Ruby's gaze shifted between Blake and the man in front of them who was, according to her Faunus teammate, Blake's Great-grandfather. "Not to be rude or anything, but why are we here Mr. Belladonna?" she finally asked.

Hisaki smiled. "Please both of you follow me." he said. "That doesn't answer her question." Blake snarked. "And I'm not the one she should be asking that question to, little kitten." The elder Belladonna said. Blake had the decency to blush at being called a kitten.

The two huntresses in training then followed the guardian of the sun further into the celestial plains to where they reach the library. "Whoa." Ruby said in awe seeing the amount of scrolls and books. She looked at Blake, whom was practically drooling.

"I take it that you like to read in your down time Mr. belladonna?" Ruby asked. Hisaki nodded. "I do read romance novels, but not the more colorful works that Blake tends to read. That's more or less Lady Amaterasu's preference.

"You wound me Hisaki." Came the soft feminine, yet regal voice of Amaterasu. Hisaki kneeled whilst Blake got on her knees and bowed, yanking Ruby down to do the same.

"Blake, Ruby, there's no need for that." Amaterasu said. "Why Lady Amaterasu?" Blake asked. The goddess' ears twitched slightly as she felt the time of summoning draw near. She could see the strain on Hisaki's face as well.

"We've chosen you both to go in our stead as Nippon has become enshrouded by darkness again." She said. "Chosen?" Ruby asked.

Blake pondered what the sun goddess meant. "Your still recovering aren't you?" she asked making ruby confused while Amaterasu nodded.

"Blake?" the reaper asked her friend. The faunas turned to her leader. "according to the legend, Amaterasu took a blow from the evil being known as Orochi that was meant for the swordsman called Nagi." She said. "However, the legend never stated which head it was since it was shrouded in darkness."

Hisaki nodded. "Indeed, though due to the amount of time that's passed and of how long its taken or will take… I think it was the one with the poison element or shadow. Perhaps a combo."

"Ok, but why does this concern us?" Ruby asked. "Because we've chosen you Ruby to go in my place as the Sun Priestess." Amaterasu said.

"Um, ah. The what?" Ruby asked confused before looking to Blake for help. "According to its legend, the Sun Priestess is the apprentice of..." the faunas began before her eyes widened and looked at the sun goddess for confirmation.

Amaterasu smiled and nodded showing them the image of the Priestess, that was eerily similar to ruby save for hair color. Blake felt lightheaded and took a few steps back away from Ruby. She never, in her own life, would have thought she'd meet her idol, the Sun Priestess, much less be her teammate.

"Blake, you ok?" Ruby asked taking a step forward. The scarlet reaper stopped short when her teammate got on her knees and bowed to her of all people.

"The sun priestess is considered the herald of Amaterasu and is her apprentice." Her teammate said still bowing. Blake then looked to Amaterasu. "my family only had a description of her abilities and personality, not looks. They left everything, regarding great-grandfather, in Nippon."

The goddess frowned. "I see. As I said Ruby, we need you to cleanse Nippon of evil in my place." She said. Ruby nodded.

"Ok, but what about…" Ruby. "No time will have passed on remnant, no matter how long it takes." Hisaki said.

"that was the second thing I was going to ask. Where does Blake fit into this?" Ruby asked. "Like myself. The Sun Priestess has a guardian." Amaterasu said before gesturing to Hisaki.

"that guardian must have the blood of the sun goddess's guardian in their veins." Hisaki said. Ruby turned to Blake, whom was in shock.

The reaper helped her friend up and steadied her. "It would be my honor to serve the Sun Priestess." Blake said making her Great-grandfather and the Sun goddess to nod.

"Here Ruby, allow me to give you my brush technique of raising the sun." Amaterasu said as an orb with the kanji for sun left her body and flew into the young Rose. "One last thing; continue to treat each other as you do currently." Hisaki said. "You are stronger that way."

Both teens nodded before fading. "Good luck you two." Amaterasu said relieved that the burden to save Nippon was temporarily no longer hers.

