A short I had an idea for since last year. This has been worked on, off and on.

Glad to finish this. Though I want to say, I never played Okami, I only know of it, from what I read, so this will branch off from what is in the game. Anyway, this here is a what if idea I had, after the battle with Ninetails. Dedicated to my friend  Fairlyn who is a big fan of kitsunes. I hope you like it :)

And I hope the rest enjoy reading it :)


I will admit, I thought wether I should go for dialogue or none. I think it works, to use the emotions. But I will leave that up to you guys.

Enjoy

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Clouds parted as the moon and the stars shone down on the roof of the castle, the sight of a recent battle. The victor went off, her mission continuing, as the sun goddess purified the land beneath her, driving out the evil that had corrupted it. The darkness rolled off, rising to the air as steam as it was purged. The Sun goddess left, after making sure the purification ritual would take care of the evil in the area.

But, there was still the other one, the one Amatarasu left lying there. A small figure shifted, groaning softly, steam rising from the body. A fox curled, up, the once shiny red fur, lost its shine. The tail curled around the body, a body which looked old, and covered in scars. Another groan escaped the muzzle as the fox lifted its head up, and looked around. One eye closed, and had a scar over it, but its good eye, was looking around the roof top.

The battle, that took place a little while ago that same night, was evident. Burn marks from spells, ink from stray brush powers. Claw marks scrapped her and there, as well as dents when impacts had occur. Wood planks splintered and snapped, stone reduced to rubble. And yet, this fox had survived… why did she survive. How, did she survive? All this questions raced through the old fox’s mind.

The fox had once been, Ninetails, the terror that spread across the land. And yet, she was standing, walking slowly towards the edge of the castle roof. The darkness that once flooded her mind, which pierced and control all thought of her, was driven gone. For the first time, in a long, long while the fox could see clearly what she had caused during her bout of madness… And she was horrified beyond belief.

No, she couldn’t have done this, she wouldn’t have done this.

Yet the land was covered in darkness, much weaker than it was before, but still hung around. The fox, the once arrogant and powerful Demon Lord, just shook her head as she took a step back. No, she didn’t do this, that monster Ninetails did this.

The promise of power, of getting a quick boast, seemed too great at the time. And like a fool, she accepted. Now the tired, old fox was here, looking over the darkness. Turning around, she slowly made her way to the stairs heading down. She got to get to a shrine, try and ask Inari for help and forgiveness… If she could still hear her.


She walked down the stairs, going through the depths of the castle, where Ninetails once ran. She slowly walked, her legs not as young, her body drained of most energy. Her good eye looked around at the walls climbing down, the stone illuminated by the single ball of kitsune-bi. At least she could still cast that simple bit of magic, even if it was weak and small. But it was still a terrible sign of what had happened.

Each floor she found, was deserted, the minions and brainwashed, were gone. Purified by the sun goddess, she would have guessed. Only her paw steps echoing into the darkness, reached her ears. The old vixen let out a sigh of sadness and shook her head. No-one here, she just hoped those that were freed from the mind control, had fled as fast as they can.

Her paws stepped onto the main floor of the castle as she glanced around. Tables had been reduced to heaps of broken wood, stones dislodged, wooden beams splintered and snapped. The battle most of been fierce, before the sun goddess got up to her. The scarred vixen bowed her head as she closed her eyes. She sent a soft prayer, hoping that Amatarasu was ok. She doubted the sun goddess would hear her, or reject the prayer. The vixen thought, she had every right to do that, but at least to her, it was a bit of closure there.

The massive front doors swung open, the moonlight spilling into the room, casting a shadow of the fox, as she turned and looked. Small, one tail, yeah she had almost all her powers stripped from her, when the evil was forced out. She let out a little sigh, thankful the land can begin the long route to recovery.

