literature

Where they go...

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It was the stroke of 7pm on May 2nd and everyone, meaning a local community in the city of Osaka, was at the Kita shrine for the local Golden week festival. The shrine was a branch of Shinmei shrine, and therefore worshiped the goddess Amaterasu. They all went past the Torii gate in excitement and onto the shrine grounds, instantly going to the Temizuya to do Temizu. At the shrine, there was dancing at the Kagura-den, worshiping in the Haiden, and friendly chats going on here and there. Outside the sacred place were games, stands, a Mikoshi being carried around, gift shops, and many other festive attractions.
There was one family that was new to this festival. They had recently moved into the area and this was their first Golden week here in Osaka. The father, Tomoro Tanukki, wasn't the most excited person to go the festival. He would rather have stayed at home and read the local paper, or have done some other sedentary activity; but he kept a happy smile on his face. He was dressed blue Yutaka that was traditionally styled for men. The mother, Shiko Tanukki, loved these festivals. Back where the family used to live they had them as well, so she knew exactly how to govern everyone into having the best time. She dressed in a pink kimono with a simple floral pattern. Finally there was their daughter, Aniku Tanukki. She was young, only about 8 years old, and she was excited, just as a little girl should be about these kinds of things. She wore the same kind of clothing as her mother but that had an anime star pattern, and had her hair up in a nice bun with a pink butterfly clip keeping it together. They were, in a word, happy.
Aniku: Omikuji Omikuji!!
Aniku shouted that as she pointed at a stand. The shrine maiden of the Kita shrine was selling Omikuji in front of the shrine's Haiden. Omikuji were little papers with random fortunes on them that could be bought with a small shrine donation. Aniku ran towards the stand and her parents followed with smiles and a rolling of their eyes. The shrine maiden glanced down and smiled as she noticed the little girl.
Kitasu: Oh, why hello there~!
Aniku: May I have an Omikuji? Pleease~?
The shrine maiden giggled at the little girl's politeness.
Kitasu: Alright, here you go.
She held out a box to her and Aniku stuck her hand in, pulling out a thin slip of paper. The girl smiled and looked at the strange kanji symbols, then looked up at her mother and held the paper to her.
Shiko: Oh? You want me to read it?
Aniku nodded and Shiko took the slip.
Shiko: Alright then. "Curse, Studies and learning."
She looked at Tomoro with a slight grimace. She was met with the same look from him.
Kitasu: Aww, come now.
The family of three looked at her.
Kitasu: It's only bad luck about her education. Here, how about I throw in this freebee?
She turns and rummages through some boxes before pulling out an Omamori in red wrapping paper. It was a charm to help ward off bad luck.
Kitasu: This will help!
Aniku: *gasp* An Omamori!!
Aniku snatched it out of the maiden's hand and hugged it. Her parents sighed in unison and the mother looked at Kitasu.
Shiko: Thank you so much.
Kitasu: You’re welcome! Now that will be a 10¥ donation please.
She held out her hand with a grin. Tomoro grumbled and gave her the money she wanted. She counted it out and nodded at the precise amount of change.
Kitasu: Thank you for the donation!
Tomoro: Sure sure. Sweetie, can we please get going now? I have work in the morning.
He looked to his mate and she chuckled.
Shiko: Relax Tomo. Let’s enjoy ourselves.
Her voice was light-heartedly persuasive, proven by the fact that Tomoro sighed and smiled a little.
Tomoro: Fine.
Kitasu: Ah! Uh... If I may; I suggest you tie that bad fortune to one of the local trees, or a fence.
Aniku: Ok!
Shiko looked around and smiled as she spotted a tree.
Shiko: Alright, thank you very much...-
Kitasu: Kitasu. I was named after the shrine by my mother.
She bowed.
Shiko: Shiko, and my husband Tomoro, as well as our daughter, Aniku. Thank you.
She and Tomoro bowed in return. Aniku was preoccupied.
Kitasu: You’re welcome! Come down to the shrine at anytime, I'll be here!
She nodded in thanks and they headed off, Aniku waving bye to Kitasu in a childish way.
The family headed to the tree Aniku picked out and she tied the fortune it.
Aniku: There!
Shiko: Good work honey.
She looked up at her mother.
Aniku: Thanks!
Tomoro: Let’s get going now.
The girl nodded and they left the tree. She went by her father and held his hand, then started swinging her arm back and forth in glee. He chuckled and keeping his arm limp, looked down at her, and she looked up at him in turn.
Aniku: Dad, what will happen to the Omikuji?
Tomoro: Well.... The shrine deity, Amaterasu, will come and take it in the morning just as the light touches the tree. When she does, she will be sure to make it so the fortune won't affect you as much.
