Three-tailed fox:
As I stalked through Tokyo with my little sister, she seemed unusually annoying that day. "What's taking so long?!" My sister asked with impatience in her tone. I quickly turned my head and shot back, "I'm trying to find the pond that had those amazing-tasting fish in them. However, all your whining and complaining is messing with my sense of direction! So, if you'd shut up for a few seconds, I'd be able to find it!" "Please, you'd be lost with or without me! There's a reason that I'm the tracker," my little sister remarked from behind me. Having enough of her snide attitude, I spun around to face her, flared my tails, and yelled, "We're moving slowly because we don't have the slightest clue when a demon might show up! Carelessness leads to death! However, if you're having that much trouble being patient while I find you something to eat, then why don't you just head on home!?" My sister stopped in place. I had done the same. I never yelled at her before. I watched as she stripped her gaze from mine, turned around, and mumbled, "Fine then, I will go."
"Well, it'll probably be the safest place for her," I quietly said to myself. As I continued walking in search of our dinner, I couldn't help but think, "That girl is so hard-headed. She has no clue what a demon does. What a soulless body looks like. I mean, she's young. She doesn't know any better. She shouldn't have to. However, with there being no Wolf God, she needs to be more careful."A slight grin formed on my face as I said to myself, "Since there's no Primordia in place at the moment, all of the demons that'd be hiding near our home have moved more into the cities. So, if anything, I'm in more danger than she would be right now-"
Before I could say anything else, I felt something that instantly sparked an ember of hope within my heart. "The Wolf God has manifested," I said in an astonished tone of voice. Suddenly, I felt my deity's aura envelop me once more. This could only have meant one thing. Once again, a new Primordia has been forged, forcing most demons to flee from the cities and back to the outskirts. The outskirts. The outskirts that we lived in. The moment I realized what this meant, there was only one thing that I could've thought to do.
I spun around and ran south as fast as my legs could take me. Thanks to being a spirit, I was far faster than any human. Before I knew it, I was at the stairs leading up to my god's shrine.
With as much speed as I could muster, I dashed up the finely constructed staircase. As soon as I made it up to the top, someone stood before me that I never wished to see again. He looked at me as if he was still scared of me. In that moment, I wanted to tell him how I was nothing but wrong for what I attempted to do the last time we met. However, the only words to fly out of my mouth were, "You have to save my little sister!" The Wolf God stared at me with confusion. "Huh?" Quickly flew out of his mouth, leaving us in yet another awkward silence.
Okami Renshin:
"She didn't look so scary now," I thought with a slight snicker. I looked down at the fox seriously and asked, "What are you talking about?" Suddenly, I saw the fox turn into a girl right before my eyes. However, with her height, she looked like nothing but a kid. Her luminous, golden gaze was fixed directly onto me. Her amber-colored eyes shone so bright,
I thought actual flames rested behind her pupils. Her expression was calm and composed, betraying no hint of the immense power that she held. The fox's slender, graceful frame was draped in a flowing, high-collared robe of the finest silk. The fabric shimmered with an ethereal golden sheen. The robe was cinched at the waist with an intricately embroidered obi with ornate patterns and designs. Cascading down her back were thick, lustrous manes of hair. Each strand shined like burnished gold in the light. The tresses flowed and billowed around her as if alive, moving with a subtle hypnotic rhythm that was almost mesmerizing to behold. Occasionally, a flash of golden light could be seen flickering amongst the strands like flames.
Her hair was long, reaching past her shoulders and down to her lower back. When I looked up at her hair, the tresses fell naturally and framed the elegant outline of kitsune's face. The fox bowed her head before me and pleaded with all her heart, "There are demons heading right for my little sister. You have to help her, please!" "Calm down and tell me what happened," I ordered while crossing my arms.
I watched as both the ears atop her head drooped down while she explained, "My sister and I got into a fight. I told her to go back home. However, the second you expanded your Primordia, most of the demons that hid within Tokyo and various other cities have fled to the outskirts of Japan to evade it." Just then, it hit me. I was the cause of whatever massive change just happened. "That means if her little sister dies, it'll be my-" before I could finish thinking, in fact, before the fox could say anything else, I ran out of my shrine. With no regard for where I'd land, I jumped from the top of my staircase. The only thing I cared about was saving the life that I endangered. I put my nose to the air and took a deep breath.
I could smell them. I could smell them all! I could smell the demons that were fleeing. They smelt putrid. In fact, the smell attacked my nose so hard it caused my body to shudder while I flew through the air. Before I was ready for it, my feet hit the ground. A fall from that far would have normally broken my ankles and fractured my knees. However, I didn't feel it. I didn't feel a bit of the shock from the impact.
