Okami: Crystal of the Beasts

Chapter 3

Bonding Would be Great

"You're kidding right?"

Amaterasu and Issun had just met Oki once again, only that he had changed, a lot for that matter. They have also found out that the entire Oina Tribe is now little cats instead of valiant wolves.

"Look, I'm wearing the mask! I have these odd, white marking! I'm freaking Blue and Red! YES, I AM NOT KIDDING, I AM OKI." Oki was furious now with Issun playing around with him about his new form.

"Hey Oki… BARK, BARK, BARK!" Issun barked at the Oina warrior, who quickly frazzled his feline fur and hissed.

"NOT FUNNY!" Oki spat, cleaning his hands again, trying to calm himself down yet again.

"Issun quit it! We need to focus! Not tick off Oki!" Ammy growled at her Wolf/Poncle friend, who quickly stopped laughing and had his tail between his legs. "Thank you… Now Oki, do you know anything about the Crystal of the Beasts?"

"The Crystal of the Beasts? Of course! Everyone knows about the legend!" Oki mewed, purring. "Why? Is there something you do not know or have forgotten about it?"

"I want to find its location." Amaterasu Replied. Oki stopped purring and looked at the goddess, dumfounded. He scratched his head, fiddled with his whiskers, but he then shook his head.

"Then you have the wrong person—err, animal. I only know about the legend, and nothing else. Fortunately, Madam Fawn, I heard, has great knowledge, and may spark the way." With that, Amaterasu leaped into action, running towards the shortcut, and barked a goodbye over her shoulder, with Issun almost dying to catch up. Now Issun felt anger inside of him. Not because Ammy would always sprint off like a maniac, but because she wanted to clear this whole mission up. She didn't want to spend time on Nippon again. He felt almost heart broken inside.

"Hey, uh, Ammy?" Issun stopped in his tracks to catch his breath. "Can you stop for just one second? I mean it's almost nighttime…" Indeed it was. The moon was creeping over the horizon, and the sun disappeared in a beautiful sunset. Amaterasu decided to rest, which made Issun sigh in relief. They finally got the time to talk to each other for a while, but then this question popped up.

"Listen Ammy, I'm just curious but, what happens if a god fell in love with a mortal?" Issun asked the Sun Goddess, who looked at him with an odd look.

"Why do you ask that?" Amaterasu replied, and then shook her head. "I honestly have never thought of that, or the outcome." She laid her head down and curled her body up, ready to sleep. "Well, I guess it's been a long day… Let's get some sleep for tomorrow."

"Heck yeah, my legs are killing me." Issun glared at the snickering goddess, and quickly fell to sleep. A few hours past, and Issun was in deep sleep, meaning that he could not be awakened. Amaterasu opened her eyes and stood up. She looked at her friend, and bowed her head.

"I can't believe I am in such a rush… I think Issun's right… Maybe it's best to spend time with friends that I haven't seen in a while…" Amaterasu spoke softly, and looked at Issun. She smiled but had the same question in her mind at the same time:

"What happens if a god fell in love with a mortal?"

She thought of it again, thinking of many outcomes, but she grew tired. She looked at Issun once more, and then made her decision.

"All right Issun, I'll slow down." She whispered before heading towards Issun, and snuggled up next to him. She smiled once more and fell fast asleep.

--

"Mmmf…. Ammy?" Issun woke up lazily, and looked over where Amaterasu was. "Ammy?" He spoke again, looking around for the Sun Goddess, until he heard Amaterasu waking up next to him. Issun was startled and shot on his feet. "Ammy! What are you doing there?!"

"What? What's wrong Issun?" Ammy questioned Issun, who had bright red face under his fur.

"Why are you curled up next to me???" He stuttered in embarrassment and in shock.

"Why? Can't I sleep with my best friend?" Ammy grinned, and Issun's face softened.

"Well, I guess you are just going to sprint into the forest now are you?" Issun asked, annoyed that he would need to run again.

"No. We're going to walk. We're not in a hurry." Amaterasu mused at Issun's reaction, whose eyes were widened.

"Ammy… Are you okay? I thought you were in a hurry!" Issun said with a shocked expression, but Ammy shook her head.

"I was thinking about your words, and I guess you're right. We can take our time, just not a whole year!" Amaterasu grinned and nudged Issun. "Come on, you Poncle Wolf. We need to head towards Madam Fawn, who might be a fawn already."

With that, the pair soon headed to Agata forest, and Issun was happy that Ammy was going to take her time and bond with her old friends yet again. Ammy still couldn't figure out the question that Issun asked though, so she decided to ask some friends of hers…

"Hmm… 'What if a god fell in love with a human?' is a good question…" Yomigami spoke. All of the Brush Gods where gathered by Amaterasu, and they were all tied up in the question.

"Do you really need to find out, great Amaterasu?" Tachigami squeaked from its sword perch.

"I suppose something good will happen to the mortal." Nuregami smiled.

"Or maybe it will cause catastrophe." Bakugami snorted. Then one of the piglets lit his bomb, which cause him panic.

"Hmm… The real question is why the question if bugging me so much…" Amaterasu barked, and scratched her ear.

"Maybe… Maybe you may like a mortal?" One of the brush gods spoke out, which made Amaterasu's face get a new red marking, or a blush in other words.

"Of course not! It can't happen!" All of them laughed and continued to argue about the same topic.