Chapter 013: Accident

"What do we do now?" Ren wasn't sure if things would change because of what had happened that day. After all, Maou and Ryu both knew their meeting place and that Okami was, in fact, White Wolf. "What do you mean? We continue on as if this never happened. You forget everything you learned today, I forget that he ever existed, and things go back to normal." "What?! You expect me to just forget everything and act like this never happened?!" Ren was outraged by Okami's request. "Yes, that's exactly what I expect you to do. You seem to act like I don't exist around others who aren't aware of my existence perfectly well." she sounded cold, absent, as though she were barely conscious, let alone really focusing on their conversation. Perhaps she was simply answering without thinking because she had something else on her mind. He figured that he should just let it go for now and try to talk to her later, when she was thinking straight. Just then, Okami dropped to the ground. "Okami?!" Ren exclaimed, running over to where she lay, unconscious. "Go get help!" Ren told Ryu. "No, no, no... What do I do?!" Ren murmured to himself. 'Alright, think. We're basically in the middle of nowhere, and we're still in Kiken, at that. There won't be any people for miles, and, even if there were people nearby, they're more likely to beat us, rob us, and leave us for dead than help us. I can't take her to a hospital, she might get found out as White Wolf. If that happens, I'll be at fault and she'll either be killed or kept in prison for the rest of her life, I can't let that happen. So, in other words, I'm out of options.'

'Where am I?' Okami wondered, as she looked around the strangely familiar building, although she couldn't quite think of where she was or why it seemed so familiar. "Okami! Maou is waiting. Are you coming or not?" a voice called out from behind her. She turned around- it was Neikan! Suddenly, she realized where she was. She was in the building that the 'GMHA,' as they called themselves, used to train future assassins. "Oh, yeah, I'm coming." Okami replied, walking towards Neikan. Suddenly, she heard a voice over the loudspeaker. "Attention all Head Assassins. Today, Game Master will be coming to watch some of you train with your apprentices. Retrieve your apprentices and gather in the meeting hall to wait for his arrival." the voice said. 'That means that today must be July seventh, three days before Neikan and Maou leave...' Okami thought. She couldn't tell if she had actually gone back in time or if she was simply having a lucid dream (or nightmare, rather) but, either way, she didn't care. She just wanted to be out of this hellhole as quickly as possible.

When Okami and Neikan had retrieved Maou from his so-called room, which was more like a jail cell, as were most of the apprentices' 'rooms', and were heading to the meeting hall, Neikan suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her aside. She knew what this was about. "Okami, why won't you come with Maou and I when we escape?" Okami sighed. "You know why, Neikan. How do you think my father would react if I ran off? Do you think he would just let me go? Unlike your parents, mine are dead set on me becoming an assassin." she said, losing her patience. "Fine then, if you won't come with us, I'll just come back after I help Maou escape." Neikan said. "No." she said firmly before turning and continuing towards the meeting hall. Just before she reached the large, redwood doors, she saw Game Master. "Hello, Okami." he said. "Hello, Game Master." she said, dipping her head slightly to show respect. "Or should I say, Father." she added under her breath.