"This guy," Issun jerked a thumb in the blonde's direction. "Is Waka. A half-baked prophet if there ever was one." Said blonde rolled his eyes and crossed his arms indignantly.

"I see you haven't changed an ounce, ma chérie," It was a playful tone; but there was underlying meaning somewhere. Something Oki couldn't see – might never see.

"Anyway," Issun frowned at being interrupted, but continued none the less. "That's Oki." The Poncle's attitude was brusque and it seemed he was genuinely worried about his canine companion, judging by the way he was rushing into explaining. Maybe Issun had more faith in this Waka than he let on.

"Where's Amaterasu?" Waka asked as he narrowed his eyes on the shame-faced Poncle who was kicking at the log he sat on.

"That's actually why we're out here," He began, adjusting his oversized hat. "If you sensed Shinigami's release, you'll know where the furball went. Me'n Oki decided to stop her before she gets her stupid self killed." He made it sound simple – but their little quest was anything but.

"So that was her," Waka murmured to himself, tapping a finger to his chin as he thought. "I assume you've no actual sign of Amaterasu then?" Issun shook his head.

"If she doesn't want to be found, she won't be," Waka began neutrally, going about it as though trying not to upset his Poncle friend. "You and I know that better than anyone, Issun."

"Well we can't just give up!" And, as predicted, Issun didn't take to throwing in the towel very well. Waka frowned at him and stooped down to flick him on the head.

"I don't recall saying we were giving up," The blonde replied testily, "I meant we should go about this in a more effective way – rather than charging blindly into naught." Oki had to admit, Waka seemed to have more of a head on his shoulders than Issun did.

"Oh, sure," Issun grumbled sarcastically. "And just what did you have in mind, you half-baked prophet?"

"Well," The blonde started, setting his eyes back on the crackling fire. "I've had several unclear prophecies regarding this matter, but they all seem to revolve around a sakura tree in Kamiki. I've seen a woman – a sprite, rather – who is portrayed in my prophecies as knowing quite a lot of useful information on Amaterasu's whereabouts." Issun perked up instantaneously.

"You're talkin' about Sakuya!" He exclaimed, resuming a bouncing pattern on the log. Waka blinked and tilted his head as if to question what he meant but Issun didn't give him the chance to speak. "She's the sprite with the awesome melons –" He cut off abruptly and rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish 'oops.'

"Care to stay focused, Issun?" Oki asked with a roll of his eyes. The Poncle snorted derisively but continued anyway.

"When furball and me were on the quest to restore Nippon, we had to bring back pieces of Sakuya that protected different areas of Nippon called Guardian Saplings. We couldn't 'a done it without Sakuya's help." The bug-like creature was radiating with happy memories and Oki almost didn't want to disturb him, but there was a bigger matter to attend to.

"To get to Kamiki you have to go through Shinshu Fields, right?" He asked, directing the question at Waka to let Issun bask in his recollections a little longer.

"Yes," Waka nodded apprehensively. "Why do you ask?"

"Not long ago I was passing the tunnel to the fields and I couldn't help but get the feeling something bad had happened there." He murmured, glancing between the now-focused Issun and the perplexed Waka. "The scent of flowers had gone stale and there was no longer a breeze." Something about what he had said seemed to have struck a chord with both Waka and Issun because they glanced at each other simultaneously and then back at him.

"What?" He demanded, narrowing his eyes at them.

"There was an ancient prophecy, given to the Celestial Envoys and the Celestials themselves by the since-passed Elder," Waka began, deciding that it was best for the wolf hybrid to know – despite the fact he was neither a Celestial nor an Envoy. "It depicted the fall of Nippon following a tree sprites gruesome death."

"How can we be sure it was talking of the tree sprite we're looking for?" Oki inquired, not liking the way the conversation was going.

"It said that after the tree sprite's passing, the scent of fresh flowers would forever fade," Issun explained, looking puzzled. "Sakuya is, in essence, the scent of fresh flowers that carries on the wind. I think even you can make the connection there, Oki."

He ignored the insult because he could indeed connect the dots there. If Sakuya had fallen, Nippon would follow shortly after. At least, that's what the prophecy seemed to say.

"So what are we waiting for, then?" He demanded, standing up abruptly. Waka blinked and gave him a curious stare. "We've got a sprite to save!"

