Hey, everyone! Ta-Ni Kitsune here. I have a unique story for you all, this time in the world of Okami! I wrote this in inspiration from the story 'Okami Amaterasu and Celia's Adventure' by DesiQuiche, who I have to give credit for in using her characters here. However, most of the story is my own speculations and theories. Desi, I apologize if you don't approve, but I've been holding onto this story for so long, and I have to let it out! Please forgive me.
"Celia…"
A voice interrupted my dreams, one I hadn't heard in a while, pulling me from my sleep. As I sat up, I thought I dreamt it, until I heard it again.
"Celia… Descendant of the Sun and Moon…"
"Is that… a Brush God?" I asked myself, rising from my bed; they're the only ones who call me by that title. I quietly walked down the stairs, trying not to wake my parents, and entered the living room. Sure enough, the TV was on, but it only showed static. "Who left the TV on?" I mumbled quietly. Then, to my surprise, the head of a snow-white owl with red markings appeared amid the static!
"Michigami?" I asked, in complete shock. It nodded and spoke. "Celia, Descendant of the Sun and Moon. Nippon needs your Guidance once more. A dear friend asked me to summon you back, as things have become dire. Will you come?" I thought for a moment; it had been a few years since I helped Chibi fight off Akuro in Okamiden, so both he and Ammy should be helping out at the Celestial Plain. Who could be calling for me? I thought. "Will I be a wolf again, or a wolf pup?" I asked him. "You will be a grown wolf, as Mother Amaterasu is the one who needs your help." "Very well, how do I return?" He nodded and said, Follow me. A red brush stroke appeared, leading into the distance through the static of the TV, the characteristic symbol of Guidance.
I rushed upstairs and grabbed my celestial brush, just in case, then returned and placed my hand on the screen, where the red line began. My hand melted through the screen, pulling me into the TV. As I moved through the static, I felt my body shifting into the once-familiar form of a silver wolf with purple markings. The celestial brush in my hand became my tail, dipped in ink and imbued with the powers of the Brush. As the static in my vision cleared, I landed lightly on my paws in Nippon; or at least, I think it was Nippon.
The landscape that spread out before me was quite beautiful, almost heavenly, so I figured this must be the Celestial Plain. However, there was an unnatural silence hanging in the air, and the sunlight didn't seem as bright. Looking up into the sky revealed why: the Day of Darkness had returned. This must be why Ammy needs help; Yami attacked during the last eclipse. Suddenly, I saw a lupine figure running toward me. At first, I thought it was Ammy, but as it drew closer, I recoiled in shock: Ammy's fur, if it was her, was pitch black, with her red markings glowing dangerously. She looks like that dark reflection of Chibi that Akuro used against us!
The dark Celestial wolf stopped a couple of yards away, then dropped into a fighting crouch. "Ammy, don't you recognize me?" I shouted. The only response was a deep growl, before she lunged at me! Dodging quickly out of the way, grateful I hadn't lost the instincts of combat in this form, I cautiously countered with my strongest weapon. However, it bounced off her without a scratch! Then, I noticed a necklace of beads around her neck, and cringed. Crap, she has the Bead String! I thought. When did she get that?
Suddenly, a voice echoed from the darkness, one I thought I would never hear again. "Hello again, Celia. I never expected to see you again."
I snorted, replying, "I could say the same for you, Lady Kagami. Didn't Chibi and I, I don't know, KILL YOU? How are you back?"
"Now, now, child. Did you honestly think I would disappear that easily? There is always light to balance the darkness, so as long as light exists, so shall I. But enough about me, how do you like my new puppet?"
I took a step back in shock. "You're the one who did this to Ammy?" I blurted.
"Not exactly. All I did was awaken the darkness within her heart, and believe me, it was very hard to find. Once she succumbed to her inner darkness, she changed into this form, which I call Eclipse Amaterasu. Now, she lives, and fights, to serve me." She laughed, her chuckle resounding in my ears. "In fact, why don't the two of you get… reacquainted. Attack!"
