Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

For the complete story, read Origins and Burning Revenge! …Duh.

It’s been 9 months since the death of Vox. Vi has desperately wanted to bring him back, but she just can’t bring herself too. Shes conflicted.

Drift and Lynx had made up as they said they would. 

A statue was put in the city to honor Vox Hunter and his sacrifice. Stray visits the statue daily. 

Everyone else basically went on as normal. Strider however had turned down his self-centeredness. Not by much though. 

It was until December 1st when Vi got alert of something. 

“Ok. This time i’ll do it. I’ll bring him back.” She slowly walks up to the old computer, but before she could click, she stops herself. “Ugh, I can’t just bring him back! It’d be dishonorable…we made a statue and everything!”

She backs away from the computer again. Before she could cycle back around, her headgear does a very specific chime. 

“Oh no. I know that jingle…”

She looks into her headgear and watches as a blue shard crashes into the ground of an island. The shard then ripples, and portals all over the island open up. Vi’s hands tremble as she watches.

”I can’t go back there. I swore I’d never return there. No no no no no…but…I can’t just leave it there to be run over…” She thinks some more before going back to the first floor.

“EVERYONE! LOBBY! NOW!” She yells down the hallways.

Everyone files in. 

“We have to go on a VERY special mission. We probably won’t be coming back to Mega for a while because of it.”

”Wait, what? Why?” Drift asks.

“A shard of that blue orb we keep crossing paths with has landed on an island. An island very important to me…Oninoshima. The old home of the Fox Clan.” 

“…I thought Mega was the home of the Fox Clan.” Catalyst points out.

Vi realizes her mistake.

”Soooo…I MAY have lied about a few things…”

”Oh great, MORE lies.” Drift rolls his eyes.

”Oninoshima is the birth place of the Fox Clan. We supposedly lived there for thousands of years. Until one day…the creators of our masks went wild, and injected too much power into their creations. This led to a war…The Shattering War, its titled. When the war was over, WE were blamed. We tried to reason, but with no prevail. We thought things would be fine, until one day…something came for us. Nobody has any record of what it was, but it can only be described as darkness. Only Kana and I were the survivors. And then…I found you two, and it was history from there.”

Everyone looks surprised. 

“Why’d you lie about that?” Drift asks.

”I didn’t want to think about it anymore! I wanted to leave it behind and never go back. I can’t go back. I can’t. I can’t…” 

Stray puts his hand on Vi’s shoulder. 

“It’s okay, Vi.” He says.

Vi pulls away from him. She looks mad at him. Stray looks concerned.

“The kids right.” Drift walks up. “Remember, we’re here for you. We’re family.” 

Vi holds back tears. 

“…Can we go already?!” Strider yells.

”Yeah…sniff…I’m ready.” Vi says. “KIMIKO!” She calls out.

Kimiko falls through the ceiling out of nowhere and faceplants. 

“Uh-Okay…Hi. Before we leave, who should we bring with us?” Vi asks her.

”Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm”

”TELL US!” Strider demanded.

“Now now Strider this isnt a race”

”We’re going to Oninoshima for a very special mission, and we could use the extra help.” Vi explains.

Kimiko looks terrified. “O-Oninoshima…?” She says in a serious tone.

”Yeah…” Vi says to her calmly, looking down.

”Era and Mizuki.” Kimiko said immediately. 

Vi teleports Lynx, Era, Mizuki, and Highwire into the room. 

“Huh-What?” Lynx looks around confused.

”We’re going on a special mission, yada-yada, Era and Mizuki are going with us.” Drift summarized. 

“Awwwww…but Strayyyy…” Highwire holds out her hand. 

“Don’t worry, you and Lynx will keep the base protected. If some giant wolf robot spawns out of lightning again, PLEASE call us.” Vi explained. 

“I think thats all…everyone ready?” Vi asks the clan.

”Yep.” Drift and Catalyst both say.

”Yeah…” Stray looks upset.

Kimiko stands there, worried.

