Author Note: Ugh, I was really riding the struggle-bus on this chapter. =P:::
Chapter 33 Pop-Quiz Answers:
1 - In Chapter 10, who did Rei say that suggested Haruka should stop using pick-up lines to ask Michiru out?
Seika = [Japanese] Sacred fire
Zabuton = [Japanese] A cushion for sitting on the floor
Shimenawa = [Japanese] Rice-straw rope used to ward off evil spirits or to mark sacred places
Shime = [Japanese] Also known as gohei. Strips of white paper that symbolize purity
Tōrō = [Japanese] Decorative stone lanterns
Chōzuya = [Japanese] Water purification pavilion
Temizu = [Japanese] Water purification rite done before approaching a Shinto shrine
Kare Pan = [Japanese] Curry bread
Aino-chan = [Japanese] Sweetheart
Inside the Shrine - Shintō Concepts, What's What. (2013). In Buddhism & Shintōism in Japan. Retrieved November 15, 2015, from . . (Type " onmarkproductions, inside the shrine" into your search engine and it should be the first link.)
I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.
Takeuchi, N. (1991). Sailor Moon. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.
Carlton, V. (2002). A Thousand Miles [Recorded by Vanessa Carlton]. On Be Not Nobody [CD], Santa Monica, California: A&M Records.
Chapter 34:
- And I need you. And I miss you. And now I wonder, if I could fall into the sky do you think time would pass me by? 'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you... -
The bubbly, piano pop song ended as Minako parked her car and turned off the ignition. She gracefully stepped out of the car and absently closed her driver-side door as she gaped, wide-eyed, with a mix of awe and disbelief at the massive flight of stairs before her.
"Holy shit," she whispered quietly to herself. Though she actually wanted to say those words quite a bit louder to truly express herself, she had enough of a mind to consider that it probably wasn't the most proper thing to say at such a sacred place.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out the directions Rei had provided her,
…then when you see the 'Hikawa Jinja' sign, make a right down the dirt road. Turn left into the parking lot and take the stairs.
Be sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Pack light if you can, you'll see why when you get here. ;)
"Mataku, Rei-chan!," Minako cursed to herself quietly. Now that she was here, she did see why the cheeky, raven-haired woman made those recommendations! She was grateful that she heeded the advice and settled on sneakers, jean shorts, and a fitted, lightweight, sleeveless, orange blouse for the day.
Wary, azure eyes studied the formidable task before her as the gorgeous blonde stuffed the note back into her pocket. After a moment, she sighed in resignation, I guess there's no way around it, she thought to herself. She shrugged slightly, Well, at least I'll get a work-out in for today.
She went to the trunk of her car, removed the duffle bag she had packed for the trip, and shut the hood securely before locking the car. Slinging the shoulder-strap over her head, she timidly approached and paused at the foot of the stairs. Bringing a hand up to shade her piercing sapphires from the late-morning sunlight shining overhead, she looked up to try and see if she could make out where the top step was from where she stood.
"A journey of a thousand steps begins with one," she said wryly to herself. Taking a deep breath, she began her ascent, keeping in mind what was waiting for her…or rather…who was waiting for her at the top.
Rei was standing in a dark, unknown void of space. Though there was nothing to help her distinguish where she was, it felt…familiar...as if she'd been here many times before.
A silky sensation between her fingers and the feeling of something warm pressed up against her grabbed her attention. She looked down and was taken aback to find that she was holding someone close in her arms, gently stroking their long hair comfortingly.
What the…, Rei's consciousness thought, the words echoing distantly with confusion.
"…Are you ok?," she heard herself verbalize. Her tone was soft and full of worry as she directed the question towards the person in her arms. Her eyes widen as an overwhelmingly heavy sensation began seeping into her from the being within her embrace.
Kami-sama…so much…pain, The words from her consciousness echoed softly. She wanted to pull away, to try and get her bearing and understand where she was, what was going on, and who this person was in her arms radiating so much anguish. But, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move. She was paralyzed, trapped within the role she was currently playing.
The smaller person within her arms lifted their head and Rei was stunned to find that it was the shadowy woman she had encountered countless times within her reoccurring vision. The normally bright aura that surrounded the woman was so faint, it was no wonder Rei didn't realize it was her sooner. The beautiful archer's heart ached painfully at how much she could feel the woman suffering.
Though Rei still couldn't make out her face, she could sense the woman's eyes looking at her with deep despair. A shadowy hand reached up, sliding to the back of Rei's neck, gently pulling her closer. Rei found herself complying, her eyelids falling closed as shadowy soft lips met her own in a gentle, chaste kiss. Even the kiss was filled with so much sorrow, so much…sadness. Rei wanted nothing more than to ease the woman of her grief.
The shadowy woman ended the kiss gently and Rei slowly opened her worried amethysts as the woman pulling out of Rei's embrace and took a step back, just out of reach. The shadowy presence turned her head slightly, averting her gaze to the floor. Her alluring lips began moving, but no sound came from her. Rei strained against the silence, trying hard to decipher what the figure was saying.
