Author's Note: Gods, I haven't updated in forever. School was really holding me up there for awhile, but I'm on summer break now which means I have plenty of time to write. Thanks for patiently waiting, and without further ado I give you the latest chapter of Tengoku no hi! Don't forget to review~!
~ With love always, Haachi~
**EDIT**: I've got a cover for Tengoku now, drawn and coloured by yours truly. If you wanna take a look at/save/etc. the full-size image, shoot me a message and I'll send you the link.
~ A Recap ~
Ammy nodded and looked toward the door. "Alright, we have our next destination. But, isn't it kind of cold to go trekking out there?"
Kai went to the corner of the room and dug around in a trunk for a moment before pulling out a few bundles of skins and two pairs of makeshift snow shoes. "Here," She said, holding them out to Ammy and Waka. "I made these spare sets of winter clothes just in case. Take them."
"Thank you," Ammy said as she and Waka each took a set of the thick leather skins. "Also, Kai…I know this is a lot to ask, but do you think you could lead us to the Spirit Gate?"
Kai nodded without hesitation. "I'm the only one who knows the way. You would all be consumed if you wandered in there aimlessly."
"Alright then!" Issun said, bouncing high and fast in the air. "Let's get going! Yoshpet had better watch out for the Great Issun!"
At a glare from Ammy, he cleared his throat. "And Amaterasu and Waka, of course."
"Let us not delay any further," Waka said. "Yoshpet, here we come!"
( Amaterasu's P.O.V. )
Ammy could swear it had dropped ten degrees since they had arrived in Kamui. She shivered even wrapped up in the thick animal skin clothes Kai had given her, and she concluded that she preferred warm sunshine over dismal cold.
Snowflakes blew hard into her face as she looked over at Waka, his bright clothes replaced by leather clothing, his long blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail. He caught her looking at him, and his blue eyes sparkled as he gave her a reassuring smile.
The blowing of the empty, bleak wind and their feet crunching through the deep snow were the only things to break the heavy silence as they struggled through Kamui, until finally Amaterasu caught sight of the entrance to the consuming forest: the line of trees on either side of the gate were dark and dead, the frail branches bending under the weight of the snow and ice that stuck to them. Ammy could feel the ominous evil coming out from the entrance, and shivered again.
"Well, there it is," She said, more to herself than to anyone else. Kai stepped up beside her, her eyes filled with darkness behind her mask.
"I remember the races we used to have in there," She said softly. "Things were so simple to me then."
Ammy felt Kai's sadness pierce her heart as she listened to her soft voice being carried away with the wind. Just then, Issun popped his head out from inside Ammy's leather coat. "C-can we hurry it up? It's gotta be warmer in there than out here!"
Ammy didn't answer, just watched as Kai approached the entrance. She turned back and motioned for Ammy and Waka to follow. "Come on," She said. "I don't think any of us can stand to be out in this weather much longer. At least the trees will protect us a bit better."
The Goddess took a deep breath and followed Kai under the gate that allowed entrance into Yoshpet. Waka followed close behind her. She looked up as the slate-grey sky turned into dark, twisted trees closing in around her, and she instantly felt claustrophobic.
Even though the gnarled branches did block out the freezing wind, an unnatural chill was making its way up and down Ammy's spine. She shuddered and hugged herself, forcing her eyes to stay on Kai as they began their descent into the all-consuming forest.
"Don't look around too much," Kai said from her position in front of them. "I've heard stories of people going insane in here, thinking that the trees were trapping them and pulling them down."
Ammy felt even more unsettled at this comment, and focused even more on not looking around.
"Gods," Waka commented from behind her. "I can't wait to be out of here."
"You and me both." Ammy exhaled, watching as her breath froze in front of her face.
"Come on, we must hurry," Kai said, picking up her pace to a light jog. "This forest has become a dark, evil place. We will surely be trapped if we stay here too long."
And so they hurried along, jumping over upraised roots and vaulting over lakes of poisonous water. Ammy forced herself to go on, ignoring all urges to turn and run back to the entrance. She would find out what happened to the Oina, no matter what it took.