Aniku: Really??
He nodded with a smile.
Aniku: Can we go see??
Tomoro: Uh.... Sorry but no.
Aniku: Aww why not??
She said that in a whiny voice, and Tomoro replied gruffly.
Tomoro: Don't whine. We can't see because she doesn't come when you watch.
Aniku: Oh...
Tomoro: Also, she does it before you wake up.
She let his hand go and crossed her arms.
Aniku: No fair...
Shiko decided to chime in.
Shiko: Remember sweetie, the deities try not to get involved with us.
The child didn't respond, but looked down in sadness. Her parents looked at each other before smiling pitifully and looking back at Aniku.
Shiko: Don't pout Ani... Let’s try and have a good time, ok?
Aniku: Ok, fine.
She looked up again and her father pat her on the head. She giggled and hugged him happily. After that the family had lots of fun at the festival. They played games, specifically goldfish scooping. Aniku and her mother managed to win a fish, and as they played other games they managed to win other things. Tomoro even won a little flashlight, in which he congratulated himself by grunting. By the time 11 o'clock rolled around, Aniku fell asleep in her father's arms, and the family headed home after the wonderful festive night.
The next morning, around 6am, Aniku woke up and hopped out of bed with a plan. She put her shoes on, then realized something and tiptoed to the kitchen, where she took some paper and a pencil and wrote:
"I am going out to the shraine to see Amaterasoo. Be back soon. ~Aniku"
One she was satisfied, she put it in the center of the table and left the house in her pyjamas It was a little dark out, so she went back inside and came out with the flashlight her father won the night before. She flicked it on and headed off to the Kita shrine.
Within 15 minutes she saw the shrine, the sun was just about to come out.
Aniku: I'm gonna see Amaterasu take my Omikuji... I will.
She broke out into a run towards it, heading up 47 steps and through the Torii gate, onto the shrine grounds. She immediately went and did Temizu, then lay down and hid behind some bushes by the tree her Omikuji was tied to.
Aniku: Hehe~! I get to see Amaterasu take my Omikuji~!
She sang that tune to herself before remembering her father's words about her watching. She thought for a second on how to not watch, but watch, then gasped and closed her eyes to the point where you would mistaken her for squinting, but really she could see ever so slightly. Then, she waited.
She waited 5 minutes, nothing. 10 minutes, the light touched the tree, nothing. Another 5 minutes, she closed her eyes then opened them again to if that would work, nothing. She began to get tired from the lack of rest, and shut her eyes every few seconds. Eventually, she shut them and didn't open them up again, for she had fallen asleep.
Right at the moment, a woman came down and approached the tree, touching the little fortunes and causing them to disappear in a flurry of gold sparkles. She continued this until every fortune was gone, then she looked at the bushes. She approached and revealed the sleeping Aniku. With an understanding and graceful smile, she picked up the girl and kissed her forehead.
???: You precious little girl.
Aniku: Mm... Zzz...
She turned towards the gate and walked off the shine grounds. With each step she took, sparkles followed behind like glitter in the air, before disappearing upon the next step. Her white sun patterned kimono pressed against the front of her body and blew behind her in the wind, her black hair flowing gracefully with it. The sun rose fully and turned the sky a blue in the west, and a beautiful orange-saturated, rainbow colored sky appeared above the sun.
Japan's flag would soon rise in the sky as the woman entered the house, bringing the young girl into her bed and tucking her in.
???: Don't you run off.... Your parents will worry...
Aniku mumbled a bit and opened her eyes slightly in sleepiness before closing them again and drifting off into a deep sleep. The woman stood straight and vanished in a red-orange glow.

Where do they go...?
This is an story revolving around around Shintoism i had to write for my Ethics class at school. I decided to upload it here since A) It's been a while since I've uploaded anything, and B) I'm proud of this story. it was great for practicing verisimilitude, imagery, and going from the perspective of an unknown. 

I really liked how it turned out, and I hope you guys do too ^^ If you don't understand any of the references, look them up. It'll make the story make a LOT more sense ^^;

PS: Yes :iconchaoni:, Shiko is a variation of the name Shikyo that i didn't realize I was using until I was revising, and I was not in the mood of changing the name. Sorry if you're offended ^^;
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Shirehorse7's avatar
It's nice to see you post again