This was my favorite chapter to write because of the sad part with Ammy and Waka. Hope you enjoy!
That night, when it was the stars instead of the sun that lit up the grass and flowers, a terrifying roar that shook the ground woke Amaterasu with a start. She sat up from the soft bed of grass she slept on, and looked around with fear beginning to creep its way into her mind. She attempted to shove it away, and stood up to see what it was that had roared. Nothing made that noise around here. Several screams from Celestials along the Sea of Stars could be heard even from where she was.
She transformed into her wolfen form, and ran, golden flowers springing up at her every step, until she came to the delta of the River of the Heavens. What she saw sent a horrible chill down her spine. A giant serpent, with the base of its body the size of a small mountain donning a large golden bell, and eight long, tree-thick necks sporting 8 dragon-like heads, was making its way across the Sea of Stars. Right towards the Celestial Plain. The creature was golden, but it seemed to shine a dark red and black from behind.
Not sure what else to do, Amaterasu crouched and let loose a mighty battle roar. She leapt forward, taking Solar Flare and swinging it in one of the evil beast's faces. However, not even her most powerful of Divine Instruments could pierce the monster's golden scales.
"Ha! You foolish goddess! You dare to try to defeat the mighty Orochi? It is time that Light be destroyed and Darkness prevail!"
Said the ugly thing in a deep voice. The voice was smothered in shadow and evil, and the sound of a deep and deadly curse emanated from the beast.
Amaterasu landed back on the ground, unsure how to handle this "Orochi" creature. Just as she did, the foremost head struck out at her, its ugly maw wide open.
"I don't think so!" said a slightly familiar voice. A figure jumped out in front of Amaterasu, a glowing green sword drawn, shielding her from Orochi. She could see that he had nearly ground-length hair the color of gold. She recognized him then as the man who had delivered the cold iron Ark my the Moon Tribe. The green blade seemed to almost stick into Orochi's force-field on its head, stopping it from attacking Amaterasu. It finally managed to pull away, and it reared back its head, shaking it a bit.
"Puny moonling! It was your own race who made me invincible! You know very well that I cannot be defeated!"
"What!" cried out Amaterasu, furious. "The Moon Tribe knew about this! Why didn't you tell us?"
"Forgive me, ma' charie! I had no idea of this up until recently!" cried out the man. "Please, you must flee to the ark with your people! They wish not to leave without you!"
"Whoa, I am not getting on that thing! And I don't want my people getting on there, either!"
"Ma' charie, I fear there is no other way for their survival and your own! Please!"
"And who's going to take care of this monster? You!"
Orochi was poising himself for another attack. Amaterasu used her tail as her brush and painted a single dot just in front of the beast's nose as it stuck out. A huge pine tree suddenly spouted, blocking its strike.
"Come!" cried the man, taking Amaterasu by the hand (for she had transformed back into a person) Though reluctant, the sun goddess ran with the man, away from the pursuing beast.
"Why don't you explain to me what exactly is going on here?" Amaterasu demanded.
"I would, ma' charie, but I fear we haven't time now!"
She glanced over her shoulder. The sight of the path of destruction through the Sea of Stars, and a wide swath of the River of the Heavens nearly brought the goddess to tears. She loved that river and the sea. They soon arrived at the Ark, which was floating in mid air, a rainbow bridge arcing from the ground to the port opening into the side of the ship's bow. Hundreds of Celestials were boarding. Amaterasu didn't like the sight of it, but she figured that if everyone were to survive, escape was the only option.
Only a few ware on board when Orochi came back into sight.
"Everyone, hurry! Quickly! You must board before it arrives!" urged the Moon Tribe man.
Amaterasu took his example of urging the people forward, saying, "Go on, go on. Please, hurry," and gently putting her hand on the backs of everyone that passed her, moving them on.
Again, a deafening roar shook both the earth and the air, forcing Amaterasu to cover her ears.
Then she heard the man from the Moon start giving instructions on how to get the Ark started and how to drive it. "Drive it on full speed, to somewhere far away form here, understand?"
Then, he began to run towards the monster. Amaterasu caught him by the shoulder. "What are you doing! You can't possibly beat that thing!"
"I know I can't, but I can hold him off," came his argument.
Amaterasu thought for a moment. "I'm coming too! I won't let this thing destroy my land!"