All ruby could see was darkness after vanishing from the plains. That was until she heard a voice. "Great Amaterasu and mother to all, we request your aid once again." A melodic voice said

-okami-

Sakuya took out Amaterasu's instrument, Divine Retribution, and threw it at the statute of the goddess, but to her shock, the disk froze in mid-air and began to reform into a flaming scythe. The tree sprite's eyes widened.

"is it possible that lady Amaterasu has finally chosen the Sun Priestess?" Sakuya mused before glancing at Hisaki's statue.

Suddenly, cracks appeared in Amaterasu's statue before the chunks fell away to reveal ruby dressed differently than she had been in the celestial plains.

-okami-

Ruby blinked as the light suddenly returned before instinctively reaching out and taking a tool that flew to her hand. "Whoa." She mused. "Sun Priestess?" came the same melodic voice. Looking up, ruby saw a woman floating in the air.

"I- I believe so… yes, yes I am." Ruby said after seeing the scythe in her hands. It was similar to the one in the image of the Priestess on the scroll. Since Amaterasu had used it before her and the fact it looked like a combination of Crescent Rose and her uncle's weapon, Harbinger, when it was in scythe mode, made Ruby give it a new name; Divine Rose.

"Then that means Guardian Hisaki remains in the plains with Lady Amaterasu." The lady said taking out two swords; a katana and tanto.

"Then let us awaken your guardian young Priestess." The woman said before approaching Hisaki's statue. "Awaken young guardian, the priestess requires your aid."

The woman placed the weapons in the statue's hands and both weapons glowed. The tanto reformed into the bladed sheathe of Gambol Shroud and had a regal appearance to it while the katana had reformed to look like the sword part of Gambol Shroud minus the gun. It too, looked regal.

The statue seemed to heat up and slowly 'melt' away to reveal Blake, dressed differently as well. "Blake, you ok?" Ruby asked her friend.

The Faunus turned guardian swayed slightly before regaining her bearings. "That's something I never want to do again. Ever!" she groaned out before seeing Ruby and the Tree spirit. "Priestess Rose, I see you're awake."

Ruby was about to complain about Blake's insistence on treating her like some kind of deity when Sakuya spoke.

"Priestess Rose?" she asked. "My name is Ruby Rose, and this is the Great-granddaughter of the sun goddess' guardian, Blake Belladonna." Ruby said gesturing to herself and Blake.

"Lady Ruby, Guardian Blake, I am…" the tree sprite began before Blake cut her off. "Sakuya, tree spirit and guardian of Kimiki Village. My family may have left Nippon, but the stories and legends went with them." The new guardian said.

"I see. Well, time is… what's this?" Sakuya said before looking down at her clothing. "Is something wrong?" Ruby asked sharing a confused look with Blake as the spirit began to laugh.

Suddenly, something popped out of the spirit's clothing. "Eh?" Ruby and Blake said, eyes comically white in shock.

The thing or being rolled slightly before standing up. Curious, Ruby set Divine Rose on the ground before laying down to get a better look. She notice that what appeared to be a beetle was actually a hat and that the being was actually a tiny person. Sadly, the hat hid the person's face.

"Um, do you mind backing off? You're a little close for comfort" the tiny person said. "And if you don't back off I'll be introducing you to Denkomaru's sting." The tiny person then unsheathed what had to be the tiniest sword in the world.

"EEEP! Sorry!" Ruby said scrambling to her feet. "A real life poncle." Blake said in astonishment. "Poncle, Blake?" Ruby asked.

"A group of extremely small people. According to the story regarding Amaterasu and my Great-Grandfather, they had a poncle as a companion and celestial envoy." Blake said. before Ruby could ask what a celestial envoy was, the poncle was, said person of interest spoke up.

"Yeah, I'm a poncle. Name's Issun. Issun the wandering artist." The poncle said. before any further conversation could be made, Sakuya spoke up.

