Chapter 5: Return

As Joey began to slowly shut his eyes to return to his crib, he was awoken after hearing a loud banging thud. The little otter jumped out of the cot wondering what happened out there hoping that no one got hurt. As Joey looked out into the storefront, he saw a knocked over shelf but couldn't see whoever walked inside nor could he see the kitsune. Joey was left  scratching his head and started to walk around hoping to find some sort of clue. As Joey looked around the knocked over shelf hoping to find some indication of what happened, a shadow loomed over him.

"Well well, look at what we have here" a tough mysterious voice commented taking notice of the little otter

Joey turned around looking at a large human figure wearing dark glasses, dark gloves, a torn vest, dark shirt and torn pants. "Just who are you?" Joey asked feeling a little scared and intimidated by the figure 

"My name is none of your business, what is your business is that you've been quite the naughty little rat running away from my domain" he replied unhappily

"Wait, YOUR domain...do you mean?" Joey began ask feeling a lump of nervousness in his throat

"Yes go on rat" He replied with a sneer

"You're one of those corrupted kitsunes!?" he blurted out questioningly

The figure laughed hard at the question, removing his glasses to reveal his blood red eyes. "Oh yes, quite so, and i'm none too happy that you and so many others have tried to run away from me" he replied

"Where's Ryuchi? What have you done with him!?" Joey asked a bit angrily wondering where the kitsune was

"That coward bailed out for his life, seems like he does not care about rats!" the kitsune replied

"STOP CALLING ME  RAT DAMMIT!" Joey angrily yelled out not liking the insults

Joey looked at the disguised kitsune, seeing him glaring down at him as he could feel his heart pound against his chest as he remembered who he just mouthed off to. The otter began to back away, knowing that Ryuchi wouldn’t have just left him....right?

"My my, now is that any way for anyone as young as yourself to be speaking to your elders?" The fox asked approaching the ott "do I have to teach you some manners?" he asked

"Just stay away from me!" He replied backing away 

"Now just where do you think your going to hide in here, there's not many places to hide here" he asked

Joey ran behind a wall, shutting his eyes clutching his shell necklace tightly in his paws breathing hard. "Please wake up, please wake up, I gotta wake up" the otter muttered to himself in a panicked tone

"Now what's this you're holding?" the fox asked, snatching the necklace, breaking its string in the process. The fox looked at the shell seeing Ben and Sasha's names on the back. "What's with all this cutesy crap, are these two 'special' to you in some way?" the fox asked cracking the shell in two

Joey could only watch in horror as his heart sank seeing his family's gift to him being broken right in front of him. He could only stare at the fox with a painful mix of hatred and fear at the kitsune’s heartlessness.

"I can tell by that look in your eyes, that they most certainly are, perhaps I should pay them a visit"  the fox replied with a wicked laugh

"LEAVE THEM ALONE YOU BASTARD!" Joey yelled out at the demon

"Ah, so you show some spine when I bring them into the mix, yes yes it all makes sense then" the kitsune replied deep in thought "do they know of that foul mouth you have on you?" he asked with an evil grin

"Leave them out of this, it's me you're wanting right? I won't let you touch them!" Joey yelled trying to make himself look intimidating

While he might be sounding tough, his mind was saying quite the opposite. Fear filled every bone in his body as he kept digging his grave deeper and deeper each time he snarled back. Despite the fear filling his body, he couldn't take it sitting down when he made threats towards Ben or Sasha, not able to let the fox just say whatever he wanted towards them.

"Now honestly, just what are you going to do, you're not even toilet trained, do you really think you could even bruise me let alone harm a hair on my head?" the fox asked as he was slowly losing his patience

The young otter knew he didn't stand a chance as he was fighting back every urge to attack knowing it would spell his doom. As the otter stood there watching the demon approach, his legs started to feel like jello. They could only wobble weakly as he fought just to keep standing up, expecting it all to end right then and there.

"My my, most would have known when to shut up when in my presence, seems like you are either quite brave or just dumb as hell. Very foolish to keep standing up against me for this long" the demon sneered staring the otter in the eyes

Joey fell back in fear, outsized greatly as he could only feel his anger build more as it forced its way out once more.

"Jus...just go to hell!" Joey shouted out with his last bit of strength

The young otter just looked as the fox fell back bursting out in laughter

"Boy, it's far too late for that, and I must say this, hell is quite lovely this time of year, perhaps I should let Ben and Sasha experience it for themselves" He replied

"DON'T PLEASE!" Joey yelled out pleadingly

The kitsune turned his head grinning "Ahh finally, now was that so hard to show some respect? I didn’t even have to beat it into you like I had to with so many others. Tell you what, I’m feeling strangely.....generous.. you see, I got me a goody two shoes to track down, and I can't waste any more time with you. So just walk out the door, and I will leave your precious, 'Ben' and  'Sasha' be, if you keep standing up to me, well I can't guarantee anything" he replied glaring down the otter

Joey had started to fight back tears as he picked himself up walking to the door shutting his eyes. "I’m sorry..." Joey thought to himself as he pushed the door open.

Joey snapped out of it when there was a flash and bang of lighting nearly giving him a heart attack. Rain was pouring down all over the place as he looked around at his surroundings. He quickly turned around only to see an abandoned store in place of where he was, run down and tagged with graffiti. He looked over himself seeing he was back to his old human self. Clutching his fist, he punched a brick wall in anger and pain.  Joey gritted his teeth holding his hand feeling it ache after punching solid brick. Joey stepped inside the old store and made his way to a small room. Glass crunched beneath his shoe and soon saw the shell necklace laying on the floor broken into pieces. He bent down and scooped up the pieces holding them in his hand as tears dripped down onto the shattered gift as he slumped down onto the floor.

“Ben..Sasha... please...I promise...I promise I will return... I don't care how...I will return" Joey replied choking on his own words.