Tails and Amaterasu left the village soon after, with Tails claiming down about what happened.

'I can't believe I said that out loud! What was I thinking?!' He thought, sighing.

'But, Amaterasu is beautiful...for a goddess. Augh, why am I so helpless!' He added, shaking his head.

Amaterasu looks worried for her friend. She wanted to ask what was wrong but the look on his face showed he was confused and unsure. She did hear what Tails said and she did blush a little.

'He said I was beautiful. I do recall someone telling me that before. But it was a long time ago. I don't remember his name. Though, he did look like Tails. Maybe, Tails like me?' Amaterasu thought looking at him.

'He's very wise and very caring. Even without those clothes, he looked very handsome, now that I think about it. I wonder if I like him too.' She added.

Both of them stay quiet as they walk through the field. Issun then spotting a sigh before hopping over to it.

"Agata Forest Port Ferry. Ferry? We don't need no stickin' ferry! Forget about it! You could get across quickly by drawing circles on the water!" He said, turning to the two anthro-animals.

Amaterasu caught on and nodded. The river looked a little long and she wouldn't be able to swim all the way there. Tails also knew that he couldn't fly there without getting tried. It was the same with swimming.

"Let's go one at a time." He said.

"Good idea, Tails." Amaterasu agreed.

Tails started drawing Lilly Pads with Amaterasu following behind him. They reach a crack wall and drew a cherry bomb to open it. With that, they step through it and appear in Agata Forest.

"The cursed zone expanded into the forest!? I thought evil would shun areas with so much grass and trees. It must really be some curse, the way it's changed the forest," Issun asked when the saw the curse zone all over the forest.

Amaterasu didn't like it, and Tails felt something evil watching them again. However, Tails thought he could hear something.

"Power, Chaos, seek them out. Destroy her."

Tails shook his head. He had to be hearing things.

"Tails? Are you okay?" Amaterasu asked.

"Yeah. Thought I heard something. It was just the wind." He said, trying to find what was watching them.

"I don't know about you furballs, but don't like these Curse Zones. Let's find the Guardian Sapling and free this forest!" Issun said.

They both nodded and started to look around. They couldn't look very far as the forest was mostly covered by the cursed zone. However, Tails did find another crack and blew it open.

"Found something!" He called out to Amaterasu.

She join him and looked inside the hole. There was Guardian Sapling inside!

"Nice find, Fox Boy!" Issun smirks.

"Thanks, but why is a Guardian Sapling inside a cave? Should it be in a place where the sunlight can reach it?" Tails asked.

Amaterasu shrugs before she bloomed the Sapling. Soon the curse zones were forced away, making the forest the way it was before. However, a chest appears at the base of the sapling, and Amaterasu opens it. She pulls out a send of beads. However, she could tell they were no original beads.

"A new Divine Instrument, guarded by a Guardian Sapling, eh? Wow, Sakuya's gonna spoil you at this rate. Anyway, this is gonna make your life a whole lot easier! The monsters are gonna try to get ya any way they can. So you need to equip a good Divine Instrument and practice with it! But remember, there's more than simply equipping 'em. They can be equipped as a sub-weapon or a main weapon. A weapon's effect will differ depending on how it's equipped. You can even pull off some secret techniques with your sub-weapons. Even after your 100-year nap, you remember that much, right? I know you're not too bright, but no sweat. No thinking involved! Just try to equip that new Divine Instrument as a main weapon!" Issun said.

"Issun, call me dumb one more time, and you be walking for the rest of this trip." She warns him, growling.

Amaterasu held the beads and felt their power. They could be of great help. Tails was about to speak up when he heard a sound of a flute playing.

"Hey, did you hear that?" Issun asked.

"It's coming from outside." Tails said.

Both he and Amaterasu ran outside stopping at a small hill that was surrounded by water. They heard the sound of the flute again and looked around.

"Hark! The call of the heavens, the earth, the sea. They summon me forth to defeat evil!"

