Some explanations. I chose the name "Kagekami" for the oc in last chapter, not because I'm unoriginal, but because the name does have some significance to the character that will be explained later on. The two Japanese words used to make his name are "Kage" meaning shadow and "Okami" meaning wolf. It isn't just because he's black and purple, but it does have something to do with the fact that he's basically Amaterasu's opposite. Yin and Yang going on here in this story.
Also, yes, this story is getting pretty Ocish with some of the characters already. You'll have to forgive me for that. Its basically because of the nature of the story I'm looking to tell. This takes place in the nine months between Okami and Okamiden, and the reason the kids are older than they should be, also why no one knows that this actually happened, will be explained later on. Don't worry. I have a plan.
The only things they will remember is Kagekami vaguely (why again will be explained later) and one or two other things. But only a few characters will remember important characters to this story and other things like that. And only vaguely. I'll explain why that is, and some other things, later in the epilogue I have planned.
Basically, don't worry. Things will fit nicely after everything's done. Oh, and the Triforce will be making an appearance in this story as well. Both the gods of Hyrule and Nippon will be involved in this story. So enjoy that.
Chapter Two: Hope
Tetra's eyes widened with hope as she dashed out onto the deck, seeing that they had indeed approached land. It looked wide and beautiful from the few things she actually could see, a rather peaceful looking and prosperous land. The few people on the shore she did see were wearing strange clothing, and they all seemed to be pale with dark hair and eyes. She could see rolling hills, a strange building and a tree with pink flowers bursting into bloom. However one thing she did almost instantly notice was the pirate ship wrecked just off of shore.
It didn't bode well, and neither did the people's fearful reactions as they saw her pirate flag. The ship looked like it was old and had been there a while, but it was practically torn apart. Fear rose in her throat a little as she thought about what kind of weapon or creature could do damage like that. She'd met and seen quite a few of both of those things, and she wasn't eager to figure out what had done it. Obviously, these people didn't like pirates well and didn't seem happy to see them, not that she could really blame them. Her pirates had a code, but most did not. She'd already learned that the hard way here on the seas.
Still, she couldn't give up, no matter what. Link was in her cabin, possibly dying of some disease they didn't know about. They'd tried all kinds of medicines that they had on board, but he'd never responded to any of them and even just seemed to be getting worse. Princess of Hyrule or not, leader of a band of pirates or not, she would get down on her knees and beg to whatever powers that be here to get him help. He'd already saved her life too many times to count. She couldn't let him down now, and she couldn't lose him. She'd pray to whatever gods ruled this land too.
Tetra's fists clenched at her sides as she watched the people screaming and running to a strange red arch way that led to a gate not to far away, probably hoping to escape the pirates they saw in the shallows. She gritted her teeth, glancing once back at the cabin where her dear friend was lying, very sick. She refused to watch him die. She would be the one to save him this time, no mater how much of a hit her pride had to take.
"Raise a white flag," she hissed.
"M-Miss Tetra," Gonzo gasped. "Are you sure? That would be..."
"Just do it," she snapped. "We need to get Link help now! I don't care if you have to rip part of the sails to do it, just get a flag up there! We need them to know we're not going to hurt them if we want any help!"
"A-Aye aye, Captain," he murmured, hurrying off to do as he was told.
Tetra watched the shore anxiously as she waited for Gonzo to find an old white rag and raise it along side their pirate flag. It was humiliating, and she hated to think that these strangers on the shore were watching and saw her just giving up. She didn't even know if they spoke the same language that they did. But she was desperate to get Link some help. Soon, what she could only assume was a military of some sort came out to greet them. Most of the people carried bows and arrows, though a few had some swords of a strange design Tetra had never seen. They were cautiously drawing closer to the shore, watching the pirates with wide eyes.
They were wearing pink clothing with purple pants, all having their hair pulled back in some sort of bun, and she was pretty sure they were all men, but with longer hair than even Link's. She waited nervously as finally one man with a bow cautiously lowered it as he looked up at them. He seemed to scan the ship, frowning when he saw her standing near the front of the ship. He raised his bow again, pointing it at Gonzo, who was the tallest man he could see.
