Strange Discoveries

[kanrya]

Kanrya jumped into the well and went forward in time to the future and she came slowly out of the shrine in awe. She whistled low and then the stench of the city it her nose and she hit the dirt like she had just been whalloped hard. "Ohhh my nose!!" She whined as she covered it. She pick herself off the ground and followed Yukina quietly noticing all the futuristic things. "How can the buildings really be that tall?" She mused quietly. She then saw a car go by and stared after it in surprise. "What was that? a new kind of demon?" She growled and then held her nose after sniffing the air to catch it's scent. "Whatever it is it reeks!" She continued to follow Yukina.

[kitsunemiko]

She watched Kanrya drop and chuckled a bit, she knew the stench would be a problem. Being the kind person she was, she helped her up off the ground and continued walking. It was interesting to watch Kanrya’s reactions to the future and just as she predicted she did have some questions. Though where to begin her explanations, there was so much to teach her! The best place to start was probably her questions, then go on to explaining what she would need to know.

”As you can see humans have come up with ways of making things taller, the buildings you see are mostly made out of concrete and steel. What you just saw zooming by is called a car and it’s not a demon. It basically took over the part horses were used for; it transports humans to one point to another, but at a much faster pace. They can travel as fast as most demons. Speaking of which I should have taken mine her; though the traffic was horrible on the way up. Oh traffics a word used when cars are all stuck together in one place and only move once every few minutes. But enough about cars I want to explain a few other things first. In the future every one goes to school including women, you and I are at the age where we would be attending our last year of high school. So when you meet my mom and she asked how old you are just tell her your 17 K? Also to explain your clothing we’ll just tell her your apart of the schools Kendo Club.”

The stopped at a crosswalk and waited until it was safe to cross. Fortunately the sidewalks weren’t as crowded as they had been earlier that afternoon. Most people had already gone home for dinner and the sun was just about to set. They would arrive at Yukina’s home just a little after dark. It would only take another 30 min to finish the hike back down to her house which was on the Inari shrine grounds. But it was about 40 minutes later then she had been planned on being home so she took out her cell phone so she could tell her mother she would be late and to set an extra plate on the table.

”This is a cell phone, a device that is used to communicate with other humans over long distances.”

She quickly called her mom, whom was delighted to learn that they would have a visitor. It was about 5 minutes until her mother stopped talking about how wonderful it was to here that Yukina finally made a friend and how she couldn’t wait to meet her. Yukina couldn’t help but smile at her mother’s antics but eventually she told her she would have to get off the phone. They said there farewells and she clicked her phone shut ending the call.

”My mom’s excited to meet you, mainly cause you’re the first person I’ve ever invited over. Anyways my mom ordered out so were having a dish called pizza, I think you’ll like it.

[kanrya]

"Interesting humans are more clever that most demons think...What year is it anyway?" Kanrya asked and then gaped "Women in school? the world has changed! Alright i'll tell her i am 17." Kanrya nods and quietly absorbed the sights and sounds of the city. She watched Yukina talk to her mother and smiled. "The future is really interesting. I think that i'll like this 'pizza'." She said just as her stomach growled loudly and she grinned, embarassed by it. "I haven't eaten anything decent in a while.

Kanrya stretched and then noticed that the sky was darkening. "It's getting rather late huh?" She continued to take all the sights and sounds and inevitably the stench of the city although she was getting kind of used to the smell of the city already. She stopped and sniffed the air near the Wac Donalds and growled happily. "Something smells goood!" She turned and stared at the wac donalds and could feel herself mentally drooling at the smell of the food frying.

[kitsunemiko]

Yukina could only smile at this comment, Kanrya was right demons did give humans less credit then they disserved. When she had first come to the future she was shocked at what she saw. During the years that she had grown up as a normal mortal she had learned a lot from her human mother. If it wasn’t for her human mother Yukina may have never learned compassion for the human species. Back when she was alive in the feudal era she would have never thought that one day she would be protecting the human race from demon hands. Though of course no one else knew about her past life, and what she currently was. Hopefully she would be able to let Kanrya in on her secret some day but now wasn’t the right time for that. Kanrya had been hurt by the human species, not to mention demons to. Yukina wanted to teach her the side that she had come to know and until that time came she would have to keep the charade of a normal human Miko. She just hoped Kanrya wouldn’t hate her after she found out, especially when she found out what kind of demon.

