I do not Own Okami. However, I do own Yima. The chapters before were playing around a year before Orochi's return.


Chapter 3

Orochi's curse.

"Well, if it is so high, how can we get up there?" Yima asked to Waka. Waka smiled. "Like this, ma chèrie" he said.

He walked towards the small pond. Above the pond, many metres above, there was hanging a strange building in the air. He leapt on the water. Yima shrieked. Waka did always surprise her. "Water tablet" Waka said, and showed her a kind of stone. He pressed a kind of button in the wall, and a fountain begun to sprout. "Jump in!" He said, throwing the stone to her. He stood on the fountain, winking her. She ran over the water and grabbed his hand. "How am I supposed to get in when I'm alone?" she asked. "You'll get soon your own stone.."

"Captain!" A young looking man –however, Yima couldn't see it clearly because of the mask he weared - ran towards Waka. "Kamo, good to see you!" Waka answered. A grin appeared on his pale face. The man, Kamo, stood still. He was surprised. "Wait outside, Yima" Waka ordered. He got in the house, not far away from the platform they landed on. A small path leaded toward it. Yima frowned. It didn't look big, or stylish. Yima shrugged as she sat down on the floor wich was made of a strange kind of jade. After some minutes, the men were returning. Waka throwed something at her. Yima could barely catch it.

It was a pouch. It contained some yen and a stone like Waka used to walk on the water. "Explore the city for now, but go not over the bridge. When it get dark, get back here" Waka said. He smiled, happy. Yima shrugged. "And how to get down?" she asked. Waka pressed a button, wich was hided. The fountain rised again.

"Hmm. This seems funny. I'll buy it" she said. She pointed at a Marlin Rod. After she at something at Yama's restaurant, she had just enough money for the rod. The man in the shop gave it to her, as she gave the money. When she just stepped out of the shop, she saw the moon was rising. She took some moments to look at it, and started to run.

Another Tao Trooper stood before the pond. "Waka told me to wait for you" he said. "Hi, I'm Isho" the Tao Trooper greated her. "Nice to meet you, Isho. I'm Yima" she answered.

She stepped in the building. "Surprise!" Waka and a bunch of people shouted. She recognized Kamo. "Why all this?" Yima asked. "It's a party for the new member of the family!" Kamo explained. His eyes were flickering. "Welcome there! I'm Tokohono!" "And I'm Hito!" There were so many names. She couldn't remember it. After some minutes, most of the men got to a long table, full with snacks and sake.

Waka leaned against a pillar. "The Troopers like it if there is a new member: Than, we have a party, and they have permission to get drunk" Waka explained. "Why aren't you drinking?" she asked. "To get me drunk, you'll need more sake than Nippon does have" Waka said. "Why?" He didn't answer.

A half year past since the day they reached the Headquarters of the Tao Troopers. Even it was not so cosy as the Moon Shrine, Yima liked it. Everyone had his own small room, and there was a main room. On some of the walls, scrolling texts were showed. Yima could read and understand it.

The training wasn't that hard as Yima expected. It was a miracle: She already knew the moves of Tao. When Waka asked her when she learned that, she only shrugged and said she didn't know.

Another half year past. And so, it was a year after she came to the headquarters. Yima had sometimes classes with other new Tao Troopers. It was fun. But most of the time, she had private lessons.

Waka wanted to give Yima a present, for the day she was a year in the headquarters. Yima hadn't a birthday, so he and the Troopers decided that would be her birthday. She was loved by all the other Troopers. However: Waka didn't know what to give.

It was the day, Waka, Kamo, Yima and a new Tao Trooper which was the pupil of Kamo, named Gaka, got into town. It was the yearly market. Waka noticed that Yima didn't liked it to go beneath the level of the Headquarters. He didn't understand it. And today, she was looking very troubled.

"Ma chèrie, il y a un problem?" he asked. Yima nodded. "I can see there is" he said. Yima sighted. "My hair" Waka looked at her blond locks. "What's wrong with it, Yima?" he asked. "It's blond. People look at me." This was something, Waka could understand. His hair was blond too. Waka soon had layed the connection with himself. And so, he knew his present.

"Here!" Waka offered a small present in a box to Yima. The man, wich weren't drunk yet, were looking in surprise. Their Captian didn't told them about the present. Yima opened it. It was the same hawklike hat Waka weared, but with shorter veils. She hugged Waka. "Thank you! Thank you!" she thanked him. And he grinned.

A roar broke the silence of the night. And so it begun.

A cursed zone spread trough the land, causing the people to turn in to stone. Only a few could rescue themselves. And so Waka and Yima were.

They were on visit at Mika, when it happened. It was afternoon when we reached the little shrine, and we should stay the night there. The roar caused Yima to shiver. Waka ran to the window, seeing their a shadowly figure to flee. "Waka!" Mika called him back. Waka turned around, after hearing the panic-filled voice of Waka. "Whats wrong?" "She blacked out".

And the dream begun.