I'm just gonna keeeep tormenting y'all like this with the ship tease and the UST... I guess you could call me a Trolling Creator. But then, that would be Lampshading things, wouldn't it? *bricked* I need to get off of TvTropes.

Chapter 36: Tensions

Amaterasu's tail was wagging a mile a minute as the watched the two swords – one glowing green, the other radiating a pale gold thanks to the Prayer Ribbon wrapped around its hilt – clash together in the air, over and over again.

"Yeesh…" Issun was lying on the ground, staring at the ceiling, "how long has this been going on? An hour?"

"Our little bouncing friend has a point, ma cherie," Waka said as he blocked another of Iris's blows, "we have been at this for a while." He swung, and she knocked the sword to his side. "Are you sure you don't want to get some sleep for tomorrow?"

"I don't think I can" Iris sighed, reluctantly re-sheathing the modestly-improved Poet's Wrath. "Tomorrow's the day…" she shook her head. "I need a sec." Waka stepped to the side as she walked of the royal dojo, into the moonlight.

It's gonna be a full moon tomorrow, She thought as she looked at the cloudless sky, which twinkled with numerous stars. How can the stars shine… when… she closed her eyes, and listened to the soft wails of the royal court down below, mourning their beloved queen. Tobi… Iris bit her lip, and walked away from Himiko's Palace.

"Iris!" Iris glanced at the small sphere of light as it flew up to her side, hovering right next to her. You're okay!"

"I wouldn't start celebrating," he murmured, stepping over a shrub, "there's still one more problem to deal with." The barks of demonic laughter sounded from some spot in the vast ocean, mixing with the mournful wails to create a sickening song in the air. "Ninetails… he's laughing at me, isn't he? He knows." She shook her head.

"He's taunting you," the spark responded, "to trip you up. Don't believe it, Iris. We need you to win, to destroy him, or we will be bound here forever, unable to reincarnate. And if we don't… I could be your mother. So much would be changed…" Iris nodded, but didn't look at the orb as she got further away from the castle.

She eventually stopped at a small pond, and glanced at her reflection. Who are you? She knelt down over the image in the water, gazing back at her. I don't know who you are. You're certainly not me. The woman who stared back looked like something of an ancient scroll dedicated to heroes – a firm, determined face marked by a scar over her eye, combed hair with a golden comb set just right, her body elegantly wrapped in flawless blue silk accented with gold, regal and powerful, and a sword that glowed gold strapped to her back. The woman gave a small laugh, and looked away from Iris as they both closed their eyes. "See that woman in the water?" She looked at the blade, imagining Tobi was there, listening, "that's one heck of an illusion." The ribbon glowed. "I know, Tobi, I'm kidding." She sighed. What is wrong with me…

"Ma cherie." The small light disappeared as Waka approached, and knelt down next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It would be best if you got some sleep."

Iris nodded, glancing back at her reflection. "I don't know if I can…" The woman looked uncertain and tired, eyes flickering with doubt. "Waka… you saw the fight already, didn't you? Did I-" Waka' hand moved to her face, turning her to face him.

"I don't know, ma cherie. I only get small glimpses – the only thing I saw was the beginning of the fight. Part of the problem is how open-ended it all is – I could see your little swim clearly because it was inevitable, but something as big and ambiguous as this…" he shook his head, "It's fuzzy. I wish I could promise you things would be alright…" she shook her head slightly.

"But then it wouldn't be me, would it? It would just be fate. I don't want to beat this… thing because some supernatural force simply says I will." She sighed. "But at the same time… I don't know…" Waka gently pushed a strand of hair from her face.

"Iris." She looked at him. "Listen to me. Even if I cannot see it clearly… even without the sword…" Iris cringed at the memory of Rao impaled on the weapon, "I have seen what you do when you commit yourself to it. You climbed a vertical cliff without any rope or means of support. You killed a demonic hawk with little preparation and your wits. You've taken down six of the nine fox servants four of them at the same time, because you wouldn't let yourself fail. So just commit yourself to this the way you did to everything else," he smiled at her "and I have no doubt you'll win, visions or no."

Iris looked at him for a moment, before letting herself smile, slightly more than last time. "Thanks, Waka," she said, and to his surprise, she hugged him. "I think that may be the most straightforward thing I've heard for this whole adventure." Waka hesitated a bit before hugging her back.

"… You still need to sleep, you know that?"

"Hey, we're having a moment. Don't ruin it."