”Well we’ve traveled over 500 years into the future, it’s currently year 2007. Oh and Yep! Women have been going to school for years now, we have just as much rights as men now. Of course there’s still some issues with that but at least it’s a big improvement. We’re educated in things such as math, science, language arts, and much much more. I’ll teach you some things if you want, I’m sure even a small education in your time would be worth a lot. Because I believe in your time only scholars and noble men are usually educated in arithmetic and so on”

Yukina watched Kanrya take in all the sites, now that she thought more deeply on the subject it was amazing to think how far this species came within a few hundred years. Her smile only grew as she heard an all to familiar sound of a hungry stomach. Of course her stomach had to agree at the same time. At this she let out a small laugh and nodded in agreement.

”Well pizza isn’t the best thing in the world, since I’ve been staying late at school for the past few weeks I haven’t been home to cook a decent meal for mother and I. So she’s been ordering take out every night….I’m really getting sick of left over’s for breakfast. This means I’ll just get up early tomorrow to grab some groceries, so I can cook us all a decent breakfast.

She watched as the sun set, and the street lamps went on lighting up the side walks and streets. Kanrya suddenly stopped, and seeing this Yukina also did. She fallowed Kanrya’s line of site over to the Wac Donalds and then looked back at her….was that a bit of drool coming from her mouth?

”You know I think I’ll pick up a couple order of fries to go with the pizza, you’ll probably like those to since that’s what your most likely smelling right now.

She walked across the street when it was clear and walked into Wac Donalds. Luckily it wasn’t busy and she was able to get her order quickly. Now with a bag full of fries in her hand she continued home. It wasn’t long until she got to her own shrine steps, now looking at them they seemed to be longer then the Hingurashi’s. Two large stone statues of fox’s guarded the entrance to the shrine’s grounds. This also showed that this was a shrine dedicated to Inari.

[kanrya]

Kanrya grinned happily and nodded. "i would love to learn all I can about the year 2007 and more." She smiled as her stomach grumbled again at the smell of the fries and licked her lips and then looked at the statues guarding the entrance to the shrine. "Nice choice of animal to guard the shrine. Who's shrine is it by the way? " She asked curiously and made a grab for the fries. She was starving and didn't want to wait for the pizza.

Kanrya dug some fries out of the bag and started snacking down on them.

[kitsunemiko]

Yukina began the large accent up the stairs, she made this hike up everyday at least it allowed her to get some good exercise. Which she needed considering all the take out she was forced to eat every day. A thoughtful look came across her face as she contemplated on how she was going to explain every thing that happened in the past 500 years. A small smile came across her face as she came up with an idea, though it would mean that she would have to hack into the school registration programs. Though considering her past that wouldn’t be to hard, it would only take an hour at the most. Kanrya could come to school with her, that way Yukina would have to explain less.

”I got an idea on how you can learn about what’s happen since our time skip. I’m sure my mom bought more then one school uniform for me, I have a tendency to get them all ripped up so she usually buys more then normal…..I just hope the colors are better…my last uniform was awful. I swear who every designed or picked out those was a little to high on something when they did!”

She frowned a bit at the thought of her old school uniform, as soon as she got home she was going to throw them all in a pile out side and have a big bonfire. They probably could cook smores that night to, one of the futures most delicious snacks. She was brought out of her day dreaming when the bag of fries was taken from her hands. This of course just caused her to turn and look at Kanrya with a slightly annoyed look on her face. She wasn’t the kind of person to usually lose her cool even a little bit but when it came to food you were walking on thin ice. Before the first fry got to her mouth, Yukina had already taken the bag back.

”These are for dinner you can wait…Anyways the shrines dedicated to Inari, my mother owns the shrine, though I do most of the work taking care of it. Its really only me and my mom who are keeping it up and running, after all the shrines kinda out of place. Way back in the past there use to be a lot of farm land around here, hence the reason this shrine was built. But now that the cities gone up and around it not many people come to pray to Inari. The fox statues are there because there believed to be Inari’s messengers.

They reached the top of the steps, it was really a shame that no one came to visit the shrine grounds for they were beautiful. Large gardens surrounded the grounds and koi ponds were scattered here and there all connected by a small babbling brook. The Sakura trees were oddly in full bloom, which was something you didn’t see around this time of year. You had the temple a little ways back which hid one of the best gardens. Behind the temple a little ways off into the woods surrounding the area a small house was built. The lights were already on and smoke was coming from the chimney indicating her mother had started a fire in the fire place. She walked up and let herself through the front door.