Dark Ammy, or Eclipse Ammy as she called it, bounded forward, lashing out with what looked like a corrupted version of Solar Flare, and I barely managed to dodge the lightning-fast attack. I tried to fight back, but my weapon kept bouncing off thanks to the Bead String. However, I did notice that not all the beads seemed to shine with the same intensity when I attacked. So that's it, I thought. Some of the beads must be fake, replacing those we didn't get in our journey. Even with that knowledge, I still couldn't do anything; as long as the string remained intact, its barrier protected itself and Ammy.
Finally, my karma with battles caught with me, and I failed to dodge fast enough, earning myself a gash along my left front leg. I tried to counter with my brush, but the Brush Gods seemed slow to respond to me; Ammy was always quick enough to negate the stroke before I could complete it. My injury slowed me down even more, and I knew if something didn't happen soon, I could be killed. I had to make a decision: one that I didn't want to make. Quickly using Veil of Mist to enshroud the field, I ran.
As I ran as fast as I could with my injured leg, I felt like I had betrayed Ammy for leaving her like that; but I knew I couldn't face her as I was. I could hear Lady Kagami laughing at my flight from the shadows, but what I didn't expect was hearing a mournful howl from Ammy; it only made the feeling of betrayal worse.
I rushed headlong into the trees, looking for anything that could help me save Ammy. But everything was still and silent, as if waiting to see how things would turn out. I slowed to a walk, as my leg was acting up again, and tried thinking of some way to free Ammy. Curious, I tried using Sunrise to brighten the sky, but it wouldn't work. I tried a few other Brush techniques, but they either wouldn't respond or would act very slowly. I guess since Ammy is the original owner, they would obey her more than me, I thought.
As I walked, I found myself before a tree that had apparently been struck down by lightning. To my shock, I recognized it as a Guardian Sapling, one of the off-shoots of Sakuya! Now, who could have done this? I asked myself. Then, I noticed a couple familiar figures at the base of the tree. One was a statue that looked disturbingly like Chibiterasu, and the other was a slightly-transparent golden wolf.
"Shami!" I barked in delight, glad to see a friendly face.
She looked up at me as I ran toward her, smiling for a moment before she seemed to flinch. "Celia? Thank goodness. I'm glad Michgami found you."
"What are you doing here?" I asked. "And why is there a statue of Chibi sitting here?"
Again, she flinched, as if in pain, and I swore her figure seemed to fade. "I don't have much time to talk; Mother is hurting too badly. As her children, Chibi and I are bound to her, so when she became corrupted by Lady Kagami, we began to lose our strength as well. Chibi has already become a statue, just as Mother had, because he's the youngest; I however have a little strength left. Eventually, I will fade completely, though, if you cannot free her."
"I'll try," I replied. "But she's too strong to fight, especially with her Bead String. How can I lift the corruption from her?"
Shamiterasu gave me her trademark smirk as she replied, "Already rushing off into danger, huh? Thankfully, some of us had a little forewarning. You see, Issun never mentioned it, but before he took Chibi to the Celestial Plain, he stopped by Madame Fawn's place for a breather. While he was there, she gave him a scroll, which he was told not to open until the next Day of Darkness. Here's the scroll." She pulled it out from the Aether, just like we used to do, as well as a Holy Bone for me to recover with.
As I gnawed on the bone, I opened the scroll to find a prophecy, which read:
When shadows dance gleefully in the dark,
When silence is broken by a mournful bark.
When the Mother falls to her inner night,
Another must stand to wield the light.
Silver and violet, she once wore with pride,
She fought the darkness, with her mother at her side.
But against the Mother, she must fight alone,
All of her allies are dead or gone.
Her purity of spirit will keep her strong,
And victory is assured in the notes of a song.
