Pony Ball: The Saga of Kitsune

by Matthew Stone

B.O.T.E Part 5: Vengeance

It wasn't long before Dissonance suggests to the gang that he'll scout over the dessert to find where the enemy fleet's armada ha landed. That way, they'll stop the next attack from happening at the next village. It was over twenty minutes, but as he came back, he described what the ship looked like to his friends.

"This seems like a turn of events." Ian thinks out loud, "Maybe we can swipe that ship and go to the base where New Moon and Ka.. I mean Justin are being held."

"But it's guarded real well." William says, as he appears squirming back from the village.

Kendra also looks at him curiously.

"I've seen their design, they'll have guards surrounding their armada inside and out!" the worm says.

"I think I have a plan..." Kitsune hums.

Pico, in disguise as one of the kappa warriors, leads the gang, clasped in chains, to the Toad’s commanding officer. The aliens re just standing right outside the base, as the toad eyes them up and down. He then grins at Pico.

“So, you captured these worthless piles of scum? Good work, Lieutenant; when you get back to headquarters, I’m sure you’ll be promoted from Lieutenant to Sergeant!!” the commanding officer grinned.

“Thanks for the support, chief; I’ll keep that in mind.” Pico said, in a disguised voice as he led Kitsune, Hollow, Ekko, Athena and Nate on board the ship.

As Dissonance, Kendra, Megan, and William break out of their chains and start attacking the Toad Warriors invading the village, the Toad’s ship, the Wart-Speed Cruiser, lifts into the air and flies off into space. The toad warriors are confused why half of Kitsune's friends haven't boarded the ship. As they start the battle, the lieutenant sees who's driving the ship.

Onboard, Kitsune is at the wheel, shooting at oncoming Toad Ships like mad.

“GRRRRRAAAAAAAAGGGGGGH!!!!” he screamed, enraged.

Ekko and Hollow were stunned.

“Well…at least we know that he’s focused.” Ekko said.

“Yeah, but on WHAT, exactly?” Hollow replied.

“Save your backseat flying,” Pico snaps at them. “We’re here already.”

“The Hive World is in sight, Pico,” Kitsune says calmly. “This is it…!”

Like the Star Wars universe, Kitsune activates the light speed mode on the ship, tracks where the Hove World is, and zooms off in the distance. He looks at his other friends on the ground once more tot wave goodbye, as Dissonance and the others are now winning the fight. He looks forward, and with one white flash... they're here. This planet won't make and easy landing to come on though, so the fox constantly steers the ship to avoid turbulence. Nate even covers his mouth to avoid throwing up.

Then, e landed the ship at the Landing Deck/Parking Garage, and hopped out. They're at the Hive World. And there is oxygen they can breathe, so they're very lucky.

“Well…what are we waiting for?” the young fox warrior asked, tying a blood-red bandanna around his head. “Destania isn’t going to save itself!!”

Nate grabbed a nearby laser blaster and cocked it. “Say, Kitsune, where’d you find that bandanna?”

“I found it in that village when…Kamoril attacked after the whole ‘Trixie’ incident.” Kitsune replied.

A few Toad Soldiers were casually playing cards when Kitsune and the others crashed in through the door.

“IT’S THE BRAT AN’ HIS FRIENDS!! GET ‘EM!!” yelled one Kappa, as he & his comrades all charged.

“C’mon…SHOW ME WHAT’CHU GOT!!” Kitsune shouted, before a punch to the face sent him sprawling across the room. Then, he began to tremble. The Toad Warrior couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed.

“One punch and you start crying? I’ve gotta tell you, kid, that is pretty sad…even for you.” He replied, coming closer to the shaking fox.

But his embarrassment turned to fear as Kitsune looked up at him, snarling with sharp fangs, long claws, and blood-red eyes.

“GYAAAH!!” the toad yelped, as he began to back away. Kitsune crouched down, growled, and began to run at him, his mouth full of sharp incisors and foam.

Finally, Kitsune leaped—right over the toad’s head—only to kick him in the back of the head, sending the amphibious soldier flying straight into the wall. Of course, the impact caused the toad’s skull to break, killing him.

“Looks like that frog just croaked.” Kitsune chuckled.

Nate was firing rapidly at the toad soldiers, and loving every minute of it. Suddenly, he saw someone turn and run for the hangar.

“KIT!! Kamoril is making a break for it!!” he yelled to his friend.

“Not on my watch.” Kitsune growled, racing after the fleeing demon.

Kamoril turned back, and fired an energy beam. Kitsune dodged it, and proceeded to slam Kamoril in the face.

“F-foolish child….” the demonic creature spat, wiping some blood from his mouth. “You…have no idea…of what…you’re t-truly…dealing with…!” he cackled.

“Oh, really? Well, happy boy, laugh at THIS!!” Kitsune scowled as he pressed his hands together and began to charge the dormant electrical energy within his body. “NNNNNNGGGGGHH…!”

Finally, as his body began to spark with electricity, he thrust his hands forward, sending out a wave of energy. “MEGA VOLTAGE ATTACK!!” Kitsune yelled as the electric wave zapped Kamoril. The demon began to cringe with agony as the lightning purified his soul.

Finally, it was over, and Nate ran over to check on New Moon and the creature formerly known as Kamoril.

As he did, the other fox lifted up his head slowly. Kitsune began to grin. The voltage had worked!!

“JUSTIN, I THOUGHT I’D NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN!!” Kitsune wailed as he consumed his brother in a joyful hug.

“I…I’m really sorry about what I did, Kit,” Justin said, sheepishly. “Y’think you could find it in your heart to forgive me?”

