InuYasha is done by the fabulous Rumiko Takahashi. Anybody added to the cast is heh from my own brain. Note: I have just gotten into the Manga so bear with me! And this idea has been running in my head for weeks!
Stranger Things Have Happened.
By Windshale
She sighed as she took the offered tea from her host's hands and took a sip. 'Damn those snotty professors and their "extra-extra credit".' She thought before placing the teacup on the table. Religion studies, Japanese, Japanese Art History were just a few of her classes at the Tokyo university that was willing to accept her from her grades. Her Religion Studies professor told her that in order to get her grade up in the class that maybe it would be best if she actually Knew rather than read what was said about Shinto and Buddhism in Japan before writing her thesis. And as extra credit she perhaps wants to write about living at a shrine for a week in a gaijin perspective. She wanted to tear the woman's heart and show her how black it was. She hated being referred to as a 'white American'. It made her feel so melting pot, even if she was adopted. Her father was a Puerto Rican American, and her mother was Japanese and that was how she saw herself.
Now here she was at a shrine called Sunset, taking to the 'priest'. He seemed more interested in superstitious history and myth than actually being helpful. After a few hours, she had asked to have a drink of water and he asked the woman if she could bring some tea. Enid noticed that it seemed like the grandfather and family were simply caretakers. She felt more like she was looking at a cheap peddler than a man of religion, let alone power. She herself studied something along the lines of new age. She couldn't explain it when she took the first step towards the shine, but something felt queasy inside her and it still had not let her go.
"I was wondering if..well that is." She adjusted her glasses while still trying to form out the proper sentence to ask after the woman had invited her to stay for dinner. "I have this report, sort of a challenge, from my professor to write about living and working at a shrine from my alternative point of view." She took a breath. So far several shrines had given her the run around. She noticed their apprehensive faces and tried a different tactic.
"I'm not asking for payment, and I have a place and all. I just have to get this done. I don't mind working hard." The grandfather's eyes seem to change as his daughter leaned over to whisper to him. The old man nodded sagely and the woman smiled.
"You can learn here." The priest added, "However we must warn you of a few things. First, my granddaughter goes in and out at odd hours and sometimes doesn't come home for days. This is normal. Second, I would feel that it would be in your best safety to stay way from the Bone Eaters Well."
Enid clenched the rice bowl, her knuckles going white and the queasiness in her stomach went up twenty notches. The woman studied her, "Miss Enid, are you alright."
Enid tried to knock out the feeling of nervousness out of her voice, "Y-You have a well called that?" The man nodded. "Yes, I'll tell you the history tomorrow. I expect you here early in the morning."
"Thank you very much, sir. I appreciate it." She talked for a while with this family; they seemed to be hiding something more. Heh, that was not her problem, she would get her paper done and never even step foot on even the stairway again. She left the security of the house soon after desserts and walked towards the exit, the hard queasy felling still not leaving. A loud sliding sound came from her left and the sound of footfalls running to the house. She turned fast enough to see a young girl, looking very tired, walking into the house. Enid turned and kept walking; she had a long day tomorrow and desperately needed to speak to her father.
Kagome took notice of the girl walking away from the shrine before running towards the house. She was in need of a bath and a hot meal before hitting the books and going to bed. She had three tests to do this week alone and desperately needed to get her grade up. Again Inuyasha had tried to keep her from going back and was rewarded with a mantra of 'Sit!'. She was getting very tired of having to fight with him, and having to say things she'd rather not. Why couldn't he just trust her that she would come back? Why did he always have to act like a jerk? Kagome just shook her head as she took off her shoes and went into the kitchen, and was greeted by her mother and grandpa talking excitedly about someone wanting to be 'apprenticed' to the shine. Which was sort of amusing being that grandpa didn't really understand anything more than history about the shrine. Kagome ate her late dinner, and headed upstairs to study late into the night.
