This was one of my favorite chapters, you'll see why…
Issun had forgotten what awaited him back at Agata Forest so when he saw her standing on the beach wearing a ceremonial wedding kimono he almost screamed.
"The spirits told me that you would return for me!" Madame Fawn danced her way over to Issun.
"The spirits LIED to you!" Issun shouted and pulled at Amaterasu's fur. "Hurry up and run!"
Amaterasu sensed no immediate danger from Madame Fawn so she just looked back at Issun.
"Gah! You worthless-!" Issun began to say but talking took too much precious time. With superhuman strength, Issun stood up on Amaterasu's back and launched himself onto a low tree branch. This was no small feat as all the trees were straight, tall trees and the branches placed fairly high. Amaterasu stared up at him in shock.
"I knew that you weren't entirely human, the spirits informed me!" Madame Fawn shouted up to him, as if believing that her knowledge would cause him to like her more.
"What are you talking about, I'm perfectly human!" Issun shouted down at her.
"Not many humans can jump that high." Madame Fawn said, standing beside Amaterasu.
Amaterasu looked at Madame Fawn then up at Issun again. He didn't look like he would be coming down from the tree for a while.
Suddenly, Madame Fawn's eyes rolled back into her head and she fell over onto the ground.
"Whoa… did she die?" Issun leaned out of the tree a bit, feeling slightly guilty that the last thing that the old woman had to feel was rejection… but he would have never married her even if she did know.
Amaterasu sniffed her while Issun climbed down out of the tree and stood slightly off from Madame Fawn's side.
"I almost feel kinda bad for her." Issun said slowly.
Just then, Madame Fawn sprung to her feet looking elated.
"What the-?" Issun jumped behind Amaterasu for protection.
"A great power has entered the forest, I must be off." Madame Fawn said as she scurried off in the opposite direction.
"Wait, what was that just now?" Issun shouted after her. "Aw well, it's not like we wanted her to stick around anyway. We have a job to do, remember?"
Amaterasu grunted and headed down the path.
"I can't wait to see this new power in action." Issun leaned forward on her neck, smiling his huge faced smile.
Together they entered the cave, walked through the cavern, and entered the room that opened to the sky. Everything within it was exactly how they had left it, dead tree and everything.
"Well, go on." Issun jumped off of Amaterasu's back and stepped away to give her enough room. Amaterasu walked up to the tree and closed her eyes before touching her nose to its dead and flakey bark. A pulse of green rippled through the tree at her touch, then a second. Suddenly, the tree shot back to life and new branches grew out from its trunk. One of the branches flew out and caught Amaterasu and Issun under the stomach and grew into the sky with them on it. The tree strengthened and then grew above the hole that it was stuck in, lifting them to the clouds. They saw the green pulse reverberate and disappear into the ground by the base of the tree.
Immediately a wave of green plants and beautiful flowers shot up from the ground, washing through the cave and through the rest of the forest. Issun stood up on the branch, laughing in glee and pride as the green spread to the trees in the forest to make their leaves grow. He threw his hands up into the air and let out a whoop as the green plants pushed the cursed zone off and it dissolved into thin air. Even the water purified itself again. The forest seemed to glow with the new strength that it found in Amaterasu's divine power and the peaceful calm fell over the glowing forest.
"The place looks beautiful again! Just look at it!" Issun laughed, hugging Amaterasu around the neck. "What an adrenaline rush!"
Amaterasu looked quite pleased with herself, throwing her snout into the air.
"Don't go getting a swelled head, this is just one forest." Issun said. "There are many other places that need our help and you still need the rest of your powers."
Issun looked over the new Agata Forest. "Still, I have to admit this is a better first step forward than I was hoping for. Not bad for a big furball."
Amaterasu barked then looked at the ground, trying to find the best way to jump down.
Issun hopped out of the tree effortlessly and landed on the ground with a thump on the fresh grass. Everything looked so fresh like after a good rainstorm and the smell was so pure. It almost reminded him of home.
"Well, come on! Let's do a bit of exploring. We might be able to find something of interest in here and the Tsuta Ruins are always interesting to look at. Plus, we really should try to find what made a cursed zone this big and kick its ugly butt." Issun called up to her.
Amaterasu hopped out of the tree awkwardly, not having the skills to climb a tree as gracefully as a squirrel. She seemed much happier on the ground.
Issun crawled onto her back and they set off though the cave and to the beautifully clear waterfall.
"This waterfall goes underground at one point and it filters out anything gross in it so that's why it's so pure. I've also heard that its really good for you, we should stop for a lunch break here." Issun advised.
Amaterasu was happy to oblige once they reached the other side of the lake along the beach. Issun took out his bag where his scant supplies were kept. They had a meager lunch but they didn't mind. They were too distracted by the sights and the sounds of the forest to pay attention to eating. Amaterasu's ears kept twitching towards every sound and her head swiveled around almost every minute.