As soon as I realized I could, I kept running. The smell of death wasn't the only thing my sharp nose caught. There was something sweet there. Something that smelled exactly like the three-tailed fox. That was all the connection I needed. Just like back in the forest, I ran faster than I ever ran in my life. If anything, I was faster than I was then. I don't know what it was. "Maybe I really did bathe in divinity; maybe going to the shrine boosted my senses! Who cares?!" I asked with a grin on my face.
I jumped through the sky, allowing the crisp winter air to push my hair back as I continued to say to myself, "I gotta admit, I may not have wanted it, but damn, does it feel good to do this!" I placed my feet back on the ground and sprinted until the environment around me changed.
I stood in a forest before I even realized I exited Tokyo. Suddenly, I heard a scream. My head whipped to the left, and I started running while taking another deep breath. "They're no further than twenty meters away," I advised myself as I prepared. I could smell them so well I could practically see them. There were four of them surrounding the fox. According to my nose, they appeared almost human-like. The only thing that stood before me and them was the large tree blocking my path. I couldn't go through it, and going around would have taken too much time. So, I opted to try something that went poorly for me the last time I attempted it. However, it wasn't about me. It didn't matter how poorly it went for me; all that mattered was correcting my mistake. "All that matters is that I prevent someone from dying because of me," I murmured to myself while I crouched down. I was consciously aware of and could feel the muscle fibers in my calves contracting and expanding as I built up strength.
The moment I grit my teeth, I launched myself into the air and jumped directly above the trees. As soon as I cleared it, I no longer just smelt them; I could see them. Not only that, but the fox saw me. From the angle she looked at, she must have seen me jump over the tree while the moon shone behind me. "So those are the demons I've heard about, huh? I won't lie and say that they aren't scary. However, I refuse to sit back as someone dies because of me."
I extended my arm and called my divine instrument to my hand. I wished it had been as easy to activate my divinity as it had been to summon my weapon. Before the demons were even alerted to my presence, I wrapped my hand around the handle and drew my blade above them. The second my feet touched the ground, I envisioned the way my mother would swing her wooden sword at the practice dummies. With a swift stroke of my wrist, the blade of my weapon cut right through the demon I swung at.
I watched as the blade cleaved straight through his flesh and bone, severing him at the torso. It was bloody, it was gruesome, it was "Exhilarating," I murmured.
My sudden appearance shocked the demons, which gave me all the time I needed to shift my body and thrust the edge of my divine instrument into the second demon's throat. As soon as the last two remaining demons realized they were going to die, they both swung at me. This caused me to grit my teeth and attempt to pull my sword out of the second demon's windpipe. However, I couldn't get it out. As soon as I turned to figure out why, I saw the second demon holding onto my blade so that I couldn't.
Worst of all, we were right in front of the injured fox. If I had taken one wrong step, it could have been fatal for her. The moment I realized this, rather than keep tugging at the katana, I let it go, ducked, and swung my fist as hard as possible. It both hurt and excited me the moment my knuckles crashed into the third demon's jaw. However, I got lost in my excitement. I quickly remembered that I was not their target. "The fox," I yelled to myself. I once again pivoted to find the fourth demon launching himself toward the fox. Now that I was at an angle, I wrapped my hand around the handle of my weapon and pried it from the second demon's fingers.
My sharp divine instrument cut right through his fingers as I launched it toward the fourth demon to protect the fox. I threw my katana with such precision that it pierced the demon's ribcage and pinned him to the ground. Unfortunately for him, my aim wasn't precise enough to hit his heart and give him an instant death. Before I knew what was going on, I felt something heavy hit me in my jaw. It reminded me of the way my father would hit me. However, unlike my father's punches, this hurt.
I felt a warm liquid flowing down my face. Even though it hurt, it was somewhat funny. I hadn't been injured in so long that I'd forgotten what it felt like. A slight chuckle escaped my lips, and before I realized I had done it, I spun back around and punched the demon right back. Though mine packed far more force than he was capable of producing. "I was wrong," I said to myself as I placed my hands up in front of me like I was taught. The chuckle that I previously let out turned into a grin while I thought, "I can protect myself! Even though this is tough, I can handle it! It'd be easier if I could use my divine form like an on-and-off switch!"
I watched as the demon standing before me attempted to gather himself from the devastating punch I landed. While I watched, it occurred to me that I never turned to see if who I was protecting was actually okay. As I started turning around, I asked, "Are you alrigh-" before I could even finish my sentence, I was stunned. Large, expressive orbs that shimmered with a vibrant, amber hue, flecked with hints of molten copper. They seem to dance with an inner spark of energy. Before I even realized it, she changed from her fox form.