They looked up and saw a strange man in the trees above. Both Tails and Amaterasu were unsure, but they felt like they had seen him before.

"Waka, the gods' gift to man, is here! Bonjour!" He said, posing a bit.

"What's up with that guy?" Issun asked.

Waka looks at the three and gives a small smile.

"That crimson shading and Divine Instrument on your back. You look kinda weird, but I reckon you pack a punch, baby." He said, surprising Amaterasu.

'Wait! Did he just say?' Tails thought.

"Hey! Think you're so special way up there, huh? Get down here and talk face to..." Issun started before he caught on to what he said.

"Wait, did he say crimson shading? Can he see Ammy's true form!?" He asked, shocked.

'Then he knows what I am too!' Tails thought.

Waka jumps down from the tree, somehow slowly his fall before holding up his flute.

'Wait, did he turn his flute into a lightsaber?' Tails asked when he saw Waka summon some energy from his flute.

He then drew his other blade and stood ready.

"By the way, fox. I need you to sit this one out." Waka said, dashing towards Tails.

Tails was caught off guard as Waka appear in front of him, swinging one of his blades at him. However, his attack was blocked when Amaterasu use her Divine Instrument as a shield. She could see in the man's eyes that he had something against her friend and she wasn't about to let him hurt Tails.

Waka jumps back, surprised before smiling.

"Thanks, Amaterasu." Tails said.

"You better leave this to me." She said, surprising him.

"Issun, stay with Tails. Make sure he doesn't try attacking Tails again." Amaterasu told Issun.

"On it, furball! Be careful!" Issun said, hopping towards Tails.

Amaterasu walks forward, holding her Divine Instrument. She didn't understand why, but she wasn't going to let him get away with attacking her friend.

"Well, the beautiful lady saves the savior. Quite the romance, wouldn't you say?" Waka asked, smiling.

"I don't know what you have against Tails, but I won't let you get away with hurting him." She said, growling.

"Even after all these years, she still loves him," Waka whispers to himself.

"I wasn't going kill him, Ma Cherie. The moment the cursed zone started spreading across Nippon, I saw the shadowy figure that removed the sacred sword Tsukuyomi flee into Kamiki Village and seal the entrance with a huge rock. You guys know anything about that?" He asked, confusing the three.

"This guy gives me the creeps. Better keep your eye on him!" Issun said.

Amaterasu nodded and stood ready.

"Magnifique! I wouldn't have it any other way! Now you shall get an earful of my beloved sword! Behold, Pillow Talk! Let's rock, baby!" Waka said getting ready.

'For some reason, I get the feeling that "Pillow Talk" means something else.' Tails thought, not liking the words.

Amaterasu dashed forward, swinging her weapon. Which Waka blocks. He tries to swing his normal blade at her, but Amaterasu jumps back. She lands on all fours and fights at a wolf, biting and clawing at Waka. He was dancing around, dodging each attack before striking her with Pillow Talk. Amaterasu was knocked back but she was able to land on her feet. She felt something warm on her cheek and touch it.

It was blood. Being a Goddess means that there weren't many things that could hurt her. It had its limits. But that felt like it cut through her godhood to hurt her.

'Okay, getting up close is a bad idea. Whatever that strange sword is made out of, it's too dangerous to find in close quarters. Well, I guess it's time to try out these beads.' She thought.

She grabs the beads from her neck and held them. They started glowing before growling twice in size, looking like a whip. Waka was a bit surprised, but he still smiles. He rushed at Amaterasu, getting ready to attack her again. What he didn't expect was the whip reaching him and shocking him.

Amaterasu kept the attack up. Waka was shocked before he was able to jump back. He spotted Tails and threw his blade at him. Amaterasu notices and threw her new whip at the blade, grabbing it. She pulls the blade over to her before pulling out her brush. Using her powers, she used a power slash that sends the blade back toward Waka, forcing him to dodge it.

