To Be Free

Legend of the Demon Fox

   After battling Robert and learning an important lesson, Tyson and friends were in the hospital. Tsurara was awake and doing alright.
   "Hey Fueha?" asked Ray. "You said before that you had heard legends of Saki."
   Fueha's wing had been splinted. She looked over to Ray.
   "I've heard a few spoken by the other bladers," Fueha told him. "I used to be one of Borris's students. But then, I lost."
   "It was the same with me," Tsurara said. "Losing was the worst. But I had no idea how bad it really was."
   "We saw a kid named Alexander get dragged out of there," Tyson said. "After I beat him."
   "How dare you condemn him to death!" Fueha raged at him.
   "I had no idea," Tyson said, hands up in defense.
   "None of us did," Max said.
   "Losers are to become gijinka," Fueha said. "But barely anyone can make it. Out of the many they attempted with, only me and Tsurara succeeded. The others died.
   "But, surviving isn't everything. You get caught. Like Tsurara was. I knew I didn't want anything like that. I tried to fight but I failed. I forgot. I went into my Pokemon form like an idiot!"
   "I can't believe I did it," Kai said.
   "That doesn't matter now," Fueha said. "You set me free. And more than that, you got me out of there."
   "I was so scared," Tsurara said. "Mistress Saki chased me down. She loved seeing me scared. She prolonged the torture. After hurting me, she left me alone for a bit. I ran scared. And then she came at me, like she'd been watching me. It was terrible!"
   "Kai, do you remember hearing anything?" Fueha asked.
   "No," Kai answered.
   "We knew her as the Demon Fox," Fueha said. "I always thought it was some tale that the older kids told the new recruits to scare them. The story of the Demon Fox is one of death. Do you want to hear?"
   "I think we should," said Ray.
   "Saki had lived in that abbey for a long time," Fueha told them. "Some say she was born there, but I bet it was her being brought there at an early age. As soon as she was allowed to, she joined her class in training. She was ruthless in battle and of course never lost, never came close. Borris was proud of her. But then, she battled her whole class at once."
   "And then what?" asked Max.
   "She killed them all," Fueha answered.
   "How could she do that?!" Tyson questioned.
   "Her bit beast appeared and it was too powerful," Fueha answered. "Her weapon was her blade. By the time Borris came in, they were dead. Saki was blood spattered and she was laughing.
   "The older students always told us younger ones to watch out. They said to never lose, to never go against Borris, or he would let Saki have us.
   "After her battle, Saki had been locked up as punishment. She went insane, I mean more than before. She escaped and to make sure that she wouldn't be their enemy, Borris offered her a new power. They were scared of her. I heard that after I had lost. Some person said that I should cross my fingers and hope to die or else they would let Saki catch me, like they did some years before."
   "They were right," Tsurara told her.
   "What are we going to do?" Tyson despaired.
   "We'll figure something out," Ray promised.
   "You guys should worry about the tournament," Fueha said.
   "I think we all know that Saki's going to crash it," Kai said, glancing over at Tsurara.
   "Those were Mistress Saki's plans," she told them. "Please! You have to make sure she doesn't get me back! Anything but that!"
   "You'll be safe, I promise," Tyson said. "I'll protect you."
   "Tyson, I'm getting an urgent message from Robert," Kenny suddenly cut in. "Here, let me play it."
   Kenny pressed a button on the laptop and Robert's face appeared on screen.
   "Hi Robert," Tyson said.
   "Tyson, I need you to beat Saki for us," Robert said.
   "What are you saying?" asked Max.
   "She stole Unicolyon!" Oliver shouted.
   "And Amphylion!" Enrique shouted.
   "Salamolyon too!" Johnny put in.
   "And I regret that she has Grifolyon," Robert said.
   "I can't believe that she has the Majestics bit beasts," Ray said. "I never thought Saki was that strong."
   "She has the bit beasts of the White Tigers and All Stars as well as Black Dranzer and her own," Kai said. "It's no wonder she's stronger now. But the Demon Fox wants our bit beasts most of all."
   "You have to win," Oliver said.
   "You must beat Saki and win everyone's bit beasts back!" Johnny shouted.
   "That's easier said than done," Tsurara said. "Mistress Saki has never lost, not once."
   "And are you her underling?" asked Robert.
   "Not by choice," Tsurara said.
   "Leave Tsurara alone!" Fueha commanded. She turned to the Blade Breakers. "Tyson, Kai, Ray, you guys are the only good guys who still have bit beasts. You must beat the Demolition Boys and you must beat Saki!"
   "I agree with Fueha," Enrique said.
   "We're counting on you," Robert put in before ending the call.
   "Fueha, do you know anything more about Saki?" asked Kai.
   "I shouldn't say," Fueha said.
   "Fueha, you need to tell us everything," Kai pressed.
   "It'll make things worse but okay," Fueha relented. "All those bit beasts Saki has, they're going to make her super powerful. But besides that, her bit beast, the one that's actually hers, it killed many people."
   "Her Void Claws was powerful but not that powerful," Ray said.
   "That's what I'm afraid of," Fueha said. "Saki has an even more powerful move capable of complete annihaltion!"
   "All I've ever seen is Void Claws," Tsurara said. "I'm so sorry I can't help."
   "It's alright, Tsurara," Tyson assured her.
   "But it's not!" Tsurara screamed. "You can't stop Mistress Saki!"
   "I'm not scared," Tyson told her. "I have Dragoon by my side and we're a great team. Saki doesn't scare me one little bit!"
   "We're not going to give up," Ray told her. "That Demon Fox doesn't scare me!"
   "Win it for me too," Max said. "I believe in you guys."
   "What about you Kai?" asked Tyson. "She's your big sis."
   Kai smirked. "No, she's no family of mine," he growled. "Saki cares less about me than my grandfather. And trust me, I have a lot to repay her for. Let's start with destroying Dranzer."
   "You're all so brave," Tsurara said.
   "Those Demolition Boys are going down," Tyson declared. "And then, so will Saki!"

