The Festival of the Dead

Chapter 14: Like a... Just No

Avnas turned to Shabriri. "I didn't know the foxes were coming to the festival."

"It didn't seem important, at the very least, I figured they could stop some trouble."

"You are a terrible judge of character."

"Trust me, I know. Last time I just guessed on someone, I got stuck with this one kid for thousands of years."

Avnas punched him in the arm. "You suck a lot more when other people aren't around."

"Once again, trust me, I know. Do you think we should follow them?"

"Well if something bad-enough to make the foxes care is coming, I guess we should... right after we finish the bottle, this stuff sucks when it goes flat."

"It's just rye, it doesn't go flat."

"Shut up and help me get a buzz going before we have to leave."

Boredboredboredboredboredboredboredboredboredbored. The Kitsune did not enjoy this part, he was terrible at waiting and even worse at staying on task. If it wasn't for the fact that he knew this was important, he wouldn't have even bothered to follow those horse-sized ponies. Or horses, as normal people would call them.

He really wished that whatever trouble was going to rear it's head would just show up so that he could... do whatever to it, sort of depended on what it was.

"What's it doing, Tia?"

"It's still just... sitting on one of the branches. It seems to be looking in a certain direction a lot but I'm not sure what it's doing."

"So, my inebriated friend, what do you think the fox is looking for?"

"Shut up, Shabriri, I need my ears to watch."

"No, you don't..."

BoredboredboredboredboredboredboredboredboredboredFOUNDIT.**

Like a lightning bolt, the fox-spirit bolted from his boring perch, heading towards the Everfree. Followed closely by two figures wearing a top-hat and robe, respectively.

"He... needs to... go slower." Shabriri didn't go out often and this wasn't the best time for him to start.

"Man, he must have been really bored up there! I guess they really are perfect tricksters, with energy like that."

"Don't they murder people?"

"Only some!"

LeftorrightleftorrightleftorrightleftorrightRIGHT!**

He quickly bounded to his right and adjusted his sprint, reaching his max speed in a few seconds. Oh thank god finally! He reached his target, stopping before reaching the clearing ahead. Taking advantage of his natural abilities, he adjusted his appearance, removing his antlers and putting on his third mask, this one with a large row of sharp ivory teeth. My 'business' mask. Slowly, he advanced through the tree cover, taking advantage of the silent steps caused by his padded feet. He found what he was looking for.

It was clearly man-made. It didn't seem all that bad in comparison to some of the things that modern necromancers could make when they put their mind to it. It's like they just took random natural advantages and put them together into one animal without thinking about how they worked together. Oh sure, it's definitely dangerous, nothing that wildlife could handle, but it definitely isn't built for anything tougher than a small demon. I mean, they didn't even finish the skin! Must have been drunk and passed out before they finished.

It stuck it's tongue out into the air, moving it a bit before drawing it back and quickly adjusted it's gaze toward the fox-spirit. Damn-it! Must have given it a snake's tongue! He jumped into the clearing, he knew he had a better chance if he could take advantage of his speed.

They slowly circled each other. They gave it at least basic knowledge of how to fight like an animal, otherwise it would have charged. They both stopped, the Kitsune transformed itself again, slightly increasing it's muscle-mass without losing too much speed. I don't know crap about fighting with brute-force so I'll have to make sure it doesn't get me on the ground.

They had fully circled each-other. The creature just stared at it's opponent... right before turning around and bolting into the woods towards town. Ok... They made it more intelligent than I thought... suddenly this whole situation makes more sense. He bolted into the forest after it.

"Should we step in?" Avnas still wasn't very concerned, that fox was fast, there probably wouldn't be any problems.

"Nah, remember that the fox was sent to stalk-out Celestia and Luna. Basically, that means that they going to have to get involved at some point, otherwise they could have just sent him out alone... not that it changed much in retrospect."

"I will never understand the ins-and-outs of being a creature that just... knows things randomly."

"It isn't random, I think they have a goddess that tells them what to do."

"We're too drunk to think about this thoroughly."

"That's why I don't normally keep strong alcohol in the building, you always manage to get me to drink it."

"An excuse for giving in to peer-pressure if I ever heard one."

The forest was completely silent.

"Damn, they got away from us." Shabriri had a distinct tone of apathy that usually only came around when he was drunk.

"That they did."

"Well, let's go, I don't want to sleep in a forest, not seeing the dirt doesn't help much when it smells twice as bad."

The Kitsune was running for all his worth. The creature was much faster than it looked, it wasn't going to be getting away anytime soon but he still had to push himself every time he wanted to get close enough to swipe at it's exposed legs. The creature was tearing through the spindly trees in it's path. Darn, I forgot we're near the edge of the forest, of course the trees are younger here!

The creature had six limbs and was only running using four. It used the other two to swing at the annoying fox chasing it. Not... what I'm... after. It's mind wasn't very sharp, most of it's decisions came to it suddenly from somewhere else. It swung violently at the small creature chasing it every time it caught a glimpse of it's dark fur. It wasn't sure what it was running towards, it only knew that it wasn't running away. Not from... something so small. It had only been alive for a few minutes and it's mind was beginning to piece-together properly.

