Antithesis

Chapter 15: An Understanding

I stared out at the coast in disbelief. Entire swathes of greenery had been razed, leaving nothing but embers to dance on the charred, smoking bones of animals and humans alike. The steady pulse that I'd come to expect from below the ground shuddered and grew more and more still with every step I took past the entrance. The waters of Ryoshima, once the pristine jewel of Nippon, frothed and hissed, steaming at the slightest disturbance. Not even the fish had escaped unscathed — they floated in the sea, flopping to and fro as dark boils emerged from their scales. What little that had survived on land or sea was coated in the roiling inky black mist that signified a cursed zone. And hovering over it all was the faint haze of purple, the remnants of Ninetails' foxfire that had scorched the ground and dulled the once sparkling coast. She had wounded Agata, left it a bleeding mess, but this… I swallowed the lump in my throat. The fox had stabbed Ryoshima in the heart and left it for dead.

Ninetails had been cruel and destructive before, even vindictive, but this destruction was beyond even what she had been capable of before my death. She's gotten stronger, surpassed her limits… I just hope I can stop her before she does any more damage. I sighed and shook my head. There was nothing to be done here — at least, not by me. The only thing potentially powerful enough to reverse the damage she'd done was a Great Divine Intervention — something that I would never be able to pull off, not when my abilities were the exact opposite of Amaterasu's. Mixing in more destructive power here would only make things worse.

The sound of a haunting flute melody drifted across my thoughts. "Mon dieu, she certainly has made a mess, hasn't she?" remarked a voice from behind me. I didn't even need to see the silly hat or the blond hair to know that it was Waka.

You have a habit of turning up at the most opportune times, Waka, I replied, and turned to face the prophet. And to be honest, I could use your help right now. I might not be able to save Ryoshima, but Waka potentially could. Do you know how to perform a Great Divine Intervention? The answer was yes, of course — he'd done it originally in the northern part of the coast, but I saw no reason for him not to attempt it here as well.

His brow furrowed. "Oui, but without true divine power, it will be most difficult." Waka folded his arms. "But is that what you should truly be worried about right now?"

I looked away from the cold stare directed at me. It could only mean one thing: he'd foreseen what would happen to Amaterasu. I know what it looks like, Waka, but she told me to leave her and protect Ryoshima Coast.

"And like a true hero, you abandoned the damsel in distress," spat Waka. "I thought you might have changed, Shinryu, but it appears I was wrong."

As if you were any better, I shot back, my fur bristling at the insult. His words stung more than he could know; I didn't need another reminder of my past, especially from him. You saw what was going to happen to her and did nothing to stop it! What kind of prophet does that make you?

"Tsk, tsk. A prophet cannot interfere with future events!" Waka looked away, and I knew my barb had found its mark. "… Not even for their dearest friends. To do so is to invite disaster on a massive scale," he replied, and turned to face me once more. The pain of a thousand events doomed to happen swirled behind those stormy gray eyes, and for the first time I found myself wondering just how much he was able to see. And to not be able to change any of it? A lesser man would have been crushed or driven insane by such a burden, but Waka carried on, sifting through the images and relaying what useful bits of the future he knew when we needed it. I felt a grudging respect for the prophet begin to form. Maybe antagonizing him had been a mistake.

Waka… I - I yelped and did a backflip, landing a few steps back as Pillow Talk cut through the stifling air where I'd been only seconds ago. What are you doing?!

"Ah, mon ami, did I forget to mention?" Waka smirked. "I work with Queen Himiko of Sei-An City. Orders have been given, and I cannot let you pass." He pointed the sword at me. "You're not needed here, Shinryu. Go back to Amaterasu, and leave Ryoshima to me."

