I had a sudden burst of enlightenment and decided to begin a new story!
Not my best first chapter, but I have great ideas for this story so I hope you stick with it.
The last fluttering remains of the sunshower moved onwards, leaving the sky clear and the birds chirping in the schoolyard. The surroundings were none the worse for wear, if you don't count a few wet teenagers that happened to be outside for Minamo Kurosawa's gym class during the minor shower.
But today we're concerned more about class 3-3. That of Yukari Tanizaki; the school's most eccentric teacher, but also the most tempermental. Today her temper did not flare; it sputtered away, leaving the air in the classroom clear and buzzing with excitement as she read the memo to her class concerning the upcoming trip to Okinawa island.
The entire student body erupted into a commotion of epic proportions when they received the news. On a hot and sunny day such as this was, the students were more than pleased to know they would soon have a vacation to a destination the majority had not been. Of those that heard the news that day, none were quite so excited as little Chiyo Mihama.
The twelve-year-old genius was beside herself with excitement; hopping impatiently in her seat at the first sign of the news. Even if the trip was a few weeks away, she became completely obsessed with the notion of such a gorgeous place with so much to learn and take part in. Her marked interest in all things big and small made a trip to this relatively far-off destination an exhilarating experience for her. She could learn all there was to know, she could spend close time with her friends; what more could she want!?
The first to hear this from her was her self-styled best friend, Ayumu Kasuga; known to most as Osaka. Osaka could, and would, listen to Chiyo go on for hours upon hours. She was what one could call 'The Ultimate Listener', even if she very often did not hear most of what was being said. Regardless, she always listened.
"Wow! Listen to this, Osaka-san! It says here that Okinawa was the original place where the gods came to create Earth and life!", Chiyo read excitedly from the travel manual.
Osaka's eyes blinked rapidly, waking her from her deep reverie.
"Ain't that just a story, Chiyo-chan? Ya know, a legend?"
Chiyo nodded in assent.
"Mmm-hm! But isn't it so interesting?"
"Ah guess so.", Osaka commented, returning to her thoughts of why pig's tails are swirled.
"But aren't the gods, like, huge? How could they fit on Earth!?", said Tomo, approaching the two seated girls along with her best friend, Yomi Mizuhara.
"It's just a story, Tomo-san...", Chiyo reiterated.
"Still, how could those religious dudes expect us to believe something like THAT?", Tomo commented, arms spread wide.
"I don't think that's something you have to worry about, Tomo.", Yomi said, standing proctorally behind her friend.
"Yeah, I guess you're right.", Tomo shrugged. "Dunno what you find so interesting about this crap, Chiyo-chan."
"Hey...", Chiyo pouted. An act no man, woman or beast could resist. Even Tomo was compelled to apologize immediately.
"Sorry...", Tomo said sheepishly.
"It's interesting to know what people of all walks of life think about the world. Don't you wonder about the world and life, Tomo-san?", Chiyo asked in a spectacularly honest tone, her eyes affixed to Tomo's.
"...Uhh...no?"
Chiyo looked disappointed; distraught, even. In her mind this was a travesty!
"Chiyo-chan, did you really expect Tomo to think about that sort of thing?", Yomi said, matter-of-factly.
"Well, I suppose not...", Chiyo admitted with a slight hint of indignation.
"Right!", Tomo interjected. "That just means I have more time to focus on what really matters!"
"Sucking the life out of everyone around you to feed your own insatiable lust for excitement?", Yomi questioned sarcastically.
"...Huh?", Tomo cocked her head.
"Nevermind..."
"So says Miss Chunky-pants!", Tomo chided.
"Well, if I wasn't..."
Their voices seemed to fade to a simple, distant white-noise as Chiyo computed what had been said. In some ways, what Tomo had said made perfect sense. Where were they in all of this? Naught but motes on a rock in space. Life can be seen and touched. Thoughts, knowledge; not so much. Why then, did knowledge feel so substantial?
'Is there something wrong with me?', Chiyo wondered.
Quickly this notion passed. She regarded it as the reason why she was Chiyo and Tomo was Tomo. Any difference in that and the world would be in for a deep shock.
The remainder of the day went by with ease and the anticipation for the passing of the coming weeks becoming greater by the minute. Walking home with Osaka as usual, Chiyo continued to chat on about Okinawa and its various environs.
"There's so much to do! Oh! We might even get to see an Iriomote Mountain Cat if we're lucky!", she propositioned, getting Osaka's attention.
"Eh?", Osaka tilted her head.
"Hrmm?", Chiyo questioned.
She noticed Osaka staring at the cover of the book, scanning her eyes over it as if analyzing every mote.
"Chiyo-chan...", she began. "What's this?"
"Uhh..the travel guide to Okinawa?"
"Nah, I mean...this.", she corrected, pointing to the front cover.
Chiyo closed the book, making sure to keep her place inside with a finger, and regarded the cover. It read 'Okinawa Travel Guide' across the top and in the centre of the orange cover was a circular design that resembled three 'commas' rotating around the central point, or fulcrum, of the circle.
"This symbol?", Chiyo asked.
"Yeah, it looks all swirly and nice...", Osaka mused.
They paused for a moment to cross a street but, once they reached the opposing sidewalk, continued their conversation.
"I actually do not know.", Chiyo admitted. "It hasn't been mentioned at all in the book so far."
"Ah...kay then.", Osaka nodded, moving into her world of mystery once more.
They spoke no more of the subject as they walked along the road regarding the sights of people perusing the nearby shops and the sounds of coversation, both of people and birds. Soon enough, Osaka bade farewell to Chiyo and walked off toward her own house.
Chiyo continued on her path, flipping through the travel guide for any mention of the symbol upon the cover. There was no obvious mention or picture as far as she could figure.She shrugged it off, entering her house and beginning her homework for that night.
Later in the night, after dark had already fallen, she decided to see what she could find regarding Okinawa online. She browsed the first site that popped up on the search engine and was a bit surprised to see that same triple-comma symbol on the front page.
"Hmm..."
She bypassed the majority of the information, looking specifically for any pictures regarding the symbol. Quickly enough, she located it on the Prefectural symbol of Okinawa.
"Hidari Gomon...a tomoe?", she wondered aloud. "Represents the seperation of Earth, Sky and Heaven..."
Further research indicated that this symbol, the tomoe, was extremely prevalent on Okinawa island. Yet, the travel guide only showed it once...
"Oh, well. Now I know!", Chiyo chirped happily.
She gazed at the clock by the desk, noticing just how late it was.
"Oh my! Mr. Tadakichi, it's time to go to bed!", she smiled as the dog gave a pleased 'woof'.
Together they went to bed. Chiyo knew that time would pass quickly and soon she would know all there was to know about Okinawa island.