"But if what you said is true," Issun began, uncharacteristically down-trodden. "We might already be too late." Oki snorted disdainfully and picked the Poncle up to set him on his shoulder.

"We've got one of two choices," He started, glancing over at Waka. "We sit around and wait for a tragedy, or we do something to stop it." Issun nodded slowly and bounced his way to the top of Oki's head where he grabbed onto a few pieces of stray hair.

"Let's go then, shall we?" Waka asked turning and dashing out of sight with Oki and Issun on his heels.

When they arrived at the tunnel, the first thing all three of them noticed almost simultaneously was that the scent of flowers had indeed faded even further from when Oki had passed by earlier. Issun had looked rather doubtful and Waka seemed to share his feelings on the matter, but Oki did his best not to get down. Oneof them would have to be optimistic, even in the worst of cases.

"This tunnel always did give me the creeps," Issun commented idly from where he sat on the top of Oki's head, holding on the ear of his mask for support.

"That's what it was designed to do," Oki said as he ran an index finger against the curves and bumps of the passage. "Intimidate intruders."

"It didn't stop the Ones'ka though, did it?" Waka asked, sending Oki a look that clearly said he knew exactly what had happened regarding that matter.

"No, it didn't." And that was where conversation stopped because they were nearing the tunnel exit and they could all feel something sinister on the other side.

And sinister was an understatement.

Every blade of grass, every colourful flower, every once-green tree had faded away and wilted into something too fragile to be beautiful. The animals had long since gone and the ones that remained were nothing but mounds of fur being eaten from the inside out by parasites. The sky that should've been a dazzling blue was a sickly grey and the sun had no light to shine.

"...It's worse than I thought." Waka decided as he hopped off the ledge with a grace seen only in Celestials. Oki and Issun followed, still shell-shocked by the sight of Shinshu Fields in such a deplorable state. "So where is this Sakuya?" The blonde enquired.

"In Kamiki. It's just a few minute's walk from here." Issun said, pointing toward Shinshu Field's western-most exit. Waka nodded absently and allowed the Poncle to lead the way until they passed the gate to Kamiki, that is.

It felt strange and it was deathly quiet, but that wasn't what put him off. There was something about haze that was there just hanging over the village like a curse. It put him on edge.

"Hold it, ma chérie," The Celestial caught Issun mid-bounce and pointed at the very mist that was putting him off. "That's not the normal kind of fog, I'm afraid."

"Yeah, it feels dangerous," Oki agreed while he scented the air. "And it doesn't smell like fog should."

"I know, I know!" Issun snapped, pointing to a ledge above the village. "I was leading us there if you two would just shut up."

"Calm down, bug," Waka dismissed his insult with a flick of his hand. "You can't expect us to read your mind, you know," Issun huffed but said no more and Oki began wondering how they would find Amaterasu with all the bickering the pair did.

"We'll have to climb a bit, but we should be able to get above the village and reach Sakuya that way." Issun explained as he stepped up to the stair-like ledge he'd been speaking of before popping back up onto Oki's head.

And so, they ascended the ledge in silence.

At the top, Issun directed them around the twisting path of the ledges before they finally made it to the bridge area where Mr. Orange would usually have been watching his precious Sakura tree. It didn't surprise Issun that he wasn't there.

"That is Sakuya?" Oki asked, unable to believe that the pathetic scrap of bark was the tree that had been able to restore Nippon via Amaterasu.

"...I guess it is." Issun didn't sound certain either but as they dropped down to approach the tree itself – it was faint – but the scent of flowers was definitely there.

"She's still here," Waka decided as he breezed past the silvery gate.

"Issun!" Oki felt Issun bounce off his head and approach the tree.

"Sakuya! What's going on around here?" At least the Poncle didn't beat around the bush but what was worrying was the fact the tree sprite still hadn't shown herself.

"...Curse! ...killing... too weak..." And judging by the way her sickly voice reverberated off the cliff walls before fading away, he was absolutely right to be concerned.

"What's this?" Waka drew their attention to the paper lantern dug into the ground beside the sapling and hiding behind one of the large grey rocks.

"...That's a Chōchin'obake," Oki stated with a frown. "They're common curses used by the Namahage's."

"What do they do?" Waka asked as he observed the lantern. It had one eye and the design of a tongue sticking out of a gaping mouth.

"They follow the intention of the user," He said as he reached out to touch it.

