Melody spends the next few days in her room, weaving magic into the treaty. As much as she hates it, she's positive that the monkey-faced man is telling the truth. When Erlang arrives, she doesn't want him to be able to just grab it and run. Even more so, she doesn't want Marcus to be able to snatch it from her pocket again. Even if he's on her side, she would feel more comfortable keeping it on her person.

First, she enchants it so she can fold it as much as she wants without damaging it. Then she enchants one of the inside pockets of her favourite bag - a green one with floral patterns on the sides - so that she's the only one that can see the zipper. And finally, she enchants both the bag and the treaty so that only she can open them.

After two days of working on it, she takes a step back, nodding to herself proudly. It isn't much, and since she's only an apprentice, a fully trained god could probably break through both enchantments easily. But they'd have to find them first. She stretches, feeling her stiff legs and back give a satisfying crack.

Having locked herself away for so long, Melody takes a breath, throwing the bag over her shoulder as she heads up to the deck. She misses the sea breeze, the sun, and the rolling waves passing them by. Plus, they should be getting close to their destination by now - she might be able to see Japan on the horizon. She hurries up the steps excitedly, taking them two at a time. Melody's never been overseas - in fact, she's never even left America. As she emerges onto the deck, she wonders what her first trip to Japan will be like. If only she was going as a tourist.

The first thing Melody notices is the crowd on the deck. Half a dozen clones of Marcus and Oliver stand facing off, sparring with various types of weapons. A swarm of carnivorous animals' slash and snap their jaws at a few more Olivers, who skitter away from them. One of each, who Melody assumes to be the originals, stands in the center of the chaos, staring at each other. Marcus has his arms crossed, while Oliver grips Caduceus tightly, his head hanging forward.

"Focus, you're slowing down," Marcus says, closing his eyes. Another clone steps out of him, and Oliver whimpers, squeezing his eyes shut. Caduceus glows, and a blurry, mishappen copy appears at his side. "Don't focus on any one copy at a time. They all need your attention. They're all you."

"R-right..." Oliver says weakly. The new copies lunge at each other and start to clash, joining the crowd. Some of the Oliver clones stumble, getting slashed or clawed. The Marcus copies move quickly, indistinguishable from the original. Melody takes a second to count them, humming appreciatively when she finds over 20 on each side.

"You're flickering," Marcus adds, waving his hand at a few of the groups. Oliver's copies shiver like TV static, and the original grunts as he tries to hold their form. "Good, keep them solid. But don't forget to fight. Every one that shows signs of being fake makes it easier to find the real you."

"I-I'm trying...!" Oliver grunts. All of his copies pop, losing their imperfections. He grunts again as they go on the attack, but Marcus's copies easily counter.

"You're doing well. But the real test is endurance. We'll keep this pace for three more hours." Marcus replies flatly. Oliver whimpers and a few of his copies begin to fuzz again.

"Have you two been training all day?" Melody calls, deciding to save Oliver. He immediately drops to his knees, his clones blinking away. Every Marcus copy slowly turns to face her, then fade away one at a time.

"The last two days. Pretty much since you locked yourself in your room," He explains with a shrug. "I figured we should be ready. And having two tricksters will be better than one."

"E-even though illusions won't work on Erlang..." Oliver adds between ragged breaths.

"If you teach your copies how to fight, you'll learn how to fight too," Marcus says with a sigh. He turns back to Melody with his usual squinting glare. He's wearing the same clothes as always, but they're clean and wrinkle-free. Oliver, meanwhile, is wearing a new green t-shirt and baggy brown shorts, drenched in sweat. "How long until we make land?" Marcus says.

"Should be arriving tomorrow morning," Melody confirms, hurrying to the front. She leans on the low banister, blocking the sun with her hand as she scans the horizon. She has to squint to make it out, but there is a dark mass forming in the distance. "Maybe a little sooner, assuming we don't hit a storm."

"Why would you say that?" Oliver whimpers, his eyes flicking around the clouds overhead. "What if you jinx it?" Melody giggles, twirling in place with a smirk.