And just when I thought I was beginning to understand you, I growled, and sprang forward, Fleeting Spirit clanging off of Waka's second blade as he brought it up to block the attack. I feinted to one side, then rammed into the Tao Master as he lunged at me, knocking him back several paces. Before I could get a good hit in, he'd recovered and vaulted away while tossing a pair of daggers that forced me to retreat. Two more daggers lanced out from his sleeves, but missed their mark as the North Wind's barrier batted them aside. Before I'd had a chance to consider my next move Waka had already jumped into the air and began to spin, his dual blades becoming a blender that would carve me into tiny pieces if I stood still. I rolled my eyes and quickly sketched a line from Waka to my snout, then spun around, whipping the unfortunate prophet into the remains of a nearby railing. It was only a moment before those blades flashed through the strands of Silverwisp, tossing them into the air to form a veil that obscured Waka from view. Neat trick, I called, and and blasted what remained of Silverwisp away with the North Wind. The veil dispersed, Waka faded into view — all three of him. I blinked and shook my head, then peered at the sight in front of me once more. There were definitely three Wakas, and each one looked as real as the next. I take back what I said earlier. This is a neat trick.

"Merci! It's a Tao specialty," all three Wakas replied in perfect unison.

Annndd now it's just creepy, I grumbled, already trying to figure out the prophet's newest trick. I could simply use Destruction or Wicked Claw on them, but if I hit the true Waka with either there was no telling what would happen now that the true strength of the Abyssal Brush had returned. Despite my annoyance with Waka at the moment, I didn't want to kill him, only make a point. I began to circle the trio, looking for any imperfection that might give away which was the real Waka. They watched me impassively, waiting to see what I would do. Inwardly, I frowned. Waka had been on an all-out assault a minute ago, but had stopped to pull this trick on me. Why? Something wasn't right. A small circle around the Wakas, connected back to me, conjured another strand of Silverwisp that snapped together… and passed through all three of them to form a webbed ball. They're all fakes?! Pain rippled through my body as something bit into my side, knocking off my feet and sending me sprawling onto the ground. I looked up to see Waka with Pillow Talk, its blade now twice the size as it had been before he'd vanished.

"Pardon moi for the deception, Shinryu, but unleashing Pillow Talk's true potential takes time," he called as I got to my feet.

It's no problem at all, I growled, and sent the ball of Silverwisp rolling toward him with a well placed kick. That blade of yours smarts, you know.

"It would have shredded lesser foes," replied Waka, and sliced the ball in two. I grinned. Instead of falling to either side, the halves of the ball snaked out and snared Waka's legs, wrapping them up in webs that he fought to break free of, to no avail.

Waka's fighting style depended on his freedom of movement — without it, he was a simple target. I sprinted forward, sliding underneath Pillow Talk as Waka swung in a last ditch effort to keep me at bay. I rammed into him again, knocking him onto the ground before catching his throat between my jaws. Look, whatever you think you're doing, just stop, okay? I don't want to fight you, and attacking me isn't doing either of us any favors! I took a few steps back, letting Waka sit up. With his spare blade, he cut through the webbing around his legs and got to his feet. Amaterasu wanted me to protect Ryoshima Coast, and I'm going to honor her wishes whether you like it or not. Now step aside.

To my surprise, Waka did just that, Pillow Talk disappearing back into its flute-shaped sheath. "Very well. La verite, as they say — Queen Himiko asked me to test you, and test you I have. You've regained much of your strength, Shinryu. I suspect you will have need of it if you are to have any hope of helping Sei-An." He motioned to the road behind me. "You may pass."

I… Waka, thank you. I took a few steps past him — then turned around. It didn't feel right to leave things between us as they were. Listen, before I go… about what I said before.

"Hmm?"

I'm sorry, Waka. I never stopped to think about what seeing the future might be like for you. I paused, searching for the right words. Waka chose to fill the silence.

"Ah, mon ami… there is no need to apologize. I have lived with these glimpses of the future for as long as I can remember. And if it means I can help others, I will gladly live with them until the day I die." He smiled. "But thank you for the concern, Shinryu. I'd like to apologize as well. My words earlier were meant to incite, not to criticize." The smile transformed into a smirk. "You're much easier to goad into battle when you're angry."

I snorted. I'm going to choose to take that apology at face value, but thank you, Waka. I sighed. One more thing. That night in Agata Forest, when you talked with Amaterasu —

Waka froze. "You heard that?"

