Okuni gets lost in a forest, passes out from exhaustion, then wakes up to find out that everything has changed…
"Let's see…I could've sworn this was the tree where the mark was made…hmmm…" Okuni pondered in the large forest…somehow, she managed to get lost…she saw a cute little chipmunk and decided to follow it instead of her main mission, finding Keiji-san. She ended up in an area full of tall trees, and they all looked the same, and this confused her greatly. "Oh, dear, this is giving me great confusion…perhaps I should go south this time…" She turned around and walked a few steps toward the direction she had chosen. She then stopped after he short fourth step.
"Um…er…which way's south again?" She turned around; dizzy with all the sights of each and every tree…it felt as if she was stuck in a rapid whirlpool, spinning her around and around continuously and repeatedly, nonstop. She squealed awkwardly while she collapsed on the soft patches of green grass…
Her bronze eyes opened slowly…the sun invading her sight. She stood up…there were no confusing trees, no flowers, no grass…the forest was gone. Okuni blinked while looking around the scenery she was now in…a small but homey log cabin. Birds chirped in glee outside a window and there were very neat decorations in the room she was in. She also smelled something good…fried rice, yum. She stood up to linger along with the smell, but the door opened…Nobunaga?
"Mr. Nobunaga Oda! What a surprise to see you here…!" Okuni said, she wasn't afraid of a commander, not at all. He took a step to Okuni.
"Um…how do you know my name? And who exactly are you?" He asked the shrine maiden. Okuni gasped slightly.
"I'm the Miko, Okuni! Remember me now?" Okuni re-introduced herself to the commander; his memory was probably a little fuzzy.
"Doesn't ring a bell…but my name is Nobunaga Oda…just another farmer who lives in the forest…and a good cook, at that." The commander walked out of the room to the kitchen, where the smell got stronger and made Okuni's mouth water. She shook her head and walked after Nobunaga.
"But, wait, a farmer? You? You are supposed to be a great general in the war, aren't you?" Okuni asked. Nobunaga put on his cooking mittens and pulled out cookies from an oven.
"You serious? I couldn't even get into an army without tripping on air. I'm the clumsiest oaf on this land! Besides, I don't want my life to end too soon, might as well live it and love it while it lasts, because you can't live forever…" Nobunaga said. He set the cookie tray on a table as they cooled off. The Lord Nobunaga would never say something like that…was he brainwashed?
"Um…but…what about your wife, the Lady Noh? Or your younger sister, Oichi and her husband Lord Nagamasa?" Okuni asked. This was all confusing her…Nobunaga was the type who would probably burn his own toast and would fancy more in war…and why did he have no idea he was really a professional in the war, a commander at that?
"Why, they live here as well. Noh honey! We have a strange visitor here!" Nobunaga hollered. After a while, Noh came in…wow…she was not in her graceful, luxurious kimono but a peasant's dress…but, Lord, she still looked beautiful even without her jewelry and makeup.
"Um…am I supposed to know this woman?" Noh asked pointing at Okuni.
"Her name's Okuni, the Miko. She somehow knew our names, but don't ask me how she knows them…"
"Stalker?"
"Hope not."
"Big brother!" Hollered a voice from another room. In came Oichi, still beautiful without her luxurious-ness. She was in the same peasant dress as Noh but slightly shorter. She still held her weapon, her kendama! She just had to be Oichi she knew!
"Oichi-san! I see you're ready for combat!" Okuni said. The Miko pulled out her own parasol and pulled it out, its designs reflecting on each nook and cranny of the umbrella. Oichi blinked in question.
"Combat? That's for those people in the war! Not me, I wouldn't want to get dirty!" Oichi said. Okuni put her parasol away…what? Even Oichi had no idea what Okuni was talking about…what on earth was going on?
"Oichi-san, it's me, Okuni, the Miko! We fought a few times before, remember?" Okuni said desperately. Oichi squealed.