"You've raised a white flag," he growled in an accent Tetra heard clearly. "yet you have that girl on the ship. What kind of pirates kidnap children?" Tetra forced herself to ignore her rising anger.
"I wasn't kidnapped," she called back. "This is my crew. Our homeland has been sealed under water for generations, and we're wandering the seas. Please, one of our crew members is really sick. He needs help."
The surprised soldiers turned to each other, muttering to one another with wide eyes. As much as it irked her, she could understand why. She was only twelve and was leading a band of pirates. She could see as the man turned back to her that he didn't look convinced of her story. He continued to frown at them, obviously not trusting her. Tetra could feel her bottom lip tremble just for a moment. She had to get Link help, no matter what. Suddenly she shifted, bowing down to them and surprising her whole crew.
"Please," she cried. "Link's dying. We need to get him help! We won't cause any harm, and we'll leave just as soon as he's well. We're willing to pay anything. I just can't let him die!" The man blinked at her in surprise.
"You'd do so much to save this friend?" he asked in surprise.
"I'd do anything," Tetra said, barely loud enough for them to hear her. "I won't let him die."
Again, the men seemed to be confused, and they seemed unsure what to say to her. There was still some doubt in their eyes though as they watched her. Tetra had yet to move, but her head soon shot up in surprise at a flash of white. As she looked up she saw another dog, no that wasn't the right word for it. Was it a wolf? She'd never seen one, but she somehow knew that this creature was one, as was the black one from before with strange purple markings. Instead of making her feel uneasy though, she felt herself relax upon seeing the white one.
She was a strange creature, a pure white pelt with crimson markings on her head and sides. On her back a green and red disk rotated, tongues of fire dancing off of it. Her eyes and nose were a dark black color, standing out sharply against her white fur. Her tail was long, feathered as if it was blown by an invisible wind. The tip of it was dyed a strange black color, one that somehow Tetra knew wasn't its usual color. The wolf raised its head when it saw her, then to her surprise, started wagging its tail and ran forward.
It dashed past the group of guards who were standing at the edge of the water. They gasped in surprise when they saw the creature, their eyes going wide. To Tetra's surprise though, many bowed to her as she passed. She didn't seem to be paying them any mind though, and her eyes were staring straight at Tetra as she looked at her. Without thinking about it, Tetra raised her left hand, which had the Triforce of Wisdom silently waiting inside of her body. The wolf's ear twitched as she saw it, then she lifted her head and howled.
Tetra jumped, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw the mark of the Triforce seem to glow more brightly than ever and magnify. She was sure even the men on the shore could see the glowing mark clearly. A twinge through her hand let her know that Link's had reacted as well, and she couldn't help but grow worried about him again. As the wolf stopped howling however, the mark began to fade from her hand again. The creature wagged her tail again, then leaped right into the water and began swimming towards the ship as quickly as she could. Tetra's eyes widened in surprise, but no one was saying anything.
That was, until a strange man leaped up from out of no where and landed on the railing of her ship, staring down at her. Tetra almost found it a little strange to see that he had long blonde hair and blue eyes, seeming to contrast nearly every other person she had seen here yet in this land. His skin was pale, and he wore a pink robe and dark purple pants. He stood on sandals that looked far too tall for him to balance in properly, and he had a purple headdress on. A blue hawk's face sat on his brow, covering his face. In his hand was a strange wooden flute. He tapped his chin thoughtfully as he watched Tetra.
"You're not from this land," he said thoughtfully and with a fake French accent. "You carry a blessing from the gods, but they are not the gods of Nippon. Of course there are many gods that govern many lands, but this power is ancient. It comes before the beginning of this world itself." Tetra quickly tried her best to hide her hand, looking up with wide eyes.
"W-Who are you?" she asked. The man smiled, playing a few notes on his flute, before finally answering her.
"Why," he said. "how rude of me, Ma Cherie. I am the prophet and priest of this land, the gods's gift to man, Waka."
