Matchablossom Yokai

First night

Two weeks went by way to fast. Having Joe around was both invigorating to the Kitsune, as well as being totally annoying! The guy was dumber than an ape! He had seen smarter chinchillas! What was up with Joe? Kaoru watched as "Joe" took the new skateboard from Reki.

It had been two weeks and the stupid ape hadn't been able to think of a good name for the kid. He was calling him, "The Kid" more and more though. Kaoru, aka Cherry Blossom, thought it fit Reki. He, too, was starting to use it only when they skated. Kid was a good name for the fire headed skater.

"So, I made it in order for you to keep the bulk of your weight here. It will give you..." Reki was explaining the physics of the board to Joe.

Muscled bound and dumber than a rock, Joe moved his hand as if it were talking. He then smashed it, not too hard, over Reki's mouth.

"Kid, you talk a lot! I want to skate!" He smirked back at the Kitsune watching.

"Let's go, dumb and slow!" Cherry called out.

"That's how I like it!" Joe laughed at the insult.

Honestly, Kaoru wasn't sure if this was a totally different guy! He saw none of his beloved Kojiro in this mountain of muscle. Their bodies were the same, but they were so different!

Joe got ready. This was what he called the gunslinger. He insisted it was the most like the track they would he using the next day, show day as he called it. Kaoru lined up next to him. Langa stood off to one side. Miya held a small pistol in his hand. It barely made a clicking sound, but in the sudden silence, they heard it.

It was as loud as any racing buzzer! Joe kicked off, hard. The board under him was painted just like his old one. Reki really had an eye for detail. Cherry slunk low, he twisted into the first bend. He was sure, with his leaner frame, he would easily outdistance the mass of muscle coming for him.

As he stood to take the straightaway, he was shocked to see the head of green at his feet Joe was whooping with laughter.

"Caught ya, Pinkie!" he taunted slipping past Kaoru.

Joe vanished around the next bend. "How?" Cherry gasped to himself.

"Carla, recalculate for higher speeds." He ordered.

"Recalculating." The computer voice spoke. It gave him the odds of what could happen at higher speeds. It also gave him a way to reach them. Cherry Blossom smirked.

Maybe Joe had the right idea. He needed to become someone else to beat Adam. He needed to became the Kitsune he always wanted to be. No longer a push over, running for cover. But strong! Someone that stood up for himself! A fox that struck fear and wonder into all who saw him! He was...

"CHERRY BLOSSOM!!!" Kaoru yelled as loud as he could.

His voice echoed off the walls of the canyon they had dipped into. He heard Joe's laugh just before him coming out of a bend, he saw the hunched body. Cherry aligned his own to reduce the wind resistance. He sailed past the bulky meat man!

This was exhilarating! He had never felt anything close to this amount of freedom! He whooped, but only inside. Kaoru would have cheered! Cherry Blossom knew he was able to do this all along!

"DAMN PINKIE" Joe cried from his side.

"It's Cherry Blossom you dimwitted baboon!" He called back as he inched ahead.

"Not today!" Joe laughed.

He kicked off the wall in the next bend. Cherry growled lowering himself to his board, he flipped one leg out to trail around the bend. He then used it to kick forward. They were side by side. The finish line was coming up. Shadow leaned against his car. Miya pointed, shouting out. Neck and neck the Fu dog and the Kitsune raced toward the finish! Cherry wasn't going to lose to a gorilla, he called out one last instruction to the board.