"Hold it!" Issun bounded onto his arm to halt the movement. "Ya' don't suppose this is the curse Sakuya was mumbling about, do you?"

"I know how to break the spells," Oki insisted – and he did, after fighting year after year with the Namahage's it was only natural he know all the card tricks they could pull out of their sleeves.

"Go for it, wolf," Waka nodded his approval and took a step back. Issun put up a mild protest but Oki merely flicked his off his arm and focused on releasing the curse the lantern had put on the sacred tree. He first established a connection with the demon before he trifled with being able to speak to it.

"What is your master's intent for this tree?" The Chōchin'obake's tongue lolled out of its mouth and its inky black eye flicked open; but it said nothing. "Speak!"

"...To kill it," The lantern cackled and Oki raised an eyebrow. "To kill! Kill it! Kill it! To kill it!"

"For what purpose will that serve?" He demanded.

"To kill it! Kill! Kill! De-root the damnable tree!" The lantern, paper and ink, spewed and giggled random nonsense before it got together proper words again. "My master Sk-Sk-Ska knows not! Kill! Kill she says! De-root the tree! Kill it I will!"

"That doesn't sound promising," Waka commented drily while Oki tried to register that Ska had something to do with their predicament. "In fact, I do believe I should have seen this coming."

"What?" Both Oki and Issun rounded on him with identical angry expressions.

"Get rid of the demon and I will explain." So he did.

"Banished to the underworld, you demon shall be," Oki placed a hand on the top of the Chōchin'obake and extinguished the fire inside. "Your connection to this world is no longer so." The ink on the lantern seemed to melt away and was replaced with rough paper.

"Now explain," Issun snapped as he popped up on to Oki's shoulder.

"Ska of the Ones'ka tribe," Waka began slowly. "Is not mere flesh and bone; she would never have acquired her leading position otherwise."

"And you're saying...?" Oki persisted with a small snarl.

"She was borne of the evil in Yoshpet." Simply stated but entirely too confusing.

"What the hell." And that really summed up all Oki was thinking about at that point.

"It's only natural, I suppose, that she should ally herself with Shinigami for the sake of power," Waka sighed lightly. "All evil creatures are the same, aren't they?" Now, don't get him wrong, he'd always hated Ska and seen her as a tyrant but evil? That was ridiculous.

"And you didn't think to tell us this earlier, ya' half-baked prophet!" Issun sounded completely outraged at the information that had been withheld.

"Must've slipped my mind," Waka dismissed it with a wave of his hand and interrupted before Issun could start arguing again. "But I know what we must do now."

"Oh yeah?" Issun challenged. "And what's that?"

"Find Ska." Waka stated.

"You mean we're going back to Wep'keer?" Oki didn't really think that made much sense.

"No, mutt," Waka rolled his eyes at him and Oki growled at the insult. "Why do you think you haven't had problems with the Ones'ka as of late?" He said it as though even the youngest child should understand but Oki did see where he was going.

"I see," There was a pause as the wolf thought of something to say. "And you know where she is?"

"Not precisely," The blonde began with another light sigh. "But in my latest prophecies I continuously see a collapsed Moon Cave." The implication was they go scout it out as much as Oki disliked the idea.

"Issun, Waka, Oki," A feminine voice brought them back to the present. "Thank-you all. I cannot guarantee it will be enough but I will restore Kamiki Village for you. Perhaps the villagers can help you – they've been coming to me more and more often to pray but for what, I don't know."

"What caused the fog down there, do you know?" Oki asked curiously.

"That was the Chōchin'obake – it should have lifted by now." Sakuya started fading back into the tree. "Kamiki is safe for now but watch out for it." And with that she was gone.

"Let's go check out the village then," So they did.

Far shorter than I would've liked, but I'm working on the next one as I write and it won't take as long as this one did to finish. Honest.

And because I haven't thanked review I shall do so now – Shadow Wolf 2.X (Thanks for the kind words, heh) Crimson Solitude of the Moon (I agree, her voice could be anything – she seems versatile that way) Shadow of the Eclipse (Yeah, misspellings really put me off so I've tried to pick them out but I always miss some. Darn it.) Blaze ocean Dragon (thank-you for the detailed review. I hope I'm still living up to your standards. Heh.) MeowingWolf (Moar on the way ^^) Anonymous I Think (Glad I can make you laugh and don't worry – this will be updated. No question there ^^)