Darren blinked as Yurikos portal closed behind him. All of his friends had been brought by Yuriko and Akira to defend the kitsune kingdom. Now though he worried if it was too late.
The sounds of battle were everywhere, Darren gaped as he listened to the sounds of gunfire while buildings burned. Glancing to his left he recognized Kari, the nine tailed kitsune tending to the wounded with a fuscha seven tails. Kari now looked up as Yuriko and Darren approached. "Thank goodness you've arrived."
"Kari, Kiko what happened," Yuriko asked.
"The Normal somehow breached out defense. Caught us by surprise," she said. "Father ran off to assist."
A group of kitaune now approached, Kiko and Kari gasping as the saw the wounded Chisai. "Chisai what happened?"
"Father and I ran into a patrol," Chisai grunted. "Be sent me back after I took a round in the shoulder. He's still fighting."
Darren balled up his fist as he now turned to his friends. "Hannah, Steph," he said. "Can you help with the wounded?"
"Firat Aid us one of my basic programs,: Steph stated. "But we should go with you."
"I need you to help them," he said. "I know you can keep them safe." Hannah looked to protest yet paused. She had never seen such a look fo determination in Darren's face. Their was no stopping him, no way to talk him out of it. I stead the gynoid approached giving her best friend a right hug. "We got this just be careful."
Darren nodded now turning to Crystal, Misaki, and Akira. "What are you three going to do?"
"The eastern front is in need of reinforcements," Akira stated.
"You two think you can help," Darren asked. Crystal and Misaki nodded, the teen shrinking down into a fairy. "We got this but what about you?"
"I'm going to find Tatsu," Darren stated as he looked out towards the town. Misaki nodded, approaching her boyfriend as she hugged him tightly. "Please be careful," she said.
Darren now sprinted off, useing his powers to increase his speed and endurance. The teen had been experimenting recently, trying to improve his physical traits. These changes had been successful yet he couldn't hold them for very long. As he now made his way through the town, he couldn't help but shudder.
This area of town was eerily quiet, the sounds of battle seeming more distant. It did not mean though that the Normal had not been here. Darren could feel his eyes growing damp as he gazed at the mangled corpses of numerous kitsune. "They didn't even spare the children," he thought as he looked at the bodies of two one tails.
Entering through the shattered door of a shop, Darren was shocked to see an ancient kitsune. The crippled kitsune had only three legs, his face grim as he tried to shield the shivering one tails behind him. "Are you hurt," Darren asked. "Did the Normal do this to you?"
The elderly kitsune shook his head. "These wounds are ancient boy," he said. "Now who are you?"
"Darren," he stammered. "The um..Catalyst."
The ancient kitsunes eyes went wide. "A Catalyst," he whispered. A look of relief now seemed to spread across his vulpine face. "Thank the gods," he said. "My name is Lao Tsang."
"Mr. Tsang are their any other survivors?"
Lao shook his head sadly. "We three are all that is left on this block," he said sadly. "These two just barely escaped a patrol." Darren now turned to look at the young kits. They looked around Sachikos age, their eyes wide with fear while their fur was matted with blood and dirt. Darren grit his teeth, clenching his fist. How could these monsters hunt children.
"Contact!"
Darren looked up noticing a trio of Normal soldiers burst into the shop. The group leveled their weapons, looking to finish what they had started. Darren though would not have it.
With a guttural yell, Darren's ring around his neck began to glow. The soldiers bodies began to twitch violently as they began to change. Darren and Lao Tsang watched as the three men's bodies shifted, their bodies beginning to grow fur as their clothing vanished. Darren wanted the experience to be painful as he watched the men's faces grimace in pain. Their ears now shifted to the top of their heads, their mouths and noses pushing out into a muzzle. Finally a set of tails pushed out the men's backs. Now instead of Normal soldiers their stood 3 four tail kitsune.
Darren though was not done. He had seen what the Normal had done to the kitsune already. The three kitsune jerked violently, metal beginning to cover parts of their bodies. Darren watched as limbs were replaced with metal arms, one kitsune sporting a cybernetic eye, while another sported a completely metal chest plate.
"What are they," Lao Tsang asked in wonder.
"Cyber kitsune," Darren said quietly. "A mixture of flesh and metal." The cyber kitsune now shook their heads as they gazed at Darren.
"Systems rebooted," they chimed. "Orders sir?"
"Take these three to the palace," Darren commanded. "Keep them safe and don't allow any Normal soldiers to enter the palace."
The cyber kitsune nodded, Darren watching as their cybernetic arms transformed into cannons. "Well keep them safe sir."
"What of you Catalyst," Lao Tsang asked as the cyber kitsune hoisted him on their back.
"I'm going to find Tatsu," he exclaimed. "And kick the Normal out." Lao Tsang could only nod as the cyber kitsune carried him off. The elderly kitsune thanking the gods for his good fortune as he watched the Catalyst speed off in the other direction.