Sun is shinin' in the sky,
There ain't a cloud in sight.
It's stopped rainin' ev'rybody's in a play,
And don't you know,
It's a beautiful new day hey, hey.
Runnin' down the avenue,
See how the sun shines brightly in the city,
On the streets where once was pity,
Mister blue sky is living here today hey, hey.
Mister blue sky please tell us why,
You had to hide away for so long.
Where did we go wrong?
Hey you with the pretty face,
Welcome to the human race.
A celebration, mister blue sky's up there waitin',
And today is the day we've waited for.
- Mr. Blue Sky; Electric Light Orchestra.
Emiko's life had been a series of accidents. When she was very young, her brother was taken away from the family. And when she not much older, her parents died. Still, she pushed on.
She was unable to receive a mask, as her animal was impossible for Samickle to divine. And thus unable to become a wolf. It was a miracle she survived, especially considering the lack of care of help she received from her fellow Oina.
Yet another accident occurred in her teen years. While out hunting, spear in hand, she came across someone laying in the snow. Anyone might have found him. Or no one might have. That it was Emiko had stumbled upon him was merely by chance. Giving up her chance at food for that night, she returned to the village with him in tow, and nursed him back to health.
Rin was a Celestial, one of the few survivors. He spoke barely a word of her language. And in the beginning, she was at a loss for what to do. But she allowed him to stay in her otherwise lonely home, and over time he became more able to communicate with her. He took her to the Celestial Plain in return for her kindness, and there she met a unicorn, the animal to which her spirit was connected, and her wolf form was finally achieved.
It wasn't that long until yet another accident happened. Emiko was turned down by Keiichi, whom she had fancied for quite some time, and she drunk herself silly. Rin, not understanding, attempted to comfort her, and in her intoxication, she went too far with him. A few weeks later, she would find herself with child.
She was terrified. Horrified.
But when the two small girls were set in her arms nine months later, all her fears melted away.
More time passed, and Rin learned more and more of their language. Her children bothered her almost daily about Rin, wanting her to be his mate. She would always quiet their arguments without revealing much, embarressed. She did love Rin, how could she not? He made it clear that he adored her, and when asked if he loved her, he always responded with a yes. But his faulty mind kept her from making a commitment. A fear that perhaps if he regained his senses, it would not be what he wanted.
One fateful day, however, another Celestial came into their midst. Her name was Hoshiko, and she had been prisoner in the Lunar Realm for many, many years. When she was finally freed, it was Rin she wanted to see. Rin.. her son. Emiko sat in the background, while her daughters were introduced to their grandmother.
Hoshiko met with Amaterasu, and asked for one thing, to make up for her years of suffering. She asked for Rin's mind to be mended, so that her son would remember her. Amaterasu agreed, and Rin's mind was repaired.
This was the moment Emiko had both longed for and feared. Rin was himself once more, but was he the same person she had known?
When he embraced her, all her fears were dismissed.
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Emiko pixel and background image by Raven.