"Nagamasa! There's a scary girl in the kitchen! Please protect me from harm!" Oichi ran into another room where her husband was located. Noh and Nobunaga gave Okuni glares.
"It's about time you left, stranger, or we'll send you out by force." Noh said angrily. She wasn't the Noh Okuni knew, but she still had that demonic glare she knew. Okuni shuttered and ran out of the homey log cabin. After a short walk she leaned against a tall cherry blossom tree.
"What's happening? Nobunaga a good cook…Noh and Oichi peasants…none of them know about fighting…are they all sick or…maybe…I'm the one sick…" Okuni said. She slumped on the ground. "Maybe, the people I knew, friend or foe, were all just imaginary…" She sighed sadly and looked at the falling petals of each cherry blossom. Then, she heard a loud noise, as if someone fell on wood. Okuni turned around. Ranmaru?
"Mr. Ranmaru! Mr. Ranmaru, thank goodness you're here, Mr. Nobunaga might be ill and he's…" Okuni rushed over to the young man. Ranmaru stood up and faced the shrine maiden, blinking in fascination.
"Um…er…who are you again?" He asked in his feminine-like voice. Okuni sighed sadly again; Ranmaru had this strange disease, too.
"Oh, uh, nevermind…wrong person, I suppose…" Okuni sadly walked away.
"Wait, Miss! You look tired, would you like to have some green tea with me?" Ranmaru called to the Miko. Okuni turned around and nodded slightly, following back to where Ranmaru was. They walked in the forest together until they reached a small cottage, much smaller than the log cabin where Nobunaga was.
"This is my home…the only thing I could actually afford…" Ranmaru said quietly. He walked over to a shady area where a small, shabby table was standing. Ranmaru pulled out a seat for the Miko as she sat down.
"Wait here." He said softly. Ranmaru walked into his cottage as Okuni turned to look at the forest where Ranmaru lived. Ranmaru was a peasant, too, by the looks of it. After a short wait, Ranmaru returned with the tray of green tea in ceramic cups, as big as Okuni's palm. She blew on the beverage and took a sip; it wasn't as bad as she expected it to be.
"So, how did you know my name, Miss…?"
"My name is Okuni, the Miko. And…um…it's a fairly long story."
"Stories are my favorite! I'm quite a bookworm, actually. I would love to hear it, Miss Okuni Miko." Ranmaru said in joy. Okuni blinked and nodded her head.
"It's really hard to believe, though." The shrine maiden warned before telling her story…the battles she encountered, Nobunaga, Kenshin, Shingen, Masamune Date, and other generals usually found on the battlefield. She also talked about her own little adventures…and Keiji-san. As she continued her story, Ranmaru listened. And when she had nothing more to say, he sat there, speechless.
"Are you saying that I was really in the war going on now?" Ranmaru asked. Okuni nodded. Ranmaru couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Strange…because I don't recognize any of those generals names…are you certain this is not a fiction?" Ranmaru asked. Okuni nodded, this was no fiction, and it was real, right?
"It must be, because, I know I would never be in the war even if my life depended on it…and, like I stated before, I don't recognize any names at all…not one of them." Ranmaru said. Okuni felt her world freeze…this strange disease…maybe…maybe everyone has it except for herself. Okuni stood up and ran from the cabin.
"Miss Okuni Miko! Where are you going?" Ranmaru yelled.
"Forgive me, Mr. Ranmaru, but I must take my exit! Thank you for the tea!" Okuni hollered back before her visibility disappeared into the trees as she lingered deeper into the forest.
The day got slightly darker as Okuni kept walking in the forest. There had to be someone else around here that she knew, they're just had to! She stumbled on what she thought was a rock, but it was really…Kunoichi! Okuni didn't bother saying hello to the ninja girl, for she knew that Kunoichi had this strange memory disease as well…something was different about Kunoichi, though…she had the same outfit she always wore, but no daggers…but she looked…depressed.
"Is something wrong?" Okuni asked, putting a gentle hand on Kunoichi's left shoulder. Kunoichi looked up.