The man's introduction almost made Tetra want to scoff at the very thought. How could anyone be so conceited to say something like that? She didn't dare voice this out loud though. She needed help from these people, and she could tell this guy was a big deal from the reaction of the men on the shore. Suddenly the wolf leaped up onto her ship, shaking the water off of her coat all over Niko, who went dashing away in fear. The wolf lifted her head and wagged her tail again, dashing to Tetra and bowling her over to lick her face. Tetra failed to fight the huge creature off, but she was glad this wolf was being gentle, nudging the bite mark on her arm given to her by the other wolf. This made Waka seem to chuckle a bit.
"Be gentle, Ma Cherie," the prophet told the wolf. "Don't hurt her now. I know you like children, and this one seems to be very special, but you shouldn't scare her off."
The wolf seemed to concede the point, leaping off of Tetra again and sitting in front of her, wagging her tail. Tetra quickly got up, glancing back and noticing Gonzo (and most of her crew) looked both terrified and mutinous at seeing the wolf licking their captain like some overgrown puppy. Tetra stood, realizing that even sitting, this wolf was so much bigger than her. Seeing her looking, the wolf barked, which made her hand start glowing again. Waka suddenly grabbed her wrist, making her yelp as he looked down at it thoughtfully.
"H-Hey," Gonzo growled. "Let her go! Come on, Miss Tetra. I don't like this guy. I ain't trusting you or Link around him!"
"Qua?" Waka asked, looking up as if he'd only just noticed he was there. "Are you referring to moi? I assure you, she's in no danger from me. I have been serving the gods for generations."
"The gods?" Tetra asked, taking a step back from him. He allowed her to, crossing his arms as she stared up at him.
"Of course," he replied. "The gods of Nippon. This wolf you see is one of them. She is Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun and mother to us all."
"I ain't ever heard of a wolf god," Gonzo growled, clearly not trusting him.
"Your gods are not like ours," the man replied, his phony french accent dropping just a bit as he continued to speak. "They do not directly interfere in the world. Ours however like to come and go as they wish, helping the land and taking the forms of animals or humans. They are the very balance of our land. Your gods however give their powers to humans below to aid them as well. You carry the wisdom of ages within you, and the courage to face all evil, as well as the power to bring your desires into reality are not far either."
Tetra frowned a little as she heard the words the man had spoken. So he really knew about the Triforce? And what was that about power? That should have been sealed away with Ganon under the sea after it had fallen. It was said that if its holder died the power of the gods to pass to another, but she knew that Ganon wasn't dead, only sealed by the Master Sword. There was no way the Triforce of Power could be close. Maybe she was reading too far into this. They hadn't left the Great Sea behind all that long ago, so Waka might be able to sense it.
She looked up, noticing Amaterasu watching her. The wolf goddess had her eyes trained on Tetra's face, watching her still with some interest. However the god suddenly yawned though and curled up on the ship, falling to sleep. Tetra blinked when she noticed her snoring away. Around her, growing on the ship, came plants springing to life. Tetra felt herself inclined to believe that the unassuming animal was a goddess after all, simply because it seemed impossible for plants to grow that fast, let alone on a ship like this.
"You said you had a sick friend, ma cherie?" Waka asked, making her mind snap back to the present.
"Y-Yes," she said hesitantly. "He got sick during a storm we passed here lately." Waka's eyes seemed to bore into her suddenly.
"Was it just a storm?" he asked suddenly. "There is a terrible evil on this ship. I can sense it from here." Tetra felt her heart drop in her stomach.
"T-There was a wolf," she said suddenly, gaining Amaterasu's interest again. "He was black and looked like Amat-erasu" she paused at the unfamiliar name before continuing. "except his markings were purple and he his feet were purple too. Link said his name was...Kage...kami...Kagekami."
Amaterasu stood, making her way back towards Tetra's cabin suddenly. No one seemed to notice the large stark white and crimson animal making its way towards the back of the ship. Waka seemed to be standing there thoughtfully as her crew stared at her like they were afraid for her mental health. Amaterasu nosed the door open, which had been left ajar, and quickly went inside. Waka looked up at Tetra closely then, as if waiting for her to take back her statement. When she didn't, he let out a thoughtful hum.
