OFF: Been forever since my last update...

Anyway, this is a new fanfic. This new one is based on the Okami setting and take place directly after the first game. It is a highly theoric follow-up to the first game and involve its own storyline and twists so note that if a sequel is released sometimes before Duke Nukem Forever is completed, one should note that this story will most probably contradict the canon sequel on nearly every level.

Note that the rating was set to "T" as a precaution for later chapters ; no violence in this chapter.

If you feel like leaving suggestions or making comments, feel free to do it via reviews ; I don't mind, really.

Enjoy!

OKAMI

Sight of Black Sun

Prologue

Metallic Echo

"Err... it's... a really big ball."

"You think it's worth somethin'?"

"Not sure. Just look like a piece of junk to me."

Darkness and pain but most importantly, mostly darkness, the pain almost unnoticeable.

"What a waste of time! Such a big seal only to unearth that stupid thing!"

Where is he? What happened? A feeling of intense suffering was rising quickly, clouding all thoughts and forming a solid wall in its own mind, preventing the memories from surfacing. All it could feel was pain.

"Hmph! So what do we do now?"

"No idea..."

Was he still alive? Could it truly be? Could he have survived? The memories begun to flow back. He could remember the white, burning figure. He could remember her. And slowly, the pain gave away to a new feeling...

Hatred... frustration... rage...

"Bah! Couldn't have made it here for nothin'! Think it might sell?"

"Who would buy such a pile of scrap anyway?"

He could remember it clearly. The swipes, the bites, the magical wind, the magical blades, the fire, the trees, the magic... the disgusting holy power. He could remember the red lights that shone everywhere around him, the alarms that echoed so loudly, his frame being thrown back and forth helplessly as every single system, one by one, malfunctioned...

"Bah! We won't find out 'til we piece it up and evaluate it, isn't it?"

"Bah! Since we're here..."

The sound of metal echoed and finally, after what could have been mere hours or entire years, the now conscious being saw rays of pale, weak light reach its tiny, crimson eyes.

As the two imps removed the broken, twisted metallic shell, they found the most surprising of all sights underneath. The cables had broken and twisted, the life-support tubes were disconnected and torn, the once smooth glass surface was now covered with cracks and holes, a large part of the precious liquid had spilled out via the gapping openings.

Yet, within the globe, a creature lies. It was a fleeting sight, the being lying down helplessly, its frame covered with countless scratches and its limbs obviously broken. Yet, the figure was still breathing. Normally, imps wouldn't care much for a stupid fish in a fishbowl... but this was no mere fish and the two knew it all too well. Only one fish had those black scales, those crimson eyes, those long fins, and was kept inside of a bionic fishbowl equipped with enough high-tech weaponry to utterly annihilate all of Nippon within a few hours.

"I-I cannot believe this..."

And as reality finally sunk in, the two creatures leaped on top of the broken mechanical orb, worry and amazement all at once overwhelming them.

"HAN' IN THERE, BOSS!" yelled the first imp.

"We'll get help, master! Don't worry! Everythin' will be alright!" added the second imp.

Within the broken glass orb, Yami floated, his body broken. His fearsome mechanical orb, his precious machine powered by the mighty Moon Tribe technology, was nothing but scrap metal, no thanks to the accursed Amaterasu, his hated arch-nemesis. But although he had been thoroughly humiliated, his tiny, grotesque form was still breathing and already, rage filled the mind of the small fish.

Nobody messes with Yami, the absolute ruler of all evil. Although Amaterasu might have sealed the power that protected his machine and then turned it into scrap metal, life was flowing within his veins regardless. Even if it was to be the last thing he would ever do, he would find a new vessel for his body, and rage, and soon enough, the stupid sun goddess would finally be crushed, like he did to all of the other stupid Celestials.

The day of reckoning is coming... but first...

Yami gasped loudly, his eyes widened and his mouth wide open, the evil fish finding itself unable to breathe.

"Don' worry boss! We'll carry you back to base!"

"Yeah! You'll be okay!"

The ruler of all darkness struggled, unable to breathe, and then, after many attempts, finally managed to say it despite his situation.

"PUT ME BACK IN THE TANK! I CAN'T BREATHE OUT OF WATER, IDIOTS!" he managed to yell, his face turning blue from the lack of precious oxygen.

The two imps stared at each others, utterly embarrassed, before putting back their master into the broken fishbowl. Yami sighed in relief as he felt the life-giving water go through his gills, precious oxygen filling his body anew.

"Sorry boss..."

