A Different Current of the River

Chapt 2: Morning Prayer and Woodland Wandering

By: LadyRainStarDragon

The word Kami can be translated as spirit, god, and deity. For background of this story, read "Promise to Protect and Provide" and "Underwater Savior." Bear in mind that this story is an alternate time line, the river has only been re-routed, Kohakunushi has control of his manifestation abilities, and Chihiro has never had to move.

The prayer that Chihiro utters is a traditional prayer used in many Shinto homes, and I have provided translation as well.

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Chihiro slowly opened her eyes, savoring the peace of the morning. Outside of her window the birds sang a sweet serenade as the sun goddess Amaterasu began to dance across the sky to bring light to her myriad children in both spirit and flesh.

The first thing that the young woman noticed was that her cramps had eased considerably from what they had been yesterday. Next, she noticed the little presents that had been left for her by her favorite river spirit. The young water god had left quite an array of silks as well as several small bags of gold and the once rare white rice that his kind prized so highly.

"It isn't my birthday. What was all of this for I wonder?"

Hakuhad this curious penchant for favoring her with gifts. She was grateful, as one certainly could not ask for a better river kami than the one that her ancestors had served for so long. Still, he could find the oddest excuses to bless her, and all he wanted in return was to be remembered and thought well of. Chihiro would accept these gifts humbly and with reverence.

"You will not ever be forgotten as long as I am alive Haku."

Chihiro had murmured her promise as she was getting out of her bed. As she stood, a slight warmth around one finger drew her attention downward, causing her to see the only superfluous ornamentation upon her person. The satisfied feeling seemed t center around the ring that she wore, a ring that she did not recognize or even remember getting.

"The river guardian is very generous today. The next thing that you know though, Ji-san will say that it's time to drop out of school and pursue my training in earnest as a means of repaying him."

The teenager smirked to herself at the long-standing joke while she carefully donned one of the many gifts that had been laid out for her use by the river spirit. Ji-san had taught her long ago that the best way to thank a kami for any blessing was to accept it humbly and with reverence, or "Kashikomi, kashikomi mo mausu," as the old priest so often said.

The crimson silk called to her mind a flowing river of blood, a representation of the secret river that lay buried within her body, flowing through time worn passages and winding through the sedimentary walls of her mortal flesh. Vast virgin's sleeves swooped downward from her shoulders like great crane's wings, loudly proclaiming by the old dress code the fact that she was pure and unwed. Thankfully, the golden contrasting obi was a simple thing to tie, as there was no need for any of the more formal and ornamental knots usually worn with such an elaborate garment.

Dressed now, the woman-child went to her window and drew the blinds, allowing Amaterasu's golden rays to fill the small bedroom with the magic that could be so plainly felt in the early morning. On a small table before the window rested her kagami, an eight-sided mirror representing both the sun goddess and the inner kami of every being. On a tiny wooden tray before this mirror she carefully arranged two small sake cups filled with the sacred rice wine, a dish of washed rice, a bowl of water, and a plate of salt. It was time for the morning prayer, and so she sought out her center. When she found it, the words of the Norito took form and tone, rising and falling sonorously in gentle waves.

Kore no kamudoko ni masu

'On this shelf dwell esteemed kami'

Kakemakumokashikoki

'Humbly I approach in prayer'

Amatsukami Amaterasu O Mi Kami

'I pray to Amaterasu O Mi Kami, leader of all Heavenly deities;'

Kunitsukami Sarutahiko no O Kami

'To Sarutahiko no O Kami, leader of all Earthly deities;'

Ubusanano O Kami

'To my own Guardian Kami,'

Yaoyorozuno kamitachi no omae o orogami matsurite

'and to the countless myriad of kami I humbly offer my prayers'

Kashikomi kashikomi mo maosaku

'I come in humility and with great respect.'

O kamitachi no hiroki atsuki mi megumi o

Katajikenamimatsuri

'I beseech all the kami to accept these offering that I present with heart-felt gratitude for the blessing that have been bestowed on me.'

Takakitotoki mioshie no mani mani

Naokotadashiki magodoro o mochite

Makotono michi ni tago kotonaku

'To all the divine kami, I pray that you bestow blessings,'

'I will be reverently grateful for your favors,'

'Grant me perseverance and that my heart be genuine, child-like, and true'

Oimotsuwaza ni hage mashime tamai

Iekado takaku mi sukoyaka ni

'Grant that I be strong and diligent at my deeds.'

'Grant good health to my family; give them strength in spirit, mind, and body.'

Yo no tame hito no tame ni tsuku sashime tamae to

Kashikomi kashikomi mo maosu

'Grant that I may benefit and serve all mankind.'

'Humbly, reverently, I speak these words.'

A gentle breeze rose outside, causing the leaves to dance. When it died down again, the offering on the kamidana was gone, distributed to the kami that she had addressed. Chihiro was quite used to her offerings disappearing before her eyes, as she had led a very spirit touched life ever since she was a small child. Basking in the moment of serenity for a bit longer, the young one was unaware of what fate would unfold before her.

When she was done, Chihiro quietly went to check on her parents. Though rather self-absorbed, they loved her very much. Father's long hours provided the bulk of their needs, and so he slept whenever possible to keep up the vigorous construction work. Her mother picked up the slack by working out of a home office as a typist for a law firm. Today, they shared their rare time together lost in the vast folds of the sleep spirit's robes. Instead of waking them, she would leave a note in the kitchen, where it was sure to be found when Father finally rose for his morning plate of bacon.