”YEAHHH!!” Strider cheered. 

“Okay…let’s go.” Vi snaps, and a rift appears. They all walk in and it dissapears.

”…So, wanna throw a party while they’re gone?” Highwire asks, raising an eyebrow with a smirk.

”What? No.” Lynx says bluntly.

”You’re no fun.” Highwire frowns. 

To Be Continued!

Chapter Text

The clan step foot on the island. Drift and Catalyst immediately notice the giant bridge.

”Oh! It’s this place! We’ve been here before!” Drift says.

”I think we’ve all been here before.” Stray comments.

”I haven’t!” Strider points at himself.

“I might’ve…” Era thinks.

The clan was right in front of the shard, where everyone else was. Everyone immediately recognizes them.

”YOU!” A dark haired figure in monochrome clothing shouts, pointing at them. He takes out a sword.

”No, Daigo!” Someone in red clothing with the same hair color says, holding him back. “Sorry about my brother, Vi. He’s still not over it.” 

“Heh…Hi Kendo. Glad to see you’re still doing good.” Vi says.

”Glad to see me? I’m glad to see YOU! Everyone thought you died!” 

“No…I made it out. And I got some new members along the way!”

”I’m Drift. I was the first one she recruited.”

”I’m Catalyst. I was also one of the first. I’m Drift’s sister…kinda.”

”I’m Stray. You probably recognize me. I transferred from the River Guard to the Fox Clan.”

Kimiko waves without a word, looking unsure.

”I’m Strider. I’m the best member out of all of them.” 

Kendo raises an eyebrow. “Sure, man.”

”I’m Mizuki. You know me.” 

“I do.” Kendo then stares at Era.

“…That hair color…” He says. Daigo then stares too.

Era ties her hair back into two buns that look like flames.

”Jade!” Daigo exclaims. Both him and Daigo hug her. 

“You were Jade the whole time?!” Vi realizes.

”And YOU were Vi the whole time! No wonder you looked familiar! Hardly recognized you in that outfit.” 

“I thought the Fox Clan took you…or killed you.” Daigo tells her.

”You blame them for everything.” Jade mutters.

”Are there any other members?” Kendo asks Vi.

”Well…you remember Vox, right?”

”Yeah! I love that guy!”

”He died”

”…Oh.”

Kitsune then barks.

”Kana? How long have you been here?” Vi picks her up. “You remember Kana? Yeah, she was cursed into a Kitsune.” Vi holds her up and Kana looks pissed.

Kendo goes to pet her, but she growls.

”We do have some other members too.” Vi says as she puts Kana down. “But, to be honest, we don’t really care about them.” 

”I care about them…” Stray says to himself.

”Where’d they go, anyway?” Drift asks.

”I don’t think Kimiko revived them after the Burning Wolf incident, but, again, it doesn’t matter. Skulldrifter and Fishdrift are still around, though.”

Daigo raises his sword and waves it at the clan.

”I’m onto you six. I know you’re up to something.” He says.

”Daigo, we’re…here cause of the shard.” Vi says flatly.

”How do I know you’re not going to create more Masks of Power?” 

“…Wasn’t that partially your fault?” 

“…IM ONTO YOU!” 

“Yeah, just ignore him. He’s been like this since you left.” Kendo brushes him aside.

“Speaking of which, has anything changed during my absence?” 

“No. Not really. Some train tracks showed up out of nowhere though, connecting to another island. Ever since then, the islands been more populated.” 

The High Stakes Club is seen in the southwest town of Canyon Crossing. They’re just chatting as normal until somebody walks up. Everyone goes silent.

”…Uh…who are you?” Joni speaks up.

”My name is Minato Hakaru…and I am not to be trusted.”

”……Okay???” 

Back to the clan.

”Something about these guests seems unnatural though…” Kendo thinks.

“Wait…is the terrace still here?” Vi asks.

”Uh, yeah. It’s right behind you.” Kendo says bluntly.

Vi quickly turns around and, sure enough, it is. 