"…I'm sorry," were the only words Rei heard. Though they came out as barely a whisper, they seemed to echo throughout the silence.
SNAP!
Rei's intense violets shot open wide, abruptly pulling her from the vision she was experiencing. She gasped for air, her breath heavy as sweat dripped down her pale face. Her eyes darted around the room in a panic, reminding herself of where she was.
She was kneeling, seiza-style, on a large, square zabuton with her hands up in front of her, palm-to-palm in prayer. She was located at one end of a sizeable, rectangular, wooden hall. On the wall in front of her was a thick shimenawa that draped from one end of the width of the hall to the other with four, long strands of shime hanging low from it, almost touching the ground. In front of that was a three-tiered, wooden altar with various items placed on it that were either used as part of rituals or as offerings.
Immediately in front of her was a large, roaring fire that was contained in an elevated, square, stone pit.
SNAP snap! pop pop!
The sound of wood crackling helped to orient Rei to where she was. Her breath gradually steadied as she slowly lowered her hands to her lap and allowed herself to sit back on her feet. She silently retraced her steps, recalling that she had gotten up at 5:00am, per usual, and had spent most of the morning helping her grandfather with chores around the shrine. Once she had finished, she decided to spend some time in the sacred fire room to meditate…
…where she quickly found herself pulled into a new and troubling vision.
The miko's lifted her head, her wary amethysts focusing on the immense flame before her, "Seika," she whispered softly, "What…What was that?"
The fire flared abruptly before returning to burn in its usual way. Rei sighed defeatedly as her shoulders slumped, "I'm sorry, I know you can't answer that."
The flame dimmed slightly and seemed to sway apologetically. "No, it's not your fault," Rei said quietly, "I knew better than to ask." She brought a hand up to her chest, absently rubbing the area over her heart where she felt the most pain during the vision, "It just…took me by surprise. That's all."
The blaze flickered briefly and Rei nodded, "Mmn, I'm ok. Thanks," she said softly. Rei's brow furrowed in frustration as she allowed her intense gaze to trail down to the floor. Due to how abruptly she came back to herself, the images she had seen in her transcendent state slipped from her consciousness before she was able to commit them to memory. All she could remember was the immeasurable pain, the deafening silence, and an urgent and panicked sense that the world was crumbling around her.
As she tried to recall the elusive vision, another feeling began tugging at her senses. She felt herself calm almost instantly, the tension in her muscles loosened reflexively as she felt a familiar, comforting, warm sensation approaching from a little ways away.
A small smile appeared on her alluring lips as she gracefully stood up and bowed respectfully towards the fire, "I have to go, Seika," she said as she straightened, "I'm expecting company and it seems she just arrived. I'll be back later on so we can revisit this new vis-"
The flame flickered coyly, interrupting Rei's words and the beautiful miko scoffed and rolled her eyes in response, "Yeeesss, it's that 'Mina' girl I told Grandpa about!," she groaned in feigned exasperation.
The blaze danced playfully as if humored by the archer's response. Rei smirked before she shook her head in amusement, "Mataku, you're just as bad as Grandpa," she said as she watched the flame begin to sway questioningly. She nodded in reply, "Mmn, I'll be sure to bring her by and introduce her."
The fire flaring excitedly in response, causing Rei to chuckle at the earthly element before the raven-haired miko bowed respectfully again and headed to the shōji doors located at the side of the hall. She slid one of the panels open as she quietly exited the holy space and slid the door closed behind her.
By the time Minako made it to the top of the stairs, her breath was only slightly labored. Though the climb was long, it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. As she stood there for a moment to catch her breath, her piercing cerulean eyes took in the sight before her.
She was standing at the edge of a short, stone walkway that was lined on both sides with four small tōrōs. At the end of the walkway, to the left, was a small chōzuya that visitors were expected to use before approaching the shrine. The walkway led to a fairly large, stone courtyard where, to the far-right, was a small, square wooden structure that appeared to be a giftshop of some sort, facing the courtyard and, to the far-left, bordering most of the width of the courtyard, was an elevated, long, unassuming, rectangular, tall, wooden building that had a blue, tiled, gable roof and a row of shōji doors that spanned its length, facing the courtyard.
Directly in front of her, at the opposite end of the courtyard, was an elevated, moderately-sized, beautifully ornate, tall, wooden, reddish-orange building that also had a blue, tiled, gable roof. At the entrance to the building was a large bell with a very thick, red and white, braided rope hanging low to the ground.
"Wow," the gorgeous blonde whispered to herself in awe as she slowly crossed to the end of the walkway, taking in the sight and the sounds of the shrine. She felt as though she had been transported to another world. Having grown up and lived in Tokyo all her life, she was amazed that such a wondrous and seemingly mystical place existed, hidden in the wooded hillside, just outside the city.
Cawww Cawww! Cawww Cawww Cawww!
Before she was about to step onto the courtyard from the walkway, she was startled by a loud, abrasive sound. She turned to her left towards the noise and was met by a large, black crow that was perched on top of the chōzuya.