Today's destination for her wanderings was her Ji-san's riverside home. Today was a practice day, which would require her to sit in the dedicated garden and learn a new prayer by heart. Although the Shrine to the River Kami Nigihayami Kohakunushi was long gone and the mysterious treasures once contained therein hidden, the hereditary priests of the generous spirit had long kept private shrines dedicated to the young river god maintained. Through the long space of time the main shrine had been abandoned and swallowed up by His shifting courses, the faithful of the community had always performed services at what they jokingly called "Ogino Shrine."

Silently she slipped down to the kitchen, shaking her head at all of the Western things her home was filled with. Somehow, such things interfered with the chi, making the energy flow take a sour tang to it. Chihiro often found herself walking through the home after her parents were asleep, breaking up the blockages herself. After all, this home was still her Guardian's territory, so it was her responsibility to maintain it for him. Personally, Chihiro had her Ji-san's taste for the traditional and often understated furnishings and ways, and this had been further encouraged by the river god that she technically served. Yuuko, her mother, preferred the Western things, and so it was that Chihiro found herself living amongst them. Little that was traditionally Japanese was in this home save for Chihiro's own furnishings, where Yuuko had discovered her daughter maintaining a kamidana to her great dismay.

It was short work to neatly scribe the fact that she would be either at her Ji-san's home or by the river for the whole day. Taking advantage of her position, Chihiro took some rice balls and fruit with her to eat on her walk. The walk itself would only take about a half an hour, but she could eat and present an offering along the way.

Finally slipping out of the house, the young one watched the shimmering dance of the summer air and sang along with the lazy river's babble. It wasn't that the spirit of the river was lazy, but his very physical body was occupied with staying cold for the animals in the swiftly mounting heat as the morning trod on. Unknown to the girl who was leaving her childhood behind, she was followed by the shining green form of the spiritual snake that Kohakunushi had entrusted Chihiro's abode to so many years ago when the river was in danger of being killed. Maiden Snake had never allowed Chihiro to see her, but the human was aware of the garden protector's existence due to conversations with her family's guardian.

As she sang and walked on lost within the river's natural song, other kami watched as she made her way to her instruction. The shining Greater Kami had long been murmuring about changes coming affecting the human and spirit worlds. Naturally, bits and pieces had leaked down to the less powerful myriad kami. Some of these were offended by the fact that the river guardian dallied so long and often with a human child, much less taking such an active role in her life. Others were glad that there were still humans who showed that there was still some light left within the Human Race. All of this was unknown to the blossoming plum blossom as she focused herself on other matters. So it was that she wandered through the twittering wood unharmed, oblivious to the fact that she had already walked past her destination.

Unharmed, but not unwatched by one who wished her great harm for what she had done to him when she was but a child of three years, a pair of golden eyes and a shadowy form peered from an overgrown bush covering a blasted area of earth. Nothing had grown on the tainted patch of land near the river's head for 11 long years. The bush spirit that this ancient evil was contained by tried desperately to hide the ugly reminder of the attack on one of the Noble Houses of the area, yet still the dead patch beneath the reaching branches could be seen. This place where the surrounding forest pulled back in mingled respect and horror had always born the feel of an unresolved death to the training miko. Each time that she reached for memories here about the incident her grandfather sometimes muttered about though, the only reward she would received was a splitting headache. Whenever she spoke to the river spirit about it, Haku would quickly change the subject, as if he were trying to hide something.

Nearby were the Sacred Springs that were Kohakunushi's gateway into the surface world as he delivered the water that flowed from the peak of his father's mountains and through another spirit's domain to become his river on a great pathway to the sea. It was well known to Buddhist and Shinto priests of the area that this was a place where barren women could receive fertility and where miraculous healing could take place. Here, the mists that separated the worlds of the kami and the ningen were thin, requiring no traversing of bridges. Hence, for a long time this had been forbidden ground to all save the spiritually pure or those seeking dire help. However, Chihiro was now two miles farther on than what she was supposed to be.

"I guess I got too absorbed in my thoughts again."

Speaking thus to herself, the training miko left the spring and retraced her steps down beside the dancing stream as he swelled into the mighty river that so many saw him as. A short walk with her youthful speed brought her to the red torii that served as gateway onto her Ji-san's property.

Well cared for, in another few years it would be time to pull it and the others on the grounds down to rebuild them in the old way and the old cycle of twenty years. The cottage at the end of the curved stone path was humble and unassuming, a curious mix of west and east in its construction. The grasses of the lawn always possessed a slightly overgrown quality, even though it was trimmed quite often. Around one side was a small and yet absurdly prosperous vegetable garden. Behind the house would be a rather Zen-like garden where the shrine was maintained and her training often held.

"Ji-san!"

Kojiwas already out and tending the grounds of his home. Her cheerful greeting pulled him away from his vegetables that he was dutifully tending.

"Chihiro!" My, don't you look all grown up. Kohaku had just told me the good news ten minutes ago. He will be observing your training today."

"What!"

Elsewhere, decisions were being made by not only the Great Council of the ruling Kami of Japan, but also by one Tsuni Ni, President of Good Fortune Construction Company.