"I'm training to be a goddess of magic, remember? I know how to avoid jinxes."

"We should make a plan for when we arrive," Marcus interjects, carefully joining Melody on the bow. "Where are we going to land?"

"I set the course for Tokyo," Melody says, stroking her chin. "But I guess I should have asked first. Where does the Shinto live?" She says, turning to Oliver. He uses Caduceus like a cane, his legs wobbling as he climbs to his feet.

"I don't know for sure," He explains, his eyes sinking to the deck. "I've never been there. I know where to teleport, but geographically..." He closes his eyes, hobbling forward to join them. "I want to say...Aomori prefecture?"

"And that is...?" Marcus prompts. Oliver hums sadly, closing his eyes again.

"The best way I can explain it is that prefectures are like states in the US. And Aomori prefecture is pretty far north of Tokyo. Near...I think it's called Hachinohe now?" Melody nods, tapping her lips with her finger.

"I can change the course, but we should know exactly where to make land first. How far from there is it?" Oliver grumbles, his winged shoes springing to life. He flies the rest of the way forward, hovering in the air when he joins them.

"I don't know. Like I said, I could teleport there, but I don't know what it's called."

"Then jump there, find out the name, and jump back," Marcus says. "When you get back, we can change course."

"That's not a good idea," Melody says with a sigh. "The Shinto is on edge, from what I heard. If Oliver isn't here as Hermes, and they notice foreign gods coming..."

"T-they may think you're trying to attack them," Oliver confirms sadly. "And at the very least, it would take ten or fifteen minutes for me to make it back."

"Do you know what it looks like from the outside? If we head to this Hachinone place, could you fly up and see it?" Marcus tries. Oliver shakes his head sadly again.

"Hachinohe. And no, it's pretty far inland if I remember right."

"Could you warp one of us there instead?"

"T-that would be worse than me going on my own."

Melody stares over the ocean as Marcus and Oliver talk, bouncing ideas off of each other. She hadn't expected finding the Shinto to be a problem. And it's not like they can just ask the first person they see where to find them. She considers trying to attract the attention of the gods somehow but decides against it. Any flashy show of magic might be taken as a threat if they're expecting an attack.

As Melody stares at the dark shape forming on the horizon, another shape catches her eye. A dark speck breaks away from the mass. It shoots into the sky, pauses, then starts getting bigger. She watches it for a moment, curious, her heart sinking a second later.

"There's something coming!" She squeaks, pointing at it in the distance. Marcus runs to the edge of the ship, leaning over the banister and squinting at it. Oliver yelps and flops to the deck, his shoes going ridged. Melody retreats down the deck, putting a hand on her bag instinctively. She chews on her lip like gum as the shape grows bigger, drawing closer. Before long she can make out arms, legs, and a head - it's a person.

The boy has dark hair, cut short and spiked up stylishly. He's wearing cargo shorts similar to Olivers, but lighter. His shirt is red and has Japanese characters on it that Melody can't decipher. As he gets closer, Melody picks out his rounded chin, high cheekbones, and short nose. He's young, probably only a year or two older than she is, and Japanese. The wind swirls around him like a tornado, rustling his clothes and hair. In his hand is a wooden sword, curved like a katana. When he gets close enough to the ship, he stops, hanging midair on the wind. He raises his sword, aiming it at the group. Marcus responds by summoning his daggers, brandishing them threateningly.

"English?" The boy says, his voice smooth and confident. Marcus growls in reply, and the boy tilts his head to the side. "Nihon?"

"E-english!" Oliver squeals, picking himself up from the deck. "Who are-"

"I'll ask the questions," The boy snaps, shifting his attention to Oliver. He keeps an eye on Marcus, the wind picking up. Melody notices that they've stopped moving, the sails hanging limply above her. "All you need to know is that I'm one of the Kami. And you're trespassing." He glares at Marcus when he tries to move, aiming the wooden sword back at him. The wind picks up again, and Marcus stumbles as it blows past him. "Who are you?"

