Star Knight and the Nine-Tailed Fox

by Rakoon1

Strongpaw's Plea

Grogar could see Star’s Spiraling Sphere shining with his own eyes, while listenning Shining’s words about his nephew. All the Alliance, motivated by Star’s will to win that war and ensure the future to everyone, was marching to help Star deal with Hepheus. With the red energy cloak around them, it looked like thousands of red flaming lights dancing around.

Once Star’s attack was ready to go, his clones disappeared and then he exclaimed:

“Take this!”

And he threw the Spiraling Star to the place where he knew Hepheus was thanks to the Sage Mode.

While seeing the Spiraling Star advancing like a shooting star on the sky and after hearing the last part of Shining’s words, Grogar reflected about everything that happened.

After a long fight, with each one wounded and exhausted, Celestia was able to subdue Hepheus with her light magic, binding him. The General of Chaos was incapable of using his magic while bound by those binds. Celestia then told him:

“This spell will continue absorbing energy from you. In that way, you can’t no longer absorb magic like you did before, as it will be only nullified by mine. And now that you can’t move or absorb, this next attack will must certainly hit you.”

He then saw the Spiraling Star that Star threw arriving and Celestia took flight to get away, while saying:

“Good timing, Star.”

The Spiraling Star made contact with its target and exploded, creating its characteristic vortex that was noticed by everyone of the Alliance, what made them know where Hepheus was and they started to head towards there, while Star took flight to go where he launched his attack as fast as he could.

Observing everyone advancing to go help Star deal with Hepheus, Strongpaw, while over his sand, said:

“Without any orders, even a single word, everyone is galvanized into action. Star Knight… you really can touch any heart with your words and actions… including me. I’ll also be one of them to help you as well.”

He turned to his former tailed beast and said to him:

“Shukaku, I would like to borrow the power of your sand to seal Hepheus.”

“You mean my Desert Imperial Funeral?” Shukaku asked him.

“That’s right” Strongpaw replied to him. “A giant one too.”

That request caused Shukaku to laugh, as if he had just heard the funniest of jokes, and then told:

“I’m no longer bond to you or any other jinchuriki. What makes you think that I would listen to you after all this time? Even more when we two never get along.”

“I’m not ordering you” Strongpaw said. “You’re right, I’m no longer your jinchuriki and you’re no longer under my custody and my pony-panthers’. I’m asking you. If you refuse, it’s fine. I’ll lean in another’s power.”

Although their relationship wasn’t the best, Strongpaw knew Shukaku very well and knew that his pride was his greatest weakness, mainly when it comes to his own abilities. When he started to move away, Shukaku said:

“Star Knight, hein? I remember him very well like it was yesterday that he helped you get free from me. It seems you became rather friends with that fox demon’s brat, Strongpaw.”

“If you’re not lending any help, let’s chat latter” the leader of the pony-panthers said. “I’m going in.”

“Ah, you know that little tone of yours really get into my skin” Shukaku said, making Strongpaw stop. “Tanuki know more tricks than foxes. I will not lose to a stupid fox. And be sure that I’m not doing this because you asked. Far from that. I’m doing it because I want to. Come on, lead the way.”

That caused a smile to appear on Strongpaw and then he said:

“This way.”

“Right, then.”

He started to advance to the battle when Son Goku said:

“Hold on. We all want to help as well. But you can relax, young pony-panther. We’re not doing this on a whim like Shukaku. We simply want to help Star out. He helped us and now it’s our time to do the same. He proved to be a friend of the tailed beasts and we are loyal to our friends.”

The other tailed beasts, except for Shukaku, nodded, agreeing with Son Goku.

Turning to four-tailed beast, Strongpaw bowed respectfully his head to him and thanked:

“I thank you.”

“Tell me this, leader of the pony-panthers” Son Goku said. “Are you a friend of Star too?”

That question made Strongpaw remember how his life used to be, a life without friends where everypony was afraid of him because the fact he was a jinchuriki with a great lack of control over his tailed beast. Of course that changed when he met the Lord of Order, who told him the importance of being kind to his fellow pony-panthers, what ensured his position as their leader. But it was only when he met Star Knight that he could really appreciate friendship how it was after the young prince’s selfless act to save him when he lost control over the seal that kept Shukaku at bay. After that moment, Strongpaw became a better leader and an even better friend.

Noticing his silence, Son Goku asked Strongpaw:

“What’s wrong? I asked you if you were a friend Star. Didn’t you listen me?”

“Yes, I did, and I am Star’s friend” Strongpaw replied. “He’s one of my dearest friends. He saved me once and that’s a debt that I’m willing to repay with my own life if needed.”

Satisfied with that answer, Son Goku laughed and then replied:

“I see…”

Strongpaw nodded with his head and said to the eight tailed beasts present there:

“All right, let’s hurry.”