"Mou, you scared me," Minako chided with a huff. She turned and was about to continue on her way until she paused, recalling a story Rei told her once about how she had saved two crows from an abandoned nest when she was younger.
The gorgeous blonde turned her attention back towards the creature, "So, which one are you?," she asked curiously. The winged creature tilted its head at her questioningly in response before Minako felt a strange sensation coming from the top of her left foot. She looked down to see what it was,
"Oh!," she exclaimed with a slight start. On the floor next to her was a smaller crow busy pecking at her sneakers, untying the knot and loosening her laces.
"H-Hey!," Minako giggled playfully at the feathered creature. She removed her duffle bag from her shoulder and set it on the ground. The second crow hopped backwards warily as Minako knelt down to re-tie her shoe.
Tkkk Tkkk…Tkkk Tkkk
The second crow made loud, clicking sounds and the gorgeous blonde tilted her head to look at the creature as she continued to tie her shoe. She watched as the bird bobbed its head, watching her curiously, as if studying her. Minako giggled softly as she finished tying her shoe, watching the curious creature as it stared intently back at her.
Wheeeeeeeet!
A loud, high-pitched whistle came from the other side of the courtyard and echoed throughout the quiet space. Minako watched as both crows immediately turned towards the sound and took flight in that direction. She followed the pair with her cobalt eyes as they flew gracefully towards, and landed gently on, the shoulder and outstretched right arm of a beautiful, raven-haired miko.
Minako's sapphire eyes widened, her mouth fell open slightly as her breath hitched. Though she had seen Rei in her miko garbs before at Haruka and Michiru's wedding, the taller woman looked absolutely breathtaking in them now that they were in the appropriate context. Minako found herself enchanted by the beautiful archer, captivated by how elegantly the material flowed around her lithe form as the beautiful woman began walking gracefully towards her.
"Hello, Mina," Rei said warmly as she approached, reaching out her left hand towards the kneeling blonde.
"…Hi," was all Minako was able to manage softly in her bewitched state. She absently reached up and gently took the proffered hand, allowing the archer to help her stand.
Rei smiled contently as Minako's comforting, warm, orange-gold aura, flowed gently into her through their connected hands. It never ceased to amaze her how much Minako's presence had such an affect on her and made her feel so safe.
Once Minako was standing, the two women continued to stare into each other's eyes, becoming lost in each other for the longest of seconds.
Caaawww…
A soft, rumbling caw came from the smaller crow perched on Rei's shoulder, pulling both women from their musings and back into the present moment. Rei subtly cleared her throat as she came back to herself, "I-I see you've met the twins already," she said with a soft chuckle and a light blush. She brought her attention to the two obsidian birds perched on her, "This one's Phobos," the archer said as she nodded to the larger of the two balancing on her right forearm, "And this one's Deimos," she said as she turned towards the one resting on her left shoulder.
"Hi, Phobos-san, Deimos-san," Minako greeted kindly to the crows with a small bow.
"Girls, this is Aino Minako," Rei said, addressing the two crows and introducing the gorgeous blonde, "She'll be visiting with us for a couple days."
Tkkk Tkkk…Tkkk Tkkk
The two crows clicked loudly as if acknowledging the miko's introduction before Phobos flew off and landing on the chōzuya again. Deimos followed quickly after, landing at the edge of the water basin instead. The two women watched as Phobos began hopping from side to side, bobbing her head up and down towards the chōzuya, pecking lightly at its tiled, clay roof while Deimos flapped her wings energetically.
"What're they doing?," Minako asked curiously as she let out a soft, melodic giggle at the crow's antics.
"It looks like they're welcoming you to the shrine," Rei said as she let out an amused chuckle, "I guess they want you to do the temizu before-"
"Oh, that's right!," Minako exclaimed in understanding, interrupting the beautiful miko as she turned towards her excitedly, "I read about that! I'm supposed to do that before approaching the shrine, right?"
"M-Mmn," Rei nodded with surprise as she turned towards the gorgeous makeup artist, "You…'read about' it?"
"Mmn," Minako nodded cheerfully, "I've never been to a Shinto shrine before and I figured I should know at least something about it before coming over. So I went to the library after work yesterday and also read up on a couple things online last night." A slight blush tinted her creamy cheeks as she averted her bashful, azure eyes to the ground, "And…it's your home, Rei-chan. I didn't want to be disrespectful."
Rei felt strong waves of Sincerity flow into her through their connected hands and was nearly moved to tears by Minako's thoughtfulness. She found herself compelled to move towards the smaller woman.
Minako heard the fabric of Rei's miko garbs shuffle softly before she turned and was met by soft lips pressing into her own in a sweet and gentle kiss that nearly took Minako's breath away.
