Maiden of the Peach

Chapter one: Friends and Strange Encounters

     By the next day, I was trying to get over the significant jet lag from the long flight here; my alarm blazed in the background while I struggled with my extended arm to locate the source of the blaring noise. Finally, I manage to press the button along with a yawn; I tend to crack open my eyes to see that I had one hour to get ready for school.

     'Hmm...that's right, I start school today,' I thought to myself as I let out another yawn while pulling my tired body out of bed. I'm lazily scratching at my side while sitting up before stretching my arms over my head. I decided that I should start changing into my school uniform. A green and white school uniform, also known as sailor fuku, I learned that it's a typical outfit worn by the female students in middle school and high school. I tied the red ribbon in the front once I had laced it through a loop attached to the blouse.

     "Well, I don't know if it suits me, but I don't have any say in the matter." I murmured to myself as I looked myself over in the mirror.

     "Hey, (_______________) are you up?" I could hear my aunt's voice from downstairs. "Yeah, be right down!" I called back as I fixed my skirt before nodding in satisfaction, making my way out of my room, I went to the bathroom to fix my hair, wash my face, and brush my teeth. Once done, I made my way downstairs like I said I would. And I could already smell the pancakes as I made my way to the kitchen.

     "The first day at a new school in Tokyo, Japan, and to top it all off a brand new house with an amazing deal!" Once I walked in from her seat at the dinner table, my aunt greeted me, a hot batch of coffee emanating from her favorite baby blue mug.

     "You make it sound so wonderful, but I can't help feeling nervous at the same time," I grumbled as I held my belly to try and fight back the butterflies. Mom hummed softly to herself while flipping pancakes in a frying pan; the gas stove's flame turned on high.

     "Oh, well, I got something for you to help get over your anxiety." My aunt hummed as she reaches into her pant pocket, within moments, pulled forth a red and white beaded bracelet with a little white dog charm as a centerpiece, "Here take it." She eagerly beckoned for me to take it from her outstretched palm.

     "Huh?" I hold it in my hand as I get a better look at it, I notice four other added charms, but only one held a scripture that I could almost make out and that the dog looked remarkably well crafted along with the beads that I thought had to be made with some glass-like material. "It's so pretty, but how is this going to help me?" I asked in disbelief about what my aunt was suggesting.

     "For generations from your great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother, who originally came from Japan herself and was a great priestess, wore that bracelet for good luck." she chirped as she answered my question. "Plus it's like a family heirloom, so it's like having your mother with you and me always~" she quickly added as my mother walked over towards us with plates of stacked fluffy pancakes, smiling as I slipped it on my wrist to the opposite to where I wore my watch.

     "Oh, thank you, Mom!" I thanked her as she gazed at us with a soft smile like she usually did. Quickly I took a seat at the table as my mom poured me a glass of orange juice. "Good luck at school today, sweetheart." She softly hummed as she placed a full glass of orange juice next to me as I started eating my pancakes.

     "These are good, like always, Mom," I spoke up while my aunt nodded as she hummed in agreement.

     A few moments later, after I left my house, I decided to ride my bike towards where I remember seeing the school building when we drove by yesterday. It was about a thirty-minute ride. Checking my wristwatch, I notice I had forty-minutes till class starts, so I should be okay. I hummed as I cruised around till I see a small group of girls standing outside of the school's front entrance. I tried to pay them no mind till I saw another girl come speeding down from behind me on her bike and nearly crashing into me at the same time. 'What or who was that?' I watched as the girl skidded to a halt by the small group.