The road and the woods were deserted much like the castle, as the fox trudged onwards. The wind howled, the trees creaked, as the leaves rustled. Silence was the backdrop, and unnerving sensation. The fox tried to listen, but no animals, not even the songs of birds. The animals had long since left the area, not wanting to stick around with the unnaturalness of the powers that clung to the ground, going deep into the soil.

She let out a sigh, shaking her head, the overwhelming silence coming in, threatening to crush her. But, she pushed on, the gust pushing her back. The howl of the wind following her, causing her to shiver, the cold going down to her bones. Her ears flickered in the howling wind, the gusts changing into shouts and curses of anger, from all the victims of Ninetails.

She closed her eye, tears forming, as she broke into a run. No, that was all Ninetails, not her. She wasn’t Ninetails, not anymore. She didn’t want anything to do with that creature. With her eyes closed, tears dipping down, she ran as fast as her aged legs could propel her deeper into the woods.

The shrine.

She needed to get to the shrine, and hope it was still standing. Not even a nogitsune would defile a shrine to Inari; though they have turned form her teachings. The vixen just hoped that the kitsune goddess could still hear.


The fox burst through shrubs taking a tender, careful step on farmland. So, close, if she could remember right, the shrine was near. But could she approach, without an offering. Kitsunes did often leave offerings, to get Inari’s attention. So, should she, the fox wonder.

Her red eye looked out among the farmland, seeing the same thing she had seen with the village. The soil giving off the lingering darkness vibe, not as strong as it was before, but still around. The fox let out a sigh, as she looked down at the ground. Of course, it was too much to ask to have a place not touched by Ninetails’ evil. Still, the old fox pushed on, a grain house should be nearby, and if she was lucky, there would at least be a small bag of rice. Spotting the building, she made her way across the fields.

The wood door heaved, and creaked open, as the vixen pushed with all the might she could muster. The slab of wood pushed inwards, allowing the pale moonlight to bathe the contents within. She looked inside, her good eye looking closely at the shapes within. Most gone or ransacked, more than likely by those that fled. Still, she walked in slowly, glancing around, bringing out another kitsune-bi to help her see what the moon couldn’t light up.

As she looked, she took the time to notice her body ached. Her muscles felt bruised, her limbs and joints stiff. If she wasn’t in such a hurry, she would have rested. But no, she had to get to the shrine, then, maybe then, she can rest. But not now, no, she shook her head as she looked around.

There! A small sack lied on the ground, as the vixen hurried over as fast as she could. Lowering her head, she sniffed, though her sense of smell had dulled a bit with age, she could never forgot the smell of rice. The old fox allowed a small smile to appear on her muzzle, before she lowered her head further. Gently, she picked the sack up in her teeth, trying to not rip it, or anything. Though only a small enough, she hoped it would be at least enough.


The leaves blew in front of the red archway, leading down a small path. The shrine, it took a bit, but the vixen had made it. Turning, she looked up at the sky, the moon still hung in the black, star lit heavens. Normally she would admire the beauty, before she was tricked into becoming that monster. She forced her head down, before walking along the stone foot path.

The scarred vixen tensed, as she stepped through the red archways, expecting some sort of resistance. She sensed none, but knowing what tricks her kind was capable of, she pushed on slowly. A presence was there, watching her, glancing to the sides she saw the faint tips of gold fur tails disappear into the woods. Nine if she counted correctly, leading her to nod a little. Of course, Celestial Kitsunes more than likely those closest to Inari herself.

She continued up the path, expecting them to turn her back. A kitsune would never do anything too bad to one of their own kind; even nogitsunes mainly get turned back.

Several minutes past as she looked at the shrine, bowing her head a little. A work of beauty, it was. A stone fox, with ten tails lied around her, religious symbols on the rock bed underneath. A small lantern to the side, which she lit with her kitsune-bi. Placing the bag on the side of a stone bowl, she turned it over, letting the rice spill into it. Bowing her head, she uttered a soft prayer in the tongue of the fox and waited.

She waited, wondering if she did it right. Did her time as Ninetails damage the knowledge she had on her kind’s own rituals? The fox started to panic, hoping that wasn’t the case.