“oh”

”Is my lake still around too?” Mizuki asks.

”Yeah it’s RIGHT THERE”

”Guys…the shards gone…” Era points.

They all look at the crater, and nothing is in its place.

“…I knew it! They took the shard for themselves!” Daigo blames.

”NO WE DIDN’T!” Vi yells at him.

The Spirit Realm, Forbidden Demon Lands

”Shogun, I’ve got the shard.” An unknown being says.

”Very good.” A towering figure with red armor and no face says. “We can use this shard to overrun the island, and let demons reign!” 

“The Fox Clan and River Guard have returned, however, and they seem to be working together now. Of course they mean nothing to someone like me, but for you, it may be a problem.” 

“Well, why don’t YOU face them?”

”In this condensed state, I’m much weaker than before. I’m not too sure on how easily I can take them down.”

”Alright, then. I’ll go in when the time is right, and if I fall, you’ll be the backup. I hope that you can handle it.”

Oninoshima.

”Well, Kendo, it was fun catching up, but we have busy times ahead of us.” Vi says.

”Alright. See you guys tomorrow!”

Daigo gives the clan a fierce look while walking backward, before tripping on a rock.

Era looks at a flickering Spirit Gate, thinking that the shard might be in there, but keeps walking with her brothers.

“Well, mind showing us what this terrace is about?” Drift asks Vi.

”Of course!”

”I’m gonna go to Lost Lake. I haven’t been there in FOREVER.” Mizuki says. “Wanna come with me, Stray?”

”no”

”okay”

The clan walks into the village. Its pretty small, having some living quarters, a bath house, and a shop. The whole place is donned with lamps.

”Hang on, it didn’t look like this last time i was here…” Vi observes.

”Yeah, I MAY have been decorating in secret. Just maybe. A little bit.” Kimiko cracks an awkward smile.

”Well, can’t say it looks bad.” Catalyst says.

”Why is there a warning sign with our logo on it?” Strider points out.

”Daigo must’ve put that there.” Vi rolls her eyes.

Stray can’t stop looking at all the pretty lights.

Drift heres a Japanese voice playing from the shop. 

“It says that Fox Clan members get a 15% discount? Isn’t that…kinda biased?” 

“Yeahhhh we kinda built the terrace AROUND the shop…but hey, cheap stuff, right?” Vi explains. “Enough looking around, though, I have something to show you guys!”

Vi guides everyone to a hidden window. Everyone climbs through, and finds a hidden base. Its filled with Fox Clan tech and imagery, namely a byōbu with the old fox clan members posed together.

”Sigh…I’ve missed this place.” Vi says. “I wish Vox were still here to reminisce with me.”

”It’s a bit small…” Stray observes.

”Yeah, I kinda had to make do since we won’t be going back to Mega for a bit. But with that out the way, welcome to our new home, everyone!”

“What rooms are we gonna have?” Drift asks.

”Not sure. Just find a space you’re comfortable in.” 

Everyone climbs out of the base and looks for a room. Thankfully, everyone gets a room to themselves.

In Lost Lake…

”Hmm…something seems to be missing here.” Mizuki thinks. “Oh yeah!”

Mizuki does some kind of ritual with her water powers, and a BRIGHT BLUE BEAM OF LIGHT strikes down into the building. The fish guardian with an unknown name emerges.

”You didn’t have to do any of that.” He says in his low, squishy voice. 

??????

Aroace. He/they/it, 7’4. Age is about 7000. Guardian of the River Guard. Father figure to Mizuki. Definitely NOT in love with Kimiko

”Heyyyyy Dad! How’ve you been?” Mizuki waves.

“Same as always, fine.” 

“How’s the Spirit Realm?”

“A lot more red than usual.”

”Oh yeah, demons?”

”Yeah. Their little territory below Kimiko’s weird cloud space is a lot more noisy since that shard landed here.”

The two stand in silence for a moment.

”…Ya wanna get some lunch?” Mizuki asks.

”It’s sundown.” 