"I must be lost in this outsized forest…chances are, I'll never find my cottage again." Kunoichi said softly. Okuni knew that Kunoichi would probably say "Big" instead of "Outsized", so something was different about the ninja girl. Kunoichi was energetic and hyper, happy, and exuberant, not depressing.
"Lost? Then you're not the only one. I'm lost, as well." Okuni said, sitting next to Kunoichi. Kunoichi blinked.
"You look kind of familiar…but, I don't think I've seen you before…I've seen tons of Miko, so nevermind…" Kunoichi said. Okuni lost her hopes, thinking Kunoichi actually remembered her. Then, there was an idea…dancing. If Okuni danced, she would probably bring back some memories of her into Kunoichi's mind. Okuni stood up, grabbed her parasol, opened it up, and began to dance. She danced with grace each step, not making a clumsy movement at any second of the performance. Kunoichi was in awe, and she felt somewhat delighted while the shrine maiden continued her work. When she was done, Okuni closed her parasol.
"That was a nice dance, Miss Miko." Kunoichi said softly. Okuni hid her sadness of failure with a kind smile.
"Is something the matter? You seem as sad as me…" Kunoichi said, noticing Okuni's sadness. Okuni blinked and shook her head.
"It's nothing, really…I…just…I just don't think I belong in this world…" Okuni said softly. Kunoichi gasped and clung onto Okuni.
"Don't commit seppuku!" Kunoichi whimpered. Okuni stared down at the ninja girl.
"No, I don't mean seppuku, I mean…everyone's forgetting who I am…" Okuni said…everyone…maybe even Keiji-san…no…NO…!
Okuni gasped and ran from Kunoichi's grasp, deeper into the forest.
"Miko-san? Huh?" Kunoichi asked confused, still sitting in the grassy area where Okuni danced on.
Okuni continued to sprint through the forest…Keiji can't forget me! He can't! He must remember me! He remembered me all those other times we were together, if he forgets me…I could…I guess I could commit seppuku!
Kuro Tori Houshou oite sono deddo na yabunTeiku korera togire tsubasa soshite shuugaku shime hae
As Okuni continued to sprint, she found herself in a small village. Even though it was small, there were bustling crowds everywhere. One of those people in the bustling crowds was Magoichi. He was eating a riceball as he walked over to a small area of shade. Okuni happily walked over to where Magoichi was. He looked up to see the Miko.
"You're really cute, Miss, what's your name?" He said in a flirtatious voice. Okuni stopped smiling happily…she shook her head in silence and carried on…Magoichi stood up to follow her, but he didn't try as she took off running quickly into the bustling crowds of people.
"Women get shy these days…" He said taking a bite out of the riceball.
Okuni continued running, panting when she was running out of breath, but it wasn't time to stop now. She had to find Keiji. As she continued, she stopped at the sight of Mitsuhide Akechi, who was selling ripe peaches at a market…he only knew her as a customer. She also saw Masamune Date, who was a peasant in the bustling crowds, holding a cheap wooden sword, wanting to be a warrior someday…but he was not one…great generals Okuni knew and saw were only peasants, selling their merchandise, food, cheap clothes, cheap accessories…what was happening…
"Okuni?" A familiar voice came about. Someone remembered her! Someone knew her name! Excitedly, Okuni turned around to Keiji…standing next to…herself?
What was going on? There was another Okuni there…she looked just like her, every detail…even the parasol she carried with her. She even had the same movement and voice…it was her truly.
"What…?" Okuni stared blankly in shock at the other Okuni, laughing along with Keiji-san. Then…the Okuni next to Keiji looked at the real Okuni…and smiled.
"Hello…my name is Okuni…what is troubling you?" Okuni said sweetly. The surroundings went black…even she didn't know herself…wait…that was it. Okuni didn't believe in herself…making her surroundings not believe in her…and not even know her…
"You should know who I am, Miss Okuni." The Real Okuni responded after her thought. The other Okuni looked somewhat scared as she clung onto Keiji-san's arm tighter. Okuni slowly walked toward her clone.