"Before we are interrupted again, I must make haste." She said sounding weak. "What's wrong?" Blake asked. "As you know, darkness has ravaged Nippon, I've protected the inhabitants of Kimiki Village by storying their souls in that fruit on my tree." The tree sprite said getting weaker. "But in doing so, in addition to summoning you both, has left me extremely weak. Priestess Rose, Guardian Blake, I wish you luck."

The three watched the sprite vanish before their eyes. "Is she…?" Ruby began to ask. "No, she isn't dead. I think she's just too weak to sustain a physical form." Issun said. "So, an artist huh?" Blake asked.

"Yeah, here have a gander." The poncle said bringing out a scroll and tossing it at ruby, who caught it with ease. Blake gained a comical question mark at what just occurred. The poncle had pulled out a scroll roughly three times his size.

Ruby opened the scroll and jerked her head back. "What's wrong Ruby?" Blake asked. Ruby showed her what was on the scroll and she whistled.

"Not bad Issun." The Sun Priestess said. "with that out of the way, lets free those villagers." Ruby got into position to cut the fruit down with Divine Rose. "Now hold your horses." Issun said hopping up and down in front of the two.

"You can't use your divine instruments on it. You need a brush technique specifically the slash technique." The poncle continued. "well, what now?" Ruby asked.

"Well, shouldn't you guys look yourselves over? Cause Ruby looks good in that kimono." Issun said. "Ki-what now?" Ruby asked looking at Blake.

"Kimono. It's a dress made of silk worn by high to mid-class citizens as well as the royalty during celebrations or ceremonies in Nippon. I have to agree with Issun. It does look good on and suits you." Her Guardian said

Blushing slightly at Blake's comment, Ruby looked herself over. Her kimono was colored black with red cuffs and had roses stylized on the sleeves and torso. The sleeves seemed to be extremely large but not enough to her usage of Divine Rose in combat. A large red ribbon was tied around her waist with the knot on her midback.

"Blake what's this?" Ruby asked "That's an Obi. A silk sash used to keep the kimono closed." The Guardian said before looking herself over.

"I like the armor Blake." Ruby said. "It's reminiscent of a samurai's yet wooden." Blake mused. Underneath the chest and shoulder armor, Blake was wearing a black turtleneck and white overcoat(1).

"Well girls shall we?" Issun asked. Blake and Ruby nodded. Issun jumped up towards Ruby. Blake reached out and snatched the poncle mid-air having seen where he was headed for.

"Oi!" the poncle said in protest. "I saw where you were aiming bug. You can ride in the bow of her obi. It's much safer there.

"Easy, I ain't like that. I only hitched a ride like that on Sakuya cause she had a more developed figure. I would've slid into the obi's knot regardless. Also, seriously bug? Maybe I should hitch a ride with you instead!" Issun.

Blake didn't rise to the bait. Instead, she gently placed Issun in the knot of the obi on Ruby's back. "To be fair Issun, at your size, one could mistake you for a bug." Ruby said. "also, Blake please don't fight with him. or call him names."

Blake narrowed her eyes as Issun leapt up and onto Ruby's shoulder. "Alright, let's go. See that portal in the tree." The poncle said getting the two friends to look. "It'll most likely lead us to the power slash brush technique." Blake eyed him.

"You know this how?" she asked. "How else? "I'm the Priestess' celestial envoy." Issun said turning his tiny head to the new Guardian.

"What's a Celestial envoy anyway?" Ruby asked. "I'll tell you while we search. For now girls, adventure awaits." Issun said before hopping back into the obi's bow.

Priestess and guardian shared a look shrugging before entering the portal.

A/N: Thus ends chapter two of The Sun Priestess. Next chapter we'll be seeing ruby getting her first two brush techniques. Now you've already noticed something different about Issun. In this, he's more acceptant of his job early on rather than later in the game and more mature.

He still has his anger issues in regards to being called a bug or being insulted in general. I also have something special in store for Blake next chapter as well.

As always, please read and review

NEXT UP: The Amazing Mr. Hollow/Huntress From The Abyss

1: Blake's Vol 4-6 outfit with the torso and shoulder armor of the orochi from For Honor