SCENE: JAPAN. A TINY WATERFALL, OVER WHICH HAS BEEN ERECTED A GOLDEN LACQUERED ARCHWAY, INDICATING A PLACE HOLY TO KAMIMICHI (SHINTO). WITH A FLASH OF WATER, A TINY RED FISH LEAPS UP THE WATERFALL AND SWIMS AWAY UPSTREAM. A JAPANESE FOLK SONG ("DOKO KA DE HA RUGA" OR "SOMEWHERE SPRING") TWANGS (THE TUNE STARTS OUT LIKE NYAH-NYAH-NYAH-NYAH-NYAH, BUT IS THIRTY-TWO TIMES LONGER). A LUMINOUS FIGURE IN LAYERED KIMONOS AND OBIS MATERIALIZES. SHE PLAYS A SHAMISEN (PLUCKED STRING INSTRUMENT) WITHOUT SINGING. A PERIOD LATER, A SILVERY LIGHT FLASHES, AND ANOTHER FIGURE, ONE DRESSED IN FAINT PINKS AND GREENS, SPLASHES INTO THE WATERFALL. SHE JUMPS UP AND STUMBLES OUT, THEN SHAKES HERSELF OFF BEFORE TRYING TO SQUEEZE THE WATER OUT OF HER CLOTHES WITH HER HANDS.

Amaterasu: Oh!

THIS IS A DOCUMENTARY OF AN ACTUAL HAPPENING. THE PEOPLE ARE ACTORS. THE DIALOGUE HAS BEEN TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL JAPANESE, WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF POETIC AND CULTURAL LICENSE TAKEN, BUT IS TRUE TO THE SOURCE. THE ACTORS, CONVENIENTLY ENOUGH, LOOK AND ACT EXACTLY LIKE THOSE WHO ORIGINALLY SPOKE THESE WORDS.

Amy: How convenient to encounter you, Amaterasu-san. (she gives a European bow) I apologize for the water on your silks.

Amaterasu: Aumyreivaria-chan, I am delighted to see you. What have I told you?

Amy: (smiling) I beg your pardon, Okami-chan. (She finds a mossy rock to sit on. It's mostly shady, but it has more sun than other rocks around.) Okami-chan, I find myself in somewhat of a difficulty.

AMATERASU IS HERSELF IN SOME DIFFICULTY, AS SHE CAN PERCEIVE THAT AMY IS ABOUT TO ASK A FAVOR. SHE WOULD LIKE TO GRANT IT IF SHE CAN, BUT SHE CAN'T GO AROUND GRANTING WISHES ALL THE TIME, OR PEOPLE WILL THINK THE SUN GODDESS, ANCESTRESS OF ALL RULERS OF JAPAN, HAS NOTHING BETTER TO DO. HOWEVER, SHE MAKES NO SIGN OF THIS.

Amaterasu: Your difficulty grieves me, Aumyreivaria-chan.

Amy: May I tell you of it?

Amaterasu: (wincing internally) Please.

Amy: I find myself away from home and longing to return, but with no means of doing so. Certain magics are closed to me. My only aid and company is a child, one who does not acknowledge her own strong ties with home. I wish the wisdom of my friend in my time of need.

Amaterasu: You may have what is in my power to give, Aumyreivaria-chan.

Amy: (triumphantly) I am glad. I will tell you what I know already. There is a person of high station who holds several of the original Seals of Solomon. I do not know if he also possesses the means to use the seal.

Amaterasu: (shakes head) I do not know of Solomon or Solomon's Seals, Aumyreivaria-chan.

Amy: (smiling even wider) But you do know of rebirth and enactment, bringing things to life. You are the Sun, the Rising Sun. You can trigger it if I have no other way.

Amaterasu: Aumyreivaria-chan, you are causing religions to interact with each other here. Have you asked permission of your gods, and the gods of the Seals? If you do not, then I fear ill may come of it.

Amy: (suddenly nervous, but hiding it well) With the Seals that I spoke of, there is tradition of using them in combination with other religions, many other religions. As for the gods of my culture, I myself am practically one. There is no ill, Okami-chan.

Amaterasu: I hope, for your benefit, Aumyreivaria-chan, that the child aiding you is not of yet another religion. Tell me true: is she?

Amy: No, Okami-chan. She is my cousin.

Amaterasu: That is good. If I can reasonably help, I will, but, Aumyreivaria-chan, know that there are many things which I cannot do.

Amy: I know.

Amaterasu: I cannot go against my father's wishes, Aumyreivaria-chan.

Amy: I know.

Amaterasu: Nor can I go against my own law or nature, Aumyreivaria-chan.

Amy: I know. I do not ask this of you, Okami-chan. I ask nothing of you as a daughter, or as ruler of Heaven and Japan. I ask of you as Amaterasu Okasami, she who is sun in the heavens.

Amaterasu: Oh. I will grant what I can, Aumyreivaria-chan, I so promise.

Amy: (bows in a more Japanese fashion now, hiding her face) I must take my leave now, if I am to get that which I need to return home. Later.

Amaterasu: (also bows) I will try to shine on your ways.

Amy: Thank you very much. (vanishes)

AMATERASU STARES INTO THE WATER FOR A WHILE. THEN SHE LOOKS UP TO HER SELF IN THE SKY AND STRIKES UP HER TUNE AGAIN.

~

Return to the fanfic page
Return to the Duchy