Melody stares out over the landscape, bathed in the light of the setting sun. The wind rushes through her hair, drying her eyes far too quickly. They've been flying for a few hours now - long enough for her to stop being embarrassed over being the only one that can't fly. Oliver and Koji lead the way as they soar through the clouds, while Marcus hangs back in his winged lion form. Melody keeps a firm grip on his fur, her hands lost in the mess that is his mane.

We're finally going to the Shinto, she thinks, biting her lip harshly. She runs her tongue over the usual raw spot, sucking on it gently. What's it going to be like when we get there? How bad has it gotten? Will we even be able to see Amaterasu? Will they even let us in?

"Mel, calm down," Marcus says softly. Melody snaps out of her stupor, blinking in confusion. His voice is lost to the wind rushing through her ears, but she's sure he spoke.

"W-what?"

"Whatever's going on over there, it's not your fault. It's mine. So, relax."

"How did you-?"

"You only bite your lip like that when you're feeling bad about something," Marcus explains, ruffling his mane. "Plus, you've been pulling my fur for the last three miles." Melody immediately releases her death grip. Her fingers tremble from the strain they were under, and a few loose clumps of fur sit in her palms.

"I'm sorry! Are you-"

"I'm fine. Just relax." He says. Melody notices Oliver and Koji getting a little further away as Marcus slows. "We'll have to tell him what I did eventually, you know. I got on his case for lying to us, and he doesn't even know I'm the one that started it all."

"You didn't start this," Melody sighs, running her fingers through his fur to try to calm herself down. "I did."

"I acted on it." He counters.

"I didn't stop you."

"You wouldn't have been able to if you tried," Melody frowns as he glances back at her, his lips seeming to curl. "You want to argue all the way to the Shinto?" Melody sighs, looking to the side.

"No. So, let's just agree it's both of our faults." She says quietly.

"Deal. But we'll still have to tell him who I am."

"I know. I'm working on it." She says, looking back to Koji. A whole new sense of guilt settles into her stomach, and she bites her lip again.

"Stop doing that. You'll make yourself bleed."

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"Things wouldn't be like this if we just stayed in contact all those years," Marcus growls. Melody feels his ribs vibrate on her legs. "If that idiot Thor hadn't stuck his nose in-"

"Thor? What does he have to do with it?" Melody says curiously. She lays on his back, straining to hear him against the wind.

"Nothing," Marcus grunts dismissively. "By the way, why did you pick the cuffs? I would have gone with the necklace if I were you." He adds passively. Melody sits up straighter, her mouth falling open.

"How did...oh. Odin told you about it, didn't he?"

"Said I should know," Marcus replies. "You were raised by the Aesir; you shouldn't have any problem with the crueler option."

"Let me ask this. If they were going on me, would you still pick the necklace that burns your face?" She snaps. Marcus's head dips, and he growls again. "Exactly. I couldn't do that to you. But I still wanted a way to stop you if you tried anything funny." Her shoulders slump. "Not to mention, you already got your punishment. And even that was too much. You didn't deserve that." Silence falls over them for a time, and Melody slowly lays on him again, nuzzling into his soft fur. She can't remember the last time she got a good night's sleep - probably before leaving Olympus.

"...you're sure you won't regret it? Picking these instead?" Marcus says softly. Melody's eyes snap open, and she realizes she almost fell asleep. She sits up, rubbing her eyes.

"Positive." She assures, patting his back. "What's this about, anyway? You're not planning on going rogue, are you?" Marcus lets out a weak laugh, shaking his head.

"No, I'm not. I've just been thinking. Oliver said some things that got stuck in my head." He pauses, turning to look back at her. "And the silence is driving me crazy."

"Of course, it is," Melody forces a laugh, but she leans down over him again. "But you're not one to just think about stuff like that. There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?" His shoulders tense under her, and she nods to herself. "Tell me."

"No. Not yet." He replies quickly.

"You said I could trust you. How am I supposed to do that if I know you're hiding something from me?" She counters. Marcus sighs, closing his eyes.

"I guess you can't. But it's too much to explain now, and I can tell you're tired." Melody flinches, pressing her lips together. "Get some sleep while you can. I promise I'll tell you when I'm ready."

"And you won't do anything stupid?" She growls.

"I promised I'll tell you first if I do." Melody nods, trying to force herself awake.

"Good. Then I guess I can drop it for now. But you will tell me before we leave the Shinto. And if you three have to fly through the night, I'm not sleeping either." Even looking at the back of his head, Melody can tell Marcus rolls his eyes.

"We'll see." He says, turning his attention forward. He beats his wings harder, catching up with Oliver and Koji. Melody huffs, pouting at him for the next few miles. But as the sun disappears below the horizon and the stars appear, she feels her arms grow weak. She fights to stay awake as long as she can, but eventually, she rests her head on Marcus's neck, falling into a dreamless sleep.

"Mel, time to wake up," Marcus says, his voice piercing Melody's mind. She groans, snuggling into his warmth in protest. "Mel, we're here. You need to get up." Her thoughts cut through the drowsiness like a hot knife. Koji. The Shinto. Amaterasu. Her eyes fly open, and she bolts upright.

The sun is rising to their right, casting long shadows over the mountainous landscape. They descend onto what looks like farmland, dotted sparsely with trees. Koji and Oliver stand at the edge of a clearing, where five narrow farmhouses stand. At the end of a long road sits an old-looking barn. Melody throws her arms around Marcus's neck as he flaps his wings, sending a cloud of dust rising around them. She squeezes her eyes shut, and when she opens them again, she's standing on the ground, clinging to Marcus in his human form. He has an arm around her waist, and she feels her face flush, shoving him back quickly.

"It may not look like much, but this is where the Shinto lives," Koji explains. He runs his fingers through his greasy hair, gripping the Grasscutter tightly.

"I'm from the Aesir. Our base is a boathouse," Marcus explains with a shrug. He squints around, and Melody wonders just how much he can make out.

"Kon'nichiwa?" A woman says. She comes out of the closest farmhouse - the second smallest, a single-story house with a wide porch. She hurries down the steps, her dark hair tied back in a tight bun. She's wearing an apron and thin sweater, with well-toned arms and broad shoulders. "Kōji, sore wa anatadesu ka?"

"Modotte kimashita," Koji replies, offering a polite bow. Melody copies his posture, glaring at Oliver and Marcus to follow her example. Oliver does, but Marcus either doesn't notice or doesn't care. "These are my friends," Koji explains, gesturing to them. The woman looks them over slowly, narrowing her eyes.

"Who are you?" She says suspiciously. Koji steps up before Oliver has the chance.

"This one is Hermes, and they're with him," He explains smoothly. The woman relaxes, smiling warmly.

"Hermes, thank goodness." She says, bowing respectfully. Oliver scrambles to bow back, breaking out into a cold sweat.

"What's going on?" Melody says carefully, stepping up to Koji's side. The woman looks at her, then at Koji.

"It's okay," he says with a nod.

"My name is Hinata Kanojo. My title is Ame-No-Uzume. Are you here to help us?" She says hopefully. Melody nods, raising her chin.

"Yes, we're here to make things right. How can we help?"

"First things first, we need to see Akari," Koji says anxiously. He grips the sword tighter, holding it out to Hinata. "Where is she?" Hinata shifts awkwardly, glancing at the largest farmhouse.

"I'm afraid, she isn't...she can't..."

"Hinata," Koji says, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Did something happen to my sister?"