taotrooper: It's a polar bear dancing the hula; your argument is invalid (Okami / draw a circle and get praise)
Kiri ☂ ([personal profile] taotrooper) wrote2009-06-30 01:11 am
Entry tags:

[Okami] No blizzard today

Title: No blizzard today
Day/Theme: May 8: sun and ice
Series: Okami
Character/Pairing: Oki, Kai, Lika. Oki/Kai if you squint
Rating: G
Genre: Fluff, sorta
Notes: Oki's not one of my favorite characters, granted. Still, I felt like writing him doing something besides picking up a fight like in the plot.

It was one of those rare winter days in which the weather seemed to smile upon you. Without storms or bothersome snowflakes to hinder his sight –either human or canine-, Oki could finally indulge himself in an ideal workout session outdoors. He practiced with all of his swords, each one of a different kind, because you never knew which one he’d take to a meaningful fight. He was able to destroy a couple of harmless monsters near Wali’s hut, who was so grateful he shared his lunch and hot tea with Oki.

Before dusk, he walked back to Wep’keer, in an unusual good mood and satisfied with the results of his training. The spirits of the sky had been benevolent that day with their children, after all. The sun was finally disappearing after a day of shining bright above, so the chilly wind was getting as cold as the frozen ground he was stepping on.

Right next to the bridge, however, he found two familiar figures in brown and green.

“What are you two supposed to be doing?” He barked at the girls, somehow annoyed they were taking it so easy and hung around unprotected in such dangerous times. Then again, it had been such a pretty afternoon he couldn’t quite blame them.

“We’re doing snow sculptures!” Little Lika jumped behind her older sister’s robes.

Oh well, Oki thought, at least they’re not goofing around near Yoshpet like last month.

The young man turned around to see the mass they were shaping. Something wasn’t right about it, as it certainly wasn’t in anything similar to a snowman.

“And what’s that thing,” he asked, “a mushroom?”

“Silly,” Kai moved her head to show the expression her face behind the mask would be doing, “it’s a Poncle.” Next to her, Lika giggled.

Oki never understood why those two thought the tiny bouncing creatures were in any way endearing. Sure, Kai was friends with that big-mouthed, lazy kid who saved her life, and Oki could understand the debt and gratitude that pushed them to be somehow close, but really: they weren’t that cute, especially the one called Issun. Women had strange tastes.

“They already look like mushrooms, those Poncles.”

“Not the Poncle girls; they are like butterflies!” Lika stated, as it was an obvious thing big brother Oki should know.

He decided not to argue with them. He was tired and hungry.

“The sculpture still looks, um, well whether it’s a mushroom or a Poncle. Good work... I guess.”

Kai snorted.

“You act tough, but you’re really kind. So, how was your day?”

Oki raised an eyebrow, a gesture the sisters couldn’t know because of the hidden face.

“What are you really up to, Kai?”

“Who, me? Nothing, really.”

“But sis,” Lika intervened, “you said we should play outside town so we could cat— Ouch! You stepped on my foot, sis!”

“Well?” Oki said, already knowing what the deal was. He had grown up with her, so the understanding was almost mutual. He crossed his arms, so she’d see he demanded an explanation.

“Well,” Kai murmured, “Samickle told me you were training since dawn, to take advantage of the clear sky. So I figured you’d be too exhausted to cook tonight. We have fresh yellowtail, so...”

Yes, just as he suspected and expected from Kai. They had been waiting for him.

“Guess I have no choice,” he nodded. “My arms are heavy and my fingers are cold.”

He could tell Kai and Lika were grinning behind their masks. He raised the youngest girl over his shoulders, hoping she wouldn’t pull his hair too much that time.

“What about that stupid mushroom Poncle snowman?”

“He stays here, protecting the village while you’re eating and sleeping, big bro Oki!”

“Sounds good to me,” said Kai, walking besides them.