Chapter 2: A Vision

"A dream . . . or a memory?"

Amaterasu

That was one wild ride! My heart's still pounding! Okay, here's what happened:

I was minding my own business, watching Kokari—a young boy that lives here in Agata Forest—build a new bridge, as heavy storm waters washed the old one away. To start the new bridge off, Kokari threw a rope, which was tied to his fishing pole, and attached it to the remaining post on the other side, pulling it taut. Harmless enough.

"Hey! I lassoed the rope to the other side. Look!" Kokari exclaimed in delight.

Then, out of nowhere, Susano—a man who claims to be the descendent of the great hero Nagi, but is in fact a big washout who can't do anything right—comes barreling down the river riding a large log. How this happened, I'll never know.

"Hey, you there! Get that rope out of my way!" Susano shouted.

"Huh? Susano? What's going on?" Issun asked, effectively voicing my exact thoughts at the time.

"My new secret technique—Imploding Barrel, Flying Monkeys—was a flop. I ended up being washed downstream on this tree trunk!" That's still rather questionable, I thought.

Susano was but moments away from impacting the rope. "Here he comes! Hold on to that fishing pole, kid!" Issun said to Kokari, likely hoping the rope would halt the log's motion. Thinking the same, I helped Kokari pull the rope even tighter, tugging sharply on his shirt. Then suddenly, Issun seemed to think that it wasn't such a good idea. "No wait, let go of it!" I was determined to stop this log. I kept pulling, and so did Kokari. "No you guys, I said LET GO!"

Too late. The big, heavy log crashed into the log. But instead of stopping it as we'd hoped it would, it flung us into the air! Kokari grabbed onto Susano's ankle, I held tightly onto Kokari's shirttail, and Issun barely had a grip on my tail. Now we were stuck on the log, as well.

I was in the midst of panicking when Issun said, "Ammy, use your Celestial Brush, quick!" On what? I wanted to ask him. Then I caught sight of the thing that would save our lives—a Konohana Blossom, the medium for one of my Celestial Brush techniques, Vine. They were scattered all along the riverbanks, glowing pink flowers that are usually pretty hard to overlook. All I needed to do was to "draw" a line from the blossoms to the hook-like branches on the log. Vines would then sprout from the Konohana Blossom and tie themselves to the branches, slowing and hopefully stopping the log. But that was easier said than done. We were zooming downstream at such a speed that if you blinked, you could easily miss the blossoms. And we were heading directly towards a waterfall, to make matters worse. I thought this would be impossible to do, but I had to try.

Thankfully, I managed to lasso all the branches of the log with vines before we went over the waterfall. In fact, I completed the task just in the nick of time, with nary a second to spare. The edge of the log was tipping over the top of the waterfall when the vines, straining under the weight of the heavy log, brought it to a stop. Unfortunately, the vines acted as a kind of slingshot, sending us—and the log—back into the air. On a stroke of luck, we all landed back where we started, and the log crashed down next to where the old bridge was, conveniently creating a new bridge.

So, yeah. Everything worked out really well. We survived, and we made a new bridge. But what really strikes me as weird is the fact that that guy—Waka, I believe was his name—knew that this was going to happen. "I foresee a log and big thrills!" was what he said. However . . . that's not the only reason that man has been invading my thoughts. I get this strange feeling when I'm around him, like I should know him or something. Yet I've never seen him before in my life.

At least, not in this life . . .

Is it possible that I've known him in a past life? He just seems so familiar . . . It's bugging me, the way these thoughts gnaw at the back of my mind like a parasite. But no matter what I do, I can't recall anything significant about him. Waka . . . whoever he once was to me, it eludes me like a dream I just can't remember.

My distracted wanderings lead me to Taka Pass. It, too, has been cursed, a place where evil and darkness has taken over.

"So, Taka Pass has been cursed, too . . ." Issun says dejectedly. Cursed zones are always a depressing sight to see, especially for me. I sense the tortured cries of nature, causing my heart to ache. "I bet we'll find a withered Guardian Sapling around here." Guardian Saplings, offshoots of the great Guardian Tree, Konohana, and also of the divine power of Sakuya, the beautiful tree sprite residing within Konohana. They protect the surrounding area from evil. But the corrosive power of Orochi has caused these Guardian Saplings to wilt, thus resulting in all these cursed zones.