Just then, do everyone's utter dismay, the rainbow bridge leading to the Ark's port suddenly began to dissolve into sparkles, leaving nothing for the Celestials to stand on. They all fell to the ground, though softly. But the worst part was, the door to the innards of the Ark began to close. Many a Celestial called out the names of the friends and loved ones who had fallen behind them, only to be cut off by an iron door.
"NO!" Amaterasu cried, her voice breaking from the strain of her cry, but it was to no avail. The Celestials who had fallen could do nothing, but watch and wait for the monster Orochi to arrive or for their great Goddess to defeat it.
Amaterasu ran forth with the Moon Tribe man, ready to stop the horrendous beast at any cost but at that of her people. Again, she transformed into a shimmering white wolf with crimson markings on her face and sides, and red imbued swirls of fur on her paws, shoulders, and on the back of her hind legs. Her crimson striped, black tipped tail serving as her brush, Amaterasu and the man from the Moon tribe battled the great beast. But no matter how hard they tried, they could make nary a mark on the terrible creature. Finally, Orochi seemed to tire of dealing with them, and the Fire head thrashed its mighty neck, hitting Amaterasu and sending her flying into a boulder poking its head out of the ground.
…for the first time, she was enveloped in darkness … confusion … darkness…pain…fear…all of these terrible things slithered their way into her. What was going on? How did the lunar civilization do this, and why? She couldn't see. There was nothing to see. She could tell that her head, sides, and back hurt like nothing she had ever known. How could she let this happen? What would happen to the Celestials-her people? What would happen to her home? Would all that she had come to care for come to a brutal, dark ending?
When she came to, not a living Celestial stood. All were dead…Orochi, the horrid eight headed serpent, had feasted on most, then when it had its fill, he had simply crushed the others. Tears streaked down Amaterasu's wolfen cheeks. The Ark was still hovering above its shrine. Why hadn't it taken off yet?
She heard a groan from next to her. She looked over, and saw the lunar civilian begin to stir. He began to mumble to himself. "The Chosen One … only then….Amaterasu!"
She struggled to stand. Orochi was somewhere out of sight now. Her head pounding, she managed to walk over to the man. With a swirl of cherry blossoms, she transformed into her human-shape once more. She put a hand on his shoulder, and helped him to sit up. He held his side and Amaterasu could see blood seeping between his fingers. His breathing came in jagged, painful breaths.
The goddess held a sudden sympathy and care for him. He was the only living soul around her, and she sensed that he had a pure heart. "What is your name?" she managed to ask.
It took him a moment, but the man responded, "Waka…that is my name. I swear to you, I knew nothing of this-"
"It doesn't matter now," she cut him off.
"Or I would have warned you," he finished. She looked at his face, and saw tears welling in his eyes. He had seen the same damage she had. And he felt guilty for not knowing sooner, for not alerting the people of the Celestial Plain.
"Do not blame yourself. You did not know, and that is not your fault," she tried to comfort him.
He could only cover his face with a hand as an attempt to hide his hears. But his sobs were perfectly audible to her.
"Hush, Waka." She took his head in her hands and gently kissed his forehead. "We must concentrate on the future now."
He finally managed to get his emotions under control. When he did, he looked directly into Amaterasu's golden eyes, and said, "Orochi can only be defeated with the power of the Chosen One."
Amaterasu was puzzled. "The Chosen One? Who is that? Where can we find them?"
"I don't know…only that when he is ready, Orochi can be defeated. But I can't tell who it will be.""'Will be?' So we must wait?" asked the sun goddess, disappointed.
"I am afraid so…but at least it's a chance," was Waka's reply.
Amaterasu wished she could help him with his injury, but there were no brushstrokes that could heal a wound, and no healing herbs nearby, either. "If you go and face him once more…" he took a couple of breaths, "then I will fight by your side." The resolute tone in his voice told Amaterasu that there was no argument. She only nodded gravely, but gratefully. At least one of the Moon Tribe would fight against their own curse.
Amaterasu helped Waka to stand. His breathing grew more rugged for a moment, and he winced and nearly stumbled, but the goddess's firm, warm hand kept him up. "Thank you, ma' charie."
And so, the hunt for the dreaded Orochi began.
So, how doid you like? R&R, then just keep reading then R&R again, please!