Once A Tale (MXM, BXB)

The Tale of Yamata no Orochi

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, the storm god Susanoo fell to earth from heaven. He happened to come upon an old couple, who were weeping. They had lost seven of their eight daughters to the fearsome serpent Yamata no Orochi.

With eight tails and eight heads, it had gobbled up each of their daughters save for the one, Kushinada-hime.

Susanoo said he would fell the dreaded beast and so he did. He turned Kushinada-hime into a comb, hiding her in his hair, and had the old couple fill up eight vats full of sake for the beast. When Yamata no Orochi came, lured by the sake, all of his heads partook of the alcohol and he soon passed out into a drunken stupor.

It was then that Susanoo leapt and chopped the monster up into little pieces.

The day was saved, the fell beast eliminated, save for that one of its pieces caught in the river, washing down it, and others joined it. It was nothing so strong as to give the monster back its strength, but it was enough for Yamata no Orochi to gather some of its parts to itself, determined to eat and sup upon a fair maiden once more.

It is here our tale begins...

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"This is one big snake," Rikimaru said thoughtfully as he grasped the wriggling serpent by its tails. He pulled it from the Hi River that flowed smoothly near to where he and his father worked and tended several large rice paddies. The serpent lashed in his grip, making infuriated noises, and Rikimaru turned it so that he could look at its head and see what a serpent with split tails looked like at the other end.

"Whoa, gross," he exclaimed, leaning back. The serpent's head parted cleanly at the base, splitting into two necks, upon which perched two separate snake's heads. Both of the mouths were open, tongues lashing angrily at the air.

"You dare call the fearsome Yamata no Orochi 'gross'?" squeaked the serpent.

Rikimaru hastily dropped it into the mud, stood up and hopped back, wiping his palms off on the front of his clothing as though he was going to catch something.

Talking snakes, he thought. Dad was right that I've been helping myself to a bit too much of the sake.

"Peasant!" shrieked the serpent in a high, tinny voice. It spoke at once from its two heads, creating a curious echo effect when it spoke. It clumsily flopped itself from the mud closer to Rikimaru, who said eeeeeeeeh in disgust and slid his sandaled feet out of touching range. "Your fear of the great Yamata no Orochi is understandable, but this day I am choosing you as my servant! You will take me and tend to me until I have gathered back my strength and, in thanks, I will spare you in the future!"

"What? Nah. Dad'll be mad if I bring something back to the house," Rikimaru replied.

The snake, thrown by the casual refusal, pulled up short and glared up at Rikimaru contemptuously with two sets of eyes. "This is not a request!" it peeped furiously.

"Sorry, but I can't help you, little guy. See you later." Rikimaru went to where he had placed his buckets by the river to fill with water and hefted them into his hands. He walked back toward his and his father's modest home, certain he was free now of talking snakes... except he heard a wet plop from behind him and slowed, glancing back over his shoulder. The serpent was following him clumsily, body undulating awkwardly as it tried to move, obviously unaccustomed to its own form.

Rikimaru turned his face forward, determined to ignore it (because he was a peasant and peasants enjoyed when things were the same and consistent, thanks) until it got the hint.