• Chapter 2; Amaterasu returns.

    I wake, after having a dreamless night, and sense something different. I close my eyes, and spread my energy. I see… a wolf. The wolf has crimson shadings and a Poncle on her nose and a de- no. Could it be? I think so. I get up from my bed and walk out of my room. When all of the Tao troopers see me, they gasp.

    “What?” I ask.

    “You survived! You survived one night of sleep!” one cries.

    “Of cores I did! You would have heard me shouting if I was having a nightmare.” I say.

    “No… remember that one time you just started one and never woke up for a whole month? There was no crying!” Atsuo reminds.

    “I wasn’t having any nightmares. I was just tired.” I argue. Atsuo, Daichi, Tomoya, a rookie, Hajime, and another rookie blink. Yuuta would have too, if he were awake. I smile.

    “I’ll go… out.” The rookie says.

    “Oh no you don’t. First your name, then why you get to go ‘out’” I order. The rookie gulps.

    “Well, my name is Choukichi, and I want to see my… uh… I want to see… Reo! Yea, I want to see Reo!” he says.

    “All right then, Atsuo, fallow him, and make sure he sees the priestess Reo.” I say, cockily. Choukichi’s face pails. Atsuo smiles, and grabs his arm and drags him out. I chuckle.

    “Trés bien puis, I want to go to Agata forest, who will come with moi?” I ask.

    “I will.” Tomoya says.

    “Fantastique! Come, let us go.” I say. I grab Tamiko’s wrist, and guide her out of the place. I sigh. I leap into the air, and jump off of trees. I get to Agata forest, which is covered in a curse zone, with Tamiko clinging to me for life. I lightly push her off, turn around, and then look into her eyes.

    “I want to go to another tree. Promise me you wont move from this spot?” I say.

    “I promise.” She says. She walks close and pulls my head into hers. Our lips meat, and I don’t push her away. She pulls back, embarrassed, and I jump off. I land on another tree, close to the Sakuya sprout, and see a white wolf running into the hole that leads to the Sakuya tree. The wolf is, from my guess, a girl. I see flowers chase away the curse. I know who that is now. None other than Amaterasu. She comes out and I play my flute.

    “Hark, the call of the heavens, the earth, the sea… They summon me forth to defeat evil!” I start, putting my flute away.

    I turn and bow, saying, “Waka, the gods’ gift to man is here! Bonjour!” Amaterasu is staring up at me. Same with her green Poncle.

    “What’s up with that guy?” The Poncle says.

    “That crimson shading and that Devine Instrument on your back make you look odd, but I guess you pack a punch.” I say.

    “Oh you think your so special way up there! Come talk face to- wait, did he say Devine Instrument? Can he see Ammy’s true form?!” The Poncle says. I jump down, landing on pure water. Amaterasu gapes at me. I twirl my flute, stop it, it shrinks and I draw a sward, a green sward.

    “Whoa! Did you see that? He drew a sward!” The Poncle says.

    “Oui. This is how I get my point across, pun intended… The moment the curse zone started spreading across Nippon, I saw the shadowy figure that removed the sacred sward Tsukiyomi, flee to Kamiki village and seal the entrance with a huge rock. You guys know anything about that?” I say. Amaterasu’s muzzle is close to the ground, her tail high in the air, spinning. I look in her eyes, and I see black fire.

    “huh? Your gettin all worked up Ammy…” The Poncle says.

    “Magnifique! I wouldn’t have it any other way! Now you shall get an earful of my beloved sward! Behold, Pillow Talk!” I say. I spread my arms apart, pull them together holding my sward in front of me and look down. I look up sharply, slash, and make an X in front of me, jumping up and pulling out my Katana from my side, landing, flipping once more, and landing with my Katana in front of me (still in my hand) and my flute sward above me (again, still in my hand).

    “Let’s rock baby!” I say. Amaterasu lunges at me, and I cut her with my green sward, but it hurts me. I think of when I threw the bone for her…… I lunge for her. I miss, getting beaten down by her mirror. I jump back, knowing the fight isn’t over, and lunge again. I almost hit her, but she turns into that little puppy who wanted me to throw a bone for her, so I jump over her. She, again, smacks me with her mirror. She takes me down, in a snap, but I held back. I knew I did.

    “It’s been a while since I tasted your power ma chérie!” I say. Amaterasu looks up at me in awe.

    “You know this guy Ammy?” The Poncle says.

    “You have weakened greatly ma chérie… and Orochi grows stronger each and every day. The curse zones have spread far and wide, something must be done about them.” I say.

    “Orochi?” the Poncle says. I feel a chill go down my spine.

    “Don’t go uttering that name without reason! Oui, Orochi, who was slain by Nagi and Shiranui 100 years ago. He gains strength with each passing day, as do the curse zones.” I say. Amaterasu fell asleep…sigh.

    “Way ahead of ya pretty boy! We’ve been dispelling the curse left and right!” The Poncle says, excitedly.

    “Well, you’d better pick up the pace. When Orochi gets stronger, so does the other monsters… and if you wait too long, you will be killed in one hit, Amaterasu. At your current state, I’m surprised you made it this far!” I taunt.

    “Why you-!” The Poncle starts.

    “I will leave, but first, I can see the future, so I will leave you with this; I foresee a log and big thrills! Au revoir baby!” I say, twirl my flute and leave. I find the tree where Tamiko is, and grab her wrist.

    “Wait, Waka, I sense a soul in pain. It is coming from Shinshu field… can we go check it out?” Tamiko asks.

    “Alright… the priest……” I say.

    “You know a priest?” Tamiko asks.

    “He took care of me as a child.” I say.

    “When were you a child?” she asks.

    “A long time ago…” I say.