Later, back to the clan, they’re all getting ready for bed.

Vi can’t help but think something is missing. Vox Hunter.

She slowly drifts (haha) off to sleep, until the middle of the night, when Vi hears some rummaging around the village. She hears a faint familiar voice.

”I better not be dreaming again…” Vi says to herself.

Vi walks out of her room, holding her weapon, but not so firmly. She sneaks around the village, inching closer to the noise. She turns the corner and sees…him.

It’s Vox. 

“…Voxy?” Vi says faintly.

”…Master?” He says in his new voice. He’s remained in his fox form from before his sacrifice. His fur glows with all of the lamps.

Vi drops her weapon and immediately goes to give him a big hug. He hugs back. 

“How are you alive?!” Vi questions.

”I’m…not too sure…I was just about to sleep, until i saw darkness, and I woke up here.” 

“It doesn’t matter now. I’m glad you’re back with me. With US.”

”…Let go of me.” 

“No. Your fur is soft and fuzzy.”

Vox pushes her away.

”I may be a fox now, but I’m still a fearless fighter! I’m in the mood for some bloodthirsty BATTLE!” 

“…It’s like…2 AM.”

”Oh. Well. I guess tomorrow then. I was rudely awakened anyway.” 

Vi walks back to her room, with Vox close behind. He curls up on the ground and sleeps like a real fox would, along with Kana. 

Vi heads to sleep, much more confident and determined.

The next morning, Drift goes get some breakfast at the shop. Nobody runs the store now, so they just take whatever. Vox is getting his first ever taste of coffee.

”Oh, hey Vox.” Drift waves softly. He walks out of the shop, before slowly coming to a stop and walking back.

“……Vox?? How did you get here? I thought you died?”

”Eh, I don’t know.” Vox says. “I thought that too, but I guess reality had other plans. I don’t really care, I’m just glad I can keep on fighting.” 

“Right on.” Drift says. Him and Vox fist bump. Vox drinks more of his coffee.

”…This coffee stuff kinda sucks.” Vox turns around and finds Stray right behind him.

”OH MY GOD HI” He yells. He grabs Vox’s shoulders and shakes him violently.

”Stop shaking me! You’re making my head feel all crazy!” 

“Sorry, I’m just so excited to see you! I thought you were dead!” 

“How many more people are going to tell me that?” 

“Hi, Vox.” Catalyst walks by. She doesn’t question further.

Finally, Kimiko comes in. 

“VOX! My baby!” She runs towards Vox and gives him a big warm hug. Vox’s tails wag. “How are you here?! I thought- but you were- you’re not supposed to-“

”Again, I don’t know. But, I’m glad I’m back here with my family. Speaking of which, where’s Vi?”

Rolling Blossoms Farm, Southeast.

Vi walks through the elegant fields of flowers, taking in the forgotten beauty of the island. She reminisces about all the time she had on the island before being forced to escape. She looks up at the worn out kite she tied to the sky when she was little. Bad memories start to intrude.

“No…no no no…”

She falls to the floor and curls up.

”Please! Stop! Get out of my head! Please! No no no no no…” 

She keeps chanting “no”. Kimiko then finds her.

”…Vi?” She looks down.

Vi screams and forces herself up. She keeps falling over.

”Why can’t i stand…why…why won’t my…my legs work…” She says, out of breath.

”Hey, it’s okay. Lay down with me.” 

Vi then has a more pleasant memory, her and Kimiko lying down in the same field, only Kimiko was still a spirit. Kimiko would give her advice and encouragement when she was in a bad mood. As if Kimiko knew what she was thinking, she speaks up.

”It’s going to be okay, Vi. We’re here for you. Even if those bad thoughts keep coming back, you’ll have us by your side. The pain won’t ever go away, but, we can push it back for a while. We love you, Vi.”

Vi starts to cry again, only tears of joy instead. Kimiko helps her up, and Vi gives her a big hug. 

“You’re more sincere than ever right now…it’s cause we’re back here again, right?” Vi asks her.

