Hello to you all! You can check out the net for more info about this anime, which is being aired in the same station as Trinity Blood.
Disclaimer: Shuffle is the respected property of NAVEL and its creators. Any OC will be thr property of the creator and must not be used without permission. Failure to do so will gain dire consequences...
First Morning.
"Kaede... Kaede... wake up."
"Huh?"
"Kaede... Kaede... wake up... its 4:00 in the morning."
"Primula? 4:00!"
Kaede Fuyou woke up on her bed, fully alert. It had been months since her heart had finally given up on him- Rin Tsuchimi. And like the softly falling snow outside, the painful feelings and memories of that were gently covered by a sort of sad assurance of sorts. She took a hot shower as Primula prepared the table. The reason for her early wakeup despite the year-end / Christmas vacation was something that she had heard during one gathering of classmates and friends.
Two days before, at a gathering at the neighbor's- Lisianthus' (AKA Sia's) place- two of Kaede's Christian classmates talk close to her.
"So Mikan, are you going to church on the 16th?"
"I don't know yet- I have been doing this for four years now- I think I had enough fulfilled wishes."
"Really? I did not know that attending nine morning masses in a row could do that... so far, I haven't done it in a row- about two or three at the most. So, what did you wish?"
"A good life, grades, and a boyfriend for keeps... if you wanted, I'll accompany you each morning..."
"Akiya, Mikan, wait..." Kaede suddenly came in the discussion. "What are you two talking about?"
"We were just talking about our faith's time-honored tradition- night mass, actually held at 5:00 in the morning- nine days before Christmas and ending on the morning of the 24th. Why, are you interested?" Mikan replied.
"Um, sort of. What is it about anyway?"
"Well, they say that if you attend all nine masses- nine mornings, your wishes on the 24th will come true... you must attend it from start to finish though- or the spell will not work..." the one called Akiya replied. "Well, that's what our parents told us..."
"A wish..." Kaede just thought.
"If you wanted, we'll fetch you in two days time- at 4:15AM..."
Back at the present, Kaede had just finished dressing up in her winter outclothing and went to the dining table- were Primula had already prepared two bowls of warming porridge- a result of her "internship" under Kaede- improving her cooking skills I should say.
"Why aren't you dressed up Rimu?"
"I'll not go... I'll just mind the house. And it's too cold outside for me- even with a coat..." Primula replied.
Suddenly, the doorbell rings, making Primula stand up but she was stopped.
"I'll go get it..."
She opened the door, revealing who was at the gate- Akiya, Mikan, Mikan's boyfriend Kazui and of all people, Nerine.
"Come on Kaede, we'll be late... and drop the breakfast, there are lots of things to eat after the mass..." Mikan spoke as Kaede opened the gate.
"Take care..." Primula spoke as Kaede was grabbed and dragged off, closing the gate and the door.
"I'm only interested..." Nerine replied upon being asked. "In our world, we never had such traditions..."
"You'll find this tradition to be exciting my friendships..." Mikan spoke, holding Kazui tight. "You know what I mean..."
"Don't make us jealous with your sweet scenes here..." Akiya protested.
They have arrived in the local church at 4:35- still early but it was beginning to feel a bit crowded. The plaza and park infront of it was abound with mobile food stalls- from ramen to a foreigner selling special rice specialties from his country- steamed purple rice cake and charcoal-baked rice cake. Mikan quickly heads for the foreign concession.
"How I long to eat this treat... one of this please..." she quickly ordered one of the purple cakes.
"What's that?" Nerine asked.
"Good thing you asked..." the hawker replied. "From your looks, you haven't see this treat before... actually, this is just special purple rice, roughly ground and steamed in this bamboo tube you see here. Try it... I bet that you've never tasted this one in your world..." he continued, giving her a fresh sample- complete with the toppings- butter, sugar and some toasted coconut.
"Well, here goes..." she replied, taking a portion of the whole lot.
For a moment she chewed and then swallowed- her eyes suddenly glowed like Kareha's.
"The texture... the taste... it's amazing!"
"Never failed to please an elf- my term for all of you long-eared fellows... please take this ginger tea as well..."
Nerine took the tea and was further overjoyed.
"I feel all warmed up... thanks!" she replied happily, reaching for her purse but...
"No, an elf's first time is always free... in fact, all of you except your friend here are free..." he again replied, referring to the friend as Mikan- who did not protest.
"Come on; let's find a suitable place..." Akiya then urged.
"I'll just follow..." Kaede spoke, getting nods all over.