Underneath the prophecy, someone had written in very elaborate handwriting: "Play my song with the flute I leave behind." Waka, I thought immediately. Aloud, I say, "Well, I can see where you may think I can help; it practically gives me away. Though, the sixth line doesn't seem right; Ammy may be the Mother of us all, but she's not related to me."
"On the contrary," Shamiterasu replies. "Why else do the Brush Gods call you 'Descendant of the Sun and Moon'? You are actually the daughter of her brother, Tsukuyomi, God of the Moon, and his relationship with a normal human. That's why you always take the form of a wolf, and why you can wield the Brush; you are part Okami."
"Then why am I not weakening, like you and Chibi?" I asked.
Shami pointed to the ninth line. "Your heart is pure, even after all the battles you have endured saving Nippon twice. Lady Kagami cannot touch you through Mother, which is why you remain a threat to her. Also, because of the dilution of your father's godly blood, she believes you weaker than you really are. Now, if only we knew what Waka meant in his last message..."
"Wait, last message?" I asked. "He's not around?"
Shami shook her head. "Shortly after Mother turned dark, she killed Waka and Issun." I flinched at hearing that Issun was dead; despite our breakup, I still sort of had feelings for him. If Shami noticed, she didn't comment. "She would have killed Chibi as well, but he was already turning to stone, so she left him alone, and I was already dead, so I couldn't stop her anyway. All your friends in Nippon can't reach you here in the Celestial Plain without Issun's help, so you have no backup whatsoever."
I could see my friend growing fainter by the second, so I knew she had little time left. "I think I know what Waka meant in his message. Do you know where his flute is?"
Shami nodded, and pulled it out as well. "I kept it with me, as a reminder of his fall, along with Issun's sword."
"Okay, but I can't play the flute as a wolf," I replied.
Shamiterasu flickered again before saying, "I think I can sort of change you back into a human, using what little strength I have left. But what song is he talking about?"
"Have you ever heard Waka play anything for your mother before?" I asked.
She thought for a moment before replying, "He usually played the same song to her, over and over again. I think it went something like this…" She howled a few notes, which I recognized as the beginning of the song "Reset", which plays at the end of Okami, thus confirming my suspicion.
"Then that's what I need to play," I replied. "I just hope my flute-playing is up to par."
She nodded, then closed her eyes. "I had better change you back, before I lose any more energy. Don't worry about me, though. If you manage to free Mother from Lady Kagami's control, she can restore the Guardian Sapling and revive Chibi and I." I felt myself grow and change, until I was human once more…mostly. I still had my wolf ears and tail, but it was enough to work with. I was also in a silver kimono, with violet trim and belt, which matched my markings
As Shamiterasu disappeared, I picked up Waka's flute and tested it, playing a few notes. I almost wished I could turn it into his sword, Pillow Talk, but remembered Ammy's invulnerability. Once I figured out how to play, I set out back through the woods to where I met Eclipse Ammy. It's time to save her, I thought.
I found her in the same clearing I met her before, waiting as if she knew I would return. I could also feel Lady Kagami in the shadows, watching, so I wasn't surprised when she said, "So, you have returned. And here I thought you would have run all the way back to where you came from." She laughed, and I bit back a growl of annoyance at her gall; I had to pretend to be afraid of her until I could start playing.
"I may not have been prepared before, but I will free Mother Amaterasu from your control soon," I spoke hesitantly, prompting another laugh.
"As if. You couldn't even touch my puppet before; what makes you think you have a chance now? Especially in such a frail form as the one you're in now. Once I dispose of you, as the last Okami, I can take over the Celestial Plain, and the mortal world will follow!"
As she spoke, I walked slowly toward Ammy, hands out in front to show I wanted to do her no harm. She growled a couple of times, causing me to pause for a moment, but did not attack. I could see something in her eyes that reminded me of the old Ammy, so I knew she was still in there; I just need to get her out. Stopping a few feet away, I knelt on the ground and reached into my belt, where the flute lay.
