~ A Recap ~
Kaede shook her head, her pleated jet-black hair shaking around her shoulders. "It's my grandmother's," She said, obviously not afraid of hiding her pride in her heritage. "I could never make it as well as she did, though."
Once again, that troubled, sad look darkened her visible eye. She cleared her throat and gave the two of them a quick bow, setting the other mug down on the low table.
"If you need anything else, just let me know." She said, all hints of warmness in her voice gone. Ammy nodded, and she hastily left the room.
As the door clicked shut behind Kaede once again, Ammy walked over to the bed and sat down, cross-legged. If she could get to know Kaede a little bit better in the time they were in Sei-an city, she would be able to find out why exactly she left Kamiki, and her grandmother, behind. But as she sat and thought, Issun swimming around in his sake, she couldn't help but feel like whatever was to come, she would need Kaede's help.
( Waka's P.O.V. )
The sun shone brightly in the sky the next morning, but Waka was too busy to be enjoying the crisp morning air; he had received word from one of his Tao Master followers that Amaterasu had arrived in Sei-an city, and was currently staying at the Konohana Inn. He walked over to a hologram-type monitor and studied the picture that hovered translucently on the wall; the innkeeper, Kaede. Something about her gave Waka a very bad feeling…he had to warn Amaterasu to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.
Turning away, he faced one of his followers, a lad named Abe. He remembered his grandfather, whom he was named after, and how he had lost his sacred Tao Mask on his first day on the job…Waka still frowned upon the incompetence. But setting this aside, he fixed his clear blue eyes on the Tao Trooper.
"I need you to keep an eye on Headquarters until I return," He said formally. Abe nodded and gave him a deep bow, his mask falling off a little with the movement; just as klutzy as his grandfather. Waka returned the bow and turned to leave, the flaps of his hat catching the wind and lifting him up into the atmosphere.
( Amaterasu's P.O.V. )
The wooden steps creaked slightly under her feet as Amaterasu made her way downstairs to the tavern section of the inn. Issun was perched on her shoulder, rubbing at his tired eyes, the effects of the previous day's sake binge still taking their toll. Ammy stretched her arms as she emerged into the dimly lit area, and was immediately greeted by the sight of Kaede standing behind the bar.
"Mornin'," She said as her strong arms ran a cloth along the countertop. "Sleep well?"
Ammy nodded and took a seat at the bar, Issun hopping down onto the surface. She watched as he made a few choking noises at the smell of the sake brewing in the back.
"Why do I keep doing this to myself!" He whined. "Now I remember why I quit drinking in the first place."
The Goddess rolled her eyes and prodded him playfully with her finger. "You're getting old, Issun. It may be time to call it quits for good."
His aura turned red with shock. "Never! How could you say such a thing?"
Dismissing him, Ammy turned back to face Kaede, who was watching Issun with her good eye.
"Oh, sorry," She said after a moment, giving a little shake of her head. "Now, is there anything you'd like for breakfast?"
She shook her head. "Nah, I'm covered." She patted the satchel that hung from her waist; she still had a few of Mrs. Kumquat's cherry cakes. There was a moment of silence, and Ammy decided to go out on a limb.
"So, you said you're from Kamiki, right?" She asked hesitantly. Kaede nodded, her visible eye holding hostility. "May I ask why you came here?"
She hesitated, her eye lowered to the surface of the counter. Finally, she said "I just…wanted to get more business, is all." Ammy looked into her visible eye, and she could automatically see that there was more to it than that. But she had no right to ask; they had only just met, after all. And she didn't want to spoil Kaede's hospitality.
"I see," She replied. The air grew thick between them. "Say, uh, you wouldn't happen to know anything about the Emperor's sickness, would you? And what about his wife?"
Kaede looked up from the counter, obviously relieved with the change of subject. "No one's really sure why he's fallen so ill," She said. "His wife, Tamamo, is allegedly the smartest woman in all of Nippon. I don't believe that nonsense, though. About gods and things like that."
She paused to throw the rag into a bucket full of soapy water in the corner. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, already exhausted with the heat of the day that quickly intensified as the sun rose higher in the sky.
"She's the only one who would be able to find out what illness has cursed the Emperor," She continued. "But unfortunately, she's up and left, and the Emperor grows weaker and weaker every day. Sei-an's in a pretty tight spot right now because of it."
Ammy nodded, running all of the information she had gathered through her head. This Tamamo character sounded suspicious…could she have something to do with it?
"One more thing: is there any possible way to get into the palace? Any way at all? I'm here on business, is all," She threw in hastily. Kaede shook her head sadly.
"Nope. The only way to even get close to the palace is if you're an aristocrat, and even they've been sticking to their quarter lately," She replied as she busily scrubbed a plate. "So if you're here on business, you're pretty much outta luck. Unless the Emperor makes some kind of miracle recovery."
"I see…well, thanks for your help," Ammy said, standing up to leave. "Come on, Issun. We have some work to do."
