Chapter one: How it all Started

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

"Uuuuugh," I groaned, trying to turn the alarm off without looking. Usually it only takes me a second, I've done this the whole school year, and you know what, I shouldn't have to do it today either considering it's the first day of summer vacation.

"Damn!" I muttered not getting why the stupid alarm clock wouldn't turn off. Then I realized that my alarm clock is packed away with the rest of my stuff. My alarm clock which is usually on my right, was replaced with my beloved, wonderful, BEEPING, cell phone, which is on my left. In other words, I was swatting thin air, and should probably get off my lazy butt. I snatched my cell from the ground beside me and turned the annoying alarm off. Sitting criss-cross applesauce in my sleeping bag, I raised my long noodle arms in the air, stretching toward the fan on my ceiling. I looked around my empty room, sort of hard though since it was 4:00 a.m. and really dark. All that's in here are my suitcases full of clothes, the sleeping bag I slept in, and me, (no duh!). Already dressed in sweats and a T-shirt, I was ready to go. After gathering my hair in a ponytail, I rolled up the sleeping bag and gathered my stuff. I was almost out the door when I heard,

"PANDORA, GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE, STUFF A DONUT IN YOUR FACE, AND GET IN THE CAR!"

I chuckled softly to myself before I replied, "HOLD YOUR HORSES GRANNY, I'M COMING, THE FLIGHT DOESN'T LEAVE 'TILL 6:00, AND WE'RE ONLY HALF AN HOUR AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT!"

'Aaaaah, good old Granny Acacia,' I thought as I scampered down the stairs. I hopped down from the last step and came face-to-face with Acacia. I studied her long, wavy gray hair, and looked into her icy blue eyes as she scowled down at me. She was about to retort when my other Grandmother, Ayaka, bumped her out of the way, and replied for her,

"Now, now, don't want to wake all the neighbors; it is four in the morning." Grandma Ayaka always spoke in the most soothing voice, even able to calm Granny Acacia in her most bitter moods. I smiled at Ayaka's soft, lavender hair, stopping at about her shoulders, and her gentle brown eyes.

"Alright," I said grabbing a donut, shoving it in my mouth, "Look, the taxi is here," I tried to say, but my words were muffled by the donut in my mouth.

I grabbed my suitcase, Acacia's suitcase, and my carry-on bag, and brought them all with ease to the taxi. Then I went and grabbed Ayaka's things for her. I got settled in the taxi, and brought out my Ipod to keep me busy until we got to the airport. After what felt like forever, we finally boarded the plane. I slept almost the whole way their, and awoke to an elegant voice, speaking clearly,

"We have now arrived at our destination in Japan, hope you have a nice trip, and thank you for flying with Delta Airlines."


Japan wasn't something new to me. Half the year was spent here actually. The other half was in L.A., and I've been doing it since I was twelve. So it's been five years, huh? But it's different this time. My Grandmothers are getting tired of switching back and forth all the time, and thought Japan would be a good place for me. They're also hoping that maybe I can start off with a clean slate. Ever since I was little, I've been getting into fights with people. Guess I'm just anti-social, but girls would always make fun of everything I did about the most stupid things. One day, I just had enough and punched this one girl, Georgia, so hard I broke her nose! Not that I'm proud of that… well, maybe a little… I guess it would have been fair to warn them that I've been training in Martial Arts since I was five. They were asking for it though. So now that we're here in Japan, my grandmothers want me to be a tad more civil. And I'll really try too! I love Grandma Acacia and Ayaka like CRAZY, and they've always been there for me when no one else was.


We've been here for a week now and things have been going pretty well. I'm not nervous about anything. Especially since I won't have to go to school anymore! Well, I still have to get an education, but I'm being home schooled now. It's sort of confusing because my Grandmothers want me to make friends, and be more social, so I should go to school, but I guess deep down they know that's just not going to happen. I sort of like the idea of being home schooled though because I get to stay at home, which is really awesome if I do say so myself. Granny Ayaka owns the shrine we call home, and even worked here as a shrine priestess when she was younger and lived here with her family. Now she's teaching me about how to be a miko and controlling my miko powers.

"Pandy, can you come down for a moment?" Grandma Ayaka's voice drifted upstairs.

"Alright, I'll be down in a minute!" I replied, getting off my bed and hopping down the stairs three at a time.

"Well Pandy, since you've been lying on your bed doing nothing all day, I thought I'd give you something useful to do," Ayaka paused before continuing, "I want you to go down and help out at the Higurashi Shrine, It's not too far from here, and I'm sure you know the way."

"Ummm, yeah, but what's the point?" I asked, "It will just be the same as helping out here, which I do ALL THE TIME?"