Gods…had it really only been two days since she last kissed these perfect lips? Minako allowed her eyelids to fall closed as she kissed the taller woman back just as sweetly. She sighed contently, catching her breath, as the raven-haired miko gently ended the kiss. Rei rested her forehead against Minako's,
"I missed you, Mina," Rei whispered softly. She brought her right hand up to lightly stroke the smaller woman's creamy cheek with her thumb as she intertwined the fingers of her other hand with Minako's, gently squeezing it, trying to convey the feelings behind her words. Minako only blushed in reply, taking in the sweet smell of vanilla that was so distinctly Rei. She returned the squeeze from Rei's hand and stroked it gently with her thumb in small circles, taking the time to enjoy the moment.
A loud cough from across the courtyard brought them out of their intimate world, making them jump slightly apart from the sudden interruption. They both turned towards the direction of the sound.
"Now where has my beloved granddaughter gone?," a raspy voice sang playfully. Though Minako couldn't see anyone in the courtyard, the voice seemed to be coming from the vicinity of the small giftshop, "Perhaps she's in the fire room? Or in the shrine? I wonder where she could possibly be."
"Grandpa," Rei half-whined, half-sighed in feigned exasperation as she rolled her eyes. He knew exactly where she was, could probably sense her just as well as she could sense him and his light-green aura that was beaming with Playful Amusement. He had been teasing her non-stop since she arrived yesterday about this mysterious 'Mina' she had chosen to invite per his suggestion.
Despite that, she couldn't help but smile softly to herself. With all his teasing, she knew it was his way of showing that he cared and was supportive of her. Even now, he had provided space for them to have a small, private moment to greet each other before making his presence known.
"Ah! Is that you in the courtyard, Reiko?," the raspy voice said playfully with feigned surprise.
"…'Reiko'?," Minako asked curiously, getting the raven-haired miko's attention.
"It's a nickname Grandpa's had for me since I was little," Rei explained with a shrug as a light blush came to her cheeks, "He likes making up nicknames for people."
"It's cute, I like it," Minako said as she let out a small, melodic giggle, causing the taller woman's blush to darken slightly.
"Reiiikoooo," Rei's grandfather called again playfully, having not received a response from his granddaughter, "Reiko, where aaaare youuuu?"
"Yes, Grandpa, I'm in the courtyard," Rei replied, humoring her grandfather. She turned towards the direction from where the voice was coming from, "Mina just got here."
"Oh, is that so?," the raspy voice asked in an overly-exaggerated surprised tone, "Well then I must come say 'hello' and greet our guest."
Rei felt Minako's aura shift to Nervousness and she turned her attention back to the gorgeous blonde, "Don't worry, Mina," Rei said soothingly with an encouraging smile. She gently squeezed her hand, "Just be yourself."
"M-Mmn," Minako replied hesitantly with a soft nod as she took a breath to steady her nerves. As Rei gently released her hand and moved to stand next to her, Minako's attention was drawn to a short, stout, elderly, bald man who had a wide, kind smile on his worn face and was shuffling his way across the courtyard towards them from the giftshop.
"You must be Aino Minako," the diminutive man said eagerly as he approached the two.
"Mmn, good afternoon," Minako nodded before bowing respectfully towards the elderly man, "I'm sorry for the intrusion...u-um…"
"Just call me 'Ojiisan', child. All the other kids do," Rei's grandfather replied kindly as he bowed towards the gorgeous blonde, "And it's no trouble at all. Welcome to the Hikawa Shrine and our humble home. I'm glad you'll be visiting with us."
They both straightened and Rei's grandfather looked towards his beloved granddaughter out of the corner of his dark eyes mischievously, "She's quite hot. Isn't she, granddaughter?," he asked with a playful wink.
"KAMI-SAMA! GRANDPA!," Rei yelled in mortification. She could feel her face beginning to flush darkly with embarrassment.
Rei's grandfather laughed wholeheartedly in response, "Reiko, my dear. The Kami is all around us, there's no need to shout to get their attention." His laughter softened as he continued, "I was referring to her aura, granddaughter," he said teasingly with the most innocent look he could muster, "You mentioned that her aura was very warm, and it is. I was merely agreeing with your observation. What ever did you think I meant?"
Before Rei was about to admonish her grandfather for his cheekiness, a melodic giggle caught her attention, distracting her from her chagrin. She turned towards the smaller woman and found her orange-gold colors swaying with Amusement, the Nervousness fading considerably.
Rei realized then, could feel it in her grandfather's light-green aura, that he had teased her for Minako's sake. He must have also sensed Minako's Anxieties about meeting him and wanted to ease the gorgeous blonde's tension. The archer softened as she glanced over at her grandfather and caught his dark eyes momentarily, silently thanking him for his wisdom and kindness. The older man merely gave her a knowing wink and warm smile.
"Well, in either case, I'll take it as a compliment, Ojiisan," Minako giggled as she bowed politely towards the older man. She straightened and turned towards the beautiful archer, "And you must forgive Rei-chan," she continued teasingly as she winked playfully at the taller woman, "I think being in the city for too long has made your granddaughter a little ecchi." Rei's grandfather laughed with amusement in reply.
"Mataku, you two," Rei said in an exasperated tone as she rolled her eyes in feigned annoyance. She crossed her arms in a huff, "Maybe this was a bad idea. I don't know if I like you two getting chummy with each other. I foresee it making for a lot of jokes at my expense."