"Please, wait!" Oliver says, his shoes carrying him into the air. He clears his throat, his hands trembling as he floats up to meet the boy. "I-I'm Oliver, the newest Hermes. I'm here to see Amaterasu." The boy narrows his eyes, glaring down at Melody and Marcus.

"Who are they?" He demands. Oliver glances back, nodding quickly.

"Mel and Marcus. They're here to help. Mel is a Greek apprentice and Marcus-"

"We're here with Hermes!" Melody calls, hurrying forward. She puts a hand on Marcus's shoulder, silently urging him to stand down. If things are as bad in the Shinto as Ra said, telling them that Marcus is Loki might not end well. "We heard the Shinto is in trouble, and we want to help." Oliver nods in agreement. The boy hums, taking a moment to examine the three of them a little closer. Then he sighs, resting his sword on his shoulder. The wind dies down, filling the sails again.

"If you're here with Hermes, I'll believe you." He says, nodding at the staff in Oliver's hand. "My name is Koji. Sorry for all of that." Melody squeezes Marcus's shoulder urgently, and he waves his daggers away. Koji slowly lowers to the deck, and Oliver follows. When he lands, Melody notices how tall he is - easily head and shoulders taller than the rest of them.

"It's okay, we get it," She assures gently. "Is everything okay? How bad is it?"

"That's...not something I can answer," Koji says, rubbing the back of his neck. "See, when I said I was one of the Kami, that...wasn't technically true." Marcus tenses in Melody's hand, and she has to pull him back again. "I'm still just an apprentice. I was banished as part of my training, so I haven't been home in almost a month."

"A month!?" Oliver says, turning to Melody for help. "B-but, the rebellion was-"

"Three weeks ago," Marcus confirms. "So, he doesn't know anything."

"Actually, I know one thing," Koji replies with a smirk. He holds a finger out to prove his point. "I know where the Shinto is. I heard about your problem on the wind. I could take you there, but...I'm not allowed back until I complete my training." He shrugs, resting his sword on the back of his neck. He hangs his hands from it limply as he continues. "So, what do you say we help each other? You help me complete my training, and I'll bring you back with me."

"Deal," Melody says quickly, extending her hand. Koji raises an eyebrow, then carefully shakes it. "What do you have to do?"

"That was easy. Okay, so hear me out - I need to defeat Orochi."

"Orochi," Marcus grumbles. "I'm guessing that's not some kind of Japanese mouse?"

"O-Orochi is the eight-headed snake," Oliver stammers, the colour draining from his face. "Which means...you're Susanoo-no-Mikoto?" Seeing Melody and Marcus's confusion, he quickly explains. "The Japanese god of the sea, storms, fields, and harvest."

"I'm going to be," Koji confirms, raising his head proudly. Melody wiggles her fingers when he doesn't let go of her hand for an uncomfortably long time. "I'm really close to finishing my training. I can basically take the title as soon as I get back." He adds.

"If you're that close, then you don't need to beat Orochi," Melody says, seeing the panic in Oliver's eyes. The eight-headed snake doesn't sound like something she wants to mess with. "That's one of the reasons we're here. We don't need to follow the old legends anymore."

"She's telling the truth," Oliver adds when Koji looks skeptical.

"There's no point in putting our lives in danger fighting this Orochi thing," Melody continues, finally freeing her hand from Koji's grasp. "Take us back to the Shinto with you, and we'll prove it. You can probably take your title right now." Koji hums in thought, stroking his chin.

"I guess I have felt pretty strong lately," he says. He waves his hand, causing the water to suddenly surge over the side of the boat. It crashes down on Marcus, soaking him from head to toe. Koji giggles mischievously and returns his attention to Melody. "See? But I can't accept. I have to beat Orochi."

"No, you don't!" Melody snaps, stepping in front of Marcus before he can act on the murderous look in his eye. "The old legends are-"

"This isn't about the old legends," Koji interrupts. "Orochi is a monster, and it's out there somewhere." He points to the giant island forming in the distance. "It's already been running free for a month now. If I'm not there to stop it, it could hurt hundreds of people." He explains, his shoulders slumping. Melody's eyes widen, and for the first time, she notices how tired he looks. His skin is pasty, and there are thick bags under his eyes.