"My name is Okuni…I'm a Miko at the Grand Shrine of Izumo…I fight in the war…I use my parasol as my weapon…I usually travel with my friend Goeman Ishikawa…I've been in many battles…and I believe in me…" Okuni said each word with more confidence each time and she was face-to-face with her clone. The clone smiled gently.
"Excellent…time to wake up, Okuni-san…" The clone said as Okuni's sight got blurry…
Okuni's head shot up quickly, hitting a tree…she was laying in the forest. It was the same spot where she collapsed; it was all a dream…IT WAS JUST A DREAM! Okuni happily got up. She roamed around the forest. Yes! No log cabins or cottages! No villages nearby! Just lots of trees! As she continued to gleefully run around the area, she came to an open field.
"Charge! We take Shingen's head!" Nobunaga said as he ran on his horse. Noh followed him with her horse.
"If we attack now, there will be no mercy for him!" She said with evil laughs trailing behind. Okuni was relieved…the two of them were in war, wearing their luxurious clothes! Oichi trailed behind on foot, panting. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Okuni.
"You're that shrine girl, Okuni-san, right? You can be our ally if you want to! We're gonna charge up on Shingen!" Oichi said. "C'mon!" The girl ran after her older brother while the battlefield was filled with more and more warriors, generals, captains, sergeants, privates, strike ninjas, musketeers, archers…possibly anything you can think of on a battlefield. Okuni was happy that even Oichi-san remembered her name and she was on the battlefield…then, Ranmaru came. He slayed some archers with one swift movement of his blade…back in his girly garments…he also spotted Okuni.
"We would love assistance, Okuni-san, come along and fight if you like!" He said slaying a strike ninja while he conversed with the shrine maiden. She smiled even wider as Ranmaru ran off.
"Hehehehe! The disguise worked perfectly! None of those silly geese even knew I was hiding in here! Hehehehe!" A familiar voice came. Kunoichi jumped out of the bushes and started slaying Nobunaga's infantry soldiers. She then saw the Miko.
"Hey, hey, hey, Okuni!" Kunoichi said waving at Okuni. She did a couple "Hi-ya's!" and a "Whoop!" before running over to where Okuni was.
"You're missing out on all the fun! Join us?" Kunoichi said excitedly, she was back to her energetic self, thank goodness. Okuni thought about it, but shook her head.
"I'm on an important mission right now, but thank you for asking me." Okuni said with a caring grin.
"Aww, oh well, that means more fun for me! WHEE!" Kunoichi head into the battlefield and used a strong technique on six soldiers, all wiping them out good. As the battle continued, more generals came and said a small greeting to Okuni, including Magoichi and Lord Mitsuhide. After a few minutes slowly passed by…Keiji was in Okuni's view. He used his powerful spear to slay each enemy…until he saw Okuni.
"Hey there, Okuni, come to fight, too?" He said after slaying a sergeant. Okuni couldn't say no, and joined the battle anyway. She jumped, flew down on her parasol, and kicked an opponent. She looked at Keiji and grinned.
"It's good to be back…" She said closing her parasol.
END
PANDA FLASH!
Hello, it's me, da Panda!
This is my very first Samurai Warriors fanfic, so, please go easy on me here
By the way, that part in the story with the bolded letters in Japanese, that's the first two lines of the song "Blackbird" by The Beatles, I thought it sort of fit in with the story, even though this isn't a songfic. (The version of the song is from "Across the Universe" instead of the original Beatles version, FYI)
I love Okuni (she's my favorite Samurai Warriors character thus far) and I was bored, so I typed this story. I was going to make a comedy version, similar to Alice In Wonderland-ish, but I wasn't digging that feeling today, so I made the story a teensy bit more dramatic, if thats fine with you..
Well, I'll shut up for now, c ya!
--da Panda