CHAPTER TEN

Hanasaki Valley

'Focus...focus.' I was bent down to the grass, level with it, moving my tail slowly and deliberately. 'Slowly...careful...' I told myself.

'Done!'

I opened my squinted eyes and watched the grass before me expectantly. "Hey Akime!" I heard Hiraku say from behind me, I turned to look, and in doing so accidentally moved all the blades of grass in the patch in front of my paws. "Damn it!" I hissed angrily, swishing my tail in irritation. The blades wilted. "What're you doing?" The curious young poncle bounced up to me. "Well... ever since meeting Shugami, my powers have been enhanced, which means I can do more than I wanted with a single brush stroke. But I know that if I draw a smaller technique, then it does less. So right now-" I put my head on the ground and stared intently at the small green plant. "I'm trying to practice blowing just one single blade of grass."

"Sheesh, really? And I thought restraining myself from eating your portion of dinner last night was hard. This is some restraint. Hey! I have an idea! Next, why don't you try and blow all the grass out by their roots?" I started using the brush again, moving it slowly and steadily. Painstakingly so. When I finished, I opened both my eyes and watched the blade anxiously. The single little green plant waved in a tiny breeze, while the others around it stayed perfectly still. "Yes!" I barked happily, and wagged my tail. Hiraku looked at me intently with his eyebrows raised in somewhat of a plea, and I grinned back at him mischievously. I readied my tail high in the air to make a gigantic swoop, and then-

"Hey Akime!" I heard a high bark behind me, and I stiffened -tail still in the air- as I heard Shisa bounce up beside me. "Hi Shisa!" I barked, getting to my feet and lowering my tail. There was another dog beside her, a stout, brown-coated, muscular dog that looked like some sort of mastiff. "Who's this?" I asked, looking the new dog up and down, he had a rather threatening appearance. "My name is Ryota." The dog barked in a low rumble; what could have been terrifying in other circumstances, but was now an even, friendly voice. He bowed his head in greeting, and I did the same. "It's a pleasure to meet you." He barked in his low tone. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Ryota." I said, lifting my head and smiling.

"Shisa has told me much about you." He said, glancing at the yellow, fluffy dog, who wagged her tail. "Oh yeah, that reminds me! Akime! I think I figured out what the lesson was in the legend you told last night!" She started wagging her tail exuberantly. "Oh?" I said, raising my eyebrows and tilting my head. "We each have a personal power inside us! Even if we think we are weak, we're all powerful!"

"Indeed." I said with a smile. "Faith in the gods is important, but it's also important to have faith in yourself, and in others around you. The gods don't want spineless followers, they want people to have faith in themselves as well." I added. I was glad Shisa could see this so easily, that she could realize what believing really means. My chest filled with warmth and pride for the young dog, then, suddenly I could feel something else as well. I looked down in surprise. My fur glowed with visible, green light, then a viridescent orb appeared out of the center of my chest, and circled around me. It wavered in the air, pulsing with energy, then it glided over towards Shisa. Ryota tensed, but she stared excitedly -if not a bit apprehensively- at the orb as it bobbed through the air towards her, then as it circled around and dove into her chest. She let out a loud breath as she relaxed, tension fading away and she closed her eyes.

"I knew it!" I barked, and Hiraku watched her approvingly. "What was that?" Ryota growled, looking anxious, hackles up in a rigid line down his back. "The orb of Faith!" I barked. "Congratulations, Shisa. You're the first new Canine-slash-mutt-slash-ball-of-fur-Warrior." Hiraku said approvingly. "Really?" She said, looking up, her green eyes gleaming. "Oh my Gods, I'm so happy!" She said, barking and bouncing around in a circle, and I giggled. "Calm down, you might need to learn some patience if you're to be a warrior!" I teased, but she didn't even seem to notice me. I felt a twinge in my heart as I suddenly thought of what this meant. "Shisa..If you've been chosen, you'll have to go away to Kusa Village to train-"

"Okay!" She said, still bouncing. "Which means you'll have to leave Kamiki, for a long time.."

"Yeah?" She barked, still seeming like she was going to never run out of energy, I shook my head with a small smile. Hopefully, when she realized she'd have to leave her family, it wouldn't be too big of a fall for her, and she'd still want to be a warrior. Perhaps her friend was a future warrior too...