"Kagekami?" he asked. "I've never heard of a creature like that, ma cherie."
"What do you mean?" Niko asked from behind her. "A wolf like her? They both looked normal to me."
"Y-Yeah," Gonzo asked. "are you okay, Miss Tetra? I mean, I don't see any markings on them." Tetra felt tears springing to her eyes as she whirled around, snarling at them.
"You never see anything, do you?" she snapped, not caring about the hurt and angry expressions her crew gave her. "It doesn't matter what Link and I do, you guys always think we're lying! I'm telling you, we fought Ganon. We fought Bellum. And that wolf has crimson markings on her sides!"
Several of her crew members took a few steps back at her rage, but Gonzo just glared back at her. She knew she shouldn't have snapped at any of them like that, and he was angry that she had implied that they were basically stupid, but she didn't care. They had believed her story about Ganon, but they had refused to believe her when she told them that it hadn't been ten minutes. Perhaps it was a side effect from the Phantom Hourglass, and the fact that the Sea King had told her they were in another world, but it still hurt.
They couldn't know what it was like, to be kidnapped twice and saved by Link, and to be facing something that they refused to believe was the truth. No matter how many times she explained they hadn't listened, and that had severely damaged her trust in the crew. She was still just a child after all. Before Gonzo could speak up though, Waka laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Where is he?" he asked simply.
Tetra turned and stormed past Gonzo, clearly ignoring his statement earlier about not trusting the man who was now silently following her. This made the man steam more, but he didn't go after her. She could hear him muttering something about her behind her back, but she didn't care right now. These people might be able to help Link, and she felt like he was the only real friend that she had right now. She entered the room, not noticing that the door was open as she did so. However she did pause when she noticed Amaterasu.
The goddess had jumped up on the bed, laying down against the wall and curling her frame around the boy on the bed. Her eyes were glued on the now asleep boy, and she reached her nose forward. As it touched him, a glow was visible beneath the blankets for a few moments before fading again, and Tetra felt her own hand tingle as she saw it. Link's breathing nearly instantly seemed to get better as she did this, closing her eyes a few moments. Then she turned her head suddenly and looked up at Waka, laying her head on the boy's chest.
"Hm," he said, though Tetra could hear no words from the wolf. "Are you sure, ma cherie? Yes, I understand. Let me check."
Waka lifted his flute again to his lips, blowing a loud and shrill note out of it. As he did, Tetra took a step back with wide eyes. A purple mist seemed flow through the room from Link's still form. It formed into a wolf above his head with flaming red eyes that snarled and snapped at Waka, launching at him. Waka leaped back, pushing Tetra farther behind him and grabbing at an empty scabbard. As she rain his hand down it, a glowing blade appeared, which he attacked the mist with. The mist quickly retreated as Amaterasu snarled at it, protectively bristling over the boy.
As the mist cleared and Tetra continued to stare with wide eyes, Waka slowly relaxed and looked up at the still snarling goddess. She did not seem very happy, and Tetra wasn't sure she wanted to see such a huge animal growling so close to her friend's unconscious form. Even so, she felt herself relaxing a little as she saw it, knowing that this wolf wasn't going to let anything happen to him. Waka quickly crossed the room, laying a hand over the boy's forehead, then pulling it back with a hiss as if he had just been burned.
"There is a terrible curse over this boy," he growled in a tone that could hardly support his fake accent any longer. "Some great evil has fallen over him. Quickly, we must get him ashore, ma cherie. The Emperor must be told, and perhaps we can help him there. Tetra, you must come quickly too!"
With that the man put away his sword and flute, scooping Link up into his arms and dashing off quickly. Tetra gasped, running outside, only to see the man leaping across water as if it was a flat surface he could walk on, sending out small waves of ripples as he passed. Gonzo and the others had all retreated below deck, and Tetra paused a moment, feeling torn.