"Speaking of jokes, dear granddaughter," Rei's grandfather interjected smoothly as his laughter died down, "Would you care to explain why our guest is parked in the visitor lot and not around back near the house?"
"Wait, what?," Minako asked with confusion.
"Well, child, if you continued following the road passed the visitor lot you would have been able to drive right up to the house behind the shrine and not have to take the stairs," Rei's grandfather replied matter-of-factly. He gave a sidelong look of feigned rebuke towards his beloved granddaughter, "That is, if someone would had given you proper directions to do so."
Minako spun her head to look at the beautiful miko, whose playful lavenders were trained up at the sky, trying her best to look as innocent as possible while hiding a mischievous smirk that wanted to appear on her alluring lips. A look of disbelief flashed across Minako's face as realization suddenly hit her. Her jaw dropped as she smacked the archer's upper-arm incredulously, "Rei-chan! You tricked me into walking up those epic stairs!?"
"It's a right of passage, Mina!," Rei explained, finally allowing herself to chuckle at Minako's expense. She shrunk away slightly and raised her hands in innocent defensiveness, "Anyone who visits the shrine has to go up the stairs and cross under the torii at least once!"
"Mataku, I can't believe you," Minako said in reproach as she shook her head disapprovingly and crossed her arms in a huff.
"Now, is that any way to treat our guest, Reiko?," Rei's grandfather reprimanded lightly with a playful chuckle.
"No, I guess not, Grandpa," Rei replied sheepishly, a small grin still lingering on her lips.
"Then perhaps, as an atonement, you can take our guest's bag and car around to the house?," her grandfather suggested, "While you're there, you can go freshen up and then give our guest a tour of our home."
"Yes, Grandpa," Rei nodded obediently. She bent down and picked up Minako's duffle bag off the floor and slung the strap over her shoulder as she held her hand out to Minako expectantly.
"Thanks, Reiko," Minako said snarkily with a playfully teasing tone as she deposited her car keys into the taller woman's hand.
"Anytime, princess," Rei quipped with a smirk. As she walked towards the stairs, she called over her shoulder towards the two crows, "Let's go, girls. I've got some kare pan from Tokyo back at the house for you."
Cawww Ca-Cawww Cawww Cawww Ca-Cawww!
Both creatures cawed happily with excitement as they took flight and headed straight towards the house, leaving Minako and Rei's grandfather to themselves. Once Rei had descended the long flight of stairs and was out of sight, Minako turned back around to face the elderly man, who was smiling warmly up at her, "Would you mind keeping an old man company in the meantime?"
"No, not at all," Minako nodded politely with a sincere smile.
"Splendid," Rei's grandfather replied cheerfully. He gestured towards the chōzuya, "Shall we?"
"Mmn," Minako nodded eagerly. As she followed the stout man as he shuffled towards the chōzuya, a sincere smile came to her alluring lips. Though she was still slightly apprehensive and anxious about meeting Rei's grandfather, she had a pretty good feeling that she was going to get along with the elderly man just fine.
After the temizu, Rei's grandfather led Minako into the shrine where he prepared some green tea for them to enjoy while they got to know each other as they waited for Rei.
They perched themselves, with the tray of tea in between them, on the edge of a small, elevated platform that served as a stage of sorts for various rituals and events in the middle of a medium-sized auditorium. The inside of the shrine had beautiful reddish-orange, wide, wooden pillars throughout the space and matched the solid, wide, wooden panels that lined the side walls as well as the cross beams in the vaulted ceilings. The bright light that came through the shōji windows that lined the front and back walls played off the vibrant colors of the of the structure, accenting the polished, dark-wood floor of the space and creating a bright and welcoming environment. Hanging from the ceiling by the doorways were paper lanterns while intricately designed steel lanterns hung over the stage itself. Draped directly above the middle of the stage from the ceiling was a thick shimenawa with strands of shime that hung halfway down from it.
The pair chatted easily with each other. Their conversation flowed smoothly and they found themselves laughing quite a bit, mostly due to their similar sense of humor and witty banter.
"Oh, my dear, Aino-chan," Rei's grandfather sighed after another fit of laughter, using the pet name he had quickly developed for the young woman, "I'm so glad you came to visit. You are such a joy to talk to."
"M-Mmn, thank you for having me," Minako nodded shyly as a light blush tinted her cheeks from the small compliment. She averted her gaze in favor of looking around the shrine, "I really like it here. It feels almost magical. It's so calm and peaceful."
"Then consider it your home, child," Rei's grandfather said kindly. His dark eyes shifted slightly to look behind the make-up artist towards the back shōji doors of the shrine, "And it appears your tour guide is ready for you now."
Ssssshuck
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mina," Rei said with an apologetic tone as she entered the shrine. She had changed into a red, checked, feminine-cut, plaid, long-sleeve, button-up shirt with the sleeves folded up to just below her elbows. Underneath that, she wore a simple, black tank top. Below that was a pair of fitted, dark-denim jeans over a pair of charcoal sneakers.