I nodded. I… I want you to know that I'm sorry. I know you love her, and if I had never returned -

But Waka held up a hand to silence me. "Amaterasu's heart is her own. To apologize for her love is to insult her choice, and I won't hear of it." He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I may not like it, but I now see why she has chosen you. You are not the Shinryu of old, but something more, something better. Who better to compliment her than someone equal, yet opposite?" The prophet looked up at the sky. "Ah, ma cherie, perhaps it is time to let go of this grudge after all…"

Grudge? I frowned, searching my still spotty memories for anything I'd done to Waka. The answer was there, just out of reach, and I ground my teeth in frustration. I'm sorry, Waka, my memory is slowly returning. I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but I would like to know what I did, if you would tell me.

He kept his eyes on the heavens, refusing to look at me. "You aided in the destruction of the Moon Tribe," he said tonelessly. "We didn't stand a chance. Verel and his demons rained down from the stars, and those that could not fight were slaughtered without mercy. Those that could fight held the horde back for as long as they could, but even they were overrun. The only reason I survived was because I was near the Ark of Yamato…" he trailed off, unwilling or unable to talk about it further. Still, it was more than enough to jog my own memories of that day. Scores of Moon Tribe had fallen between Orochi's savagery, Ninetails' ferocity, and my Abyssal Brush. And above it all, Verel had watched, directing us to where the innocents dared gather, viewing the Moon Tribe as too weak for him to enjoy exterminating. We'd tried to free Yami from the belly of the Ark that day, to set him loose upon Nippon in order to further our own goals. But Waka's timely escape had delayed that plan until Orochi finally tracked the Ark down to the Celestial Plain.

I drew in a sharp breath and sat on the ground, my mind spinning with the revelation. It was a wonder Waka hadn't actually tried to kill me the first time we'd run into him in Agata Forest. It would have been well within his rights to try. I'm sorry, Waka. If nothing else, the words had to be said.

Now he tore his gaze from the heavens to study me, as if seeing me for the first time since our fight. The expression in his eyes sent chills down my spine. There was nothing there, as though he were but a living statue. "You have no idea how long I've waited to hear those words from you," he said at last. Some faint emotion stirred within him, and he closed his eyes. "C'est amusant; I always dreamt I would be hearing them from you when the tip of my blade was at your throat, but here we are, having a chat as though we were friends."

I wish I knew what to tell you to make the pain go away, but I'm not Amaterasu. So what I will say is this: I will spend the rest of my life righting the wrongs that I committed, all those centuries ago. We will retake the Ark together, and when the time comes, I will lend you my strength to annihilate the demons that devoured your home.

A single tear rolled down his cheek as he spoke. "Mon ami… that means more to me than you know. Thank you, Shinryu."

I tilted my head to one side. You kept calling me friend, even before we had this talk. Was that an act? A habit? Or are we actually friends?

Waka pondered my words for a moment before responding. "Originally it was a bit of an act, c'est vrai, for both Amaterasu and your little bouncing friend. So excitable, that one."

His name is Issun, and yes, he is.

"But now… Now I do feel like we've come to an understanding. Maybe when next we meet, I will mean those words." He smiled, a genuine one this time. "But hark! The call of the heavens, the earth, the sea... they summon me forth to defeat evil!"

You know, you could just say that you're leaving like a normal person.

"But where is the fun in that?" Waka leapt into the air and vanished in a burst of light, his farewell ringing in my ears. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't resist a small grin. Always so dramatic. Fighting Waka had been a welcome distraction from the desolate scenery and the potential nightmare that awaited me at Sei-An, but it was time to see just how the city was holding up amidst the chaos. I ran down the road, skirting around the bands of demons that now roamed freely along the shoreline. What they were looking for when everything had been burned to ash, I couldn't tell, but as long as their search kept them from chasing after me, I didn't care. It wasn't long before I reached the gate to the city. Lost in thought about Waka's words and worry for Amaterasu, I almost didn't notice the nine-tailed fox that was lying down right in front of the entrance.

"Shinryu," greeted Ninetails, letting out a yawn. "I was beginning to think you'd decided to stay by Amaterasu's side after all."