She wanted to help Link, but she knew she needed to apologize to them too. Right now, she was too angry to really care though, and her worry for Link was overriding her need to talk to her crew. She paused as she felt Amaterasu nudge her arm, glancing up at the wolf, who offered the girl her shoulder.
Get on, I'll take you. She seemed to say.
"Thanks," Tetra said quietly, quickly grabbing her sword and Link's bag where all of his weapons and sword was kept. Then she pulled herself carefully onto the goddess's back.
Tetra paused in surprise as the flames of the strange object on her back flickered around her as she sat there. They were warm, gentle and kind, like the sun on a beautiful day that made her not too hot. The wolf's fur was soft, softer than anything she'd ever felt. And the goddess herself was very calm and patient. Tetra had perhaps expected the sun goddess to be more fiery and temperamental, but she was surprised. Then again, should she really be? The sun gave them more good things than bad, though it could certainly burn.
Tetra reached forward, gripping at the godessess's soft fur and making sure not to pull it. She didn't want to see what happened if she made her mad, but Amaterasu was kind and gentle about it. She waited until she was sure the girl was ready, then bounded off the edge of the boat with surprising height and agility. Soon enough she had managed to make it into the ocean, which flew into Tetra's face in a salty spray. The wolf was much less agile in the water, but quickly began swimming her way back to shore quickly.
Tetra glanced back at the boat again, wondering if it was too late to go back. She decided it probably was, and she knew Gonzo was going to be mad at her for a long while. She bit her lip but turned forward again. They were both still mad, and trying to talk it out now with her big mouth was only going to make things worse. She'd have plenty of time for it later, and knowing Link, he'd probably just end up berating her for saying stupid things in the first place. Just because she felt disappointed in the crew and had lost some of her respect (and possibly even trust) for them because of one incident, he'd tell her she wasn't acting like a princess and to go make it up.
The thought of that not happening because of that stupid curse was almost too much for her, bringing tears to her eyes. First thing was first, she needed to get Link better. Then she'd sit through one of his rants about her needing to set a good example for the people she'd one day lead for as long as he liked. She wouldn't even get mad or fall asleep during it this time. She'd be way too happy to hear his voice to care. They managed to make it to shore, and Tetra leaped off in time to shield her face as Amaterasu shook her coat dry. The guards just stared at her in awe, looking at her left hand, which she quickly hid away.
"W-What?" she asked.
"A-Ah," the man from before said, bowing low at the waist to her. "Forgive us. We had no idea you were chosen by the gods. Why, even our Great Mother Amaterasu allows you free passage. Please excuse our rudeness."
"Y-Yeah," she mumbled. "Whatever. Its fine. Can I just ask you to leave my crew alone on the ship a while? They need to cool off."
"Yes of course," the man replied. "Have safe travels, child."
Tetra bit back a retort about her not being a child before she felt Amaterasu nudge her shoulder again with her nose. Tetra quickly made sure her sword and bag were ready for the trip and then climbed back onto Amaterasu's back. On land the wolf was quick again, and soon the world was zipping past them as they went rushing towards one of the strange red gates. The doors had been left open by Waka no doubt, and the wolf ran in without the guards at the doors saying anything. She glanced down at the road rocketing by at a dizzying rate, noticing that each bound of the godessess's feet left a trail of quickly withering flowers.
As she picked up yet more speed, they turned from the beautiful colors of spring to a golden hue as she reached what seemed to be her top speed. Like the goddesses's passing they quickly faded away and disappeared silently, withering to brown before disappearing all together. Unable to watch it any more, Tetra looked up instead. People leaped out of the godesses's way, all with smiles, as she continued to run silently through the town. She noticed that all the people were wearing what appeared to be dresses or robes of some kind, which she found a little odd.
Only royalty wore that kind of thing where she had come from, and seeing so many people wearing it was odd to say the least. Various venders and such sat along the streets, along with the small houses that lined the area. A large waterway was cut into the center of the town, spreading out in all directions. Amaterasu seemed to know where she was going though and soon crossed a huge bridge. Across this bridge the houses got bigger and bigger until they reached what Tetra could only call a large castle, with the same strange pointed design as the rest of the houses.
