thin white fur on Vanessa's muzzle could not hide the blush that formed at the suggested implications of Fara's words. "I...."

Wolf shook his head. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Fox chuckled. "Never knew you were capable of being such a romantic, Wolf." He winked towards Miyu's fiancé. "You've got some competition, Panther."

Falco by then had gotten over the realization that he had been duped by his friend. "I should be pissed off at you, Foxy, but what can I say? Well played." he cawed. "At least, nobody recorded Slippy and me in our loincloths."

"Actually, you were recorded." Kei revealed. "Fara showed me the recordings of the wedding."

Falco felt the blood drain from his beak and Slippy's face turned a pale green. "How?" Amanda's husband croaked.

Wolf spoke up and pointed to his left eye. "I recorded the ceremony with my old prosthetic." He then raised a hand to forestall any protests or warnings. "And don't worry. I gave a copy only to Fara."

"Krystal and I would love to have copy of that recording of our wedding." Fox stated.

"Sure, I'll give you a copy the next time we get together." Fara said. She grinned to Falco and Slippy. "Same goes for you two."

"I'd love to see it." Amanda affirmed. "Most definitely." Katt nodded with a grin. Slippy groaned. Falco closed his eyes and slid a hand over his beak.

*****

The festivities had gone on late into the night, with much laughter, dancing, story swapping, and general merrymaking. The highlight had been when the bride had tossed her bouquet over her shoulder at the jostling group of females and Katt Monroe had been the one to catch it. The pink-furred feline then grinned to her boyfriend and captain. Krystal had giggled at the emotions of nervousness she sensed from Falco.

Kei though had not joined his fiancée to attempt to catch the bouquet. Even though he was dressed like a vixen, he had been unsure about joining the other girls in that particular contest. When a blushing Slippy had reached under his wife's wedding gown to remove her garter, Fara had to practically push her crossdressed fiancé to join the other unwed males who were all jostling to catch the prize.

Fox gave his cousin a thumbs up salute of encouragement and smiled at the look of resolution on his effeminate cousin. When Slippy tossed the garter, Kei was ready to leap harder and higher than any of them, but was astonished that the garter practically beaned him on the nose and landed in his hands before he could even jump for it.

Everyone cheered, whistled, and howled when Fara took the prize from her fiancé, knelt before him, and slid the garter up his leg under his dress. It was as strong an affirmation as any could have of the love Fara and Kei had for each other. Fox and Krystal felt a particular joy at seeing many of their other friends find love as well. Even his former rival, Wolf O'Donnell, had fallen in love. They had never seen before the normally serious, dour lupine smile and actually laugh.

Fox then thought to how he was before he met Krystal. He had been introverted, rarely even laughing. He had been focused and driven, and almost never took shore leave. All that had been important to him was the next mission and paying the bills to maintain the Great Fox.

He glanced over at his beautiful wife who was kneeling on her meditation matt, her eyes closed while she took slow, measured breaths to center her mental powers for another night of lucid dreams. She was his salvation. Fox could no longer imagine a life without his mind and soul melded to hers. He let his eyes wander over her naked beauty: her pale blue face and muzzle, her shoulder-length hair, her beautifully-proportioned breasts and the downy soft fur in her cleavage, her slim figure and shapely hips and rump, her soft, fluffy tail, and her well-toned legs.

In Fox McCloud's eyes, his Kurisutaru was perfection. And as sleepy as he was feeling, it did not dampen this desire welling in his heart to physically join with her in slumber. These same feelings were reflected back to him from his soulmate as she emerged from her meditative trance and stood up. It was apparent by the moistness dripping from her slit that Krystal was ready for a night of nocturnal love-making.

She crawled into bed under the sheets and snuggled up against him. While giving him a slow, tender kiss, she guided his maleness to her feminine treasure and they were soon making sleepy love until they drifted off to sleep with his knot embedded in her for a night of erotic dreams.