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A mane heavier and darker than the blackest clouds…
His gaze steeled like the sword he wielded, the length of ten fists…
A white yukata with red accents, emblazoning himself with the waves’ ferocity, and a thunderstorm’s weight…
The comb in his hair was foreign to me, but he is not…
Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto. Susanoo, the god of storms.
“Brother…”
What is happening…? Why is this happening?
I looked over the cliff face where he stood. I can see the massive mountains against lightning-laden clouds…the River Hii’s weaving waterways...the rugged wooden rampart…
Wait.
Why is a miles-long rampart out here…? This location is disadvantageous for any army. It also is not defending much of anything; all that’s behind those doors are eight massive bowls of…
“Oh, gracious!” Is that saké? I can smell the yeast all the way from here! With such a potent mixture, even an oni would-
“GYAAAAAAOOOHHHHH!!!”
…... What…was…?
Brother reaches for his sword…stance steadfast…eyes hovering over the horizon?
…Colossal claws…climbing the mountains…
…Eight tails lashing land… Eight heads scouring skies…
…Sinister scales, coated like sullied forests…
I’ve heard of this dragon… Eight times it has appeared, prowling Koshi province, paving a destructive path. Every time, a young maiden was sacrificed to stave off its wrath.
Yamata no Orochi… The Eight-Forked Serpent, Orochi…
Wait…I see no woman down below! Will Orochi continue rampaging…?!
“...Sniffing?”
The baleful behemoth’s heads craned towards the rampart, prying open the doors, entirely enraptured by the scent of…saké! Drawn to drink the brew like moths to a flame!
Wait… Where’s…
““Brother!” Why did I cry out? He likely could not hear me. But Susanoo hurled himself towards Orochi so suddenly…
Steel met scales, resounding through the valley like thunder!
One of Orochi’s necks lowered…beheaded.
“GRRRAAAAAAOOOHHHHRRRR!!!”
Oh, no! “Run!”
Orochi’s seven remaining heads descended upon Susanoo, maws open wide…
He jumped away! The heads clashed together and started thrashing about! How...?
… The saké! The dragon’s once fierce eyes were dazed drunk! Was this Brother’s plan?!
Inebriated rage against tempestuous fury…tearing at each other with gnashing teeth and gleaming slashes…
Hours passed… The overcast parted…
Eight tails, lacerated and limp… Eight heads, scattered severed… The scent of blood stained the night sky.
He did it… My brother stood triumphant over the slain Orochi, searching the colossal corpse just to be certain.
Moonlight flashed off something inside one of the tails. Susanoo perused the amputated appendage and held the object moonward…
Oh, my… What a beauteous bronze blade… To think something like that…came from such a foul…
Susanoo reached to remove the comb in his hair. Understandable, the battle is over…
A flash of light… Silky black locks… Peach-shaded tomesode…
That comb…just turned into a girl?! Her aura…a Kami...! Her attire…a wedding gown?!
An embrace? A comb? Why all this to begin with?
… What do I know anymore…?
Haze blankets my vision… I’m home… With the mirror…
“T-That…can’t be it…” I weakly protested at the mirror, “that cannot be it! T-That woman? My brother? The sword…! Orochi…! Please, don’t deprive me now!”
“Lady Amaterasu?”
“What?!”
Oh, dear… The same retainer…
Um…am I…?” she muttered.
“N-No! Apologies… Erm…” I need to steer this somewhere… “As…you were...?”
“Oh, yes! You…have visitors.”
Visitors…? The moon is already out…
“Very well…” I grabbed the mirror off the dresser. ‘We’ll finish this conversation later…’
Passing the moonlit gardens and throne room, I walked towards my abode’s front gate, sliding open the doors to a massive row of torii.
“Sister…”
That voice…!
At the foot of the many steps in front of the last torii…
“…Susanoo.” And that girl… Must remain calm… I descended the stairs. “You have returned…”
“Yes…”
“…Why?”
… He’s…kneeling? “For apologies long overdue…”
“…What?”