Amaterasu ran right to the front gate, where the guards had already opened the gates to her. She ran right inside as they nodded to her, but Tetra couldn't be sure what they said as the goddess ran through them, leaping through out door paths and a strange courtyard with a pretty little pond and strange stones raked in circles. It was pretty to look at, but Tetra didn't really see the point of it. Weren't gardens supposed to have plants? Her thoughts were quickly interupted though as the goddess suddenly stopped, sending Tetra tumbling off of her.
Tetra yelped as she landed painfully on her bottom and hit her head on some vase. Waka sighed, reaching out and steadying it as Amaterasu whined in apology and nuzzled the girl's face. Tetra looked up to see a fat man in richly decorated robes watching Tetra with wide eyes. Tetra quickly spotted Link, laying on the ground near Waka and not too far from her.
She frowned as she saw this but was relieved to see he looked a little bit better now. Maybe Amaterasu had helped her more than she had thought. The wolf's tail began to thump on the ground as she growled a low and friendly greeting to the fat king, who's eyes lit up. He reached out immediately as the wolf ran up to him, petting her and showing her his affection. To Tetra's surprise though, the sun goddess didn't snap at him or pull away, just sat down and whined happily, her tail wagging even faster as he pet her. She shook her head but found herself relieved at the same time. She was a strange goddess, but a kind one. She was glad for that.
"So we are all here, ma charie," Waka said with a small smile as he noticed Tetra's confusion at Amaterasu's behavior. "As you can see, Amaterasu is a kind and, ah, affectionate goddess. She's taken quite a liking to you and your young friend, Link, was it?"
"Y-Yeah," Tetra said, unable to keep from giggling a little at the sight of a goddess acting like a cute little puppy.
The sound of the child's laugh brought Amaterasu's head up and towards her. The wolf wagged its tail happily and bounded across the room again, knocking Tetra over for yet a second time that day and licking her face as she wagged her tail. Tetra couldn't help but laugh more as the godesses's tongue tickled her face, trying to fight her off of her. Waka smiled a little, but then tapped the wolf's back. Amaterasu looked up, and her face seemed to fall as she walked over to Link instead, curling up sadly around him and laying her head on his chest again.
"Ah," the king said, seeming to realize the mood had gone somber again as Tetra managed to find her feet. "Amaterasu. Who would have thought my lucky wolf would have been a god after all? What brings you back? I thought the Celestial Envoy said that you and Waka had returned to the Celestial Plain to fix what was happening there."
"We sensed something was going wrong," Waka replied for the goddess. "So we came back on the Ark of Yamato to investigate. As we were traveling to the capital, we found a pirate ship off the shore. Inside were these two, the girl who commands the pirates, and a boy around her age. It seems that they both carry the blessings of the gods."
"The blessing of gods?" the king asked with interest. "Then by all means, they are welcome here! What happened to the boy?"
"It seems he was cursed, oui?" Waka said darkly. "They mentioned something about a storm and a wolf, only this one was black and certainly not a god. The name we were given was Kagekami."
"K-Kagekami?" the king gasped.
Tetra looked up in surprise at the sheer terror that was on the man's face as this name was uttered. Amaterasu growled lowly at this and raised her head, watching the man carefully before her eyes darted down to look at the boy on the ground near her. Waka raised a brow expectantly but tensed as well, almost as if he expected a fight to start. Even Link seemed to stir uneasily in his sleep as he heard the name. Amaterasu licked the boy's sweat stained face and laid her head back down on top of his chest, which seemed to calm him.
"Do you know of it, mon ami?" Waka asked, his tone leaving no room for lies. The strange king shifted nervously on his throne.
"H-He comes in dreams," the king began. "He has been haunting me for a while now. The people have been nervous, saying that he comes in the night and curses people who could prove a threat to some master of his."
