On another side of town, Wolf O'Donnell was looking around the street in search of a job he could use. So far, he wasn't having the best of luck. He was already rejected by at least four managers in a row, and he wasn't even given a chance to show how much he wanted to start over. He couldn't blame them though, he did screw up a lot over the years; shoplifting, street fighting, gambling, theft, and of course being forced to work for Andross to take over the Lylat System after he was framed for killing one of the most famous heroes that everyone ever knew.
He sighed in frustration over this whole mess, Panther was whining about cleaning the entire apartment room they're staying in, and Leon just doesn't seem to care about making a living of his life. Well, except when he thinks about homicide and taking bounty hunts like they used to. And there's all the people on the streets that are spitting and badmouthing him about his past as he walks by them, but that's something that he's trying to ignore.
He feels really peeved about all this.
He turns a corner and sees an apartment building ahead and sees a 'Help Wanted' sign on the window and takes this opportunity to find him the job he needs. He took a deep breath and marched towards the entrance.
...
Meanwhile
Fox and Falco exited the elevator and went to the dining area near the lobby. They were dying to have those cinnamon rolls that they were offering today. Things between them were still a little sore from their 'discussion' of the internship that Falco set up, but they're trying to move past that. Even if they still feel a little peeved over the whole thing.
Fox saw Krystal head out the back door at the end of the hallway while having a bite of a cinnamon roll. 'She must've already had her breakfast?' he thought. Falco opened the doors to the dining hall and saw Slippy and Peppy already sitting at a table with their plates of cinnamon rolls, and some buttered toast and some paper cups that must have coffee in them. 'Damn, I can't wait to sink my beak in those cinnamon rolls!' the pheasant thought in excitement. The bird and the vulpine went to the counter where a stack of paper plates and a few trays of cinnamon rolls with a nice aroma emitting from them were waiting to be collected.
"Aw yes!" moaned Falco. "Come to Papa." The pheasant didn't hesitate to grab a plateful of those rolls and begin to chow down on some of them.
"Nice table manners," Fox chirped sarcastically.
"Hey, we came here to eat," he replied with his mouth full. "So, let's eat while we can! Besides, it's not wise to waste any chances."
Fox thought for a second and had to ask something from Falco. "Do you believe that Star Wolf deserves a second chance?"
Upon hearing that, Falco turned his head towards his friend and gave him a confused look. "I thought you'd be willing to give them a chance to prove that they'll change?"
"I am. Really, I am. I know they did some bad stuff in the past, minus Panther, who hasn't had much of a history of being a criminal, but when General Pepper told us about Wolf and Leon being framed for my father's death, I
I started
to feel confused from all this," he explained, heaving hard. "I was always angry at Pigma for betraying my Dad. I was also angry when Andross threatened to take over the entire Lylat System back in the wars and with Pigma being a part of Star Wolf, I was utterly convinced that they were in on it. I certainly know that Andrew would be in on it
"
Fox started to let another tear shed from his eye and began to wipe it off before it rolled down his cheek as he continued. "
and I was fooled to believe that Wolf and Leon were involved in this as well."
"Well, to be honest, I was just as fooled as you were. So was everyone else, mostly due to their criminal records
"
"That's just it," Fox began to croak. "I was the bigger fool to believe that! Pigma took advantage of everyone for his own personal gain and left everyone else to suffer the pain he inflicted on them. Most of my life, I vowed to make Pigma and Andross pay for what they did to my family, and all the other pilots that worked for him were just getting in our way and trying to slow us down. Most of those 'enemy' pilots had friends and families just as much as we did, and they didn't deserve this. Nobody does! Nobody"
Fox let out a few more tears, this time letting them roll down his cheeks. He sniffled a few times before resuming, "I'm sorry. I just still feel messed up about all this. Hearing the news earlier this week, it made me think really hard about all of this."
"I can see that. And I don't blame you. But Fox, you can't let that be the only excuse that they deserve a second chance. I would depend on them to want a second chance for them to deserve it. After all," he took another cinnamon roll and stuffed it in his beak. "It's not wise to rush things, ya'know?"
Fox starts to calm down a little. "Yeah. You're right. Maybe I am rushing it a little. If Star Wolf wants to redeem themselves, I should let it be up to them."
"Good," replied the bird with crumbs falling onto his plate. "I was worried that you'd do something you'd regret later. Can't have my good friend make a fool of himself for making a wrong choice."
"Are you trying to atone for the internship thing yesterday?" Fox teased while wiping his tears off.
"Hey! That was a good idea! I come up with good ideas just as much as anyone else."
"Whatever." His stomach growls. "Whoof! I was so busy letting off steam, I forgot that I was hungry. I'm gonna get myself a plate."
"Hurry up, Fox," Falco chuckled. "Don't wanna miss your chance."
Before Fox went to get himself a plate however, he saw a familiar figure appear outside through the window and he began to feel a small spark of joy in his chest. He saw Wolf heading towards the entrance and somehow couldn't hesitate to speak with him.
'Maybe he's hungry?' he thought for a second. He continued to the dining counter and grabbed himself a plate and took some cinnamon rolls too. 'I'll just grab a few extras and see if he'd like some.' He grabbed at least 9 or 10 rolls, so he'd have some to share.
"I know you're hungry, but this looks ridiculous," bemoaned Falco, looking at Fox's plate.
"Falco," Fox began. "I just saw him."
"Saw who?"