Finally, they reached a small grove of trees deep into the forest, and Issun popped his head out to look around. "Hey, it's Ponc'tan!" He said, bouncing out of her coat and onto the ground. Ammy felt a little bit of relief as she looked around at the flowers sprouting out of the green grass, and the little animals relaxing near the tree stump that was home to all of Nippon's Poncles.
Issun bounced happily toward the glowing tree stump, his aura a brighter green than before. "Ammy, there's someone I want you to meet," He said. "Hold on."
With this, he jumped into the entrance of Ponc'tan, mumbling to himself about where he put "that stupid hammer", and a few minutes later hopped back out.
"Aha, found it!" He said triumphantly. As he exited the stump, Ammy watched as the opening glowed a little, before a relatively small, although still way too big to fit through that little hole, squeezed through and bounced over to rest by Issun.
"Is that…the Lucky Mallet?" Ammy said with a smile as memories of the bouncing little treasure. Issun bounced in affirmation.
"I can't believe you kept it!" She said as the mallet bounced faster, as if excited by her presence. She giggled as it bounced around in skittering circles, clearly eager to shrink someone.
"Well, whaddya say?" Issun said to her. Ammy nodded eagerly and stood still as the mallet hopped over to her and floated up to her head, where it gently aimed its shot on top of her head. Once its aim was secure, it reeled back and slammed with all its might right in the center of Ammy's head. Instantly she felt an odd tingling sensation, and when she opened her eyes she saw Waka, Kai, and everything else around her growing bigger, until she was the same size as her Poncle companion.
Before she could get a chance to get her bearings, Issun grabbed hold of her and hopped back into the entrance. A white light flashed, blinding her momentarily, and when she opened her eyes, she was in the mystical village of Ponc'tan.
It was just as beautiful as she remembered it: the whole entire Poncle village almost floated in the air, the different platforms connected by bridges of spiderwebs and twigs. In the center where these bridges branched off stood a giant mushroom (or at least giant by Poncle standards) that was surrounded by a pool of water. Poncles milled around lazily, making idle conversation or simply staring off into space.
Only after did she take in the sight before her did she realize that Issun was still with her: she turned to see him simply grinning at her, the wrinkles around his still-youthful eyes scrunched up.
"Well, I haven't changed that much, have I?" Issun teased her. She couldn't help herself; she smiled and threw herself into his arms in a tight embrace.
"Whoa there, furball!" He said, patting her on the back. "Easy there."
She pulled away to look at him better: he was still the same Issun that she remembered, except for the fact that his jet-black hair had turned grey, a scruffy beard hung down to his shoulders, and he had an abundance of deep-set wrinkles on his face.
"The years have been terrible to you," Ammy teased, a smirk forming when Issun dived at her, steam practically shooting out of his ears.
"You stupid furball! We can't all go from slobbering mutts to busty babes, ya know!"
He reached for Denkomaru, but he stopped in his tracks when he saw she was laughing. He let out a sigh and sheathed the sword, then turned toward the village.
"Hngh…come on. I have someone I want you to meet." He beckoned for her to follow, and they began strolling down the bridge to where the leader of Ponc'tan's residence stood. With a nod to the two Poncle guards on either side of the door, Issun pushed it open and led Ammy inside.
It was the same as Ammy remembered it from when she had come here to talk to Ishaku, with the exception that it was a lot more immaculate than she remembered. As she gazed around the room at the artisan paintings on the walls, she heard someone enter the room behind her.
"Issun!"
She whirled around to see someone burying her face into Issun's chest, and he smiled and stroked her hair. She drew a bit closer, and she realized that she recognized the green-spotted insect wings on the female Poncle's head.
"Wait…Miya?" She said, astonished. Miya pulled away from Issun, and as Issun saw Ammy's look of confusion, he grinned sheepishly and went to stand beside Miya.
"Oh, right, er…Furball, you know Miya, right? Miya, remember this old furball?"