"You can't beat it on your own, so you want us to do it?" Marcus hisses, wringing the water out of his shirt. "Why didn't you just do whatever your namesake did to beat him?" Koji sighs, hanging his head.

"I tried that, and it didn't work. The original Susanoo got Orochi drunk with eight barrels of sake, then chopped it to bits as it slept. But after centuries of being reborn and killed whenever Susanoo gets a new apprentice, it caught on." He turns away, staring into the distance. "My teacher said he had to force the sake down its throats. But I..." His voice trails off, and he shakes his head. "That's not an option for me. So, I've just been doing what I can to keep it away from populated areas."

"But you do know about the rebellion, right?" Oliver says. "And what's going on with Amaterasu?"

"I've had a feeling and heard the rumours," Koji confirms. "But I'm not allowed to see any of the other Kami until Orochi is defeated, and I present the Grass Cutter to Amaterasu. And even if I forget the legend, it's been taking all of my time to keep Orochi in check."

"But you thought now was a good time to leave?" Marcus grumbles.

"Orochi is up the Takase River, far away from any towns. I can make it back before he hurts anyone," Koji replies. "That's the second time you mentioned this rebellion. What exactly happened?" Melody inhales sharply, fighting herself from looking at Marcus. Oliver, however, looks directly at him, his jaw slack.

"Well..." She tries, biting her lip harshly. I shouldn't have waited this long, she thinks. I should have come straight here. Her guilt bubbles to the surface again, and she has to take a second to push it back down.

"Some idiot tried to cause a war of the gods," Marcus sighs bitterly. "The treaty was broken, and everyone's in an uproar. We're trying to make a new one to prevent a war." Koji's eyes widen, his mouth falling open. He starts and stops a dozen questions before getting one out.

"Who would want a war of the gods!? How stupid can you be!?" Again, Melody has to focus to keep her eyes forward, and Oliver glances at Marcus anxiously.

"It's worse. Tsukuyomi is the one that officially broke the treaty," Marcus continues, crossing his arms. "Apparently nobody's been able to reach Amaterasu ever since, either."

"Wait, something happened to Akari!?" Koji straightens, regaining some colour. He sets his jaw, waving his hand at the sail. The wind picks up, and the ship suddenly lurches forward as it picks up speed. "We need to hurry then. Orochi is in Aomori prefecture."

"We won't get there until tomorrow," Melody warns, inching back to the stairs. "I can go change the course now."

"If we have some time, then we can make a plan for beating Orochi," Koji says. "We need it to sleep. Do you think you could trick it into drinking eight barrels of sake?"

"Tricking is our specialty," Melody says, finally glancing at Marcus. He's wearing a sour grimace, his scarred eyes glazed over in thought. "I'm sure we can figure something out."

"Orochi knows me by now, so I might not be able to help," Koji adds carefully. Melody cocks her head to the side, recognizing something in his voice. Why does he sound so hopeful? Marcus perks up, so Melody assumes he noticed it too. "I'll do what I can, but Orochi is strong," Koji adds quickly.

"I'm sure," Marcus hisses darkly. "Anything else you want to tell us before we go risking our lives to help you?" Koji meets his glare, lifting his head defiantly.

"Nothing I can think of," he says coldly. "We just need to get him to sleep and chop him up." Marcus glances at Melody, and she can see that he doesn't believe him. She can't help but wonder if she doesn't, either. There's definitely something in the way he said he can't help that feels off, she thinks. But if he's been fighting Orochi for a month, it makes sense that it would recognize him and attack. She looks to Oliver to gauge his thoughts, but he looks as nervous and anxious as always.

"I'll go change our course," Melody decides, nodding at Marcus to show that she's thinking the same thing. "You said he's in Aomori prefecture?"

"Takase river," Koji confirms with a nod. "I'll keep the wind going, so hopefully we'll arrive a little sooner than planned." Melody nods, touching her bag again. She watches Koji closely, then nods at Marcus again, hoping he'll get her meaning.

Somethings up. Keep an eye on him.