"…T-That's ok, Rei-chan," Minako stuttered once she found her voice. A light blush began forming on her creamy cheeks as she took in the sight of the beautiful, raven-haired woman.
Minako's reaction didn't go unnoticed by Rei's grandfather, who smiled knowingly to himself as he watched her warm, orange-gold aura become completely captivated by his beloved granddaughter. He began to clean up the tray of tea, "Now run along and enjoy yourselves, you two," he said kindly as he collected the tray and turned towards Minako, "It was wonderful getting to know you, Aino-chan."
"M-Mmn, likewise," Minako replied quickly, startled out of her admiration for the archer. She stood up and bowed respectfully towards the stout man, "Thank you again."
Rei's grandfather nodded kindly in return and began walking towards the back shōji door. As he passed his granddaughter, he noticed her raising an elegant eyebrow at him,
"…'Aino-chan'?," Rei asked skeptically with a smirk.
"I thought the nickname to be quite clever and fitting," Rei's grandfather replied with playful smugness. He winked teasingly, "Wouldn't you agree, granddaughter?"
Rei rolled her eyes at her grandfather before she leaned down and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "Love you, Grandpa," she said with feigned incredulity.
"I love you too, Reiko," the elderly man chuckled before heading out the door towards the house, leaving the two young women to themselves.
Rei turned back towards the gorgeous blonde, whose piercing, azure eyes were busy raking Rei's form, blatantly gawking at her. Rei smirked to herself as she began walking towards Minako slowly with a seductive sway.
The way Rei's clothes hugged her lithe form, how that long, silky, raven-colored hair flowed gracefully behind her as she approached…Gods, Rei looked absolutely incredible.
There was something else about the archer Minako had noticed since she arrived at the shrine. There was a confidence to Rei, a sureness as she moved, especially now as she strutted towards the gorgeous makeup artist. There was none of that focused, calculated control she always had about her. She seemed relaxed, uninhibited, and so much more comfortable in her surroundings here than in the city. It made it that much harder for Minako not to be absolutely taken in by the beautiful woman.
As the archer approached and was only inches away from her, Minako hesitantly brought her hazy sapphires to lock onto intense amethysts,
"See something you like, Aino-chan?," Rei whispered with a suggestive edge teasingly.
"…I-I…uh…," Minako stuttered, the Japanese language eluding her tongue as a dark blush began painting her cheeks. She averted her gaze submissively and turned her head bashfully, unable to hold those dangerously seductive lavenders any longer. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt Rei's presence move much closer. Her eyelids fluttered slightly as she felt sure fingers tuck a stray, blonde hair behind her ear, sending electrifying shivers down the length of her body. She bit her lip and tilted her head reflexively as she felt warm puffs of breath brushing lightly over the side of her neck as the archer leaned in to whisper in her ear,
"Mina," Rei purred softly, her smooth tone provocatively low, "You…," she whispered breathily, "…are so…," a soft moan hummed from her as she took a moment to breathe in the familiar scent of strawberries that was so distinctly Minako, "…incredibly…"
A wavering gasp breached the barrier of the gorgeous blonde's now parted lips as the raven-haired beauty spoke slowly with a sultry tone. Minako felt her insides clench as those soft lips brushed against the shell of her sensitive ear. It was a wonder she could hear anything at all with the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears,
"…ecchi," Rei finished around a smirk. The playful giggle that came from her as she stepped around the smaller woman and headed towards the front shōji doors broke Minako out of her trance and abruptly brought her back to the present moment,
"M-Mou, Rei-chaaaan!," Minako groaned loudly, half-frustrated and half-annoyed, realizing now that Rei was teasing her. This only caused the raven-haired beauty to laugh fully as she quickly slid one of the shōji doors open and exited the shrine with a now exasperated blonde close behind.
As Rei's grandfather set the tray of refreshments near the kitchen sink, he closed his eyes and reached out to take in the feeling of his beloved granddaughter's aura before it went too far out of his reach. Since she began living at the shrine with him, he had always sensed a touch of Heaviness and Sadness in her flame-red colors, as if she were carrying the weight of the world within her. Now, he could feel his beloved granddaughter's aura radiating strongly with Playful Lightheartedness, Joy, and Giddy Excitement. The last time he could remember feeling her aura exude such carefree emotions was before…
He took a deep, wavering intake of breath as he opened his eyes, releasing his read on his young granddaughter. The last time was before the diagnosis, before those long days spent at the hospital, before his pride and joy departed from this world to watch over him and his only granddaughter alongside the Kami of the universe…and before Rei's life took a drastic turn to be raised as a miko in a shrine.
Rei's grandfather smiled softly to himself. His beloved granddaughter was healing. She was finally allowing herself to feel happy. And he knew, even without his abilities, that it was all thanks to a certain young blonde who was currently with her.
The smile slipped from his lips as his thoughts turned towards the young blonde. Yes, they had gotten along very well and he found Minako to be quite pleasant, polite, intelligent, and with a good head on her shoulders. Her bubbly personality made it easy to be around her.