Knowing Lady Kagami could order Ammy to attack at any moment, I closed my eyes and put the flute to my lips. I waited a few moments, just in case I needed to move, but when no attack came, I began to play. The notes rang out in the silence, a little jarring at first, but smoother as I went along. To my surprise, as I played, I heard a voice begin to sing.
Millions of flower petals fall,
Scattering and coloring the town,
However this time at its end,
As the wind, had foretold it to us all.
At first, I didn't know who was singing, but then I realized: it was Ammy's voice! Somehow, she was singing the lyrics to the song from within her enslaved body.
There's no need to worry anymore
The seasons always find a way to change.
We knew that ever since the time that we,
Watched the moon in its brilliance before.
All the time constantly, we shed these tears and we do it again and again,
We don't know how much it's worth, until it's gone away for good.
If I could have just one wish I would go back to who I was
Yesterday, and I'd say My "Goodbye"s to you.
If my feelings stay the same and do not change or fade away,
Just meet me at our favorite cherry tree.
We made a promise on that sunny day,
so I made sure that it won't be lost,
by tracing my fingers on the beams
of the sunlight that chased the dark away.
The voice stopped for a moment, then I heard a pained whine. Keeping up my playing, I opened my eyes to see Eclipse Ammy shaking her head, as if distraught by something. A couple of the beads of the Bead String flickered and faded for a moment, and I heard Lady Kagami say, "What are you doing? Obey me, slave! Attack the girl!" I tensed for a moment, but when she made no move against me, I kept playing.
No moment is the same as the one after it, you can't return to the past
I'll move on with life and then, I won't hesitate again!
So that all my deepest prayers will reach you safely where you are,
To this day, I will sing this song again for you
If the answers that I'm looking for exist within the world,
Gently, please just tell me that they do.
Eclipse Ammy whined again, and the beads flickered out again, this time for longer; her control was slipping. With renewed spirit, I kept playing.
If I could have just one wish I would go back to who I was
Back in time, just to sing once again to you,
If my feelings stay the same and do not change or fade away,
Just meet me at our favorite cherry tree.
So that all my deepest prayers will reach you safely where you are,
To this day, I will sing this song again for you
If the answers that I'm looking for are right before my eyes,
Gently, please just tell me that they are.
As the song drew to its climax, the fake beads gave another weak flicker, then vanished completely, causing the Bead String to completely fall apart. I heard Lady Kagami shriek, "NO!" as a brilliant light burst from Eclipse Amaterasu's body, banishing the darkness from her and restoring her appearance to her normal, white and red form. Even Solar Flare was back to normal. I finished the song, and Ammy sang the last line:
..and Reset all the sadness within me.
I lowered the flute from my lips and gave Ammy a smile, and she smiled back. "It's great to have you back," I said, as I changed back to a wolf.
"It's good to be back, Celia," she replied. "I only wish you had been here sooner, then I wouldn't have done so much damage to my home. I was completely aware of what she was doing with my corrupted body, so I already know the fates of Waka and Issun. Tell me, are my children alright?"
"They will be, when you restore the Celestial Plain's Guardian Sapling," I replied. "Or at least, that's what Shami told me. I would have done it myself, but the Brush wouldn't respond to me. Only Michigami was still free from your control, but I don't know why…"
"Guidance is a power used to lead those pure of heart, but one must also be pure of heart to use it, and I clearly was not," she replied as we walked back to the Sapling. "I am fortunate for that, though; otherwise you could not have come here to free me."
We lapsed into silence, each thinking our own thoughts. Finally, I worked up the courage to ask, "Ammy, is it true? Am I really part Okami?"