4:50 AM, Kaede took the time to look at the church's delicate exterior- based on some romantic 16-17th century church designs. She was particularly taken by the motifs of the stained-glass windows- angels and saints. She then made her way to a rather sizable diorama of the nativity- Christ in the manger with his parents and the three kings... with a bright star illuminating it all. She was about to move away from there when suddenly, someone in a white jacket bumps her.
"Excuse me... pardon my intrusion..." the glassed guy spoke, looking at her and then leaving quickly. "Father Lopez will kill me if I run late for the piano..."
But as soon as Kaede took in the event, her heart begins to beat hard. She feels her chest to be doubly sure- and it is. Then suddenly...
"Kaede, it's almost time... Kaede? Kaede!" Nerine appeared and shook her.
"Huh? Lin? What are you doing here?"
"It's almost time... come on, we've found seats."
And so the two entered the church, and seated on the pew where the others were, on the left side near the choir and piano. Kaede in particular was amazed at the décor; chandeliers from the ceiling, more stained-glass panels, the relative yellow glow of the lights- kind of heartwarming even to Kaede's heart. And then, she again feels her heart beating again- making her look towards the piano. And the person that bumped into her was there; already seated and reading his sheet music- making her heart beat even harder.
"Kaede, are you okay?"
Kaede just nodded as the white-jacketed eye glassed teen began to play the piano- the music combined with the choir's singing made the nervous Fuyou a bit less on edge. And each time he played the piano, she looked at him, intent at something. Then, the homily began, with the priest taking the mike and placing himself near the pews- the priest was none other than the foreign delicacies hawker.
"Good morning to all of you..." he greeted.
"Good morning father..." the congregation greeted back.
"First of the nine morning masses- some familiar faces and some new ones- human and elf alike- 'elf' by the way is term for all of you fellows from the other world. As I have spent some time in your world, I have known that you have no similar traditions- that's where we start this discussion... getting accustomed. You find yourself in a new place, not knowing everything or being exposed with new thoughts and ideas... that my friends is a stressful activity. Believe it or not, we- both human and elf, are adaptive beings, being able to adapt and be accustomed to any situation. Today, the first day of the nine days of morning masses, is the time to get accustomed- to get the 'feel' of the situation and to adapt to it- particularly when some of you here are going to mass all the way. In my home country- before I was ordained and assigned to this lovely diocese, I was also a secular guy like all of you- a devout one at that. Tradition stated that for good luck and prosperity and other good things for the next year, one must attend all nine mornings- a thing that evolved with time to become a wish system- attend all nine mornings and your deepest wish will come true on the 25th- that is one example of one being accustomed. Another example happened just a few minutes ago- an elf passed by to buy at my stand outside- but she was still unsure then- but she ate and she loved it..."
The church was utterly silent as the priest continued his speech, with the congregation answering "amen" upon request. Aside from being intent at listening, Kaede was also trying to control her heart- but looking at the pianist did not help at all. Somehow, the pianist felt the look and turned his head back to look at the source- only to return his view forward because she had caught him as well.
"It's not just doing it that counts... but also having faith- that little trust in the magic or a little trust in somebody or yourself. Faith my friends, is a potent force- it is a wonderful force... with it, anything is possible..."
"Faith..." Kaede again thought as the priest closed the homily.
And so after the mass, Kaede decided to stay behind. Even though it was almost seven, the sky was still dark, making her retreat to the light glow of the church's interior. She then made her way towards the piano and lightly grazed her hand on the keys.
"You know, music for me is the best way of expression..." a voice that was just newly familiar to Kaede spoke, making her turn around and seeing the pianist- again.
The girl suddenly goes to him and of all things that she could do, she slapped him right away.
"Hey, what was that for! I know you... you're the one I bumped in earlier... I'm totally sorry about that!" he tried to reason as she began to walk away, stopping her.
"That one... that's for making me distressed..." Kaede replied, turning away.
Moments later...
"What's wrong with her?" he thought then suddenly felt a heartbeat as well. "As if... she's angry at something or somebody else... kind of like my problem too... how I wish that I could help her..."
At the Fuyou house, Kaede immediately went straight for her room and lay on the bed- all tired and wondering.
"That guy, who is he? And why he distresses me so? Why does my heart beat for him? I don't understand... how I wish that everything to turn out fine... how I wish..." she began to cry, remembering all those past months and the pain of finally giving up on Rin. "How I wish to love someone who would really love me as well..."
"Kaede... Kaede... don't cry... have faith..." Primula spoke upon hearing the cry from upstairs and going to her room. "Fate works in mysterious ways... God always has a reason for things..."
"Rimu..."
"Have faith Kaede, have faith..."