But there was just…something about her. Something…he couldn't quite pinpoint but that his instincts were telling him he needed to pay attention to.
He had allowed the makeup artist to direct the conversation, all the while taking the opportunity to silently study her. He followed her social cues, observed her mannerisms, and found nothing in particular that was of concern there.
He then studied her aura. He almost couldn't get past how strikingly similar it was to his only daughter's who he missed so dearly. The orange-gold colors were warm, comforting, and inviting. He could see why his beloved granddaughter would be so drawn to this young woman.
As he continued to study her aura, he began to realize something. Thought there was a fair amount of Hesitation and Nervousness in her aura that was reasonable given her situation, there was also an elusiveness to it. A sort of…haziness to it that most auras didn't have. But it was subtle, so much so that it nearly escaped his notice if he hadn't been concentrating. It seemed to prevent him from being able to read beyond only her superficial feelings.
Rei's grandfather sighed heavily. He crossed his arms as as he shook his head slowly with dismay, "Poor child," he whispered softly to himself in his raspy tone, "So fearful and guarded with her heart."
His thoughtful, dark gaze landed on the tray before him as he brought his attention to the nearly finished cup of green tea Minako had been drinking while they conversed. A worried expression came to his features, "And what role will you play for what's to come?," he whispered with concern.
Carefully, he lifted the cup from the tray and brought it to his face. He tilted the porcelain container slightly in various angles, examining the tealeaves at the bottom of the small container. His bushy eyebrows knit together on his forehead as he deciphered them analytically.
After a brief moment, his dark eyes widened slightly in shock, only to be replaced by a deep look of concern. His worn lips pursed into a thin line, "So…she's the one," he said slowly, as if testing the words out as he set the cup down. He stood there for a moment before a small smile began pulling at his lips, "Prettier than I had expected," he said as a soft, playfully chuckle came to him.
His smile faded and was replaced with a worried look as he turned and quickly shuffled to the hallway towards the rotary phone. Picking up the handset, he lifted it to his ear and began rotating the dial. He only had to wait half a ring before the person on the other end picked up,
"There's been a development, my dear," he said once the line was answered, "A young woman by the name of 'Aino Minako'."
He listened to the person on the other line before smiling softly, "Yes, she is," he said warmly, "And she's the one."
Words were spoken on the other line and he chuckled softly in reply, "With how guarded she is, I'm not surprised we were unable to see her clearly." His countenance fell, "Yes," he said solemnly as his brow furrowed, "It would seem her role is part of the catalyst for what's to come, but she may also be the key to tipping the scales in our favor," he said with a hint of optimism in his raspy voice.
He listened for a bit before he let out a heavy sigh, "The details are unclear, my child, but I know she will also have much to endure in the process if she chooses the path we hope for."
He paused before continuing, "She may not need guidance so much as…encouragement. Her insecurities and fears could be her downfall…and ours. But she also has such strength and determination of character. I have faith in her so long as she has the support she needs."
His countenance turned solemn, "I apologize for placing yet another burden on you during my absence, my child." He listened to the response from the other lined and smiled softly, "Thank you, dear."
He took an audible breath as he thought, "I don't believe so. I have some things I need to finalize tomorrow, but I've prepared everything else I could so there shouldn't be much to do while I'm gone." His face softened as a kind smile came to his worn lips, "Indeed, my dear," he said warmly, "I love you very much. Goodbye."
Rei's grandpa set the handset of the phone down on the telephone cradle, ending the call. He shuffled back into the kitchen and brought his attention to the cup of green tea he himself had been drinking while conversing with Minako. As he glanced into the small cup, a solemn look washed over his countenance, "It has begun, indeed," he said softly before picking up the small vessel and rinsing it out in the sink.
He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh before he whispered a quiet prayer, "Follow your heart rather than your fears, Aino-chan…for both your sakes."
"You're leaving tomorrow?," Rei asked with a bit of surprise. She had spent the rest of the day showing Minako around the shrine grounds before returning to have dinner together with her grandfather. They had just finished their meal, sitting at the low table in the living room, before Rei's grandfather announced that he would be heading out first thing tomorrow morning.
"Mmn," Rei's grandfather nodded in reply to his granddaughter, who was sitting to his right, "Do you remember my childhood friends, the Tōdō's, who own the Buddhist temple just outside of Musashino? I have some business I need to attend to with them that I am unable to reschedule."
"Oh," Rei responded with slight disappointment underlying her smooth tone.
Rei's grandfather turned to the young blonde sitting to his left, "I'm truly sorry to have to run off like this during your visit with us, Aino-chan," he said apologetically.
"No, it's ok," Minako replied sincerely, "I'm glad I was able to spend some time with you today then."
"Mmn," Rei's grandfather nodded in agreement, "While I'm away, would it be too much to ask that you help Reiko with the shrine tomorrow in my absence?," he asked hopefully, "My granddaughter informed me that you were a manager of sorts as a profession. I was hoping you could help to organize and run our little store?"
"Sure, I can do that," Minako replied earnestly.