"Shisa, I'm going to explore outside the village today, and I need you and Ryota to keep an eye on Daiko and Noriko while I'm gone. I have a feeling they might also have some part to play in this mission before it's over."

"Okey dokey!" She said, jumping up and down in place, then finally becoming still. Ryota dipped his head again in acknowledgment. "I would be glad to help in this mission as well, Akimeterasu."

"Thank you." I said, nodding respectfully as Shisa spotted a dragonfly.

"You know, I would really make a terrible dog, or citizen, or actually a believer if I was mortal." I said, quietly to Hiraku- as Shisa was distracted by the insect, and Ryota had to run after her as she was charging blissfully directly towards the river. "I don't know if it's because I'm a god or not, but I can't see anyone as my master. Sure I might follow the directions of someone older and wiser than me, but I wouldn't follow them blindly- just because. I wouldn't die for someone that wouldn't do the same for me." I finished. "Huh, weird. I thought gods would be all over the idea of of masters and servants, seeing as you're like supreme beings and everything." Hiraku said, and I shook my head. "For the others… Maybe. But for me… No praise is better than praise given out of fear. It tastes bitter, and it feels wrong. I don't want to be feared for the things I might do should you not worship me, I want to be respected for the good things I have done. I'd rather be respected and worshipped for my acts, than be feared and placated for the things I might do." I said. "I'm not going to incinerate you for not laying out proper offerings… But then on the other paw, I do need praise. I can't live without it, because that's what we survive off of. It's our sustenance."

"Ah- is that why you're such a show-off?" Hiraku taunted, and I laughed. "Maybe!" I grinned, and Ryota caught hold of Shisa's tail before she fell into the river face-first.

"Oh Akime!" I heard another familiar bark, and I swiveled my ears backwards. "I wanted to talk to you about your quest." I turned around, and saw Daiko coming toward us, trotting quickly and gracefully with his long legs. 'I never told him about my mission, how did he find out?' I thought, before barking: "When did I suddenly become worthy enough in your eyes for you to speak to me like an equal?"

"Ever since I learned you were a Goddess! A creature of high class, blue blood, of prestige! I failed to see it before, but now I see that you're someone like me!"
'Like YOU?' I thought, holding back an angry retort. "I've heard you're gathering together a bunch of 'Canine Warriors', hmm?" He raised a furred brow. "Well, I've decided I will join you, it sounds like a very honorable position, worthy of a dog of my credible status."

"Wait, what?" I exclaimed, but he kept talking. Shisa was back, and was remaining uncharacteristically quiet. "There is a position for 'Honor', yes? I think that will fit me quite nicely. You won't find a better dog for the spot, I can assure you of that." He said, flipping his long ears and sticking his nose in the air. "Now, hurry up and find the rest of my fellow warriors- and I shall inspect them all once you've found them. They of course need to share my blood status, and be just as worthy as I." He flicked his tail into my face before trotting off, and I stared after him. "Well, that's one more dog down.." I said, looking up at Hiraku, and he looked down at me with a small frown on his face. "..I guess?" Daiko was willing to come with us, but I didn't know if he would really make a good warrior. He was so stuck up and rude, and I didn't know if that was really honorable behavior... But what else could Daiko be? I wondered. 'Maybe duty? Or brotherhood? No, definitely not brotherhood..'

Shisa looked up, wagging her tail sheepishly, and barked in her shrill voice:

"I'm sorry, I was just talking to him this morning about the weather, and upcoming celebrations, and your mission just sort of slipped out-"

"It's ok, Shisa." I said. I'd only just met the dog, I couldn't judge him so quickly. 'He may yet prove to be a worthy dog- you never know.'

"We'll see you both later." I barked, dipping my head, and trotting towards the Village entrance. Surely journeying outside the Village would yield even more possible warriors. There didn't seem to be any left in Kamiki, at least for now. Sakuya's enchantment over the map revealed there were no more to be found in the village, but quite a few just outside..

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It was a warm, beautiful morning in Shinshu, the guardian sapling was shedding blossoms and the wind swiftly took the petals and swirled them up through the air and into the surrounding cliffs. I walked slowly, taking everything in, looking and smelling for any canines nearby. To my surprise, I quickly found one. To the side of the path, I saw an ox-cart, and a brown dog lying beneath it. When I passed it, the dog whined nervously and moved farther under the cart. I shrugged and decided to get a move on; I could talk to him later. So, I decided to follow the blossoms of the great guardian sapling, as they blew over the rocks atop a great passageway I knew must surely lead to Hana Valley. Then I entered into darkness.