Amaterasu threw the whip at his foot, wrapping around it. She yanks him down, causing him to slam to the ground. She pull her whip back and waited.

"It's been quite some time since I've tasted your power, Amaterasu. That's enough for now." Waka said, breathing a bit hard.

Amaterasu said nothing. Tails walked up and notices her cut. He then reaches into his tails and pulls out some medince and a bandage. Though confused, he wastes no time cleaning the cut and putting the items on it. Amaterasu smiles and nods in thanks. Waka then stood up, grabbing his blade.

"Heh heh heh heh. Well, that WAS pretty tactless. Excuse-moi, baby. You see, I was looking into that cursed zone that struck this area. It consumed all in its path, even the light of the sun. It is the curse of Orochi, the legendary 8-headed serpent!" He said, causing Amaterasu's eyes to widen.

"O-Orochi?" Issun asked surprised.

Tails tighten his fists. He had no idea who Orochi was, but he had a strong feeling it was something that was behind this whole mess.

"Do not utter that name without reason. That alone could curse the weak of mind. Orochi was slain 100 years ago by Nagi and Shiranui, and its evil spirit was sealed away in the Moon Cave, which I guarded. You know, the cave in the middle of the lake over on Shinshu Field. But someone has gone and freed Orochi by removing Tsukuyomi. The beast's evil has caused a cursed zone to cover these lands. I never thought the sacred sword could be so easily removed. Whoever did it waited till I was back in the capital. It seems things are afoot that even I did not prophesize!" Waka explains to them.

'Freed Orochi!? Wait, I remember seeing him getting sealed up during our last fight! Right before I die! I remember that!' Amaterasu thought.

"We're way ahead of you, pretty boy! We've been busy dispelling the curse left and right. That Orochi's gonna be mincemeat when we're through with it!" Issun brag.

"So, you're the ones who've revived the trees in this area. But a lot of time's passed since Orochi's return. You'd better pick up the pace, Ma Cherie." Waka said, shocking her.

"What!?" Issun voices their thoughts.

"I'm sorry to say, our battle just now was a big disappointment. You're not what you used to be, Amaterasu. You may have defeated Orochi long ago, but, one cannot dwell on past glories. You have weakened greatly during your 100-year slumber." Waka said.

Tails had enough. He steps forward, his tails dripping ink.

"I don't care who you are! But don't even say she's weak! Besides, I was watching the whole fight! You were holding back!" He said, causing Waka to shrug.

"You caught me, Renard. But rest assured, I understand that she's not weak." He said.

"The name is Tails!" Tails said, glaring at him.

"That's enough! Now tell me about that shadowy figure you saw fleeing to Kamiki! How do we know it wasn't you!?" Issun shouted.

"Relax, my little bouncing friend. Oh, I almost forgot! I have a little prophecy for you. I can see into the future, you know. I foresee a log and big thrills! You'll know what I'm talking about when the time comes! Anyway, I must be off. The work of a prophet is never done. Au revoir, baby." Waka said before jumping above the trees.

"What a freak! Who the heck does he think he is!" Issun said.

Tails sigh before turning to the she-wolf. Amaterasu watched Waka jumping away, spotting the hurt look in his eyes. She didn't understand, but there was something in his eyes that made her feel bad for him. She then felt a hand on her shoulder, and turn to see Tails. She smiles before hugging him. Tails blink before returning the hug.


And stopping here. Well, I got three reviews, and here's a chapter that didn't take over a month to make. Amaterasu got a new weapon and Waka had appear. It also seems like he has something against Tails, though Tails has no idea what that is. The Main Villain for this book has been relived, and it will be some time before they fight him. Well, next chapter, the three explore the Forest a bit before we enter our first dungeon. And before anyone asked, when I first got the game, I didn't make comparisons to Twilight Princess when I play it. I have Twilight Princess, I just never saw the similarities between the two.