Chapter Ten: Joining The Party

Maru kept staring at the people, who were still cheering, and Maru's grandma kept looking around trying to find a way out. Maru's grandma found a door and grabbed Maru by the arm, and she left the ballroom.

Maru didn't leave though, physically she did, but mentally she was there. Maru was now wearing a sky blue sparkling dress, her hair up in a nice bun with one strand of hair on both sides curled, and the shiniest dress shoes. Maru felt pretty, and she was.

The body of Maru stood still while her grandma dragged her from room to room. Her grandma did stop in each room to find clues; she knew Maru would want to see them. So far her grandma found five pages of diary, and photo album.

Maru at the party was now dancing with the cutest boy there. The music stopped and the singer of the band made an announcement, "Ladies and gentlemen please give a round of applause for the man of the hour…Takao Suzuki".

Then Mr. Suzuki came out to the center of the room, and he grabbed Maru and pulled her along. Maru didn't fight it, she felt ok about all of this, and then Mr. Suzuki made his statement, "Please, please, tonight is not my night, it is my daughters night. Tonight my daughter is going to be ready for tomorrow's ritual. Everyone please give a round of applause for my daughter, Namie".

He then grabbed Maru and hugged her tight. He whispered something in her ear, but she couldn't hear him well. Maru just smiled and smiled, she liked the attention, and she knew she was about to get even more of it.

Back at Maru's body, her grandma had set her down while she took a breath. "Please wake up, I don't know how further I can go without you," Maru's grandma started to cry a little.

At the party people were gathering around Maru, hugging her, kissing her cheeks, and saying how lovely she looked. Maru just smiled, then a pop was heard, a popper caused it. That's when Maru snapped back into her body.

"Oh grandma, I was there, I was there at the celebration party," Maru continued, "They were all happy, and I felt like I belonged. Namie's dad said that tomorrow is the day the ritual is going to happen."

Her grandma smiled to see Maru awake, "Maru, here is what I found in the other rooms. Read them and learn about the past".