FSE

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Sunlight did little to warm the marten who sat at the edge of a meadow in the middle of the city-sized base. Not only was it the cold season now, but it the atmospheric generators were already cooling down the planet significantly to help battle the Creeper's spread and growth.

Sleeping next to him was the arctic fox who didn't seem affected by the cold at all. Instead he only curled up and covered his closed eyes with his long tail to keep the sun from shining directly on him.

When Jun looked up at the sky, he could see what appeared to be hundreds of stars in the full day sky but he knew they were ships from the Guardian armada.

A slight growl distracted the marten, and he looked back down at the arctic fox. His lips were curled slightly from whatever dream he was having. Jun gently ran his claws through the fox's fur on the back of his neck. The fox's lip continued to quiver but it slowly stopped until he slept peacefully once more.

The roar of another ship entering atmosphere caused an unexpected reaction from the fox, as he jumped up instantly and backed away. The reaction startled Jun, the fox's movements so sudden and fast that his heart rate quickly jumped.

"Yuki?" he said, once he saw the startled fox's chest expanding and decompressing quickly. The fox glanced at Jun for a moment before he fell to his knees and covered his ears from the roar of the ship. Jun scooted closer to him, and gently placed a paw on the white fox's back. "The ship will pass soon."

"It's not the ship," muttered Yukiomaru, his eyes closed tight and he continued to press on his ears. "Kazamde placed memories in my head."

Jun continued to pat the arctic fox on the back. He knew that the Creepers tried to mess with his mind during his imprisonment but Yukiomaru has only been acting up since the battle with Kazamde. The marten had only learned of it the first time he saw Yukiomaru struggle with it a few days after the battle.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jun asked, hesitantly. He didn't know how to approach such a unique issue.

"Feels like I'm falling," Yukiomaru said, letting go of his ears and slowly sitting back on his tail. "Sinking head first. This life he showed me, I'm going nowhere but sinking further in a sea of polluted water. The further I sink the less I'm willing to swim. The senses, the emotions, all feel as real as me talking to you now does."

"How long were you in this dream?" questioned Jun, eager to learn more now that Yukiomaru spoke of it for the first time since his rescue.

"A lifetime," answered Yukiomaru briefly. He stood up, recovering from his breakdown and quickly ended the conversation. "I'm sorry Jun. It is something I'm struggling with but I will overcome it like every other obstacle the Creepers have put in my way. I have another day before the armada heads out. Do you mind if I spend it with you? Yelena has already returned to Drach'n Fury. I think she means to give me some more time off by standing me on the planet."

"I'd be delighted to spend time with you, Yukiomaru," answered Jun, somewhat disappointed that the young fox again refused to talk about what was bothering him. "After you go I don't know when I'll see you again."

"You're a Fa, Jun," stated the arctic fox, walking along the gardens within the base. When they left nothing had yet grown but in a couple short months the plants were already growing at a rapid pace thanks to the best soil on the planet being laid out for them. "We won't be going to explore unknown star systems anymore. We're going out for war, to destroy the alien civilization and we can't put you at risk."

"Tang is the heir to the family, not me," muttered Jun, disappointed that he hasn't been able to convince the younger fox for him to go along at all. Yukiomaru always said "we", even when the decision was only his to make. Jun assumed it was part of the fox's way to prevent himself from expressing too much emotion.

Once they left the gardens and entered the base that ringed around the biosphere, Yukiomaru appeared more professional and looking like an Admiral. Not a single white hair on his body expressed that young fox Jun saw so rarely.

The base didn't have much electrical power, and the little that it did went straight to the medical facility that was built below the surface. Medical equipment has been scavenged from hospitals and medical ships all around the planet, making the facility below the best-equipped hospital on the planet.

Jun had avoided the medical facility, and Yukiomaru wasn't ignorant to that so he didn't lead them back that way. Touring the city-sized base, they both spent the day together and ate their meals together. Yukiomaru dropped his façade rarely but Jun appreciated the small moments when he did. It was comforting given what the marten had learned upon his return from the Stealth home world. They even shared a room that night when the sun had set.

"Jun," Yukiomaru whispered after they have both been lying down in the dark for some time. "I'm sorry. For what happened."

"It wasn't your fault, Yukiomaru," Jun replied, staring up at the dark ceiling. The marten didn't want to talk about the news he learned of when he returned back from the battle. Both of his parents, Mew and Sunee Fa, died from their experience in that tunnel while they were away. Jun was doing his best not to think about it.

"I discovered the Creepers," Yukiomaru slowly spoke. "Shot Aggressor and provoked it. Then I... I led them back here."

Jun sat up in the dark and glanced toward the small fox's bed. He was used to Yukiomaru taking on responsibilities that weren't his but taking responsibility for the entire invasion shocked him. He had suspected this when they talked in the admiral's room on Drach'n Fury but thought Yukiomaru no longer blamed himself.

"Yuki..."

"I failed to defend us because Kazamde captured me," muttered the arctic fox, his voice hardly audible in the still silence. "After all that... I don't even want to fight anymore."