His eyes are downcast, voice gravelly. “I was young…and privileged…shamelessly allowing divinity to cloud my judgment…and my family suffered for it…
““For years, I believed myself to be in the right…” He turned to the girl, “Then…”
She bowed shyly to me. “G-Greetings, S-Sis- I mean…! Lady Amaterasu…! M-M-My name is Kushinada, daughter of A-A-Ashi-nadzuchi and Te-nadzuchi…! I-It’s an honor!”
Did I nearly hear the word sister? “Susanoo, who is this?”
Susanoo grasped her shoulder. “She is Kushinada… She is my wife.”
….. What?!
“Kushinada and her family showed me the mortals’ plight under the wrath of a dragon known as Orochi. I saw how troubled these humans were…but also how hardy they were.
“I realized my narrow-mindedness, promptly agreeing to slay Orochi in exchange for Kushinada’s hand in marriage, and emotional support in battle.”
The comb…
“But I know words alone will not convince you, so…” Brother handed me some long, cloth-covered object strapped to his back… What-
… The sword…!
“I found this bronze sword inside its tail… I doubt you will forgive me, but I still offer this as a sign of my humility…”
…Time stood still, as I reflected on everything I knew…
And for the first time in years, I greeted the world like sunrise: with light and renewal.
I smiled, allowing tears to fall freely.
“Sister…? You are-”
“I-It will…take time, but… This is a start. A brand-new beginning… Brother…!” I cheerfully choked.
Brother smiled, “Yes…it is… Hm? That is Father’s mirror, is it not? Why do you…?”
“A…long story…” I dried my tears and smiled at my brother and his wife. “Perhaps…you would like to hear, over dinner? I would love to get to know my sister-in-law as well.”
Kushinada’s smile stretched for miles. “Y-Yes! Thank you, Sister!”
“Very well, Sister…” Susanoo chuckled as I escorted them back home.
Father, thank you. I understand now.
…The mirror…
…The sword…
Priceless treasures…worth all the world’s cruelty and blessings; reflections of potential to harm, to love, and to change.
Even I am not a paragon of a ruler, and am not exempt from this cycle.
"Virtue and vice.
Love and hate.
Pride and humility.
Such is the way of mortals…and such is the way of gods.
And I could not be happier…"
終了
終了
(END)
(END)
AUTHOR'S NOTE
And with that, our journey of reflection with Amaterasu comes to an end.
Many reveals are made in this chapter, such Amaterasu's realization of the reason behind the mirror's visions and Susanoo's big part in her conclusion. Therefore, I knew that the ending would be more dialogue-heavy than any other chapter I wrote, and I knew chemistry between Amaterasu and Susanoo as well as Amaterasu's impressions would be the most important elements, so I was very specific to get them just right. Even then, I still found headroom for vivid imagery and some embellishments in the form of Japanese culture, such as yeast being the reason behind sake's scent, the tomesode being a rather expensive traditional wedding garment, and the torii gates that separate mortal grounds from sacred grounds.
Much of the story's resolution would incorporate parallels to the mythical tale of Susanoo and Orochi, such as presenting the Kusanagi as a sign of humility to Amaterasu and Susanoo and Kushinada's spontaneous wedding. However, some creative liberties were taken: in the original tale, Orochi falls asleep after getting drunk, but that's no fun, so I wrote a fierce battle between the two. Susanoo's motive for slaying Orochi is also expanded beyond simply asking for Kushinada's hand.
But my favorite part to write was the reconciliation between the siblings and paralleling the Kusanagi, the sword, to the mirror. How fitting that these two are part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan! I could not find a good place for the Yasakana no Magatama unfortunately...
This was a fun project to write, and I feel a bit sad to let it go, but I will always carry my journey with Amaterasu as an emotionally satisfying experience.
I hope you enjoyed. Thank you very much for reading.
- Collin Gaddie
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Romance of Old Japan by Elizabeth Williams Champney
Wikipedia research on Kushinadahime, Kusanagi, saké, tomesode, torii, and Yamata no Orochi
IMAGE INFORMATION
Artist's impression of the Imperial Regalia of Japan, and Susanoo no mikoto and the water dragon (Public Domain Tag)
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