A presence filled the area, making the fox’s dull red fur stand on edge. She felt something, something much older than her. As if on command by the other, she lifted her head, her eye opening as she looked around. She stared in shock, at the shrine.

Beside it, was a kitsune, one with brilliant snow white fur. With a thin, lithe body and one tail running long, though it appeared to be ten wrapped around one another. Golden eyes watched her, filled with disappoint as the other fox gulped. An avatar of Inari herself!

The vixen panicked, she didn’t expect the goddess to show up, even if it was an avatar. Fear raced through her mind, as she stared up at the white kitsune. Would Inari strip her of what little powers she had left, would she have to live the remainder of her life as a normal fox? Though she knew such a thing would be a fitting punishment for the atrocities she had committed as Ninetails.

She didn’t move, holding her breath without releasing it, not wanting to do anything to offend the goddess further. She just stared, her red eye looking at the wisdom filled golden eyes, which stared back. She could feel, almost taste the disappoint radiating off of her. Then, Inari’s gaze softens, as the fox let out go of the breath she had been keeping in.

The white fox got up and walked with such grace, indicating the other should follow. The vixen obeyed, following the goddess, as she wondered what was happening. They walked, down a side path, straying from the shrine. They didn’t go far, as they stopped near another bowl, this one filled with water. A Celestial Kitsune stood to the side, eyes on the vixen, getting reading to eject her out if anything should happen.

Inari walked towards the bowl and indicated for the vixen to step forward. She obeyed, not willing to deny the goddess. When she stepped up, the white kitsune waved a paw over the water, the still mirror like state turning into ripples.

She peered into the water, and saw with horror, Ninetails. Watching that monster’s reign of terror, it was even more horrified from an outside perspective. Looking up at the avatar, tears welled up in her eye. She was sorry that she did all that; she wanted to undo the damage, to undo the evil. Her spirits were down, as she wondered, just how Inari would punish her.

Yet the goddess just nodded towards the water again, as she waved her paw again. The snarling visage of Ninetails was replaced with the fox’s normal form, the red eye, and the scars. And the tired look. Tilting her head, she glanced at Inari again, wondering what the goddess was doing. Again the goddess indicated the stone bowl, waving her paw again.

The water changed, showing the fox replaced with another version. The fur red and healthy again, the scars healed almost gone, and nine tails flowing behind her. The fox looked at her in shock, as Inari nodded in response.

This was it, she could redeem, and her spirits were feeling better. Lifting, as her heart swelled, Inari smiled a little, but showed her the water again. This time the water was replaced, with images, a set of rules. She could tell, no flashy, no showing off. No gaining powers through any short cut. To do good deeds, and follow the way of Inari, and never stray from the path of her teachings.

The vixen nodded as she looked at Inari again. She understood, and she would do it. But she didn’t want to have any connections to Ninetails. She wanted a new name, and she felt only Inari would be the one to be stow it. She looked up at her, with pleading eyes, as the divine kitsune nodded. Then with a simple wave of her paw, she sent the vixen into a sleep, to start in the morning.


Sunlight shone through the leaves, as the vixen stirred. Her eye opened, as she looked around slightly confused on where she was. Then it came crashing back to her, the howling wind, and the battle with the sun goddess, the trek from the castle to the shrine, and the meeting with Inari. She got to her feet, as she looked around. Nothing, the avatar was no longer there, but she could still faintly feel the gaze of the goddess on her.

A noise caught her ear, as she turned and looked up at one of the trees. A bird, sat there and started to sing it’s song. The vixen smiled, knowing that the animal life was slowly starting to return to the land, that she can do this. She would make herself worthy, in the eyes of her goddess. But first, she needed to get something to eat.

As she headed down the path, she glanced at a piece of parchment. One word was written on it, and the vixen nodded, as she walked. She now had a new name, one that was fitting.

Kaiya.

It meant forgiveness.