Issun groaned as Amaterasu picked him up by his scruff and dropped him on her shoulder. With him secure, she made her way toward the entrance without a second glance.
As she headed out into the sunshine, she was greeted by an almost welcoming sight; Waka, or at least she was pretty sure it was him, disguised as a regular traveler. His knee-length blonde hair was released from its hold under his bird-shaped hat, and was hoisted into a high ponytail. His brightly-coloured kimono and zori sandals were gone as well, having been replaced with a simple traveler's kimono and flat, wooden zori. A small pouch hung on his waist which, Amaterasu guessed, probably held his flute.
The "traveler's" crystal eyes moved to where she stood, and he smiled. "Ah, Amaya!" He said, walking toward her. Ammy blinked in surprise. "My old friend. How are you? Doing business here in the city, I see! Ahahaha!" He laughed flamboyantly before pulling her into the shadows behind the inn.
"Waka, what are you doing? And why are you dressed like that?" Amaterasu asked, her voice hushed in case anybody got the idea of eavesdropping. Waka automatically dropped the act and straightened out his kimono.
"I had to talk to you, Amaterasu," He said. "I would've attracted too much attention if I had just shown up in my regular attire, no?"
Ammy nodded in understanding. "So what is this about then?"
"I've received some interesting news from one of my Tao Troopers," He said quietly. "This, Kaede girl…she is not all she seems."
"What do you mean?" Amaterasu said, her mind reeling already. Waka beckoned her closer, and she obeyed.
"We've been hearing rumors that Kaede cast a curse on the Emperor," He said. "We don't know if it's true or not, of course, but I need you to look a little more into this. If what I've been told is true…" He trailed off for a moment. "Naturally, we will need to dispose of her."
Ammy sucked in a breath; she couldn't believe something like that to be true. Kaede was such a kind, hospitable woman. For what purpose would she have such malicious intent?
After a moment's silence, she nodded. "Fine, I'll see what I can find out. And then, I'll prove to your troopers that Kaede isn't what they make her out to be."
Waka nodded and straightened up, backing out of the shadows. "Report back to me when you find anything out," He said, before disappearing.
Ammy sighed. They had been walking around the city all day long, trying to gather as much information as they could on the Emperor, although they hadn't found out much. The Goddess refused to listen to such rumors about Kaede; call her too nice for her own good, but she couldn't see any bad in Kaede. She was still upset that Waka had said such terrible things about her.
She looked up toward the sky; as the sun went down in a blaze, she felt her exhaustion overcome her.
"Come on, Issun," She said to the Poncle, who was dozing off on her shoulder. "Let's call it a day, shall we?"
Turning, she began making her way back from where the canals met on the bridge and began walking back toward the inn. A yawn passed from her lips as the light dimmed, and imperial guards began lighting the giant torches that stood all throughout the city, illuminating the darkness that threatened to press in on it.
Finally the inn was in sight, a warm glow emanating from the windows. Amaterasu hurried inside to escape the evening chill that was already bearing down on the citizens, sending them scurrying to the warmth of their houses.
As the two entered the inn, a cozy warmth settled on them, making Ammy feel even more drowsy. She shuffled over to a table near the stairs and yawned once more, propping her elbow up on the table as Kaede hurried over to meet them.
"What can I get you?" She said. Ammy blinked sleepily and looked up to her.
"Two mugs of warm sake would be nice," She said. Kaede nodded and scurried away to another table.
"So, how are we gonna go about getting more info on that girl?" Issun said. "You heard what ole half-bake said; she's bad news. What if she's another Rao?"
Ammy nodded, all signs of her drowsiness gone, replaced with worry and suspicion. "Ugh," She groaned. "I'll find a way. I just need some time to think…"
"We don't have time!" Issun said. "If what Waka said is true, then we need to get rid of her before she curses someone else!"
Ammy couldn't help but scowl at all of the accusations being flung toward Kaede. Without a word she stood, and turned to begin tromping up the stairs to her room. She ignored Issun's calls and slid the door shut behind her, grateful for the moment's peace.
Why were there so many bad rumors about Kaede flying around? Was it because she wasn't from the city? Kamiki did have a bit of a history with dealing with monsters, but that was no reason to talk so terribly about someone. With a sigh, Ammy sat down cross-legged on her bedroll and closed her eyes.
Suddenly, there was a small knock at the door. Ammy growled under her breath and looked over her shoulder. "Come in," She called. A moment later Kaede came in holding a tray with the sake she had ordered on it.
"I saw you left the tavern, so I thought I'd bring this up to your room," She said, setting the tray down. Ammy nodded her thanks and turned to face her.
"Can I…ask you something?" Kaede said hesitantly. Ammy looked up, surprised. She nodded and beckoned for her to sit. "Of course."
Slowly she sat down across from Amaterasu. "Well, I know this may seem a little personal, but I feel like I can trust you," She began. Ammy leaned forward a little in anticipation.
