Hello everyone. Sorry for the long frustrating wait for this story to continue on, many things happened on my end and I had to sort them all out. Now that I've gotten it done and can focus on my writing. Sadly as I re-read this story I found it frustrating. I have the notes for it, and from what I wanted it was not coming together in the previous one here. So I am starting over with a fresh start and going to keep this one up and going. Don't be afraid to give me pointers or anything you think might go along with the story. I am basing this off before Inuyasha came to play his role with Kagome. So the beginning of this tale with the shrine takes place before Kagome's time. The two Higurashi's are in fact gramps and his wife back in the day. So with that concept of time in your minds, enjoy reading this story and let me know what you think.
-Mahalo plenty ^_^

The time it takes for someone to fall in love is actually pretty short. But the time it takes for yourself to realize that you're already in love takes an excruciating long time. Some have it easier than others when the one they love comes to them and the feelings are mutual during their first meeting. I can tell you this much, my love was nothing but hard and excruciating to me.
Heh...perhaps I should start from the beginning? That might be better…it's hard to explain all that's happened to me in one short paragraph.
I guess it started after I graduated from college in Tokyo...

Love is Clarity?

The turning of spring had always taken my breath away. Not because of the dramatic change in weather, but due to the fact that here in Tokyo they really bring forth all the festivities. Since coming here I have seen more people living to their fullest compared to where I'm from. Better than Oregon, that's for sure. Here, there's always excitement going on and fireworks for something big or small-maybe even a parade for who knows what! In all reality, moving to Tokyo has been the best decision I have ever made for myself, and I couldn't have been any luckier getting a decent place to stay that is reasonably priced.

"Clara," the landlady, a rather young woman running a nearby shrine, called out for me from the yard. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun and she still had her apron on from working in the kitchen. Trailing out of my small quarters and meeting her outside, she was holding something small in her hand but I was unfamiliar as to what she was doing with it.

"Yes Mrs. Higurashi?" Her gentle demeanor calming, she showed me the white substance and i saw it to be an ornament for your hair. It was so delicate looking it took my breath away seeing it. "It's beautiful! Did you find it while cleaning?"

"In a sense, yes. I would love it if you wore it to the Oban Festival tonight. I know since coming here you've been helping take care of the shrine as payment, but my husband and I want you to enjoy being here and have a fun experience."

"That's amazing, really, but I don't even own a kimono or yukata to really experience it." Her expression became delightful as she clasped my hands and offered to dress me in one of her old kimono's she's had since she was my age. "Are you sure I can wear it? I know they must be expensive..."

"I haven't worn it since I was young, and it would make me so happy to see it on someone."

"Will you help me put it on?" She laughed as she told me there'd be no way of putting it on myself. Embarrassed as i walked back to the house with her and watched how she unfolded the beautiful silk and satin fabrics, it really took my breath away that I was going to wear such a beautiful piece.

"When my son marries and has a daughter of his own it will be me putting this on his wife and passing it to her to give to her daughter. To see it now brings me great joy."

"Your son is still only in high school," I looked to her with all seriousness and she chuckled thinking that youth did not matter as long as he found someone he loved. I liked the thought and found her to be an ideal kind of mother. "Now then let's get you in the bath and cleaned up so I can doll you up tonight."

"My goodness," Mrs. Higurashi, along with her husband, stood in awe by the door as they looked upon Clara coming down the steps wearing the kimono she had given to her. "If my son was older I would ask you to be his bride," she giggled with delight and her husband laughed alongside her. All joking aside and really seeing it for myself, it was like seeing myself in those folk films. Beautiful refined Geisha walking down the streets with a parasol in hand. Mrs. Higurashi really has an eye for style, it'll put beauty tutorials to shame.

"You speak so fondly of me, but really it's all in the kimono. It's quite stunning."
The silver kimono with light hints of purple hue and just a tad of blue was stunning. The red trim and long sleeves really made a difference to how it looked. For a moment I really felt unworthy of such a grand gift to be worn if not for her insistence on me wearing it. And with the Obi wrapped around my waist it made me look thinner than I look.

"If only you had a date to the festival it would really be perfect." She sighed. "But surely with the way you look you'll catch a man there." A teasing laugh, her husband pulled her away to let me be and i couldn't help but laugh. They are such a sweet couple and I'm sure their son will find a wonderful girl who thinks the same.