Yami glared angrily at the two humanoid figures. "If my machine hadn't been wrecked by that stupid flea-bitten canine, you two would have tasted laser gatling gun by now. Now get me out of this dump! It is time to regroup and to plan our revenge against the sun goddess!"

The two creatures looked at each others for a moment, the both of them gulping loudly, before turning back to their leader, nodding very slowly in agreement. The two of them were doing their very best to keep their knees from knocking against each others but were failing in a rather spectacular way. Considering the pure, raw terror that they were experiencing, it was understandable.

"Yes boss!" they both answered, trying their darnest best not to let their fear change their tone.

Yami's eyes widened once more. "THE TANK THE TANK! CARRY THE TANK! DON'T PULL ME OUT OF IT!" he yelled, finding himself out of the water once more.

It had all begun with such an amusing, pitiful scene. A pair of dim-witted imps trying to bring a fish with them without killing it. Truly, the kind of funny story you'd expect to hear somewhere in a human bar...

... for you know what they say. Sometimes, the most horrifying of evils come in the smallest package available and Yami, much to the displeasure of all mortals and immortals this side of Nippon, epitomize this saying.

The legend is not yet over...

"HUT HUT HUT!"

The being blinked a few times.

"HUT HUT HUT!"

It didn't even pay attention.

"HUT HUT HUT!"

It remained impassible despite the constant yelling, despite the constant running.

"HUT HUT HUT!"

"HUT HUT HUT!"

"HUT HUT HUT HUT HUT HUT HUT!"

... but everyone, absolutely everyone, has a limit to their patience, even immortals. Slowly, the being stretched a bony finger and pointed at the being who had been running in circles around it.

"Stop it." its cold, emotionless voice echoed through the room and at long last, the yelling and the running stopped.

Constantly crouching and getting back up like some sort of crazy spring, the young man stared at the ancient being, a wide, silly smile on his face.

"B-b-but m-m-master I-I-I..." he never completed his sentence as the being's voice rose, interrupting it.

"I couldn't care less how you intended on ending this sentence, fool. You should conserve your energy. With lord Orochi and the other Dark Lords gone, you alone wield the power required to defend our home from the accursed who is, may I remind you, arriving in our territory very, very soon."

The man kept moving, not stopping even one second. "Y-y-you're not master Y-Y-Y-Yami! I-I-I don't have to l-l-l-listen to y-y-y-you!"

A loud, long, tired sigh echoed through the room, a sigh as cold and lifeless as the being who had produced it.

"Daikonneri, you know very well that with lord Yami's disappearance and the defeat of all of the other Dark Lords, I am the only one left who is worthy of inheriting the title of absolute ruler of all darkness. Until Yami returns, I am the regent of all darkness, the supreme leader of all those who stand in the shadows. You are thus entitled to obey me."

The man, Daikonneri, stared blankly at the regent as he kept crouching and getting up madly, unable to stay still. And then, after a long moment, his expression finally changed into a stupid smile.

"Ha! N-n-now I-I-I g-g-get it!" Daikonneri's face suddenly turned harsh, a faint crimson glow coming to his eyes. "Y-y-you're trying to t-t-take l-l-lord Yami's r-r-rightful p-p-place as a-a-absolute r-r-ruler of all d-d-d-d-d-DARKNESS!"

The being smacked its forehead, the sound echoing through the empty throne room.

"And you wonder why lord Yami did not promote you to the rank of Dark Lord... you are thicker than hardened rice paste!"

Slowly, the figure rose, getting off the throne as it stood up. Although it had no eyes, it stared at the apparently hyper-active human.

"It is lord Yami's will that I may be the ruler of all darkness should he and all of the other Dark Lords disappear. As such is the case, it is my duty, as the last Dark Lord, to take upon the mantle of absolute ruler of all darkness until lord Yami has returned. So please, for once, behave!"

The seemingly human being stared back at the faceless Dark Lord. For a moment, if one stared intently enough, one would notice that Daikonneri was maybe not as human as he seemed. His eyes were filled with an unnatural crimson glow and his fiery hair was a bit too red in color for it to be natural. Likewise, for what seemed to be a common young male human, the sheathed sword that he was carrying on his back seemed excessively gigantic, greater in length than even a great sword...

"F-f-f-fine." said Daikonneri, after a long moment. "I-i-if the b-b-boss wants i-i-it... then I-I-I'll let t-t-this s-s-s-s-SLIDE. B-B-BUT!- I-I-I'm w-w-w-watching you!"