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I gasped. This...was not the place Mother had told me about; this was maybe the place that it had been before she'd restored it. Gray rock and sludge-filled water lined the walls of the valley, and withered trees were all around. As the Guardian Sapling's petals floated down from the rocks, they withered and crumbled away into dust. I gagged from the smell of the water, then suddenly a commotion up ahead caught my attention.

Two imps were fighting a limber, long-eared canine. They came at her from both directions, but she sprang above them both and out of harm's way. Then she came down on the back of one, and bit down hard. The demon shrieked in pain, and lay still, fading away into flowers- which instantly withered. The second backed away, then ran up the hill away from the fight. The dog panted, dark imp blood stained part of her pale face, then she turned her head and saw me. She sat down and watched us draw closer. She wore a pink blossom on her head, next to her right ear. She was primarily white in coloring, with some light pink-brown on her face and back. She stared at me closely with her amber eyes, -warily- until suddenly she spoke. "Who are you, stranger?"

"I am Akimeterasu." I replied calmly. "Akimeterasu?" Suddenly her eyes glittered. "A god? So, you have come to deliver Hana Valley from evil?" She stood up, looking excited. "Well..." I said, looking around. That hadn't been my original intent, but it definitely needed being done. "Thank goodness you've come! I need your help Akimeterasu. If you will most generously offer it. You can call me Hana." The dog dipped her head. "What do you need?" I said, lifting mine, and she looked out over the murky river, her gaze hardening as she did so. "Hana valley wasn't always the place you see now." She said, sweeping the rocks with her amber eyes. "Once it was beautiful and covered in flora, the cherry trees were a delight to both the eyes and nose." Hana sighed. "But ever since monsters returned, the water has grown putrid, and the trees wither, and they… they even… some of them even killed my best friend.." She bowed her head in sorrow, and I felt sorry for her. I reached to pat her back with a paw- "But I still stay." She said, snapping her head up suddenly with a fierce look in her eyes. "I have to do all I can to destroy the monsters who defile my home, and those that killed my friend! They have to pay for their crimes!" Hana growled. The red-orange fire of justice raged in them, and I knew at once, this too was a future warrior. So our search began, high and low all over the valley- seeking out demons and annihilating them.

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We spent the day exploring almost every crevice of the valley, killing all the demons we came across- mostly small packs of imps that were trying to settle in; in this new, evil-infested place. All the while, the foul air in Hana Valley seemed to grow steadily worse and worse- more things about us faded and died as Hana grew more and more frustrated. After a few hours, she was furious. "We've traveled this valley from one end to another, and still they're nowhere to be seen.." She barked, prowling on the stone floor. "They must be hiding, cowering in the shadows.."

"What sort of demons are they anyway?" I asked from my perch, overlooking the area. We'd traveled far up the cliffs, high above the Guardian Sapling, into an area that must have been rarely traversed, for the paths were dirty and simple. Maybe it was meant for a spiritual pilgrimage for priests to reach the top of the mountain- or maybe it was a lost path to Yakushi Village; either way, it had stopped being used after monsters infiltrated the valley. We'd only discovered it after I cleansed one of the ancient statue guarding the way with fresh rain, rewarding me with praise and the hidden path upwards. "More imps?" We'd killed all the monsters we'd found, and I had a feeling they were almost spent, but still there was a great force of evil about this place... "Oh- they're not demons, the monsters that I seek are a pack of boars." She said tersely, and I was taken aback. "But they are just as evil as real demons, Akimeterasu, make no mistake." She assured me.

I hadn't realized what we sought weren't true demons, that they were in fact normal, mortal animals. I felt confused, and conflicted. I'd promised to help Hana, but simple wild boar are not 'evil'.

