Okami Fanfic-Part13

Three Months Later...

“You know,” said Amaterasu, “I've never heard of these 'Canine Trials' before.  What about you, Waka?”

“Unfortunately, neither have I, mon cherie,” replied the blond.  

Issun bounced up and down a few times before asking, “Really?  Neither of you guys have heard of the Trials?”  He sighed.  “Fine, I'll explain it to ya, but I'll only say it once, so you had better listen.”  He jumped onto a table and stared at the two humans before him.  “Okay, the Canine Trials are a set of battles that serve to test different canines and see if they are worthy of becoming Canine Warriors.  Since the last Canine Warrior died a few years back, Princess Fuse has been summoning the Power Orbs so that they can merge with the chosen ones at the end of the Trials.  Now, I know it sounds strange, but the Trials are all about strength.  Challengers must fight each other until eight are left.  These final eight shall become the new Warriors.”

Amaterasu cocked her head and said, “But I thought Canine Warriors had to be special.  They had to have certain traits.  Honor, loyalty, that kind of thing.”

Issun folded his arms across his tiny chest and explained, “That's not really the case anymore.  Princess Fuse is desperate, so the Orbs are not so picky.  They will abide by the rules and merge with whoever wins, no matter how good or bad they are.”

“Little Bouncing Friend, why do canines want to be Warriors anyway?”

“Oh, that's easy.  Warriors have incredibly long lifespans.  They are super strong, well-respected, and honored by all.”

“So, the Orbs give them special powers?” Amaterasu asked.

“Pretty much, yeah,” Issun said, shrugging.  

“Interesting...” Waka said, placing a hand on his chin.  Amaterasu glanced out the window at the sky, checking the time.

“Honey, I think we should leave now if we want to see our pups before tomorrow.”  Waka nodded and stood.  Issun jumped onto Amaterasu's head.

“All right, let's go, wolf-girl!”  Amaterasu shifted to her still-unmarked wolf form and raced off, followed closely by her husband.  They raced across the lands and reached Kusa Village a little after noon.  They walked into the village, unsure of what to expect.

“Whoa.  That is a lot of dogs,” commented Issun.  Amaterasu nodded in agreement.  Everywhere one looked, a dog ran past.  They gingerly headed for the home of Princess Fuse, careful to avoid stepping in what the dogs were leaving behind.  As they neared the house, they noticed a large commotion.  They pushed their way through the crowd and realized it was a fight everyone was watching!

A small brown dog that Amaterasu recognized as Ita was standing across from a large blue wolf with a light blue and black mask covering half of its face.  Ita growled and raced forward, grabbing the wolf's neck, only to be sent sky-high by the wolf with a simple shake of its head.  He landed on his feet and tried again; this time, his feet were frozen to the ground.  As he tried in vain to move his legs, the blue wolf moved near and prepared to finish him.  “Enough, Icicle,” a female voice whispered, so faint only a few could hear.  The blue wolf stepped away from Ita and slowly, the ice cracked and melted away.  The blue wolf, now known as Icicle, then walked away, not making a sound.  

“Ita, are you okay?” Sasuke asked, emerging from the dissipating crowd.  The little brown dog nodded.  

“Uh, yeah, just a little tired.  And cold,” he replied, shaking himself off.  

“So, why were you two fighting?” Amaterasu asked.

“I'm not really sure.  He just suddenly challenged me out of nowhere,” Ita said.

“Challenged?” Sasuke asked, cocking his head.

“Well, he attacked me.  That's a challenge, right?” Ita asked, slightly unsure of himself.

“Kind of,” Amaterasu said.

Suddenly, someone asked loudly, “Would all contestants please gather in front of Princess Fuse's mansion?  I repeat-would all contests please gather in front of Princess Fuse's mansion?”  The group-Sasuke, Ita, Amaterasu, Waka, and Issun-walked to the named location, Sakura joining them shortly.  After a few minutes, Princess Fuse exited her house and stepped up onto a rock that allowed her to see the whole crowd that had gathered, contestants and onlookers alike.  

“Is everyone here?  Good.  Now, you all know why we are here: to choose the eight new Canine Warriors!”  Most everyone cheered at this, and those that couldn't barked.  “Now, the Trials start tomorrow, and I have gathered you here today to tell you all the rules.  Follow them closely, for anyone caught breaking them will be disqualified.  Rule Number One: No fighting outside of a match.”  Ita gulped; he had broken that one only minutes before.  “Rule Number Two: No killing your opponent.  Rule Number Three: No using other contestants or onlookers for shields.  Rule Number Four: One-on-One matches only.  No ganging up on other competitors.  And finally, Divine Instruments and Techniques are allowed, so if you have any, use 'em!  Now, use the rest of today to polish your skills for tomorrow!”  

Each competitor's face was solemn, focused on the battles they would face tomorrow.  Each had their own reasons for coming, and each was just as determined to win.

“I must live up to my father's legacy.”

“I will earn their respect.”

“I must follow orders.”

“My strength shall triumph over evil!”

“These idiots have no chance against Red Dog.”

“I'll rip these fools apart with my bare teeth!”

“My graceful legs shall carry me to victory.”

“I cannot disappoint my brother.”

“Like the wind topples a tree, I, too, shall defeat my foes.”

“Forget the rules; my gang'll destroy you all and stand victorious.”

“I hope I'll have time to play before my fight.”

“I cannot forget my orders.”

“I will fight honorably, and pray I do not lose.”

“I'll fight my way through you all and become the first female Canine Warrior!”

“I can't wait to-oh, look!  A leaf!”

“Bah!  These flimsy idiots will have no chance against me or Red Dog!”

“I'll slice and dice you all and lead Red Dog's crew to victory!”

“You'll wish you were dead when I'm through with you!”

“I will retrieve an orb as commanded.”

“Heh, I'll easily complete my mission if this is the competition!”