"Wolf. He's heading this way right now." He took out his phone and looked at a few texts that they sent to each other earlier. "He must be trying to find himself a job to start over, like he was told by General Pepper."
"Really?" asked Falco. "The 'Great Lord O'Donnell' trying to find himself a job on the planet that he tried to destroy while working with Andross of all places?"
"He's under house arrest right now," Fox pointed out. "Well, planet arrest. So, he's gotta find a job so he could have a place to live if he's gonna be repenting for his past."
"In a city like this? That's gotta be harder than it sounds," the bird pointed out.
"I know," Fox replied. "That's another thing that worries me. Every person in this city just decides to refuse to give him and his team a chance to make amends. I assume he'd be upset about it. As would I if I were in his position."
"That's one of the things I love about you, Fox; you're a really good thinker," Falco commented.
"Thanks," Fox smiled with a small blush. He's glad Falco didn't notice, thinking that Falco could get the wrong idea. As Fox headed his way to exit the dining hall, without Slippy and Peppy noticing, he heard two men arguing out in the lobby and one of them sounded mad. 'That sounds like
Wolf?'
"Gee, I wonder what the commotion is about?" inquired Falco.
"Me too," Fox replied. "Let's go check it out and see if things are alright."
Falco nodded and went with Fox to the main lobby.
...
Back at the apartment where Star Wolf stayed in, Leon and Panther were still trying to figure out which job they wanted. Panther was preparing something to eat while Leon was reading a newspaper. The panther was a little worried, because the three of them needed to get themselves some jobs before the week was over. Not only would they no longer have a place to live, but they would also be left without any food to eat. They had a good amount of food, but it wouldn't be enough for the three of them to be able to feed beyond a month. And they know very well that the other option to get good would not be of good help to them, if they really wanted to change their reputation and redeem themselves.
In the living room, the chameleon kept reading the newspaper to find the kind of job that pays well and for him to enjoy but hasn't found anything interesting yet. He wouldn't give up though. He knew he had to look for something to work on, and fast.
"Why is Leon so focused on that newspaper," the black panther mused in third person while walking towards his partner. "Surely he could follow Wolf's example and go out on the street to look for a job?"
"I'm not leaving until I know what kind of job I'm looking for, Mr. Poet!" growled Leon, mocking Panther's speech. "I don't plan to get rejected several times like our leader has for a couple of times."
"And what job is the chameleon looking for specifically?"
"Bounty hunting," he replied. "So, I can get money for something I'm good at."
"In other words: wounding and murdering people?" Panther monotoned dully.
"Exactly."
"Panther sees that you haven't yet grasped the point of our redemption opportunity," Panther sighed. "The idea to start over is to leave the past behind. Besides, I doubt the chances of you being a bounty hunter here are likely to happen."
"Oh why, because you said so?" Leon asked rudely.
"Well," Panther began to think of some good reasons that bounty hunting isn't allowed. "One, this is a planet that already has protection against the villains who want to attack it, in case you've forgotten, the Cornerian Army and the Star Fox team. And two, if you find something for sure that will not be on this planet, you won't be able to get it. Remember, we're not allowed to leave Corneria. In conclusion, I doubt the reporters of this planet would put that type of job application in the papers."
"Whatever," snarled Leon. "I won't lose anything by continuing searching.
"As you wish," Panther monotoned, thinking why bother to talk to Leon about this. "But don't come crying to me when they throw us out on the streets."
"It wouldn't be the first time I was living on the streets, so I don't care. And I'm sure it would be the same for you."
That last sentence brought back an unpleasant memory to Panther. It was when he was forced out of his own home years ago. He was born and raised into a prestigious, wealthy family with strict parents that never gave him much attention. He never knew what it was like to be loved by a mother or a father and he never once made any friends because most kids would just be jealous of his family's wealth or would try to rival against him whose father is wealthier
and that made him feel sad, scared, and lonely.
One day, he learned that he was bisexual, and his parents disapproved this fact about him. They thought they knew him all his life, but the truth is that they never care about spending time with him or getting to know him at all. Just for that, they tossed him out on the streets like he was a trash bag and never wanted to see him again, saying that no one will ever love him for who he is.
Panther felt devastated. His own parents never cared about him growing up, and they finally got rid of him for good. He was forced to live on the streets, in a cold, dark alley, all alone with nothing to live for. He always loved poetry and would often make up some poems to keep him going, but his depression was really hitting him hard and made him feel unloved by the entire universe like he was meant to die.
Then one day, Wolf O'Donnell and Leon Powalski of the Star Wolf team showed up in the alley. They were seeking refuge from the Cornerian Army after kicking Pigma and Andrew off the team, and the alley was close to the sanctuary that they could find. Eventually, they let Panther onto the team, after a couple months of combat training and learning to pilot a spaceship, and Panther felt like he was in a place where he finally had a purpose to live.
After all those years since they rescued him from his loneliness, he dedicated himself to never let him or his new team have that kind of life again. And if that means having to find a job to keep them afloat, even like he was in a place where he finally had a purpose to live.
"Is there something wrong?" Leon questioned, snapping the black panther out of his thoughts. The chameleon noticed the look on his face and wondered what he was thinking of.
"Huh? No, nothing, Leon," he answered, pretending that there's nothing wrong." It's nothing important."
With that said, he went back into the kitchen to finish preparing the food. When the chameleon saw how he behaved, he realized that there was something wrong with him and was hiding something, so he set out to find out what it was anyway.