Recognition sparkled in Miya's dark eyes, and she smiled. "Ah, yes! You were that cute white dog that Issun used to travel with, right?"
Ammy nodded, and suddenly it clicked in her mind. "Ah, I see what's going on here…"
She smiled cheekily, and Issun blushed heavily. "Yeah, Miya's my wife, alright? Got a problem with that?"
A giggle escaped her lips, and Issun narrowed his eyes at her. "What, got something to say about how I'm too much of a player to get married? Well go ahead, say it!"
She shook her head dismissively, a smile of amusement still on her lips. "No, it's not that. You two just look so cute together!"
This remark earned another angry blush from Issun, and a submissive giggle from Miya.
"Oh, Issun, stop," Miya said, hitting him playfully on the shoulder. "You're gone for all this time with barely a word of explanation, and the moment you get back you start picking fights?"
"Sorry, dear," He mumbled. Miya giggled again and kissed him on the cheek before turning and leaving the room.
As soon as she was gone, Ammy couldn't hold it in any longer. "Awwwww," She cooed. "Look at the Great Issun, settling down and raising a family. It's so sweet."
He muttered angrily for a moment before turning back to where Miya had exited. There was a look in his eyes that Ammy had never seen there before, and she instantly knew that it was love. A small smile appeared on her face at that look of affection and love that would probably only be seen in Issun's eyes once in a blue moon. But even though it was fleeting, gone as soon as it had come, she knew that in that one little glance, there was a whole sea of emotion there.
"I wish I could see this side of you more often," She said sweetly, causing him to turn back to her and straighten up a little.
"Yeah, well don't get used to it," He said. "Now, for that someone I wanted you to meet."
He left the room and returned a few minutes later with Miya and someone else in tow. He took the unfamiliar Poncle by the shoulders and positioned him in front of Ammy, and he looked up at her calmly.
"Ammy," He said. "Meet my son, Seiichi."
She almost reeled back a little in surprise, but stopped herself. Instead, she smiled and dipped into a bow of greeting. He did the same, and as the both of them straightened up she took a moment to take in his appearance: he was a spitting image of Issun, with the same messy black hair and mischievous black eyes. He wore the shell of a purple beetle on his head, plastering his straight black bangs over his forehead. He had a few freckles spattered across his small, button nose and a mouth fixed in a neutral expression.
"Seiichi, this is Furball," Issun said after a moment of silence. His eyes lit up, and a small smile appeared on his face.
"Ah, so you're Amaterasu," He said. "My dad's told me a lot about you."
She smiled and nodded, her hands clasped neatly in front of her. "Hmm, that's interesting. Your dad's told me nothing about you, Seiichi."
As she said this, she shot a look at Issun. He shrugged and just wrapped his arm around Miya's shoulders.
He shrugged at this, obviously catching the silent exchange between Ammy and Issun. "That's okay. A lot of people tell me I'm not like my dad."
She could tell: his presence was calming, and he seemed to be quite mellow, the exact opposite of Issun.
"He's in training to become the next Celestial Envoy," Issun said. "I'm getting a bit old for this job." He grinned cheekily at Ammy, and she rolled her eyes.
"Aw, Issun," She said. "You've always been able to keep up with me. I'm just surprised that you're actually thinking of ducking out on me."
"Well, that concussion that old Foxbreath dealt me hasn't exactly done any good, so…"
Just then, Miya intervened. "Wait, concussion? What're you talking about? Did you get hurt? Are you okay?"
As she fussed over him and Seiichi left the room, obviously bored, Ammy smiled and laughed to herself. It would definitely take some time to get used to the fact that Issun wasn't the ladies' man he used to be. But seeing little things like this, people raising families, preparing the next generation to take things over, gave her a tiny spark of hope for the future. Even though Yami was at large and the secrets of the Oina loomed ahead of her, she felt rejuvenated with a new hope.
She sighed happily and backed out of the door as Issun was swept away by his concerned wife. She turned and breathed in the fragrant air, knowing that whatever was to come, she would face it with all of the bravery and strength she could muster.