Writing this chapter, I realized how few characters from the game I am able to use, due to most of them probably being dead. So a few OCs may show up, but they will never be that important. Please don't let that turn you off.

I also realized, planning ahead and all, that this fic is going to be a monster. So bear with me, and I'll try my best not to abandon it. ('Cause I HATE it when authors do that!)

Thank you greatly for the reviews. They really keep me going. (If only because they keep me from forgetting about this fic. ::Sweatdrops::)

Anyway, enough jabbering! MA proudly presents Restoring Faith: Chapter 6!

Beta Note: And I'll make sure she doesn't give up. If she does I'll seriously clobber her with a fork.

::Whimpers:: I'll finish it! I hope…

Restoring Faith

Chapter 6

Waka glared after a pickpocket as the boy slunk away, deterred. The trio had decided to stop at Kusa Village for lunch and supplies. One hundred years had not been kind to the town of the Divine Wind. The once quaint and peaceful village had turned into a haven for those who didn't wish to be found.

Waka glanced behind him, checking on Amaterasu, who was trailing morosely behind him. The goddess seemed listless, and Waka was growing worried. At the moment the lack of the Divine Wind could be blamed, but if her dark mood continued after they left…

The prophet turned away from this train of thought as he began haggling with one of the few semi-honest looking merchants in the plaza.

Eventually Waka ended up paying the man double what his purchases were worth, instead of the original four times the merchant had asked. The prophet rubbed his temples as the merchant greedily accepted the money, a crooked smile on his face. He had a migraine coming on…

Turning from the vendor, Waka glanced around for his lupine companion. When she remained conspicuously absent, Waka shoved his way into the crowd.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A half-hour later, Waka had left worried and was quickly approaching panicked. He had searched the central plaza, the shrine, and the newly-created slums. He was currently treading the path down to the bamboo artist's house.

The prophet was startled as a gentle laugh mixed with happy yips drifted up from the path before him. He increased his pace and was soon presented with a rejuvenated goddess-turned-wolf dancing around a young woman in a bamboo headdress. Waka loped quickly down the remainder of the path and, upon reaching the wayward goddess, proceeded to scold her thoroughly.

"Ammy, as much I love your mischief, disappearing on me like that is going too far. How was I to know where you were? You could have been kidnapped, or killed, or-…"

The girl cut off his rant by speaking quietly as he paused to breathe.

"I'm terribly sorry. I saw her in the market place and thought it would be a good time to re-unite with an old friend. I'm sorry if I was a bother…"

"Don't apologize to the half-baked prophet, toots," Issun piped up from Amaterasu's head, "he's the one that should be apologizing. Constantly trying to step on me…" he grumbled.

Waka ignored the Poncle with practiced ease, choosing instead to study the fidgeting girl before him. He sized her up for a few moments before fixing her with a lesser glare, feeling a bit silly.

"And you are?" he enquired.

The girl jumped at the sudden address.

"Um… I'm Kaguya, granddaughter of the former bamboo-ware master…"

"And you say you know Amaterasu? You can't be more than…," Waka studied the girl, "sixteen, eighteen at the oldest. We've been gone for longer than that. How could you possibly know her?"

Kaguya glanced at the ground.

"I'm not… entirely human," she began nervously. Amaterasu rubbed reassuringly against the girl's side. "I am of a race of people that lived on the moon. I came to Nippon as a baby and the bamboo cutter found me among the shoots and raised me as his granddaughter."

"About a hundred years ago, Grandfather and I met the divine Amaterasu. She and her sprite companion helped me to learn about my past and to return to the moon."

"When I got there, it was… dead…" Kaguya shivered at the memories and the white wolf pressed even closer. The moon girl's hand fisted in Amaterasu's fur, taking strength from the goddess's presence.

"There was a great city there, a wondrous city. But there were no people. It was like everyone had vanished," Kaguya shivered again, "It was horrible."

"They left fleeing the bloodshed of the Celestial Plain."

Amaterasu's ears perked up in curiosity as Kaguya and Issun stared at the prophet in shock.

Waka laughed at the shock on their faces. It was a bitter sound.

"How soon we forget, my little bouncing friend, that I was once a proud warrior of the Moon tribe."

Issun looked as though someone had smacked him with a fish while Kaguya perked up in interest.

"Really? Could you tell me about them?"

Waka shifted under the hope-filled gaze.

"I'm not the person to ask," he replied shortly, "I was banished from the Tribe after the Death of the Celestials and I haven't been back since."

Waka whirled about and strode quickly out of the clearing. Amaterasu followed worriedly behind him but the Poncle bounced to Kaguya's shoulder.

"Sorry he brushed you off like that, babe, but he's pretty touchy about the subject, especially recently. You understand, right sweetie?"