”I guess so.”

The two of them teleport back to the terrace.

”Hey, Vi. Look at this cool purple mask I found.” Catalyst says.

”DON’T TOUCH THAT!” Vi takes it from her. “This is a prototype Void mask, we don’t know what it does!” 

“Whatever.” Catalyst sighs.

“Now, before we get started, I think we should reintroduce everyone to Vox.”

”I’m down. This new form will surely surprise them.” Vox thinks.

”Okay, let’s go then.” Drift tries to snap his fingers.

Vi stops him. “Actually, I’d rather drive there. Take in the sights, you know?” 

“Well, I’d like to do that too, but our car we never use is still in Mega.” Drift points out.

Kimiko disappears for a second before coming back with the car.

”…Are all 7 of us going to fit in there?” Drift asks.

”We can. Fox Clan magic, remember?” Vi tells him.

”I don’t, but, whatever. Let’s go.” 

They all get in the car, and Vi sets a course to Seaport City.

”Eugh…my body feels all icky…what do you humans call this?” Vox says, woozy.

”That would be car sickness, Vox.” Drift explains.

”Oh…well I hate it.”

As Vi drives down the road, she looks at the sights, and pictures memories of her childhood. Only they weren’t pictures. They were visions, as if they were really there. Her friends, her family…

Her leader.

She slams the brakes. 

“Vi! Are you alright? You spaced out!” Drift shakes her.

”I- Uh- I…” 

“It-it’s fine. I’ll drive.” 

Once they make it to the city, as soon as Vox hops out the car, everyone crowds around him, like a kid at a family reunion. 

“Ay, Vox! It’s Kendo!” He raises his hand for a high five.

”You’re ALIVE?!” Era questions.

”Oh cool! Another animal guy!” Nyanja says.

“…Why am I here again?” Mizuki looks around.

Daigo just stares at him.

The fish rushes past the crowd towards Kimiko.

”MIMI!” He yells.

”TAKUMI!” Kimiko yells back.

OHHHH thats his name

The two hug and start to kiss, until they notice Mizuki and Vi staring at them.

Takumi tries to play it off. ”Uh…I mean…boo! You’re my rival…or something. I don’t like you at all!” 

“Yeah…where’d that lipstick on your face come from? Must be from someone WEIRD!”

”Wait, where DID that come from? You don’t wear lipstick.”

”I don’t?” 

Mizuki and Vi laugh. “Whatever you say…” Vi shrugs, and makes her way through the crowd. “Alright, back off, everyone!”

Drift diverts his attention to someone in a red coat, with a familiar looking symbol on the back of it. He slowly walks out of Vi’s sight.

Vi explains how Vox got to the way he is. “…then he sacrificed himself, but somehow he made his way back! Isn’t that great?”

A horned figure crawls her way out the shadows, emitting a blackish purple glow. She grabs the prototype void mask Vi left lying around without any notice. 

Stray looks off into the distance, looking at nothing. Mizuki walks up and sits with him.

”Hey, bro. Everything alright?”

”I still feel like Vi doesn’t value me…you talked to her about it, right?”

”…”

”Mizuki.”

”Uhh…”

”DAMN IT, MIZUKI!” 

“Hey, we aren’t known for our super strong memory! Our protector is an actual FISH!” 

“Sigh…it’s fine.”

”Are you…sure…it’s fine?”

”I’m sure.”

Mizuki still doesn’t believe him, but doesn’t want to keep bothering him.

Stray notices Drift talking to someone, but stays in his spot. Takumi then takes Mizuki’s place.

”Hey, champ. It’s been a while. How have you been?”

”Good.” Stray instinctly says.

Takumi raises an eyebrow.

”Alright, fine. They’re not. I feel like I’m not valued anywhere. I never felt valued in the first place. Looking back on everything I’ve been through…it all felt like lies.”

”You need to let go of what happened that day, my boy. People like them haven’t been around you in forever since you were forced out of school.”

”…One has.”

