Aftermath
"Waka! What are you doing? WAKA!"
"The Ark! Don't do this! Waka!"
"Waka!"
"Waka!"
Waka…
With a gasp, Waka awoke with a start. Breathing heavily, he wipes the sweat from his brow and glances over to where Amaterasu was sleeping, curled up on the control deck of the Ark. Waka looked down and glances over at the diminutive Guardian Sapling laying beside him, twitching as if eager to be rooted into fresh soil and grow into a magnificent Sacred Cherry Tree. Smiling, Waka lays a hand on the sapling. There were more elsewhere on the Ark and Waka plans to plant them in the Celestial Plains alongside Amaterasu who will undoubtedly bring them to life with her Celestial Brush and help purify the now cursed lands of the heavenly realm.
Cursed…
A frown slowly fell upon Waka's face as he pulls his hand away from the twitching sapling and sat up. He was not of the Celestials but of the Moon Tribe. Talking to Ishaku 100 years ago, the blonde-haired man realized just how cursed he and his Moon Tribe were. So cursed were they that not even the people of Nippon knew of their existence. An existence plagued by the dark side of the moon. Waka knew deep down that he would have to return to the Moon Tribe eventually and face the people whom he had left behind. If there were any Moon Tribesmen left, that is…
A wet tongue quickly pulled Waka out of his thoughts. Amaterasu had awakened and sensed his unease. Yet even the friendly sun goddess could not erase what he had done no matter how much she nuzzled him. Waka emits a meek smile and pets the white wolf for her efforts.
"This… is my fault…" he utters softly. "I'm sorry, Amaterasu…"
Amaterasu let out a small squeak and turn her head at the sound of the unexpected response.
"Don't try to make me feel better, ma cherie," he replies. "I'm the reason you died—"
Pain shot through his hand as Amaterasu bit down hard. Waka didn't wince but remained surprised at the suddenly violent act that the wolf was committing. Looking down, Waka started deeply into Amaterasu's fierce yellow eyes, sensing that she was trying to tell him something.
But the fact remains…
"You believed in me despite what I was…" spoke Waka. "The Ark was built by the Moon Tribe and the monsters in it came from the moon. The cursed moon… Where I came from… But still, you believed in me. You listened to my prophecy and waited for Nagi to be born. Even if I said it was 100, 1000 years, you'd still wait. You believed in my words despite the fact that my race is cursed. You believed…"
At last Amaterasu released the man's hand and gazes at him with hopeful eyes.
What happened happened. That is all in the past now. It's time for the present. The present… and the future…
Tears began welling up in Waka's eyes as he leaned forward and embraced the white wolf.
"We'll make things right, ma cherie," he utters softly. "We'll do it together. Side by side."
Closing her eyes, Amaterasu leans her head onto Waka's, the softness of her fur easing the burden on the man's shoulders. The journey was far from over for both of them, but at least they'll face the battles ahead together.
To Be Continued...
A/N: I'm actually considering doing a full Okami fanfic seeing that there never will be an Okami II. Only time will tell.