Chapter Forty-Nine
HAPPY (very late) NEW YEAR GUYS! IMSORRYTHISISSOLATE
This chapter is shorter than usual because I kinda just want to get to the main plot and I'm sure guys are sick and tired of the OCs and want to get back to Kaito, KID, Conan, and everybody else. AND I LIVE TO SERVE.
P.S. There are a few terms/things in general that I use in this chapter that some of you may not know so I'm going to explain them in the end note, ok?
"Are you sure you'll be alright with just Azuma?" Miyabi asked, watching her granddaughter slip on a shawl over the brand-new kimono Miyabi had gotten (forced) Ruri to wear.
"Yes, grandmother, I'll be fine," Ruri assured. "We're just going to the temple to ring in the new year. We'll be back within a few hours."
"I will do my utmost to assure Ruri-sama's safe return to you, esteemed madam," Azuma bowed.
"Alright, alright, off you go. Just be back in time for the osechi, ok?"
Ruri walked alongside Azuma and every so often waved at the people joining them on the way to the temple.
"There certainly are a lot of people this year, huh?" she commented, smiling and waving to a little girl who seemed to be awed at the kimono Ruri was wearing.
"Nn. Many people have moved to this temple since the other one has been temporarily closed down," Azuma explained.
"It's been closed down?" Ruri asked.
"Half of the temple collapsed from a rotting support beam."
"They didn't notice beforehand?"
Azuma shook his head. "Apparently. I do not all of the details."
Ruri smiled at a family walking up the hill.
The man and the girl slowly walked up the right side of the stairs to the shrine, smiling and greeting people along the way.
"What a pretty young lady!" an elderly woman grinned. "It's the first time I've seen you around!"
The brunette bowed. "My name is Yukihisa Ruri. I'm staying here temporarily with my grandmother."
The woman laughed. "It's nice to see such a pretty young woman this year! There're only old folks and little brats!"
"Are you here to ring in the New Year as well?" Ruri asked.
"I already did! You kids go on ahead and I'll get out of your way," the elderly woman gave one more smile and headed down the long length of steps.
"Shall we go?" The girl asked Azuma.
He nodded.
"Would you like to see what your fortune for this year is, young lady?" a man asked, sitting behind a booth.
Ruri walked over and handed him a 5 yen coin.
The man offered her the box and she pulled the o-mikuji out.
"What does it say?" Azuma asked, forgetting himself.
"Half blessing and...'arasoigoto'..." The girl read.
"Wow! You got a weird one!" the man exclaimed.
He then mumbled, "I don't even think we had one like that..."
"Disputes...?" Azuma repeated.
The tall man then noticed that the girl beside him had fallen silent.
"Ruri-sama?"
Ruri jumped and smiled up at Azuma. "Yes?"
"Er...nothing. Shall we get an ema?"
"We're back, grandmother!" Ruri called.
Miyabi smiled and pulled her granddaughter in for a quick hug.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"A little better, thank you," Ruri replied, smiling.
"How about you, Azuma?"
"Fine, madam."
"So? Did you get an o-mikuji?" Miyabi asked.
Ruri nodded.
"What was it?"
"Half blessing."
"Half? Only half?"
The girl nodded again.
"Did you buy an omamori?"
A shake.
"Good thing I already bought you one, then," Miyabi grinned, pulling out the little good luck charm.
The woman handed it to the girl and Ruri turned it over to look at it.
"Thank you, grandmother."
"That's quite all right, dear. You're my precious granddaughter, after all."
"Madam!" Azuma called.
"Yes, Azuma?"
"The meal is ready and waiting for you."
"Shall we go, grandmother?" Ruri asked.
Osechi - a dish that consists of boiled seaweed, fish cakes (kamaboko), mashed sweet potato with chestnuts, simmered burdock root, and sweetened black soybeans.
Walking on the right side of the stairs - when you visit a Shinto shrine, you are supposed to walk on the sides because the middle is reserved for the gods
O-mikuji - that little fortune thing you see during those New Year's episodes in anime. Y'know, the one where the MC gets "great curse" and falls glum
Arasoigoto - lit. "disputes"
Ema - small wooden plaques that Shinto worshippers write their prayers or wishes (like "Please let me get into my school of choice") and hung up on the shrine so that the gods can "receive" them. They usually have depictions of animals or other Shinto imagery and have the word "gan'i" (wish) written on the side
Omamori - lit. "to protect"; Japanese amulets (normally in the shape of these little pouches) and are said to offer various forms of protection
SEE YOU IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! BYE BYE!
NEXT TIME: A PAINFUL RETURN
DFTBA!