”…Look. Vi…is kind of a difficult person. Shes always changing, lying, keeping secrets…I doubt she really means it. She’s probably just going through something…”

”How do I know shes not being a fake friend like those assholes from school?”

”Language.”

”I’m an adult! God, even you don’t realize that…”

”Wait, I didn’t mean-“

”Let’s talk later.”

”…Wait, Stray.”

He starts walking away.

”…Your father’s still here.”

Stray stops, and turns around.

”…He is?”

The horned girl sneaks behind Catalyst, and snatches her into the shadows. She throws the mask on her. Catalyst tries to yell, but the shadows cover her screams. 

As if nothing happened, Catalyst walks back to where she was, forgetting everything. Drift notices her.

”There you are, Catalyst. I thought you were missing…hey, were your eyes always red?”

”Yeah.” She says a little too fast.

”Weird. Could’ve sworn they were brown like mine…” Drift walks back to the red coated figure.

Vi feels something surging. She looks at the nearest spirit gate, and realizes its slowly starting to open. Era notices it too.

”Okay everyone, it’s been fun, but we have to get going now! Bye!” She quickly says. She rifts everyone into the car and rifts the car back to the terrace. 

“What was that about?” Drift asks.

”The spirit gates…they’re starting to open.”

”FINALLY! I can do something worthwhile!” Strider blurts out.

Vi ignores him. “We need to be prepared to fight back. Demons could pour out of there at any moment!” 

“Whatever you say, leader.” Drift says.

Vi smiles at being called leader.

”I’ll stay guard at the nearest gate.” Catalyst says in a flat tone, but not in the same flat tone she usually uses.

”Uh…okay. Are you feeling alright, Alexis?” Drift asks.

”I’m good.”

”…I’ll watch with her.”

”Alright. As for the rest of us, we’ll stay here. Got it?”

”YEAH!” Strider cheers.

”Yes, Master.” Vox says.

”Yeah…” Stray says quietly.

”Yep!” Kimiko nods, still looking worried.

”Great!”

Drift and Catalyst leave the terrace while the rest stay behind.

That night, Vi has a dream. She’s on the island with the rest of the old Fox Clan. The scene is hauntingly familiar. Everyone is doing great, playing and chatting with one another. As for Vi, she’s talking to the leader. Unlike everyone else, his face is blank. It’s creepy, but she knows its him. 

As soon as he finishes talking, darkness surrounds the terrace. Knowing what happens next, Vi forces herself out of the dream. 

“Ugh…will I ever get any sleep?” 

Probably not.

Drift screams, which is a rare sight. Vi knows somethings up immediately. She leaps out of bed, waking up Vox. She runs to the spirit gate, staff in hand. 

Drift gets up from the ground. “Catalyst…she got pulled in!” 

“What?!” 

“She just walked in front of the gate, and claws pulled her inside!” 

“Shit…round everyone up in the morning. We’ll discuss our plan.”

At the crack of dawn, everyone is woken up and sent to the gate.

Strider is devastated, Kimiko looks even more frightened, and Vox is enraged.

”Wait, where’s Stray?” Vi asks Drift.

”Visiting his dad.”

”Oh, he’s still alive? Anyway, everyone. Catalyst was sent into the spirit realm, but it’s not the same part of the spirit realm we’re familiar with. It’s infested with demons and other villains. There’s a chance they have the shard too, so we must find a way inside.”

”Hmm…I think I know someone who can help us.” Drift thinks. He snaps his fingers and rifts to Seaport City. 

He walks into an apartment building, and climbs through a hidden hole. The room he ends up in is decked in Fox Clan gear and items, like in the terrace base. 

“Hey man, it’s time for you to join us.”

”…”

The figure is sitting in the corner, turned away from Drift. They’re glowing a slight purple.

”…Uh, hello?” 

Drift reaches out for them, and before Drift touches them, they jump up and turn around.

”Heya!”

”Uh…it’s time to join us on our mission, like you asked.”

“Oh, cool! Let’s go then!” 

To Be Continued!