Enid walked up to the shine, and the queasiness intensified again as she headed towards the house. The mother, who offered her some breakfast, greeted her. Enid shook her head, not daring to eat much today. The grandfather met her at the shrine and she began some small chores around the shrine before he decided to show her the different types of amulets, wards, and even how to read fortunes. Enid could only shake her head as he explained how to read a persons fortune. She secretly decided to use her Tarot decks, and basic palm reading instead of just stick readings. That turned into a mini sensation when her first customer was left mystified but enlighten. The priest was surprised at her work; she seemed to draw people in by the end of the morning. He gave her a break and to join the family for lunch. As she walked back to the house, the large tree seemed to have caught her eye. The tree was so tall and grand; she just wanted to be under it. She turned to the plaque in front of the tree. She shifted her glasses to get rid of the glare. "God Tree?" She muttered to herself as she ducked under the ties around the tree. She tentively touched the tree; it's bark not as rough as it appeared. She moved her hand up and down and smiled upwards at it, noticing the paper wrapping around it. A ward of some sort she figured. Felling a bi childish and embarrassed, she indulged herself and leaned against the tree, reveling in its ancient energy.
Kagome woke up with a start, imprints of paper on the side of her face and frowned. She got up and went to the bathroom, bathed and changed and was about to go to the shrine when someone caught her eye. Someone was leaning against the ancient tree, with their hands gently placed against the bark while they were standing, head arched back in some silent reflection. No one went neat the god tree, and Kagome suddenly wondered why. She rolled her eyes. 'Duh, as if it didn't have a history. But still I aught to tell them not to get near the tree.'
As she got closer to the tree, she noticed that the person was a girl too, an American and the way she way leaning against the tree reminded her of something or rather someone. "Inuyasha was leaning almost like that when he was sealed." She muttered before coughing loudly. The girl looked at her startled, her eyes a mix of greens. A blush rose to her face as she stepped away from the god tree.
"Sorry." Enid felt so embarrassed as she stepped away from the tree and under the rope barrier. The queasiness had stopped as soon as she touched the tree, which had never happened in her entire life. She was enjoying it immensely, before the young girl interrupted her. She turned to look at the tree, "The God Tree has such a wonderful energy, and I just had to be near it." She smiled at the girl's confused face and offered her hand, "Hi, I'm Enid." The young girl looked at her warily, before grasping the girl's hand. "Kagome."
"You're the priest's granddaughter, right?" Enid smiled as she headed towards the house.
"And you're the 'apprentice'." Kagome replied as her grandfather joined them back to the house. Enid couldn't help but widen her smile, "Don't take it too seriously, it's for my college thesis."
"You're in COLLEGE?!" Kagome's voice couldn't conceal the astonishment. Enid laughed, a full and happy laugh as Kagome added, "How old are you?"
"I'm twenty-three." Enid playfully lifted three fingers as Kagome's jaw dropped. "You look so.. Young!" Kagome was rewarded with a snort of laughter as they walked inside taking off their shoes and meeting everyone at the table.
"A blessing and a curse. Trust me." Enid grinned, but it soon faded at the sight of the food. It was not to say it didn't smell delicious or that she wasn't hungry, but the queasy feeling came back more forcefully than ever. The priest looked at her, as a green tinge colored over her. "You don't look so good, Enid. Why don't you go home?"
"I really can't afford to sir." She began but Kagome's mom placed her hand on her shoulders.
"If you don't feel good, then you shouldn't force yourself. Go home and get some rest." She turned to Kagome, "Kagome, dear, why don't you walk her home? I'd feel a lot better to know she actually got home safely." Kagome nodded eagerly. She needed to get out of the house for a while.
Kagome walked with Enid quietly and noticed that the girl was in better spirits as soon as she was away from the shrine, which really irritated her for some reason. After they walked a ways, Kagome looked at her and asked, "Were you just looking for an excuse to get out of the shrine today?"
Enid stopped where she was. 'Damnit!' she thought, 'I was hoping to talk to dad before anyone asked!'
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Yeah yeah, I know.. Just review and tell me what you think of it ok?