Compared to her elder sibling, she had a softer, more youthful appearance, though no less captivating. She was several inches shorter, with a petite frame. Her hair was also shorter, falling only to about shoulder length. Each strand glowed with a lustrous golden sheen, the color shifting and undulating with subtle hints of auburn and honey. The style was tousled and windswept, with wispy bangs framing her face in a way that lent her an endearing, almost mischievous charm. Unlike the three-tailed fox's regal, high-collared robe, the sister's attire was more casual and playful. She favored flowing, airy fabrics in shades of gold, ochre, and amber. The garments were cinched at the waist with a brightly colored obi sash. The overall effect was one of effortless elegance tinged with a youthful spirit.
Though she was nothing short of captivating, she looked up at me with fear. Yet, there was a hint of relief. She wasn't scared of me, rather what was around us. However, what stunned me more than anything was how similar her look of fear was to my own. Suddenly, I heard myself cry out, "Don't leave me, mom!" The few seconds that I paused, the few seconds that I hesitated,
I was punched in my face and sent flying into the bark of a tree. The moment my back hit the trunk, I gasped for air. Unlike it usually would, spit didn't fly out of my mouth. In fact, I threw up blood. I'd only ever passed out once before, and the feeling that I was experiencing right now was eerily familiar to back then. "I'm gonna pass out," I told myself in an attempt to hold on to my waning grasp of consciousness. The demon that punched me was slowly walking toward the fox while she backed away in fear. I grit my teeth and told myself, "You've got to get up, Okami! Move!" The only thing I could do was move my head; the rest of my body was unresponsive. As soon as I turned right, I saw my divine instrument resting in a demon's ribcage.
I don't know why it never occurred to me to look on the right side of my blade. However, when I did, I saw writing carved into the blade. Though it wasn't like the divine writing, it was my native language. A message written in Japanese. It caused me to grin. In fact, as I repeated the message back to myself, my grin turned into a smile, "You are strong, my son." Suddenly, I felt warm. That warmth turned into a smoldering heat. "I'm hot," I quietly remarked.
The demon watched as my hair faded entirely to a white hue. I grew a set of ears as I felt my tail forming behind me. As soon as I raised my head, I stared at the last remaining demon and coldly said, "I'm sending you back to hell." I jumped up faster than the demon expected me to while I wrapped my hands around the handle of my katana. In a burst of speed, I appeared in front of the demon with my katana aimed at his neck. In an attempt to preserve his life, he raised his arms. His futile attempt caused my blade to run into his hands and down into his bicep. I let out a guttural yell while bringing the demon onto his knees.
I grasped my divine instrument with both hands, pulled my weapon out of his arms, and swung it at his head. The demon no longer fought me to survive. Instead, he decided to give up and accept the fact that my blade was at his neck faster than he could do anything about it. I felt slight resistance as my divine instrument cleaved through the demon's neck.
In one precise swing of my sword, I decapitated the demon. I'll admit, my form made me look like nothing short of an amateur. However, that didn't matter. All that mattered was that I'd done it. I saved the fox. This prompted me to let out a huff and turn to her. The moment our eyes met, her face smiled in a way that I couldn't understand.
"Maybe she's just happy to be alive," I thought to myself. I sheathed my divine instrument and extended my arm to her while asking, "You alright, kid?" "I'll have you know that I'm several centuries older than you, kid," the fox shot back at me. She used my arm to pull herself up while saving, "However…" Before I could do anything, she wrapped her arms around me and continued to say, "... I'm alright now!" Though she was showing me how grateful she was, "I'm not a kid" was the only thing I could think of.
"Are you okay!?" I heard a familiar voice shout. I turned my head left as the fox let go of me and ran into her elder sister's arms. The instant she saw her little safe, the three-tailed fox looked at me and said, "I couldn't thank you enough, Wolf God!" Those simple seven words made me feel whole. Someone was thankful because of something I did. It was a new feeling. Turns out, I was more straightforward than her words, because hearing them was all I needed.
With a slight grin on my face, I turned around while sending my divine instrument off and saying, "Glad I could help." While I definitely thought of taking one of the fox spirits as my familiar, I wouldn't dare separate siblings. Since I had none, the value of someone I could call my equal was higher than most. Once my mind was made up, I placed my hands in my pockets and began walking away with my eyes shut. "Wait," I heard ordered at me. This prompted me to stop and side-eye the two-tailed fox while she pleaded, "Please, allow me the honor of being your familiar! I don't sense any other spirits around you!"