"Hana, could you tell me how your friend died?" I said slowly and respectfully, and she grew rigid. "Yukio was killed when we were exploring in the valley. We came across a giant boar, and the creature attacked him without any warning. It was a vicious animal, attacking without mercy and tearing into him as soon as it saw him. I rushed forward to try and protect him, but I was tossed against a rock and my vision went black. When I finally awoke, he was dead- lying just ahead of me. The dog I'd grown up with, dead before my paws. He'd managed to injure the boar enough so that it had died of its wounds a few strides away. But I know there were more, I could smell them; and there were multiple tracks around their bodies. They shall all pay for his death!" Her voice was anguished as she uttered her cry, and I flattened my ears. I was sent to this place to protect people, and from the sound of it, the boar were a threat, but they were animals- I was not to take part in normal mortal conflict, only demonic-based. But if they were killing people...

A loud noise came from father up the cliff, and all of us turned our heads. Hana lowered down into a crouch, and we both ran swiftly and quietly towards the noise. We came to an outcropping over rock above another large room, where a group of creatures were snuffling around nervously. There was a large brown one, and several small speckled ones. It was a family! A family of boar! The scent of blood must have covered the scent of milk, so Hana didn't know. The boar that had attacked Yukio must have been the father! He'd attacked the dog- trying to protect his family.

The biggest of them -what I assumed was the mother- raised its head and looked around, fear in its shiny, beady eyes, and snuffled with its snout in the air. The little ones made squealing, whimpering noises, and a great shadow passed over the ground, passing over the sun for a fleeting moment. There was a terrible squawking shriek, and the family of boar tried to flee back to the wall, but a great creature landed in between them and safety. From the moment I saw it, I knew this was the creature that was causing the great disturbance in the valley- it emanated decay and wrath. It was a mighty creature with the beak and wings of a bird, but with razor-sharp feathers, and brown, black, and white fur on its body and four legs, which ended in paws. He oozed with unhealed wounds, leaking dark blood; and I could see a few of his bones showing through the ragged patches near its ribs and back leg. On its thin, angular wings, it had a giant black claw sticking out of the joint in the middle, up into the sky. His face was not entirely bird-like, it had fur, and drooping, torn ears. Its eyes were dark and clouded.

He stalked towards them -set on his prey- and the piglets squealed in fright, ducking behind their mother. It opened its mouth and let out another terrible screech, preparing to attack. I leaped forward to stop the creature when Hana growled. "No!" She said, sticking out her tail to block the way. "They deserve it! They all do!" I heard rage and fire in her tone, but I also heard conflict as her voice broke, and it sounded like a question. She squeezed her eyes shut, and growled again. I could see she was fighting a battle against herself- against her own anger and pain. "Hana-" I whispered, seeing the monster prowl closer and closer to the babies. We couldn't just let them die.

But before I could say anything else, she shook her head and her eyes flew open, then she charged down the hill, snarling to draw the beast's attention. I let out a howl and reared upwards as Hiraku whooped -waving his tiny hat in the air- then raced after her.

The winged beast turned to face us and shrieked in fury. His face was a mess of a beak, fur, and feathers, mashed together as only a monster's face can be. Hana let out a howl and dodged to the left, drawing its attention away from the boars. Her tactic worked, and the monster focused on her, watching her every move. It readied for attack, lifting its paw -large, overgrown claws glinting- and I leaped on its back, wrapping my rosary around its neck. It squawked and bucked around, flapping its terrible wings in an attempt to throw me off. I struggled to stay on its back, holding both ends of the wooden rosary as it burned into the demon's neck with its power. Then one of the black spikes on its wing caught the side of my head and I tumbled off. I summersaulted on the floor to stay on my feet as I went spinning away. While I was temporarily out of the fight, Hana took her turn- running forward to engage the creature. She dodged its sweeping wings, and went for its chest- sinking her fangs in. It howled in pain and scratched at her, so she flipped away to safety. It rose into the air, high enough to block the light again, and did a spiral attack into the ground. We dodged out of the way at the last second, and it pummeled into the floor- leaving a giant crack in the stone. It recovered quickly, and used its iron wings blocked our attacks, covering its face with them; but when it lowered them to taunt us, I had only to slash at his face and he would drop his defense. The battle was quick, but fierce- and tough. Then, finally, the last blow was struck.

For an instant, he stood frozen, still in shock, and he stared Hana in the eyes, as she'd made the final strike. "You shall not harm them!" She growled, fire raging in her eyes. Something flashed across its face -and something wispy seemed to leave its body- then all light was gone from its deadened eyes, and it fell to the floor. It collapsed into a bed of flowers, body fading away into nothing. Hana looked at the spot where it disappeared, not moving, just sitting and staring with a shocked look on her face.

"Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost." I asked, padding up behind her. "Yes, I'm fine." She said, blinking and shaking her head. Then, her eyes fell on the boar family, the mother standing in the middle of the piglets, and watching her. The two stood off, staring each other down, but neither making a move. The thick-muscled, powerful she-boar lowered her head, brown coat rippling gold in the sun. Hana's lip was curled in a wary way, still none of them moved. Perhaps Hana was regretting her decision of saving them?

Then, one of the little pigs came forward, -between his mother's legs- and looked at her with wide, curious eyes; at once, she seemed taken aback. The little piglet walked up to her on little spindly legs, keeping its tiny gaze on her. Then wobbled still closer and pressed up against her leg, closing its eyes. She gazed down at it, looking shocked, then I saw her muscles loosen, and her face relax. She used her other paw to scoop it up and hug the little pig to her chest. The tiny creature almost disappeared into her thick chest fur, and snuggled close into her warm, soft, white silky coat. I heard a sniff beside me from Hiraku, and I felt water start to fill the edge of my eyes, I had to blink it away. My heart was melted from the sweetness of it all, especially the peace between them, and forgiveness. Then, an actual glowing orb separated itself from my chest, burning with a bright red fire, and floated over to Hana, enveloping her with the warm, heart-felt glow of justice.

'Another warrior down', I thought as I sniffed, and Hana broke away from the little boar; putting it back down on the stone. Hana smiled, and the little pig snuffled at her. "I swear, I will help right the wrong that was made to your family. I will help provide for you, in the ways that your father is no longer able to. And I- I shall gain a new family. Yukio would not have wanted my heart to be filled with hatred, and I know he would not want an innocent family to starve. What happened to him was an accident, and many have suffered for it, but no longer." Both the piglets' father and Yukio's deaths had been a mistake, a tragic mistake, yet in the end, Hana got a new family, position, and friends; and the boar family got another member of the family, and a new protector. The sun was high overhead, just starting to descend into the west, but the mother boar snorted loudly, and called all the babies back to her. She gave Hana a look of well-won respect and gratitude, and Hana returned the gaze. Then we started on our way back. "This is not the justice I went searching for… But I think it is better." She turned back and smiled at the little pig.

As we walked back down the mountain-trail, I told Hana about what had happened with the orb- that she'd been chosen to be a Canine Warrior. She nodded in assent, she agreed to come with me to train, but then she would return here to fulfill her promise. As we traveled back, I found my mind wandering to what justice really is. It is more than vengeance, it's also about compromise. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind, after all. Justice is about dealing out punishment, but also taking it yourself. It's about being more than yourself, about ultimately- peace, and forgiveness. Justice is fire, a punishing fire, but it's not about judging others, and not placing yourself in a place of higher honor than them. It's about knowing when to be harsh, but also to see multiple sides. It's about doing what must be done, whether pleasant or not. Taking it upon yourself to do what's right, no matter what.

Already, the valley was starting to renew itself. Fresh water flowed down the river, little sprouts were popping up from the ground, and buds were forming on the cherry trees. The evil that had been suppressing Sakuya's sapling was gone. That feel of lasting hatred was gone, and new things could grow. My tail looped in almost continuous circles around the trees as we trotted down the path, and we picked up speed as the blossoms burst around us, so we were dashing through a cherry blossom storm. Hana herself had changed too, she no longer was holding onto dark feelings, her spirit was free.

We talked for most of the walk back about what had happened, her friend, the monster; it was only when we got to the ox-cart that chaos reappeared. As we rounded the cart, a brown blur came out from around the other side, lunging towards us- and I heard a scream of: "DEATH!"

(AN: WOHOOOOOOO Next chapter! :D Gods, this took FOREVER! Hana's story was a pain to write, and only a week ago I had a stroke of inspiration and changed the whole thing. The next chapter will also probably be a while, since this is an area of the story where I had little previously written out.

I didn't really think I'd address religion so early on into a story, oh well. *shrug* Hana valley seems to fall into ruin a lot, doesn't it? XD But the places that harbor the most beauty, often draw the most evils to them.

The creature Akime and Hana had to fight is called an Onmoraki, a bird-demon made from the body of someone who recently died. It may or may not have more meaning than just being a boss in the story.

That little-pig scene was so fun to write. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, DAAAWWWWWWW! 3)