"Lots of people don't like it here because it's moderately dangerous… but it's actually quite pretty here. I don't think anything will hurt us now that we helped bring it back, though." Issun said, pulling his hat down and resting against a rock that was just in the rays of the warm sun.
Something unnatural broke the routine sounds of the forest. The soft and pure sound of a flute floated on the breeze.
"What's that, a flute?" Issun asked almost stupidly. "Where is it coming from?"
An unfamiliar voice followed the sound of the flute. It was a male voice, though refined and carrying a hint of an unknown accent.
"Hark! The call of the heavens, the earth the sea…" The voice began. Amaterasu and Issun looked around until they found a figure perched in the top of a nearby tree. "They summon me forth to defeat evil!"
Issun stared up at the figure, incredibly confused. He seemed to be wearing a pink kimono and a purple hakama. He had a hawk-head helmet over his head with a veil shaped like wings.
"Ushiwaka! God's gift to man is here, bonjour!" The figure said.
With that comment, Issun could tell that he would not like this newcomer very much. Amaterasu stared up at him, her head constantly tilting from one side to the other like a dog that is bothered by a very strange sound.
"Who do you think you are, you narcissist?" Issun shouted up at him.
"Temper, temper young one." The man looked down from his perch, crossing his arms. "One who is prone to anger is predisposed to fighting. This is not becoming of a swordsman, even at your age."
This set Issun off even further. This man couldn't be much over the age of twenty five and he was talking down on him, figuratively and literally.
"You want to see a real temper, come down here and face me like a real man!" Issun shouted up at him, drawing his sword and readying himself for battle.
The man smiled a small smile and leapt from the tree, performing a perfect headfirst spin in mid-air and defying gravity by slowing just before hitting the lake surface. His landing caused barely a ripple in the still water. As he touched down, a wave of sparkling light appeared then faded around him. Issun knew that this was a sign of power but, with this effeminate man…
"It's been quite a while, has it not Amaterasu?" The man, Ushiwaka as he called himself.
"You know Ammy?" Issun asked him, mildly surprised.
"You have done well with reviving this forest to its former glory… but I am disappointed to say that, for you, the display was less than spectacular…" Ushiwaka said with a light sigh.
"Less than-WHAT? Are you kidding me? We did amazing!" Issun shouted back at Ushiwaka.
"Forgive me, but I do not recall seeing you do anything to assist." Ushiwaka said in a kind, but somehow incredibly stinging voice.
"Are you trying to pick a fight?" Issun raised his sword to Ushiwaka's face.
"Do not be so rash and foolish to confront me, head on." Ushiwaka warned.
"I'll take my chances." Issun snapped, taking a good running slash at Ushiwaka. In less than an instant, Ushiwaka jumped out of the way.
"Rage should never be your reason to fight; it clouds your vision and judgment, making you vulnerable to enemy attacks." Ushiwaka explained, pulling his sword out of his scabbard and pointed at Issun's back. "I did not come to fight you; I came to speak with Amaterasu."
"You've got some nerve, then!" Issun said. "Picking fights with people like that…"
"Excuzes-moi, but you I did start this fight." Ushiwaka put his sword back into his scabbard and turned his back to the two of them.
"For many years, I have been searching for you, Amaterasu. The world has grown dark in your absence and to fight it alone would be suicide. The old legends are returning to life, but my visions do not reveal their purpose." Ushiwaka said, stepping across the water on the lake.
"What do you mean visions?" Issun asked him grumpily.
"I have been blessed with the rare gift of clairovyancy, I can see things that shall come to pass. That is how I knew where to find you here in Agata Forest. I waited for you here, concealing my power until you removed the cursed zone." Ushiwaka explained.
"If you were here all along, why didn't you bother to help out this place? Unless you were the one who put the cursed zone here!" Issun concluded.
"A wise prediction, however incorrect. I merely wanted a taste of your power, ma cherie, but it was quite a disappointment. One hundred years must not have been to kind to you if there is such a gap in power between you from legends and now." Ushiwaka said with a calm but playful sort of tone.
Amaterasu now took offence. She crouched close to the ground and growled deeply, the hair on her back standing on end. This man seemed familiar, her nose told her so but he only registered as a threat at the moment.
"There's a fire in your eyes, I quite like it." Ushiwaka smiled, pulling out his flute once more. He spun it around in his hand and then with the other, pressed it together. It collapsed to fit in one hand. Ushiwaka then traced the flute back out but instead of the flute; a glowing blade of light took its place. The flute had become sword. "Don't hold back. Ma cherie!"
GASP! Cliffhanger! Not really, I'm uploading the next chapter in just a few minutes. I love this chapter because Waka is my favorite character by far. He's so beautiful and dedicated to Amaterasu. Their relationship is so amazing and indescribable. I'm calling him Ushiwaka, like in the Japanese version of the game because that's his original name… and a friend says there's already another Waka out in the world so I can't use that even though it has already been published in America as such. Oh well… WAKA RULES!