"Thank you, my dear," Rei's grandfather responded with a smile as he turned back towards his beloved granddaughter, "My apprentice should also be here tomorrow to assist with running the shrine. Would you be able to supervise him in my stead?"
Rei wrinkled her nose slightly in disgust, causing the elderly man to chuckle in reply, "Now, Reiko, I believe this will be good for his training to learn from a strong, young woman like yourself. Especially since you have the unique experience of growing up here."
"Yes, Grandpa," Rei replied, sighing in resignation.
"Wonderful," Rei's grandfather replied. He softened as he looked intently at the young archer, "Just…be sure to take care of yourself. Ok, my dear?"
Rei's violet eyes picked up on the subtle Concern being emitted by her grandfather's light-green colors. She could tell he was trying to subdue his worries about her abilities and being in close proximity to a stranger.
"Don't worry, Ojiisan. I'll make sure Reiko's safe," Minako said comfortingly. Rei glanced over at the gorgeous blonde sitting across from her at the low table and was met with piercing sapphires. Rei could see her orange-gold aura glowing brightly with Protectiveness, both for Rei's well-being and for her grandfather's to ease his concerns.
She also noticed Minako's use of her grandfather's nickname for her. The makeup artist had begun using the nickname progressively more in her speech since arriving and as the day went on. She continued to use '-chan' in more casual conversations, but seemed to reserve '-ko' for more tender and endearing moments.
How the gorgeous blonde used it now was no exception. The way the name sounded coming from her melodic voice, it was as if Minako were caring for the word itself within her tone. It made Rei's heart flutter with a bit of embarrassment and shyness. A small, bashful smile pulled at the archer's alluring lips.
Minako winked at her playfully, "And I'll make sure Rei-chan's on her best behavior tomorrow so that your apprentice is safe also," she finished teasingly. Rei groaned and rolled her eyes.
"Excellent," Rei's grandfather chuckled in reply. He made to get up and collect the dishes from their meal.
"Oh, let me take care of that," Minako offered as she got up and quickly cleared the table.
"Why, thank you, Aino-chan," Rei's grandfather said appreciatively. Minako nodded with a charming smile before taking the dishes to the kitchen.
Once Minako left the living room, Rei brought her attention to her grandfather, "Alright, what's really going on, Grandpa?," she asked as she examined his light-green aura. She could tell that there was something the elderly man was hiding from her.
Rei's grandfather only chuckled in reply before smiling softly, "Aino-chan is a very charming young woman, isn't she?," he said sincerely, addressing his beloved granddaughter, "I'm glad you were able to meet such a wonderful person, Reiko."
A dark blush came to Rei's pale cheeks as she averted her gaze down towards the table, "M-Mmn," she nodded shyly in reply, thrown by her grandfather's sudden comment. The archer began to feel a comforting, light-green color seep into her as her grandfather rested a worn hand gently on her shoulder.
"I believe your mother would have liked her as well," Rei's grandfather said kindly as he squeezed her shoulder gently before pulling away. Rei's head shot up at the simple statement that seemed to speak volumes, her intense amethysts meeting her grandfather's kind, knowing gaze as he smiled softly at her.
Ssssshuck
The sound of a fusuma door sliding open interrupted the moment as Minako came back into the living room after finishing up in the kitchen.
"Well, since the weather seems nice outside this evening," Rei's grandfather said as he stood up, "Why don't we retire to the backyard for some stargazing?"
"That sounds like fun," Minako replied cheerfully, "Rei-chan told me once that you sometimes use astrology when you read fortunes."
"My granddaughter speaks the truth," The elderly man chuckled good-naturedly. "Come," he said as he shuffled to Minako's side and began gently guided her towards the shōji doors that led to the backyard, "There is no other place in the country where you can see the night sky as clearly as you can from here." He turned towards Rei as they headed out, "Reiko, would you mind grabbing the spare blankets from the oshiire?"
"Y-Yes, Grandpa," Rei nodded obediently, subtly clearing her throat, "I-I'll meet you guy out there."
"Splendid," her grandfather replied warmly as he continued to lead Minako out to the backyard.
The miko silently thanked her grandfather for going ahead with Minako as she took a moment to collect herself and wipe the tears that had formed in her rare, violet eyes. As she got up from the table and watched her grandfather shuffle off, joking and laughing with the gorgeous blonde as he led her to the bench near the rock garden, her thoughts went to her mother and, for the first time in her life, it didn't feel as though her heart were being constricted with pain. Instead, she felt a calm sense of peace…and a soft smile found its way to her alluring lips.
Author Note: Not my best chapter, I know. I've been wrestling with this since I posted my last one trying to get the set up perfect for things that will happen in the coming chapters.
Now, my part-time seasonal job will be starting up this week so that'll cut into my writing time even more and it just got to a point where I had to be ok with this chapter just being…well…ok. Otherwise, it might have been a much longer while before I could get this posted, subsequently delaying my ability to write the rest of this story. At least now I feel like I can move on with the stuff that's going to happen when I get a chance to write again! =D
Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.
(updated 11/2015)