"Do…you believe in the gods?" She said slowly. "I mean, I never really believed in them in the first place, but with all of this that's happening with the Emperor…"
As she said this, she reached up to prod softly at the piece of white cloth covering her eye. Ammy thought for a moment; maybe she could use this to get to know Kaede a little better.
"I-it's complicated," She said finally. "But yes, I do."
Kaede nodded, her hand moving back down to rest in her lap. "But why do you believe in them? They haven't helped us at all so far. People are really losing faith in them."
"The gods work in mysterious ways sometimes," Ammy replied after a moment. "Trust me, I know."
The innkeeper eyed her, a hint of suspicion in her visible eye. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Amaterasu shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "Well why don't you believe in them? Explain your reasoning."
Kaede opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She flexed her fingers nervously, but then took a deep breath and fixed her gaze on Ammy. "Okay, I'll tell you a little bit of my story," She began. "I was born in Kamiki Village, like you caught the other day. My mother died of illness just a few weeks after I was born, and my father had been killed in battle with monsters long before that, and so I was raised by my grandparents."
"One day, when I was six or seven, I wandered out into the Shinshu Field area to pick some flowers for my grandmother while she was busy brewing sake," She continued. "I remember it was a cloudy day, but…these clouds were…different, somehow."
Ammy felt an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach as Kaede continued. "I was looking around for some pretty flowers to pick when I saw a fox on one of the hills," She said, her eye traveling down to her hands. "I was curious, of course; I was only a child. It let me near it, but as I went to pet it, it scratched my right eye."
"I ran home to my grandmother after that," She said. "The doctor did all he could to save my eye, but the locals believed that because I had been scratched by an evil kitsune, my eye would be cursed."
"Tell me…this fox wasn't wearing…a mask, was it?" Ammy said slowly, the uneasiness building more and more inside of her chest.
"Hmm…now that I think about it, yes," Kaede said. "What makes you say that though?"
"Just wondering…" Ammy's voice trailed off, and she motioned for Kaede to continue.
"Well anyway," She resumed. "Even years after my eye was removed, I noticed a presence that followed me everywhere. People would fall ill if I was near them. I didn't want to hurt anyone else, and so I started over here. I could never completely let go of Kamiki though…"
Ammy nodded sympathetically. "I have one more question…"
Kaede looked at her inquiringly. Amaterasu took a deep breath. "Were your grandparents…Susano and Kushi?"
The innkeeper looked at her, surprised. Slowly, her left eye wide, she nodded. "How…how did you know that?" She said quietly.
"You've given me your reasoning, so now it is time for me to give you mine," The Goddess said. "The reason I know that is because…well, I knew them. Hey, I'm the one who got them together."
A look of disbelief and confusion came over Kaede's angular features. "But…that's impossible," She said. Ammy shook her head.
"I wasn't human though, like I am now," She continued. "Have you ever heard the tale of Shiranui Reborn?"
She nodded once again, her left eye fixed on Amaterasu's face. "I thought that was just an old nursery tale. You mean…?"
Amaterasu nodded solemnly.
"I-I can't…how do I know you're telling the truth?"
Without a word, Ammy pulled out her Celestial Brush and pointed in the direction of a paper lantern in the corner. "Watch," She said, and drew a straight line across it, sending it splitting in two as if the air itself had cut it.
Kaede jumped back, her breathing hard. "So it's true then…" Her one-eyed gaze bore into Ammy's being. "You're…you're Mother Amaterasu."
As if triggered by Kaede saying it, a white light glowed faintly around her form. "I need your help, Kaede," She said. "My power has weakened…and it's because people don't believe in me anymore. I need you to believe, Kaede. Believe, so you can help me spread faith in the gods once again."
"I…" Kaede shook her head a little. After a moment, she sighed and nodded. "I will try," She said, bowing low to the ground. "Forgive me for not believing in your return."
Ammy nodded, a smile gracing her elegant features. "Now, about your eye," She continued, her soft voice back to business. "The people have been talking that you are the reason for the Emperor's illness, but that's not it at all. You have an evil force attached to you, and it's bringing bad luck."
Kaede leaned forward a little to listen closer, urging her to go on. "That fox that scratched you all those years ago…it wasn't just any regular fox. I'm pretty sure it was an ancient monster, known only as Ninetails. I think one of his tails must be attached to you."
"One of his…tails?" The innkeeper repeated. "Is that why I've been feeling this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach for all of these years?"
Ammy nodded. "In order to get it off of you, we need to coax it off. But I'm afraid I don't stand a chance against Ninetails, and I can't lure his tail off of you until I have some of my power back."
"Hmm…a way to get people to believe in the gods again..? How about a festival?" Kaede suggested. "The citizens of Sei-an love a good festival, no matter what it's for. I'm sure we can attract some attention if we do that."
Ammy pondered it for a moment. "Hm…yes, it seems like it could be a good idea. But who do we have to talk to to organize a festival?"
"We'd…have to find a way to get in and see the Emperor," She replied. Ammy felt her heart sink a little. "Well, it seems like our only option…" She contemplated. "Alright then. Let's form a plan."