Katara Mizuno sighed. She was so disappointed that they had to move again.
Katara looked down at her flowers.
"It's too bad. First time I ever got a bouquet. Why do we have to leave?" She whined looking out the window.
"Oh Katara it's not all bad! It's the country—wide open spaces. You can really see the stars here!" Mama said.
"You can learn to ride a horse and we'll live on a big ranch where you can see all kinds of animals! You'll love it!" Papa said.
"Farming is work. I hate hard work." Katara whined again. "Huh...what's that?"
She looked out and saw a little kami.
"Oh a kami." Katara inclined her head. "Lots of kami shrines. Papa are we nearing a shrine?"
"Honey did you take a wrong turn?" Mama said.
"No I didn't—we can get there, just leave it to me!" Papa said.
"Honey! The house is back that way! That way! Let me drive!" Mama protested.
"No no we'll get there much faster!" Papa said, raring to go.
Mama groaned and looked back apologetically at Katara. "Hold on tight to those flowers, Katara. And don't forget your card, it has your name in calligraphy. They made it so pretty for you."
Katara examined the pretty hiragana script: Mizuno Katara.
And now it was a name that didn't belong to any place at all. Homeless like a gypsy, that's what she was. This new house could never be a home at all.
Katara stared as they drove into a tunnel into a large building.
"It is some sort of shrine!" Katara said. "It's so old! It's pulling us in!"
"Hold on tight honey!" Mama said.
"Here—we—go-o!" Papa said.