Realizing that I didn't wish for her to blame her older sister, I simply decided to turn back around and respond, "No thanks, I don't wanna look after a kid." Before I could take one more step forward, I heard her cry out, "Wait, please don't leave us!" I stopped. I stood there with an emotionless expression on my face. However, all I could think about was how much she sounded like me. "That's exactly how I cried for mom," I murmured to myself. I grit my teeth because I know how painful it must've been for her to say that.
Even though she had her sister, she didn't want me to leave. Without turning back to look her in her ember eyes, I explained to the fox, "It's not like I can take both of you. If I take you away from your sister, then what?" "There's no rule that says you can't," the three-tailed fox remarked. I spun around while asking, "There isn't?!" She shook her head and quickly explained, "There isn't. As long as you have a soul strong enough to bind both of us, then both of us can become your familiars." I had to admit, I was interested. After all, the three-tailed fox tried to kill me the last we'd seen each other, and her little sister healed my broken arm.
There was no denying the history between the three of us. "How do I make you two my familiars?" I questioned as I let out a sigh. The eldest sister stated, "We spirits are not born with names. If they are so benevolent as to do so, we are named by our gods, and by them giving us a name, we become their familiars." I crossed my arms, tilted my head, and said, "So I just have to name you two?" I watched as the two-tailed fox jumped up and commented, "Though not every spirit's soul is bound the same way! Commonly we kitsune, seal our's with kisses."
"So I've got to name and kiss you?" I asked while cocking my eyebrow. With a slightly embarrassed look on her face, the eldest kitsune cleared her throat and stated, "Emphasizes on some! My soul is not like that. A simple name shall suffice, Master." While clinging onto her sister, I watched as the youngest kitsune tilted her head and asked, "Speaking of names, what's yours, Master?" I opened my mouth to give the same response I'd given any time someone asked me that question. However, I stopped. I stopped because I thought of my family's history. I thought of the fact that I was being hunted. Because they were going to be bound to me, these spirits were in enough danger. So, I looked them in the eyes and answered, "Okami. My name's Okami." A grin crept onto the youngest kitsune's face as she remarked, "Ya got a last name, Master Okami?"
"Because we'll be bound to you, whatever your last name is, will be shared with us." They both seemed so eager. Unfortunately, I knew I had to keep any tie to my family away from them. "Just Okami," I coldly stated. I could tell by the looks on their faces that they understood the severity of my tone.
Because my mother was hoping for me to be a girl, she told me the names that she had picked out for me. For some reason, the names themselves and the meanings behind them seemed to fit each kitsune perfectly. I raised my hand to the eldest kitsune, who I was slightly taller than, and asked, "May I?"
She bowed before me while I placed my hand on her head and stated, "I'll name you Maki." Suddenly, Maki began glowing in a bright golden light. Then I felt something strange, something in my sternum. It was warm. However, it didn't feel like my divinity.
Maki looked up at me with a bright smile and tears streaming down her face while she said, "Thank you so much, Master Okami!" My eyes watched as a collar formed around Maki's neck. Once it was fully formed, two name slates materialized on it. One read, "Familiar of the Wolf God." While the other said, "Maki." I raised an eyebrow out of curiosity as Maki looked down and explained, "This is called a binding collar. They're worn as badges of honor amongst us spirits. Now, I represent you, my lord." Maki's joy at the fact that she was my familiar brought a grin to my face.
"I know your soul is strong enough!" The youngest kitsune declared while grabbing my hand and placing it on her head. Rather than bow like her sister did, she stared at me in my scarlet eyes. Even I had to admit that she was at least slightly cute. "Your name will be Hiroyuki," I proudly declared. The instant I said her name, she stood on the tips of her toes and stole a kiss from me. To say I was shocked was an understatement. "Does that even count?" I asked myself. Truthfully, I was nervous. I had no way of knowing just how strong my soul needed to be in order for this to work. Even if I knew, I had no way of gauging the strength of my own soul.
Even though I internally panicked while putting on a prideful facade, Hiroyuki began to glow as well. I couldn't tell what was glowing more, Hiroyuki's body or her eyes. If I didn't know any better, I would've thought there were flames behind her pupils. Maki, Hiroyuki, and I all watched in anticipation as we waited for Hiroyuki's binding collar to form.
The second it did, both Hiroyuki and Maki cheered for each other. A slight chuckle escaped my lips at the display. "Thank you so so much, Master Okami! You're the best!" Hiroyuki yelled out while tightly wrapping her arms around me. Suddenly, Maki joined the hug and remarked, "We owe our lives to you, my lord. And as such, they are yours." Once I really thought about it, I had to admit that I was happy with the way things played out. "Guess all this unrefined power came in handy for something after all, huh?" I mused with a chuckle.