She paused for a moment, as if reluctant to answer, then nodded. "Yes, your true father was my brother, the God of the Moon, though he had taken on a human form when he met your mother. I don't even know if she ever knew what he really was. However, gods cannot dwell long on the mortal plain, and he had to leave before you were born. Your mother took another husband, thinking she had been abandoned, but Tsukuyomi continued to watch over you from the Celestial Plain. Unfortunately, he perished during Orochi's attack on the Plain, so he has yet to reincarnate. However, he asked me to watch over you in his stead as he died, and when I died as well, I asked my daughter to do the same. In fact, I think she has taken quite a liking to you."
"Why didn't you tell me during our adventure?" I asked.
"Because I had forgotten," she replied, her muzzle low in shame. "I only remembered shortly after you left, but by then, you were back in your world. That's why I knew to entrust you with Chibi's well-being, when you returned to Nippon to stop Akuro and Lady Kagami."
"Does Chibi know?" I asked again.
"No, and I don't intend to tell him until he grows up a little more. He's still a little broken up about Kurow's death, having seen him as a brother, and he doesn't need the knowledge of another sibling he must say farewell to."
I nodded; we both knew, regardless of my birthright, I still had a regular human life, so I needed to return to my world eventually. "However," she said quietly. "When your time in your world ends, you will always find a place here on the Celestial Plain, among the ancestors and current Okamis." I smiled and nodded again.
We finally reached the destroyed Guardian Sapling, which Ammy fixed in a flash with Rejuvenation, then Bloomed into life. As the sakura petals drifted down, twin bursts of light flashed into being at its base, one encompassing the statue of Chibi. As the lights faded, Chibi stood in place of his statue, back to his normal self, and Shami stood beside him, still incorporeal but much more solid than before. Chibi yawned, and then noticed me. "Celia, what are you doing here? And why are you all grown up?" he asked.
I smiled and replied, "I'm just visiting for a bit; I wanted to see how everyone was doing. As for why I'm grown up, I was turned into your age during our journey so we can work better together." I caught a wink from Shami behind Chibi's back, so I kept quiet about what had happened. "Unfortunately, I cannot stay long, though. My family, at the very least, would miss me." Chibi grew sad at that, but I stepped forward and gave him a playful nudge. "So let's enjoy what time I have, shall we?"
He let out a barking laugh, and pounced on me, provoking a wrestling match like we had occasionally during our adventure; it never failed to raise his spirits. Since I was an adult wolf now, I had to hold back a little, but he was the son of Ammy and he had a lot of power hidden in his little body. We tumbled across the grass, which was returning to normal as the Guardian Sapling brought the Plain back to normal, slowly. When an errant tackle hit my injured leg, I winced, but kept smiling. Idly, I entertained the thought of staying, but dismissed it; what I told Chibi was true. I would be missed back home.
Eventually, we stopped wrestling, both of us panting hard. Chibi was back to his normal, peppy self, and Ammy and Shami were smiling as well. Finally, Ammy stepped forward and said, "I think it's time to send Celia home." With a wave of her tail, Michigami appeared briefly, and a red line snaked through the air and into a portal of light that appeared as well.
Chibi nuzzled into me and asked, "Will I see you again?"
I gave him a little touch on the head with my snout and replied, "Who knows? Maybe one day, I will be able to stay forever. You'll just have to wait and see." I then stepped onto the red line and began walking toward the portal.
As my vision faded to white and I returned to human form, I heard Shami speak to me in my head, "Take care, sister. Remember, you will always have a home here." I smiled, and kept walking. Soon, my living room materialized around me, and I looked at the clock on the wall. Only a couple hours, I thought. Everyone is still asleep. I yawned, turned off the TV, and headed up to my room. Placing the Celestial Brush on my nightstand, as well as Waka's flute, which I somehow brought back with me, I crawled back into bed and fell fast asleep.
And there you have it. Whether any of my theories are true, please let me know, Desi; I am STILL waiting for you to continue 'OCCA', and will keep waiting forever if I have to! And believe me, I have 900 years available to me, so, you can count on it! As for everyone else, let me know what you think in the reviews.
Please read, review, and pester Desi for me (not really), and may your Ember never fade!