I spot a tunnel with a sign next to it that reads, "To the famous tree, Cherry Breeze."

"Tree, huh? I wonder if it's one of those saplings . . ." Issun remarks.

"You think?" I say, but of course he doesn't hear me. He can't understand me.

I go into the tunnel and proceed down the path. It's then I hear a familiar voice. "Hark! The call of the heavens, the earth, the sea . . . They summon me forth to defeat evil! Waka, the gods' gift to man is here! Bonjour!"

My heart starts fluttering inside my chest. I hadn't realized how much I missed that voice, with that French accent.

"You again?" Issun growls, apparently not quite as happy to see him.

Waka gives him a sly smile. I think my heart just skipped a beat. Oh, why does he make me feel like this? "Long time no see!" he says. "Did you enjoy the little log adventure I prophesized?"

"Why you—! Were you behind that near disaster?" That's Issun for you, always jumping to conclusions at the slightest provocation.

"Moi? Of course not! I just had a fleeting glimpse of your future. You see, I have the power to see that which is yet to come. Even if it were something you'd rather not know . . ." He's always so mysterious . . . That reminds me of something, but what? Is it perhaps a memory lingering just above the edge of my conscious? No, I got to stop with all this "past life" stuff. It's way too confusing.

"The half-baked prophet's at it again . . ." Issun says. I imagine him rolling his eyes.

"Where'd you come up with that one? 'Half-baked prophet?'" I ask him, laughing. It sounds so silly. But like usual, he ignores me because he can't understand me.

"If you're so great," Issun continues, "then how come ya didn't predict Orochi's return?" He gets no response from Waka. "Heh heh. What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

". . ." Waka is staring into space. I think he's ignoring Issun on purpose just to annoy him. After a little while, he turns to look at Issun. " . . . Excusez-moi? You say something, my little bouncing friend?" he says with a teasing smirk.

"That's it!" Issun's ticked off now. His glow has turned red, and he's drawn his tiny sword, Denkomaru.

"By the way, I saw your battle with the spider lady." Oh, yes, the spider lady. We came across her in the Tsuta Ruins located in Agata Forest. She sure was annoying! "A rather clumsy attempt, I must say." How dare he! A growl rumbles in my throat. "How could a washed up old wolf like you possibly expect to save the world? Ridiculous!"

Washed up? Ridiculous? "You've crossed the line!" I snap, my growl escalating into a snarl.

"What?" Issun demands, equally angry. "You were spying on our battle? And it never crossed your mind that you could help out?"

"Enough talk!" Waka says, drawing his sword. "There's only way to settle this. Just go for it!"

"My pleasure!" I growl, lunging at him. He swiftly dodges my attack. He slashes at me with his two swords. I back off and switch my Divine Insturment to the Rosary type, grasping the beads in my mouth and whipping the long strand of beads at him. He takes a hit, but quickly retaliates by throwing one of his swords at me. I Power Slash it and send it flying back at him. It barely grazes his arm. He suddenly comes near for close-range combat. I switch to the Glaive type Divine Instrument, fighting and dealing damage to him with the sword-like weapon. He keeps up the close combat, and there is a moment where his eyes meet mine. His eyes are light blue, with silver flecks that for some reason remind me of the silvery moon. We break eye contact, but I could see he was trying to tell me something with those eyes. There was a kind of affection in them, but I mostly saw sadness in his eyes. Those eyes of his defuses my anger towards him. Maybe he doesn't want to hurt me, after all. Maybe there's another reason he's fighting me.

I shake my head, trying to clear it. I really shouldn't think about all these what if's and maybe's. I'm going to drive myself crazy if I do. I try to get back in the fight, but it seems Waka's had enough already.

Panting, he says, "Not bad, ma chérie."

"Whaddya mean, not bad?" Issun says. "You're all outta breath! Whaddya want, anyway?"