Kitsune smiled. “No need; it wasn’t your fault…I’m just sorry I couldn’t save you before.”

Nate then arrives into the room, carrying New Moon in his arms.

Kitsune gasps, coming up to her as he takes her out of the dog's arms. She's bloodied and bruised, but Kitsune still manages to help her up to her feet. She looks at him, smiling.

"They interrogated me quite a bit... but... I put up a fight." she sighs.

"You're very brave." the fox comments.

"So are you." New Moon winks.

Then, Kitsune realized something.

“You guys have to get out of here…NOW,” he said to Justin and New Moon.

“What are you talking about?” Justin asked.

“I just got you back, and I’m not gonna lose you again; think of it as making amends for me not being able to save you guys before.” Kitsune said with a grim smile.

The stranger who’d taken New Moon earlier couldn’t help but be impressed at the fox’s brave sacrifice. Her x-ray vision can see what's going on inside the base as she floats outside in the dark landscape. She grins.

"Hmm…maybe this dude IS pretty righteous", she thought.

“You heard me; I’m going to fly this whole ship straight into the sun.” Kitsune replied to his shocked brother.

“All I can say is…if you DO die, I’ll use the Elements to wish you back.” New Moon smiled.

“Great. Tell Pico…he has been a great teacher to me and an impressive parent as well. But hopefully in the Next World, I somehow find a way to get even stronger than I am now.” The fox smirked, hugging his girlfriend.

“Goodbye…and good luck, big brother.” Justin smiled, hugging Kitsune.

Then, he and New Moon took off to round up the others and get to an escape pod, while Kitsune took the wheel of the ship.
Eventually, Kitsune saw the escape pod with his friends flying back to Destania. Now, he could go forth with his suicide strategy without any holding back.

He cut off any and all power to the ship, ensuring that it would no longer remain afloat. As the gigantic hive ship slowly dropped towards the sun’s surface, Kitsune said to himself: “I promise, you guys—I’ll be back, and tougher than ever!!”
And so, he sat back in the captain’s chair and awaited the inevitable.

A while later, Kitsune was racing along the Dragon Path…but with one small difference: he had died.

The Boss of the Afterlife, King Zeta, after reviewing Kitsune’s deeds, allowed him to travel Dragon Road in order to meet and train with the 7 Martial Arts Masters of the Afterlife: Convoy the Wolf, Blurr the Cheetah, Orion the Panda, Rumble & Frenzy: the Gorilla Brothers, Arcee the Lynx, and Pax the Rabbit.

Meanwhile, back in the realm of the Living, Pico, and Ekko, had been informed of Kitsune’s sacrifice.

“What a kid…I never thought he’d be desperate enough to crash the entire damn thing into the sun. I really have taught him pretty well.” The dragon replied.

“So, what do we do now?” asked Nate. “I mean, Justin’s back to normal, all the villains are dead, and that weird stranger was actually a friendly hippie named Tree Hugger—” Nate started.

“Hey dudes, Kudos to your little fox buddy for killing that evil creepy wasp-thing!!” Tree Hugger yelled.

“No problem, you can thank him personally when he comes back to life!!” Justin shouted back.

“—so where does that leave us?” the Ronin dog concluded.

“I believe the most logical thing to do would be to gather the remaining elements so we can wish Kitsune back to this mortal realm.” Athena replied.

“That’s a great idea, Athena,” Ekko grinned. “So, how long will it take to find them?”

“According to my calculations, it will take at least two months to gather the remaining elements.”

As this goes on, New Moon turns to Pico. “Umm…Pico? During the next two months, I’d like it if you could…train me.”

“What?”

“I want you to teach me how to fight.”

Pico thought about it. “Okay, then; but it’s only fair that I warn you—the training is plenty rigorous.” He responded.

Nate had found an empty convertible and started it up. “Okay, guys; next stop, Element number 4!!” he yelled.

Everyone climbed into the vehicle and it drove away, into the unknown…

Meanwhile, in the afterlife, a gray rabbit was polishing his katana when he heard a sound.

“Hmm? Who is there?”

Silence.

“Come out; I know that you are here, child.”

As he opened his eyes, Kitsune was there, standing in front of him.

“Oh? And whom might you be?” asked the rabbit.

“My name is Kitsune. I have traveled from the Realm of the Living and along the Dragon Road in order to seek your training.”

“Greetings, young Kitsune. I am called ‘Pax’, and I, along with my six fellow martial artists, would be happy to train you for these next two months. But for the first two weeks, you shall train with me. Then, Rumble and Frenzy for the next week. Afterwards, Arcee will train you. Then, Blurr will be your shidoshi. Next, Orion will take the position of ‘sensei’. And finally, Convoy will teach you.”

“So the question is…are you ready?” he concluded.

Kitsune nodded. “I am indeed, Master Pax. Let us begin…right after you introduce me to the rest of these martial artists!!”

Pax sweatdropped, and sighed. “Very well; I suppose I should introduce you.”

He led Kitsune to the other side of the planet, as the real training would soon begin.

In due time, two months had passed in the blink of an eye. Kitsune was now wearing a blue bandanna around his eyes and covering the top of his head.

“Well, Kitsune, your friends should have gathered the Elements by now, and are about to summon the Guardian,” Convoy explained.

“I hope so; I mean, I enjoyed training here, but I’m itching to get back to Destania.”

“In the meantime, what say we have one last lunch with you?” asked Arcee.

“BOSSANOVA!! I’m in!!” Kitsune smirked.