Thanking her for all the trouble and receiving the small matching coin bag, she waved me off to go have fun at the Oban festival. Though persistent I have a date did not bother me one bit, she really was a kind mother looking out for others.
It was a rather short walk to the festival. Not really hard to find since the shrine I'm staying at is actually the attraction for the festivities. I walked through the crowd and visited the stands to try out each vendor's specialty. Many delicious treats and fun games were enjoyable, but I think what caught me was how some of these people really got into the spirit of the Oban festival. Some of them wore very unique costumes while wearing masks' on their heads and over faces. A few times I thought I'd seen a funny looking animal walking by on two legs, but ignored the thought and continued playing games and eating the food. Before the night grew late for the fireworks to start, there was a booth just a little ways away from all the other stands that was decorated in colorful drapes and lavished in shimmering jewels.

"Do you seek your fortune…" a hooded woman asked me. Her hand resting on her crystal ball while her face was masked by shadow, it was strange no one was around here wanting their fortune read. I would have thought it'd be popular with all the high school kids around here.

"Sure…why not," sitting down at the table and waiting for the woman to name her price for the reading, she began to stroke her ball and hummed to herself.
I watched as the ball began to swirl on the inside like smoke being blown in the wind and was transfixed on it. The old woman hummed louder and louder as she stroked the ball before lifting her hands away from it and making a strange pose. Unable to turn my gaze away from the ball and watching the swirling smoke inside take shape, I discerned the shape to be nothing more than a crescent moon before a blinding light made me cover my eyes.

"….A fate worse than death…you walk a thorny path that will not make things easy for you. If you value your life you would steer clear from the moon child and live a peaceful life. Take on the moon child and you will have to face hardships unheard of." The woman spoke in riddles as I rubbed my eyes from the sudden flash of light. I didn't understand much of what she was saying, but before I could ask her anything she was swallowed by the shadows of her stand and everything seemed to have darkened all around me. Terrified of the experience and getting up out of the chair, the lights and sounds of people around me came back into focus and continued on like nothing happened.
I looked around to find nothing had changed, but turned back to the stand to find an old fortune teller machine placed where the old woman was moments ago.

"This is just freaky…" getting away from the stall and walking back to the shrine, I couldn't shake that feeling I had. Just what was that? Why did everything go dark around me with some creepy woman suddenly turning into a machine? Were all Oban festivals like this?
Reaching home and almost forgetting to pray at the tree for good health, I turned around and stopped before the great tree and looked at it. As old and sturdy as it looked, being near its large trunk always calmed me down and focused my mind. I felt calm shutting my eyes before it and praying to the god of this shrine for good fortune. And just like before, when I prayed for good luck during my exam, I felt warm.

"Clara," Mrs. Higurashi came out of her house and found me praying. She seemed concerned why I was back so early, but I just couldn't tell her about the fortune teller experience. It would probably make her worried or think I ate something with drugs or alcohol in it.

"I got pretty tired after playing so much at the stalls. Perhaps I overdid it a little bit," I showed my best smile to play it off, but her eyes seemed to catch my attempt to lie, yet she said nothing. A mother's gaze is quite formidable, yet she chose to stay her questions and gave a soft smile.

"Alright then…come inside and take a warm bath. Dinner will be ready for you in just a bit."
I went to follow her inside when a loud crack and thunderous boom went off in the sky and looked up to see the fireworks had started. We stood there watching the show in a daze. It was magnificent to see, and just before the big finale, a firework went off that shaped itself into a crescent moon and several stars following right behind. The images of that fortune teller came rushing back to me and this time something else flashed through my mind as well. Something white…large and white was running at me at a great speed that I threw my hands up in front of me to defend myself from the impact and felt nothing other than Mrs. Higurashi shaking my shoulders.

"Clara, Clara what's wrong?!" Her face so close I could see her pupils dilate, and I also saw the fear in her expression clear as day. "What happened? Why did you suddenly yell and cover your face?" Her hands swiftly touching my face and knowing how clammy I must have felt made her worry even more. I felt my heart pounding in my ears. Cold sweat beading down my brow and feeling my limbs going numb, she took me in her arms and helped me back into the house.