"Well you'll find the Higurashi Shrine a lot different that this one," Acacia added, strolling inside after doing whatever grumpy, bitter, MEAN, old ladies do in their free time. Ooooooh, I know! Perhaps she was baking cookies for children, you know, full of chocolate chips, and… well… POISEN!

"I think you'll find this trip worth you time," Acacia finished.

"Fine, can I at least bring along my Ipod?" I asked.

"SINCE WHEN DO I CARE IF YOU BRING YOUR STUPID IPOD OR NOT?" Grandma Acacia yelled, irritated with me.

'Wow, talk about bipolar,' I thought to myself.

I left and on my way I got to thinking about something Ayaka told me once. Well, Granny Ayaka says I'm a lot like Acacia when she was younger. She knows this because Grandma Acacia and Ayaka actually knew each other when they were younger. Grandma Ayaka left Japan on a trip to Greece when she was seventeen and me Acacia. She says even back then she could be really bitter, but not to her. They were the best of friends, but over the long distance, they lost touch. Years later Acacia's son, Alexander, A.K.A my dad, and Ayaka's daughter, Chouko, A.K.A my mom got married, they met again, and were inseparable since. Ayaka says that I have the same slightly curly brown hair, and deep blue eyes as Acacia, even though Acacia's eyes are now an icy blue, and her hair has grayed with age. She says I even yell like her! I don't yell like Granny Acacia, do I? DO I?


I finally reach the Higurashi Shrine and I see a boy playing in the yard.

"Um, hi I'm Pandy and I'm here to help out with the shrine." I said feeling slightly nervous.

"Okay, I'm Sota, I'll take you to see my mom," he replied leading me inside his home. Sota lead me into the kitchen where a beautiful woman with short wavy hair stood stirring something in a large pot.

"Why hello, you must be Pandora, I'm Sota's mother, I've been expecting you."

"WOAH, YOU KNEW I WAS COMING, CAN YOU TEACH ME THAT, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEEEEEASE?" I begged, not noticing her trying to hold back a laugh.

"Not really, that wasn't anything special," She said still trying, and failing, to hold back her laughter.

"WELL WHAT WAS IT!" I scream, practically jumping off the walls of the kitchen.

"Your grandmother gave me a call," Sota's mother stated simply once she composed herself.

"Aaaaaw, I thought I could learn some cool hocus pocus or whatever," I said my eagerness and excitement deflating to disappointment and embarrassment. Mostly embarrassment.

'Now I feel all stupid' I thought, pouting slightly.

"Hocus-pocus?" She asked, clearly amused, " Here, put this on, and then you can go clean out back," she said handing me a traditional miko outfit and a broom. I asked where I could change, and she led me to the bathroom. I changed my clothes and stuffed it into the bag I brought, full of snacks, my water bottle, my phone, my Ipod, my cash, and pepper spray, etc. I don't really need most of the stuff in there, I just bring it with me everywhere because I like to.

'Wow, Sota's mother sure is nice' I thought to myself as I headed outside.

On my way out, I noticed a picture. It was of Sota's mom, and old man who I assume is Sota's grandfather, and a girl I haven't seen before. She had long, wavy, dark hair, a bit shorter than mine, and big brown eyes.

"Hey Sota!" I called out to the young teenager.

"Yeah?" he said, jogging over to stand beside me.

"Who's that girl in the picture?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me, " Is she your sister?"

"Yeah, but she doesn't live here anymore."

"So she moved out?"

"Yeah, I guess…" he said, "I gotta go meet up with some friends, bye!"

"Bye Sota, It was nice meeting you!" I called out. As I walked outside I saw a strange building. I didn't know why, but I was getting weird vibes from there. I walked over, and slowly opened the door. The floor creaked under my feet as I looked around. I walked down a couple creaky steps, and I was starting to get creeped out.

'Man this place has some funky vibes, but it's not BAD vibes, just weird ones.' I snapped out of my thoughts when I noticed a strange well in the center of the room, then I realized something.

'THAT'S where the funky vibes are coming from,' I thought to myself as I ventured closer. I stood by the rim of the well and peered inside. As I squinted, I saw a tiny purple-blue light. It was captivating and I just couldn't look away…

"HEY YOU!" and old man yelled by the door, "Be careful, you shouldn't be here!"

"Uh, ummm…" I was startled and didn't know what to say, "I'll just be going now!" I tried turning around, but being the genius I am, I totally forgot there was a well behind me and tumbled in, head first. I was hurtling towards the beautiful light, and I found my self in a sea of purple.


Well, there's the first chapter! I REALLY hoped you liked it! Please reveiw, this is my first story and I want to know how to make it better!

~ funkygirl1999