” Mother I’m home, and my friend Kanrya is with me. It’s a bit late I really hope you don’t mind her staying the night.

A middle aged woman came into few with a large warm smile on her face. The woman had short curly brown hair with stunning green eyes and was wearing a simple blue dress with an old tattered apron. She walked over and gave Yukina a large hug.

”Yu chan welcome home, and its very nice to meet you Kanrya. Yu never has friends over, sometimes I worry she has none. But its great to know she’ll have some one to hang out at school with.

She leaned over to Kanrya and whispered so her daughter couldn’t hear, even though she could.

”Just between you an me I think she’s way to serious for her own good, try to get her to lighten up a bit. She needs that!” Anyways Dinners on the table, please have a seat. Now tell me Kanrya how did you meet my Yu?

[kanrya]

Kanrya smiled and began the ascent up the stairs with Yukina and frowned thoughtfully about heading to school with Yukina. "I'd have to think about going to school with you and everything. It would probably mean that I'd have to keep my disguise up most of the day and I can't really do that on days that I turn into a full wolf demon at night. I mean that's the reason why you want me to dress up in one of those school uniforms right?" She yawned and grinned at ukina as the fries were snatched back and whined hungrily. "It smelled so good and I couldn't help myself..." Kanrya looked around the area and whistled softly. "Wow it's absolutely beautiful here." She chuckled slightly at what Yukina’s mother said and thought quickly about the question that Yukina's mother posed and sighed. "I guess that we met during math class...." She lied through her teeth and nudged Yukina slightly with her elbow.

[kitsunemiko]

Yukina calmly walked over to the table, ignoring her mothers embarrassing ramblings. She pulled out a seat for Kanrya and sat down herself at the head of the table. The place settings where already out. So she cut the pizza and gave everyone a piece before they got a chance to sit down. Yukina’s mother laughed, it was obvious her young daughter was starving; she at least usually waited until everyone was sitting at the table. Though one thing that was bugging her was Kanrya’s answer. Her daughter had yet to attend the new school, how did she meet her during math class. She looked over at her daughter questioningly. Yukina just smiled at her mother, and behind her calm exterior her mind was racing for a good cover up.

”You see since Kagomes shrine is so close to the new school I decided to go there today to get my bearings straight so I wouldn’t get lost on my first day. The staff there was kind enough to let me get a sneak peak at my schedule and give me a tour. While touring I ran into Kanrya while she was in her math class. After school she kindly showed me around the area, like where local hang out places are and stuff. Did you know the school happens to be right around the same area as my work?

Yukina smiled and dug into the pizza, her mom seemed quiet satisfied with her answer. Her mom wasn’t the easiest person to fool, but Yukina had years of practice to learn what her mother would believe and what she wouldn’t. After eating her fill, Yukina got up and asked her mother to excuse her and Kanrya. After being excused she led Kanrya up stairs to her room. Her room was a forest green theme, it was quiet pretty to look at. She plopped down on her bed and grinned at the demoness.

”Ok don’t worry about the whole disguises thing; I’ll take care of everything! So did you like the pizza?

[kanrya]

Kanrya nodded happily and grinned. "Are you sure you'll have a disguise for me that's perfect?" She looked doubtful and then grinned again. "That pizza stuff was delicious...Nice room by the way" She said and yawned widely. She looked around and stretched. "I'll take first watch if you want Yui-chan..." She sat on the floor and held her sword as she watched the door and window.

[kitsunemiko]

”I have a few tricks up my sleeve that will help you out, no human will know the difference. After all most of us humans aren’t that observant. All you would basically need would be a good hat, and a longer skirt.”

She smiled as Kanrya took a look around her room. It was very pleasing to look at after all she had designed it herself. It reminded her a lot of the forests her father and her use to live in. Now she herself got ready to go to bed as she took out her hair tie allowing her long silky locks fall over her shoulders. She rummaged through her dresser and took out a couple pairs of her pajama’s. This material was far more soft then some of the most expensive materials back in the past. She handed a pair to Kanrya and smiled.

”Before you get settled for the night I suggest you change into these. Oh and while your in the future you don’t have to keep watch. Most demons don’t dare set foot on a shrine so we don’t have to worry about attacks here. So you can sleep peacefully tonight.”

She left the room so Kanrya could change and went to the bathroom to change to.