She wasn't entirely sure how it happened. One moment she was staring at the screen in anticipation, the next, she was in darkness, floating. A fuzzy light appeared, and grew, and soon she was staring at an image of a sepiatone village. A voice spoke, saying, "Long, long ago, a tiny hamlet known as Kamiki lay nestled in a grove of proud and beautiful cherry blossoms. Each and every tree around the quiet burg was honored as a god. However, the village was not without its dark secrets."
Jenna blinked in confusion. Where on earth was she? How did she get here? She looked around. Darkness everywhere... except for her and except for the weird misty thing. It had paused while her attention had been elsewhere, but it resumed as she focused on it again.
In the image, the silhouette of many dragon heads descended and a roar could be heard. "To satiate the appetite of Orochi, a fearsome cave-dwelling beast, a young maiden was offered as a sacrifice at the annual festival. With a body like a mountain and 8 heads mounted on necks the size of tree trunks, its blood-red eyes alone were said to curse anyone who gazed into them. No one dared disobey the horrific beast." Jenna stared. What was this thing? A screen or something? She sighed and resigned herself to watching this story unfold.
The image shifted to a scene above some houses and the voice said "Every year around the festival, a mysterious white wolf appeared outside the village. This wolf, its coat as brilliant as snow, was dubbed Shiranui. The wolf kept a watchful eye on anyone who ventured outside the village, and made a habit of patrolling the streets at night. People assumed the wolf to be a familiar of Orochi."
"One warrior took it upon himself to fight the ferocious Shiranui." The silhouette of a man, his arms folded, appeared on one side of the screen, and the silhouette of a wolf low to the ground took up the other side. Jenna heard growling, so realistic that she shivered. The wolf almost seemed to be right in front of her. "The warrior Nagi attempted many times to challenge the wolf, but his attempts were thwarted by Shiranui's swift movements."
A house appeared on the misty storytelling square. "Before long, the night of the accursed festival had arrived. A white plumed arrow heralded the coming sacrifice. Piercing the sky, the arrow sunk its shaft squarely into the home of Nami, the village's most beautiful maiden." An arrow silhouette appeared, and, with a loud thunk, pierced the top of the house.
"Nagi, harboring a secret love for Nami, was enraged by this sign." The shadow of a man and a woman holding hands appeared. "Determined to put an end to Orochi once and for all, Nagi traveled to the beast's cave in place of his beloved."
The image showed a cave. Dragon heads appeared across the screen and a man holding a sword were displayed as well, both in shadow.
"The Moon Cave, a place as dark as evil itself, served as Orochi's home. As Nagi stood before the entrance, a beast appeared, eyes glowing crimson upon 8 thrashing necks. Orochi stood tall before him, anxious for another sacrifice. Nagi leapt with incredible grace, swinging his blade valiantly. On and on he sliced, well into the moonless night... but Orochi's hide was like steel. The blade left nary a scratch." Tough dragon, thought Jenna. Wouldn't want to fight him.
A shadow of a man kneeling appeared. The heads of Orochi approached. "At long last, Nagi, his energy spent from the intense battle, dropped to his knees, fatigued and gasping for breath. He knew he was staring death in the face." A wolf silhouette dropped down from above, growling. "It was then that the wolf appeared. As if to protect Nagi, it stood its ground before Orochi. In the darkness of the cave, the wolf's coat shone brilliantly. Alas, it was Shiranui, the wolf that dwelled outside the village. Baring its fearsome claws, Shiranui leapt toward Orochi. Orochi reared its terrifying heads, readying its fangs for battle. The two beasts struggled wildly, thrashing in the darkness. Mysterious and terrifying, the spectacle continued."
Orochi breathed fire at Shiranui in the image. "Shiranui summoned gusts of divine wind to counter Orochi's flames." A brush painted a loop-the-loop on the picture, and a wind blew from behind Shiranui. "As Orochi closed in on Shiranui, sharpened claws glistening... A gigantic tree suddenly sprouted forth, shielding the wolf. Shiranui fought gallantly to gain the upper hand. However, Orochi, protected by a mystical power, was not easily bested. Shiranui, covered in gashes, majestic coat dyed crimson, stood exhausted before the mighty Orochi. Orochi saw a chance to strike what would be the final blow. But Shiranui refused to give in. With its last ounce of strength, the majestic wolf gazed heavenward and unleashed a mighty howl." Shiranui howled in the image as well, and the howl sounded all around Jenna.
"Suddenly, the black clouds overhead dissipated." The moon appeared. "The light from above glinted off Nagi's sword as a beacon of hope." Nagi joined Shiranui with his sword raised. "Guided by his sword, Nagi, who had been taking shelter in the shadows, stood proudly to face his adversary. Channeling all his strength into his scarred and battered arms, he leapt ferociously toward Orochi, his sword poised high."
"The golden sword danced in his hands like a puppet on a string. One by one, Orochi's fearsome heads separated from their owner." Jenna watched as Orochi's heads fell beside Nagi and Shiranui. "Orochi's body collapsed in a pool of its own blood. In that instant, the curse that plagued the villagers was lifted. As the battle subsided, the sun shone once again in the sky."
"Shiranui had succumbed to Orochi's poison and struggled to breathe. Nagi scooped the beast in his arms and returned to Kamiki."
The next image was that of Shiranui surrounded by villagers. "When they returned to the village, Shiranui was no longer moving. The village elder gently stroked the wolf's head. In response, Shiranui let out a hoarse and pitiful bark, then closed its eyes and drifted off as if into slumber." The image rolled past a village as flower petals fell across the screen. They were the only color in the sepiatone world. Then the image settled on a wolf statue. "Peace had at last returned to Kamiki Village. In honor of Shiranui's heroic exploits, the villagers erected a shrine and placed a statue of the wolf within it. Nagi's sword was christened "Tsukuyomi" and placed inside the Moon Cave. The villagers all looked forward to an age of endless peace... However, this is not the end of the story. There is more to this tale than most people know. 100 years have passed since Nagi and Shiranui's heroic exploits..."
The light slowly faded. Jenna paused. She was left in a blackness her eyes could not pierce, although she could see her own clothes. As she stood wondering, she suddenly noticed her clothes changing. They were shifting, growing heavier, changing color. She was soon wearing a lavender-and-white Japanese yukata. Her hair was soon done up in a bun. It seemed, from what she felt with her hands, that there was a flower of some sort sticking out from the base of the bun. A headband comfortably pinched her ears, and she removed it. It was white, with lavender lilies decorating it tastefully. She replaced it. Jenna also soon found herself holding a brush. It was beautiful for a brush; the handle was thick and fit her hand comfortably; the wood was smooth and cool. It, too, was white, and was decorated with lavender swirls. The bristles were white and possessed an unusual, creamy texture. In a sudden burst of sparkles, it vanished from her hand. She paused, there in the darkness, and then, fell.