   Later that night, Team Blade Breakers was in the hotel when there was a knock at the door. Kenny went to it. There was Tsurara.
   "Tsurara," Tyson said, sitting up in bed.
   "I hope I'm not bothering you guys," Tsurara said, looking down.
   "Of course not," Max assured her.
   "Is everything okay?" Kenny asked.
   "I'm scared Saki is going to find me," Tsurara whispered. "I'm so scared! I just, I feel safer with you guys. I hope you don't mind."
   "No, it's okay," Tyson said. "You can have one of the beds, if you want."
   "But Tyson, there are only two beds," Kenny said.
   "I'll sleep on the floor," Tyson said. "No big deal."
   "I can sleep on the couch," Max put in. "And Kenny, you always end up falling asleep at that desk anyway."
   "You guys are so nice," Tsurara said. "Thank you."
   "It's nothing," Tyson told her. "How are you feeling? Did you eat?"
   "I can't eat," Tsurara answered.
   "You should," Ray told her.
   "I can't," Tsurara said again. "Not with Mistress Saki out there."
   "You really should eat something," Max said. "Hey, let's get a pizza."
   "Great idea Max," Tyson said. "I'll call room service."
   "Are you okay, Tsurara?" asked Kenny.
   "I'm better than I ever was with Mistress Saki," Tsurara answered. "Part of me thinks this is all a dream, and if I close my eyes and open them again, I'll be hers again." She sighed. "I'm still hers."
   "No, you're free," Tyson denied, coming back.
   "Not as long as she has my Pokeball," Tsurara said. "You must crush it! Please! Beat Mistress Saki, take the bit beasts back, but crush my Pokeball too! Please! I beg you!"
   "We'll do it," Ray promised.

   "I have always held onto my bit," Fueha said to herself. She was outside, sitting on top of the hotel. She had a light jacket on, despite the great cold. She pulled something out of her pocket. "Hello, Drujikon. It's been a long time since we battled together." She placed the bit in her newly acquired blade she had gotten from Mr. Dickenson. "That feels better, doesn't it?" She grasped the blade tight. "I'm a blader again. And I swear I'll make Borris pay for what he's done. The same goes double for Saki." And she readied her blade. "Let it rip!" Fueha launched the blade, watching as it raced around a bit before calling it back. "They better watch out."

   Tyson looked up and over at Tsurara who had finally gotten to sleep. She seemed in distress, like she was having a nightmare.
   "I don't think Tsurara should go to the tournament tomorrow," Tyson said. "Especially since we know that Saki's going to be there."
   "I agree," Ray said.
   "What do you think Saki's going to do?" asked Max.
   "Steal the bit beasts of the Demolition Boys and try to steal ours," Kai answered.
   "Do you think that Saki can steal their bit beasts?" asked Tyson.
   Kai grunted. It was the closest to a yes they were going to get.
   "I'm scared," Kenny said. "What's going to happen?"
   "Saki has already proven herself to not care about anyone, not even her little brother," Dizzi put in.
   "She's not my sister," Kai growled. "When Saki says it, it's mockingly."
   "Guys, I'm scared we're not going to make it," Tyson admitted, looking up at the ceiling.
    "I think we all are," agreed Ray.