The Dark Lord would have smiled but despite the fact that there was probably a humanoid under the black and purple robes, the being could not smile for it truly had no face underneath. So all it did was sit back on the throne and point a bony hand at the center of the room. The being pressed one of the weird, small metal buttons on the throne.

At this moment, the ceiling opened next to Daikonneri, dropping a few dozen of baskets filled with flowers on the floor. The Dark Lord sweatdropped while the minion turned to him, raising an eyebrow.

"W-w-what?" asked the seemingly human being, confused.

"I am not yet familiar with lord Yami's mysterious magic. Let me try again..." explained slowly the Dark Lord before pressing another button.

This time, a large metallic panel slid out of the ceiling and within a moment, a strange sound was heard as a picture was displayed on the surface of the metal panel. The picture displayed was that of the Ark of Yamato, the legendary metallic ship built by the Moon Tribe, sailing through the skies and toward the Celestial Plain.

"W-w-wow! Lord Yami's m-m-magic is s-s-so amazing..." whispered Daikonneri in awe.

The Dark Lord stared coldly at the picture. He knew all too well who was aboard the metallic vessel and was heading toward their current location.

"Just as I had predicted. The accursed and the being from the Moon Tribe are currently heading toward our home. It seems that the gods have not yet accepted the painful truth. They have lost the war, the Celestial Plain is ours. Well, it is their loss."

The Dark Lord turned to his minion. "Daikonneri, here is my first order as regent of all darkness. Rally the forces of darkness and organize our defenses. I want the accursed and her little friend to have the best welcome party possible, if you can see what I mean..."

The minion blinked a few times before nodding. "Y-y-yes sir!"

The Dark Lord nodded, satisfied. This would do, indeed! Amaterasu might think that she is cool and all because she have beaten the other Dark Lords... but as powerful as they were, they were only but a fraction of the forces of darkness. He, Oujou-joumae, the Dark Lord ruling over the massive garrison of the Celestial Plain, shall greet the flea-bitten to her former home in a way she will definitely not forget anytime soon...

But then, an unpleasant sight came to the Dark Lord. Daikonneri had still not moved.

"Why haven't you begun with your task yet? Are you truly this stupid?"

The human-like being blinked a few times before crossing his arms. "I s-s-saw lord Yami u-u-use his mysterious m-m-magic to s-s-send orders to e-e-everyone at o-o-once. Why d-d-don't you do so n-n-now? W-w-won't it be f-f-faster?"

Oujou-joumae thanked lord Yami for not giving him a face for his face would have probably shown an expression of complete embarrassment at this moment. His cold shell finally breaking, he pointed angrily at the exit.

"Leave and perform your duty!... AT ONCE!"

The human rose an eyebrow as he reluctantly turned away. "I-I-I get it! N-n-no need to y-y-yell! I'm not s-s-stupid!... w-w-well, n-n-not THAT s-s-stupid anyway!"

Oujou-joumae sighed in relief as Daikonneri left the room. Finally! He wondered to himself how could lord Yami endure such stupidity. Yes, Daikonneri has much brute strength, probably enough to take on even mighty lord Orochi himself and live... but for such a strong being, Daikonneri sure has no sense of discipline and honor, always asking questions and failing to use his brain.

Oh well...

As Oujou-joumae was left to his own schemes, he stared down at the throne on which he sat and at the many, many buttons that covered it. Sure, every monster dreamt of sitting on lord Yami's throne and using its weird magic at least once but he had never truly thought that he would someday sit on this throne. The magic of lord Yami... simply by pushing buttons, he could unleash it! Indeed! Simply by pushing buttons, he could potentially issue commands to all demons in the land and remotely control the many, many devices that lord Yami had installed everywhere on that fateful day when they defeated the gods and conquered this land for themselves.

And well, although he knows that he should plan ahead and prepare a serie of "fun events" for Amaterasu to go through, or rather to die to, he felt the need to familiarize himself with the magic of the missing embodiment of all evil. After all, who knows how long lord Yami could go missing?

The Dark Lord eagerly pressed yet another button. This time, a trapdoor opened in front of him and a second later, a large metallic flower emerged, pointing toward him.

SQUIRT!

... and within the next seconds, Oujou-joumae found himself completely soaked after the giant flower squirted water at him.

Curses! That certainly isn't the button that give orders to all monsters in the land!

... and why would lord Yami put a button that make a metal flower squirt water at whoever is sitting on his throne anyway?... or make a ceiling trapdoor open, making flowers rain down?

... bah! He shouldn't ask himself questions! Lord Yami must have had his reasons to put such spells in this throne...

TO BE CONTINUED...