"So he was the one behind this," Waka growled, completely dropping his accent and now sounding like everyone else. He didn't sound happy, and Tetra shied away from him slightly as she heard the sound of the growl. "And it sounds like he's been torturing the people as well. Is he who he felt? And who is that master of his?"
"Most people can't survive the curse more than a few days," the king said, seeming unwilling to leave anything out.
"L-Link's had it for a week," Tetra couldn't help but mutter. Every eye turned to her in surprise.
"A week?" the king gasped. "This boy? Impossible!"
"We did say he was blessed by the gods, mon ami," Waka said, slipping easily back into his fake accent. "They may be protecting him. But still, why would this creature think that Link was a danger at all?"
"He's the Hero of Winds," Tetra said quickly in defense of her friend, not liking that they were implying he wasn't nearly as strong as he was. "He saved my life and the whole world when Ganon was revived! Its only because of him that I'm alive at all! If it wasn't for him the whole world would have fallen to the Triforce of Power!"
"Aha," Waka gasped, startling Tetra. "That's where I've heard the name Ganon before, mon ami! You are from Hyrule, non?"
"Hyrule?" the king gasped. "Impossible! That kingdom was buried by the gods under the sea!"
"Unless Ganon was resurrected somehow," Waka continued, not seeming to mind the man's interruption. "Then he could have returned. Ah, ma cherie, forgive me for not seeing it sooner! That boy wears the garb of the legendary hero of Hyrule. For him to carry the title 'Hero' and the power of the gods means that the gods of Hyrule saw him as a true hero. And you, Tetra, carry the mark of Wisdom, held only by the princesses of the ancient royal family of Hyrule, while Link carries the mark of the hero, that of Courage."
Waka turned to her, chuckling a little and giving her a deep bow. Tetra blinked, glancing over at Amaterasu, who was wagging her tail again at the girl. She looked up at the king, who was quick to stand as well and bow low to her. She shifted nervously and glanced down at her hand. Well these people sure seemed to know a lot, but it didn't make her comfortable. She blushed suddenly and tried to turn away from them.
"I-Its not like I did anything," she muttered. "Link's the one who did all the hard work."
"Ah yes," Waka said, turning back to look at Link. "The Hero. If he defeated Ganon, he truly is a great hero indeed. It makes sense now why Kagekami would target him, ma cherie. It seems that this strange master knows about the legends of Hyrule as well and felt like he was a threat to him. If that's the case, we cannot let the hero of the gods die. This land is not your land, and we cannot ask for your help, but it would reflect badly on all of us at the very least. My Emperor, is there any cure for this curse?"
"I'm afraid not," the King (Emperor, was it?) replied sadly. "We haven't found any way to stop it."
"In that case," Waka said, turning to Amaterasu. "Perhaps we should pay Sakuya a visit. She keeps many treasures of the gods hidden within her fruit. Maybe she has one that could help?"
Amaterasu barked happily, wagging her tail at Waka and panting. The man nodded as if deep in thought, which made Tetra scrunch her nose up a little bit. She had been blessed by the power of the gods, and even she couldn't hear Amaterasu when she spoke. Apparently though this strange man, who didn't look like anyone else in this strange country, had the ability to communicate with the gods.
He called himself a prophet and a priest, but what was he really? The priests she knew only prayed to the gods and hoped that they were answered, yet he could talk to them directly? Then again, she'd never met a goddess who came down to the earth in mortal for again either. She shook her head. She didn't have time for this.
"Right," he said. "I understand, ma charie. It may be better if you take him. You're faster and your power will keep the curse at bay and keep the boy safe."
"H-Hold on," Tetra cried. "I don't care where you're going, but if Link's going, I'm going too!"
Her outburst seemed to surprise anyone except for Amaterasu, who just wagged her tail and nodded to the girl as if she'd expected this answer all along. Waka looked like he wanted to protest, and the Emperor looked like he might faint at the idea that a girl would rush off into danger to help her friend. Waka began to open his mouth, but quickly closed it as he looked at the goddess in front of him. He seemed to glance at the sword she was carrying, then back up at her.