The sisters weren't sure where the small fox went but they couldn't help but feel a little worried for it. If what they said is true, then it's out there right now trying to stop something that wants to get to my sister and I. They thought they saw it run towards the forest and flew after it.

It's swinging is becoming less clumsy, it must still be adjusting to the body. The Kitsune didn't know that much about necromancy but it knew that you couldn't just put pieces of spirits together in a new body, under your control much less, and expect it to work perfectly, it needed time. Time it is getting with all of this useless running.

The creature used it's advanced eyesight to look ahead and saw moonlight marking the exit of the forest. It didn't remember having eyesight this good before, or ever. Was it blind before? It couldn't remember. What was it? All it knew for certain was that whatever it was, this small creature chasing it was obviously it's enemy. Got to get rid of it... before I get there... it'll ruin... whatever I have to do.

The sisters were flying over the forest when they saw the small fox leap out of the forest chasing after... something. Whatever it was it was absolutely monstrous, they doubted that even a entire pride of manticores could bring it down.

As they cleared the forest wall, the creature swung it's massive girth around, twisting itself upward before unleashing a colossal roar. It quickly moved itself into a more defensive position, waiting for it's opponent to make the first move. It's almost finished learning, so much for hoping I could fight an idiot. It twitched it's thick tail in front of itself, taunting the fox before it. As if I would fall for that. So then, smart enough to know defensive tactics, still dumb enough to be unable to judge it's enemy. He charged at the monster, leaping over it's tail when it swung at him. He jumped away again before he could be hit by the obvious counter it thought it had taunted him into, jumping forward again to quickly claw at it's neck. It broke the skin, but caused barely a trickle from the thick hide. The creature's remaining limbs had all grown-in, removing the easy weakness.

The creature roared again at the sight of it's own blood, angered at the cockiness of the weak creature before it. He should know not to... attack things bigger than him! It shot itself forward, swinging four of it's claw-like appendages forward while pushing itself on it's stomach with the back two. It grinned in satisfaction when it managed to land a blunt hit with the back of one of it's claws, causing a heavy smack against the much smaller opponent.

Great, first I try strength and he bolts. Now I try speed and the behemoth cracks me in the leg. After healing his wounded leg with a bit of transformation, he was planning on trying a flanking attack when the princesses landed in front of him. No! You are supposed to stay in the town to bring him down when we're both beat-up you idiots! No use crying about it, maybe I can use them for a distraction, so long as neither one dies or something.

"Sister! The fox's wound is gone!" Luna had watched the limb morph slightly before returning to normal. "He still doesn't look great, my guess is that the flesh itself is still damaged, he can just close it."

"That would make sense, given what his kind are said to do. I don't think magic will have much of an effect on a hide like this but at the very least we can buy him some time." The sisters began shooting magic at the monster's eyes, trying to at least block it's vision of the fight.

Well, at least they aren't trying to do some kind of righteous last-stand or something. Thought the fox, catching the entirety of their conversation. He quickly leaped-onto the creature's back, snarling slightly before digging his teeth into the beasts neck, trying to take as much flesh as possible. The beast barely reacted to the assault, roaring more in annoyance than in pain. It started contorting it's body, trying to shake the small fox off, but to no avail, the furry assailant had his teeth all the way into the hide, snarling as if feral before digging his teeth in again.

The sisters couldn't help but be slightly awed by the sight. The fox was attacking the beast without care, if it couldn't reach an artery, it would try to cause as much bleeding as possible. The best reared onto it's hind legs before falling backward, trying to crush the attacker who had removed a good amount of the scaly skin around it's neck and back. The fox jumped off of the beast before it landed, quickly turning itself around to begin attacking one of the beast's many limbs.

The monster was getting tired of all of this, these creatures were weak and he was strong. They must learn the natural order. The creature rolled back onto it's feet and spewed a foul, red smoke at it's attackers. The sisters flew out of the way but the fox was forced to take the brunt of the attack. A pained yelp came from within the smoke.

The sisters blew the smoke away with their wings to see the fox's condition. It's skin was partially dissolved, being eaten away by the effects of the foul miasma of the beast. The fox, now free of the cloud, began the process of closing the wound. Even with the cloud gone, small particles of the smoke continued to eat-away at his hide, causing it to be constantly healing and dissolving at the same time. The fox let out a low growl before tearing the bubbling flesh off with it's claws. The sisters were aghast until they saw the wound closing. Must have done it to limit the damage.

The beast tried unleashing another burst of it's acrid breath, but found the fox once-more behind it, air-lifted with the sister's magic, steadying itself on the ground before letting out a shrill, loud howl and jumping back on the monster.

Celestia couldn't help but put a hoof to her aching ear. "What was that?"

Luna was going to answer with equal confusion before they heard similar howling coming from all-over Ponyville. Dozens of foxes, all wearing different masks, charged through the plains between the town and their comrade. As they got close, they leaped like a great wave onto the monster, hardly weighing it down but ripping it apart with their claws and teeth.

The beast was caught in a cloud of fur. It couldn't see anything past the various colors of hide in it's eyes. It felt a sharp pain in each of it's limbs as it collapsed. They cut the tendons! Now without much of a means of fighting back, the beast didn't last long before it's roars stopped. The foxes continued for a minute or so, ensuring that the monstrosity would stay down, before they ran from the body, back to town.