Kaguya nodded, peering worriedly after the vanished duo.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Amaterasu had been shocked at Waka's quick retreat and, after loosing him in the bamboo thickets, had resigned herself to tracking her friend by scent.

Soon beautiful flute tones drifted to her ears and the white wolf quickly traced them back to their source.

Waka was draped in the limbs of a weeping willow. His flute was pressed to his lips and a melancholy melody drifted from the instrument. It was almost as is the prophet's music reflected his soul.

Amaterasu swiftly climbed the tree and settled on a limb below Waka's. She sat in silence, listening as the music approached its climax, then tumbled from the peak into rest in silence.

As the flute dropped into Waka's lap, Amaterasu leapt up to join her friend. The prophet smiled bitterly at her, before burying his face in the wolf's soft white fur.

"I thought I was over this by now."

Amaterasu turned her head and pressed it reassuringly against her friend's shoulder.

"I should be over this by now. But after Otohime, and then this…" Waka sighed.

Amaterasu had never loathed her wolf form as she did now. She longed to be able to chase away the doubts and fears possessing her friend. She yearned to be able to calm him with her words. She wished (oh how she wished!) to be able to wrap him in her arms and shield him from the world.

But she was a wolf, and so she offered her soft fur as a form of comfort. Waka clung to her for a few moments longer before raising himself up. Amaterasu took the opportunity to give his face a gentle lick.

Waka smiled, truly smiled, and leapt down from the tree. Amaterasu followed swiftly after and the pair began to make their way back to the bamboo cutter's clearing.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Kaguya and Issun were in deep discussion when the goddess and the prophet returned. As they Poncle and the moon girl heard the approaching footsteps, their conversation ceased and they turned expectantly to the bamboo thicket.

As Waka emerged, Kaguya got to her feet and bowed deeply.

"I'm terribly sorry that I have dragged up unwanted memories. I truly didn't mean any harm."

Waka took a breath to stable himself before smiling gently.

"It is alright, cousin. Perhaps someday I will tell you of our people."

Kaguya blinked, then voiced, "Cousin?"

Waka nodded. "We of the Moon Tribe are all related, though perhaps not directly."

A peaceful silence fell over the clearing. And, as usual, it was Issun who ended it.

"Sorry you're related to the half-baked prophet, babe. You're a million times better than him."

Waka flicked a rock at the Poncle, causing his aura to change from green to red.

"Why you-!"

Amaterasu, having come in behind Waka, trotted over to Kaguya and rested her head on her paws to observe the habitual bickering between man and sprite. She called a halt to the fighting, however, when Issun drew his sword.

"Say that to my face, prophet!"

"I'm sorry, I don't think I can bend that low."

Issun leapt at the prophet, only to be caught in the jaws of an annoyed wolf goddess. Issun squirmed for a few moments before the goddess spat him out on the ground. Issun glared and began to rant, but was silenced by an angry growl. Kaguya looked on, amused.

Waka turned back to Kaguya, wiping all traces of the former argument from his face. He gave the girl a complicated bow.

"And now, cousin, we shall take our leave. We have far to go, so we'd best get started."

Kaguya looked surprised before dashing back into the house.

"Wait a moment! I have something I wish to give you," she called.

A few minutes later she emerged carrying a pendulum.

"This is one of the last works of my grandfather. It is a pendulum that is attracted to sources of large demonic energy. I hope it will aid you in your quest."

Waka took the object and examined it.

"It will be extremely useful, cousin. We are searching out four demonic objects in order to destroy a great evil. We will make use of your gift."

Kaguya smiled before holding out something else.

"Also, please take this with you. Warriors can't journey on an empty stomach, after all."

Waka laughed before gratefully accepting the bento(1) held out to him. Issun perched dreamily atop Amaterasu's head, images of the delicious meal to come dancing in his mind. Amaterasu herself let out a bark of gratitude.

Kaguya bent down to wrap the wolf goddess in a hug before placing a kiss on the cheek of her kin. She patted Issun gently on the head, and the trio promptly set out, hoping to make it to the Agata Forest by nightfall.

To be continued…

(1)Bento boxed lunches

So, a whole lot of nothing happened this chapter. Kaguya popped up, some more Ammy/Waka bonding, and Issun and Waka fighting (again). I'm sorry the plot isn't particularly fast-paced, but the fluff makes up for that, ne?

Also, I hope nobody minds that I made Waka and Kaguya (distantly) related. The way I figure it, Waka is from the MOON Tribe and Kaguya is from the MOON, so they might possibly be of the same people. Also, they both have blond hair. (Yeah, that was lame.)

As always, please review! It keeps the authoress going!