"I understand, ma cherie," he said. "The princess of Hyrule has always been closely tied to the Hero. The legends themselves...No I don't think its a good idea. She could get hurt...I realize she is a pirate now but...hm...no you may be right. Very well. Amaterasu has agreed to carry both you and Link. If this darkness is targeting the sacred power you carry, you will need even more protection from the gods. The more you are around Amaterasu, the more powerful that protection will be."
"Th-Thank you," Tetra said in surprise. "But what will you do, Waka?"
"Moi?" he asked with a chuckle, flipping his hair and the long pink cowl he wore. "Why, I will be helping as well, ma cherie. I'll go check all the shrines and such along the paths, making sure that all the seals in place remained sealed. Don't worry about me, Tetra. Go help your young Hero."
Tetra nodded and ran over to Link and Amaterasu as the goddess stood, nudging the boy gently with her nose. The boy moaned and stirred just slightly in his sleep, making the goddess whine softly. Tetra picked the boy up as carefully as she could, realizing for the first time just how tall he really was for being a year younger than her.
She could also feel the muscles he had developed as he had faced one crisis after another. She quickly tried to hide the fact that she was blushing as she dragged him onto Amaterasu's soft stirred a little, but as she laid a comforting hand on his back and whispered to him, he seemed to calm and relax again. Tetra then paused as Amaterasu nudged her towards her back. She glanced up curiously at Waka.
"How did you know all the legends of Hyrule?" she asked.
"Ah, ma cherie," the man laughed playfully. "I am much older than I look. I told you I have served the gods for generations. Though Faore, Din and Nayru created the world, there were many other gods before and after them. Their power lives with you, and they guarded their chosen people. Here in Nippon though, the gods chose to rule their land differently, coming to earth instead of sending heroes. Same effect, different instruments. Still, the legends of the immortal battle for Hyrule have reached far in wide, even in the mortal realm. So naturally, I knew of it."
"I see," Tetra said, hardly having understood his explanation. "Well, thanks Waka, and good luck."
"May the winds of fortune be at your back."
Tetra froze at the familiar words, one that people had often used on the Great Sea to wish people luck and the protection of the gods. As she turned to make a comment about this however, she saw that Waka had already disappeared. She stared after him for a long while, before Amaterasu nudged her shoulder again. Remembering her mission, she leaped up onto the white wolf's back and nodded to her. Amaterasu had no trouble holding both children and quickly leaped away down the path, dashing away with a new destination in mind. Tetra could only place a hand on Link's back and hope she didn't stop hard enough to throw them off. She could stand that, but she wouldn't want Link to have to suffer more.
Just be strong, she begged him silently.
He stirred again, though whether it was voluntary or not, she found it a little comforting. He was still strong enough to keep holding on. She just hoped it would be enough. She glanced down at her hand and Link's. Well, at least they weren't glowing like night lights anymore as they touched the goddess. Tetra cast one more glance towards her ship. She saw no one on it.
"Sorry guys," she whispered, though the only creature who heard her was the silent goddess. "I'll be back soon."
She was going to keep that promise, and when she came back, Link would be better. She knew that would cheer them up, and they'd all forget how mad they were. There would be plenty of time for forgiveness later. Right now, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if Link ended up dying because she was too slow.
And there was chapter two. As you can see, Kagekami has been a bit more of a problem than anyone had yet expected. I bet you're wondering who this master is, what the Triforce has to do with this, and what the Wind Waker has to do with it. Well, you'll soon see. I plan on adding quite a few things into this story.
This chapter was a little funnier than the last one. I tend to write more serious stories, so I need to remember that Wind Waker and Okami are both some less serious games. I'll be trying to work in more and more comedy as time goes on, mainly later in the form of Issun and other weird characters, as well as interactions between Link and Tetra.
Also, as you may have noticed, there are some pairing in this story. It won't be a main focus though, so don't get your hopes up. Also, Link and Tetra are children! I don't want to see anyone begging for lewd things from them. Anyway, hints at future relationships will be in this story, as well as in the epilogue.
If you enjoyed, feel free to leave me a review below.