"So...your names are Cry, Scott, Russ and Red? Weird."

Bark! 'That's rude, Issun-kun!'

"You have a problem, Ammy!?"

"Is he talking to the wolf?"

"Not just any wolf, gaki! This is the sun god! Respect her!"

Cry glanced at his friends and saw that they didn't appear to see the tattoos.

"Oi! Gaki!"

Cry jerked his head back slightly when Issun suddenly jumped closer to his face.

"...Yes?"

"Why are you the only one that can see Ammy's tattoos, gaki? Are you some sort of evil spirit from Yami-teme!?"

"No..."

Issun huffed and bounced off of Amaterasu's nose before small hearts appeared around his head; he was staring at Red.

"You're quite the cutie, huh~?"

Red's face was expressionless.

"Pervert."

Cry and his friends broke out into laughter at the blunt response.

Issun seemed to pout, tilting his hat down.

"So mean, Red-chan~!"

~~

'You are of another world?'

'Yes.'

'That would explain your clothes...'

Currently, the group decided to head back to the small village that Russ and Red came from; Cry and Scott changed into proper clothing of the new timeline and place.

Cry wore a yukata that was the same color as his green jacket.

Amaterasu tilted her head curiously at the white mask adorning Cry's face.

'Why do you wear that mask?'

'This?'

The brunet brushed a hand over his mask, fingers just skimming the surface.

'Well...it's a secret~!'

Amaterasu gave an amused huff as she stretched herself, shaking her fur out.

'We best get going then, Cry-kun.'

~~

"I want no freaky business with you guys, got it!? Better not betray us when our backs are turned!"

Issun jumped around the group of four teens, narrowing his beady, black eyes at them.

"Sure/Whatever/Fine by me/Okie-dokie."

Issun huffed before hopping back onto Amaterasu's head, urging the wolf onwards.

"Let's get going, Ammy! We need to get to the Gale Shrine!"

Cry blinked his eyes in surprise at the familiar name.

Suddenly, 3 colorful orbs surrounded Amaterasu.

'These are three of eight Canine Warrior orbs. Five have returned to the Gale Shrine while the owners of these three orbs have taken up a new duty.'

Cry nodded his head slightly in understanding.

Issun hopped on Amaterasu's head.

"Alright! Off we go!"

~~

"What an oppressive aura..."

Red pushed her glasses up slightly as her green eyes darted around the area.

Russ frowned slightly, taking in the dreary state the town was in.

Scott stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking for any potential danger.

As Cry took in the familiar sight, he remembered something.

"Hey, Red, Russ!"

The two glasses-wearing teens turned to look at the brunet.

Cry opened his bag and showed the Bioshock bottles to them.

"Pick one, or two, but not three! I don't want you guys to combust."

Russ widened his chestnut eyes while Red blinked her green irises in surprise.

"So...you've been to Bioshock already?"

"Yep. And the Order 1886."

Russ picked up a bronze-colored bottle with a horse on it, and Red took a the red one with a devil' space on it; the two quickly drank the liquid inside.

The air became heavy, and it became muggy with heat before disappearing completely.

Russ's right hand became a bright bronze before paling to its usual skin tone; Red' left hand became molten fire before turning back to normal.

"Cool/wow."

Cry smirked under his mask before strapping his bag back to his back.

"Oi, gaki! Hurry up!"

Amaterasu and Issun missed the quick exchange since they went ahead of the group; they came back when they found that the four teens weren't following them.

"Hai!"

~~

"So you're saying that the Canine Warriors can't help in the fight against the Crimson Helm!?"

Princess Fuse bowed her head apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Issun-kun. Since some of the Canine Warrior decided to stay behind, a fraction of their power is taken away."

Issun tugged his hat downwards as he grumbled softly.

"We can help."

Everyone turned to look at Cry, who had a bright, cheerful aura around him.

Scott smirked as he interlaced his fingers behind his head and leaned back slightly.

"We'll help you out."

Russ and Red pushed up their glasses, both holding a smirk of their own.

"We don't mind/We'll lend a hand."

Fuse wiped her eyes with her kimono sleeve, giving a watery smile.

"Domo arigatou."

~~

"Oh, you're back, Amaterasu-chan, Issun-kun!"

Yatsu, the Spirit Guardian of the Gale Shrine, greeted the two said people--while floating--before sending a curious look to Cry, Scott, Russ, and Red.

"Who might these four be?"

"These gaki and the beauty? Well the masked one is Cry, the one with the mole under his eye is Scott, the brunet megane is Russ, and the lovely lady here is Red."

"Oh...well, it' since to meet you, Cry-kun, Scott-kun, Russ-kun, and Red-chan."

Eight colorful orbs surrounded Amaterasu.

Yatsu blinked his eyes in surprise before putting on a serious expression.

"I see that you have the Canine Warrior orbs...are you ready to go in?"

Amaterasu simply nodded her head.

Yatsu waved his hand and the orbs quickly filled the empty slots on the stone wall.

Suddenly, the stone wall opened upwards, allowing entrance to the shrine.

"OH-HO! The gate is now open! My patience has paid off!"

Everyone blinked their eyes in surprise as a raven-haired swordsman suddenly charged through, ignoring everyone.

When the cloud of dust disappeared, everyone sweatdropped; Scott's face was full of disbelief.

"Who the heck was that?"

Cry gave a side wards glance to Amaterasu; the wolf gave an amused huff.

'That would be Susano-kun--that one's always full of energy...'

Cry acted like it was the first time seeing the swordsman, so he gave a noise of understanding.

~~

"Whoa~! We're so high up!"

Scott shadowed his eyes as he looked over the edge of the final floor of the Gale Shrine.

"Oi, Ammy! Come look!"

After seeing the amazing feats of the white wolf, Scott, Russ, and Red were finally able to see the red tattoos decorating Amaterasu's body, and the flaming sword--but they still couldn't hear her voice.

Amaterasu padded over and peered over the edge.

Her ears twitched before she gazed up at the night sky.

A constellation appeared.

~~

"Looks like you got one of your Celestial Brushes back, Ammy! And that was the Kazegami!"

Issun bounced excitedly on Amaterasu's head, celebrating the new find.

"Well, try it out Ammy! Use it on those windmills!"

There was a pause before a cool breeze drifted over the shrine, giving a strangely calm feeling to them.

Issun grinned.

"Awesome! Now let's head back in there and kick some Crimson Helm butt!"

~~

They stared cautiously at the large, red, wooden pillars before them, looking out for hidden enemies.

Issun was currently hopping elsewhere--not on Amaterasu's back--as he looked around.

Cry and Amaterasu were walking ahead, enjoying each other's company.

'Have you ever wondered what it would be like to fly?'

'Maybe. Seeing birds in the air makes me curious...'

'Well, I fell from the sky--so I wouldn't count it as flying--but it was still fun.'

'Really now?'

Soon the two came upon an opening, which Cry quickly noticed when he spotted the special berry-like gem at the shrine.

Right when the two entered, flames surrounded them, cutting them off from the rest of the group.

Cry narrowed his eyes as he stepped away from the flames as Amaterasu lowered her stance and growled at the incoming enemy.

A large ball of flames appeared near the center of the ring of fire.

Bones of a horse-like animal formed before it was coated in flames.

Suddenly, blood-red armor surrounded and covered the skeleton body.

Two swords appeared in two massive, armored hands as a scaley looking creature roared at them, showing off its complete form.

Amaterasu bared her teeth as she stood defensively right next to Cry.

'There he is......Crimson Helm.'