"Oh, I almost forgot! I had a question for you. Have you been to Lake Harami over on Shinshu Field yet? In the middle stand the Moon Cave where Orochi's spirit was trapped. A barrier has blocked the entrance ever since Tsukuyomi was removed. That means Orochi must still be in there. I want to get through the barrier and enter the cave . . . But I'll need the Serpent Crystal in order to do that." For some reason, he draws his sword. "You don't happen to know where I could find it, would you?"

I've never heard of such a thing. "Why d'ya have to pull out your sword just to ask that? And why d'ya wanna visit Orochi's lair, anyway?" Issun's got a point. Going there would be suicide.

"So then you do not know. Très bien. Hmm . . . So, that big windmill . . ." I can't quite hear the next bit, as he mumbled it. I have the feeling that what he just said there was important. "At any rate, I shall just have to find it myself. But before I bid you adieu, I have a prophecy for you. I foresee a DOG-gone difficult quest . . ." What a horrible pun, but I guess he's gotten his point across. "Au revoir, baby!" And then he disappears just like that.

"Hey, Ammy!" Issun says. "Let's try and beat Waka to that Serpent Crystal! I can't help feeling he's up to no good." So you say, I think. "Plus we just might find a new Celestial Brush technique, too!" Well, that would be a good thing. I resume my journey through the tunnel and come out to find the wilted Guardian Sapling. I Bloom it, drawing a simple circle around the tree with my Celestial Brush. It springs back to life, the light breeze scattering a few of its cherry blossoms around Taka Pass, now no longer a cursed zone. I look up to see that the sky has turned to night already. Hmm . . . I could bring the sun back by using my Sunrise technique, paint the sun back into the sky with a circle, but . . . I'm feeling pretty satisfied, and I'm more content with staying here and sleeping. So that's what I do, curling up next to the revived Guardian Sapling and going to sleep.

o~*~o

I'm in a strange place, where everything seems almost surreal. It all has a soft glow about it. I see the Guardian Tree, except it's a lot bigger than I remember. I'm sitting under it, and next to me is Waka. What is he doing here?

This is a dream, that much I know. But it's so vivid, and it feels so real . . . And I feel strange, like I'm not myself . . .

I'm talking to Waka. I have no control over my actions or words. It's like I'm watching the scene unfold through someone else's eyes . . . But whose eyes?

All of a sudden, Waka kisses me. My dream self, or whoever I am right now, doesn't protest. And I find myself liking it a little. "And we'll always be together, right?" My dream persona asks.

"Always," Waka says.

But my dream self doesn't believe him. I recall something faintly—there was a betrayal of sorts. " . . . Promise me. Promise that you won't ever leave me."

"I promise," he says decisively, resolve clear in his silver-blue eyes.

My dream self decides to be a little mischevious. Using Fireburst, drawing a sideways figure eight on a tree, I/she sets the tree on fire.

"AHH! What the—?" Waka exclaims, surprised. "Shiranui! What is the meaning of this?"

Shiranui? That's not my name. Oh, it must be the name of my dream self. But who is this Shiranui? My dream self, apparently called Shiranui, giggles. I/She then uses the Inferno technique, drawing a line from the fire I/she started to Waka's clothes. As one would expect, his clothes catch on fire.

"ACK! FIRE! PUT IT OUT!" he cries, panicking. I have to admit, it's pretty funny watching him run around all flustered and panicked.

I, as Shiranui, giggle again. "Okay," I(?) say. "Whatever you say." I/She uses Waterspout, making water from the nearby lake splash up and douse him.

"Merci, ma chérie," he says with annoyed sarcasm. "That was rather unnecessary, don't you think?"

"I guess," I/she admits. "But it was funny!" I/She doubles over in laughter.

"Oui, hiliarious. Ha-ha."

o~*~o

My eyes snap open. Is it morning already? Yeah, there's the sun rising over there. I get up and stretch out my legs. That was some dream. It was so vivid and real, almost like . . .

Almost like . . . it was a memory. I remember it so clearly; I can recall every detail of it. But it was still pretty weird. It was like I turned into someone else, like I was in someone else's dream . . . Is that even possible? It's never happened to me before. I don't know. I just don't know. I'm so confused. That dream made me start to question everything, even my own identity. It was like I was becoming the person in the dream. It was like that dream was becoming reality . . . or is already reality.

Which was it? A dream . . . or a memory?