Ninetails. A surge of anger raced through me but I remained calm. This could easily be a trap — charging at her immediately could be exactly what she wanted. Why are you here? To kill me?

"If you had come along an hour ago, maybe I would have… but no. I let my rage get the best of me in Agata, and there are things that need to be said." She began to pace back and forth. "Humor me, Shinryu — how long has it been since we last saw one another? Last spoke?"

Not long enough.

"And yet it was far too long for me." Ninetails smiled, and I shuddered at the rows of teeth that had once excited me. "I've missed your insults, your teasing… I have missed you."

This was a side of Ninetails that I had never seen before. So honest, so open — had my death changed her that much? Or was this all an act? I frowned. I would have thought that the great Ninetails would be glad to be free of attachments at last.

"Do you really think so little of me, of what we once were?" She stopped pacing and turned to face me. I bit back a yelp of surprise at the hurt inside those darkened orange eyes. If this was an act, it was a convincing one. "I know we argued, that we had our differences, but we were good together, do you remember?"

I do. Not entirely, but letting her know that would be a major tactical error, one I couldn't afford to make. But what we had was twisted, Ninetails. It never would have lasted.

"No," she snarled. "We would have been fine if she hadn't come along and taken you away from me! Don't you understand? Can you not see the claws she's dug into you?!"

You know as well as I do that Amaterasu had nothing to do with what happened between us. I took one step forward and bared my teeth. If you so much as lay a paw on her again, I will end you. Is that clear?

"How dare you," she whispered. Orbs of foxfire began to blink into existence as her voice grew to a deafening roar. "How dare you speak to me like that! You once defended my honor with that same zeal — and now you sully and belittle yourself by consorting with the likes of her!"

And that's where you're wrong, I murmured. Amaterasu makes me the best version of myself that I could ever be. When the orbs launched themselves at me, I was ready. The North Wind spun around me, knocking the foxfire into the nearby walls. I braced myself for another assault, but none came. I looked up to see that Ninetails had walked past me to look out at the coast. After a moment's hesitation, I joined her.

"I see now that I was a fool to ever believe you would come away with me and leave her behind," she said, more to herself than anything else. "You bear his face, his power, but you are not the Shinryu I loved… love." A sidelong glance was all she spared me. "I hate her with with every fiber of my being, but I will not harm Amaterasu. Not while you still breathe. I refuse to do to you what she did to me those many years ago."

My mouth open and shut in shock. To make such a promise... this was no act. Ninetails… she really did love me, didn't she?

Oblivious to my thoughts, she continued. "You may consider this one final favor for the memory of my beloved. But if Amaterasu comes after me, I will slaughter her — and I will enjoy every second of it." One of her tails snaked underneath my jaw, caressing it. "And should you run away from me, that promise is null and void. Verel demands your death, and your death he shall have, whatever the cost!"

I appreciate your promise, but if you expect me to roll over and die, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, I warned her, my anger finally breaking free of the iron grip I'd had on it. I crushed Orochi even after he'd regained his strength, and you think you can stop me now? Get out of my way, or you'll just be one more corpse on my way to Verel.

The faintest hint of a smile graced her muzzle. "Perhaps you're not entirely gone after all, my dear… You know where to find me." She began to walk away. "I hope, at least, that you still hate to keep a lady waiting."

Some things never change, Ninetails. I'll be there. Satisfied with my answer, the fox melted back into the shadows. I exhaled slowly, reining in my anger once more. Ninetails would keep her promise, of that I had no doubt — it was just a part of her nature. Amaterasu would be safe while she recovered from her wounds. Now it was a matter of getting to Ninetails before the goddess fully recovered and found her way to me. I eyed the dark green mist that hovered just above Sei-An City. No time to waste, then… I'd better get started.

A/N: A long time ago, there existed an author who wrote fanfiction. But somewhere along the way, he lost his drive to keep writing, and put the pen away for good. Or so he thought. He gave writing no further thought until Okami HD wandered into his life and rekindled the passion he once had for writing. Rusty but filled with purpose, he persisted, and returned to continue what he started.