"Yuki, stop," Jun said, standing from his bed. He walked over to Yukiomaru's bed and lied down next to him. He wrapped his paws around the fox and pulled him close, his back against the marten's chest. Yukiomaru didn't move to either resist or to accept the marten's hold.

"This all happened because of me," continued the arctic fox so quietly he wasn't sure if he was talking to the marten anymore or himself. Through his words his young age and immaturity started to show. "They targeted me and killed everyone to get to me."

Both of them lying on their sides, Jun rested his jaw between the fox ears on top of his head. He didn't know what to say, which allowed the fox to continue to simmer in self-pity, so he just held the fox tight.

"I don't want to go back tomorrow, Jun," Yukiomaru continued speaking slightly louder. "I don't want to fight them anymore. I wish we never left that cabin on the mountain... You must hate me for being so selfish."

"Yuki, please stop," said Jun, his voice hushed. Tears were starting to form in his eyes because he hated that all of this was bothering Yukiomaru. When a tear leaked into his fur, he didn't bother wiping it away and only held onto the arctic fox tighter.

They both lay there silently for a long while; occasionally a silent sob would jolt the arctic fox

"Yuki, no one blames you, I told you this before," Jun said after a while. He kept his voice quiet and soft, reassuring the fox by gently petting him along his side. "I don't blame you for my parents' death, Tang doesn't, and neither did they. They proclaimed you the savior of our civilization."

Yukiomaru remained quiet, and Jun only knew he was still awake because the fox held onto the marten's arms that were wrapped around his chest.

"You killed Aggressor, you killed Kazamde and you built this base that will save us all," Jun continued to speak softly. "If you don't want to fight anymore, then stay here. You have done more than enough. Everyone loves you for what you did, Yuki. Tang loves you, and I love you. You can stay with us and help finish the battle here rather than go off to the stars to fight battles on unknown planets."

Silence passed between them again but was quickly interrupted by the fox. "I can't stay Jun. I'd never forgive myself if I turned my tail on this conflict now." Jun remained silent, disappointed by the fox's answer and Yukiomaru must have detected this. "I'm sorry Jun."

"Please, please don't blame yourself for the Creepers' invasion Yukiomaru," Jun begged. "For me, just don't blame yourself. It was not your fault. If I cannot convince you to stay then at least allow me to convince you the truth that it wasn't your fault."

"I'm sorry," repeated the small arctic fox, half inaudible.

No more words were exchanged in the darkness, and the fox finally fell asleep in the marten's embrace. Jun soon followed but never let go of the arctic fox.

The next morning the arctic fox prepared for his departure silently, his reluctance obvious in his behavior. Jun had no more will in him to attempt to convince the arctic fox to stay and was only able to offer his assistance where he could. The marten even flew off the planet with Yukiomaru, where they docked on the small space station that Tang once worked with the poison on.

"Yuki," Jun said, before the arctic fox could step onto the transport that'd take him to Drach'n Fury. "I'm going to miss you. I'll be waiting for you to return."

Yukiomaru overcame his professional façade for a brief moment, walked back to the marten and wrapped his arms around him. Jun smiled at the unexpected hug and wrapped his arms around the smaller fox.

"I'll miss you too, Jun," he said quietly, nuzzling into the marten's shirt. "You're the only true friend I've had. I'll be back."

"Goodbye, Yukiomaru," Jun said once the arctic fox let go of him and returned to the shuttle.

"Goodbye Jun," the arctic fox said.

Yelena, the meerkat was waiting for the arctic fox, and allowed him to pass her as he entered the shuttle. She glanced back at Jun before saying, "Don't you worry, Jun Fa. I promise I'll look after him and make sure he gets back home safe."

"Thank you, Yelena," Jun replied. He watched the doors shut on the shuttle, and it separate from the station. No one knew when they'd be returning, whether it is a year from now or several decades from now. Jun did his best not to think on it.

"Come on Jun," his sister's voice said from behind. He was startled but when he turned to see his sister, he couldn't help but to dive into her arms. She comforted him but insisted that he joined her on to the ship Fa Pioneer that was docked.

Nearly an hour passed before they began to speak once they were on the bridge of the small ship.

"Yukiomaru gave us a chance to keep our planets," Tang said, staring out the large blast screen that showed the thousands of warships in the system. "Mother and Father are gone so it is up to us to make sure that their efforts, and the Admiral's, were not wasted."

"They won't be," Jun promised. His determination was returning to him, even though his parents and his best friend once again left him alone. He still had his sister, and she helped give the young marten hope that he can help make Canidera a safe haven again. "When Yukiomaru returns, Canidera, Fellorian and Lutracha will be cured. I will do Mother and Father proud."

Staring out the view screen, Jun watched as the thousands of ships turn away from the planet. Several of them that only appeared as stars quickly started to disappear into the distance, all heading back to the front line with the war against the Creepers. The majority of the ships belonged to the Guardians, but there were dozens of Stealth ships, Beast ships, UDAS ships, and other aliens Jun hasn't even met yet.

This is where and when the war turns in our favor, promised Jun. The Creepers will not gain any more ground.