Sitting Below the Cliffs

Kokoro sat on a lacey blanket spread out over the sand, lying there in the shade of the cliffs. She had a fresh new notebook in her hands, and her string bag was lying a couple inches away from where she sat. Kokie was scribbling down ideas and every so often she would pick up her cell phone, glance at the screen and toss it back onto her bag. "Grr....Someone text me already!" she muttered. She was currently writing a short story about a girl who ran away from an overly religious family and ran smack into the arms of a man who was willing to teach her independance. A few moments later, she put the notebook down with a sigh. She hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on her knee caps. "Oh my god! Will someone just text me already?!" she moaned.

Zu was walking below the cliffs, enduring the natural feeling of it all. She looked out over the water, seeing the pattern of how the waves hit the shore and pulled away quickly. She smiled to herself and thought about drawing it, but she wasn't in a drawing mood right now. So instead she began to walk again, slowly taking baby paces; loving the feeling of the sand beneath her feet. Zu sighed happily and looked ahead, seeing someone on a blanket. Squinting her eyes she thought it was Kokoro but she couldn't be sure, so she just walked closer, trying to see if it was her or not.

Kokoro heard the soft shifting of sand against bare foot. "Great...now someone is invading my space." she growled as she put on her backpack and stuck her cellphone in her pocket. She looked up and over, and with her advanced sight she realized it was Zu. "ZU!!!!!" She screeched, scrambling to her feet and running at her full speed. She stopped only a few seconds before collision, going from full speed to stillness in a split second. "Hey you!" she panted slightly. Running...well it didn't really tire her out at all, but the excitement was making her a little short of breath. "How are you?! Ready for school Zu?" she laughed, half sarcastically.

Zu knew it was Kokoro right when she heard her screech her name. She tried to watch her come but she was still to fast. In the matter of a few seconds, she was right in front of her panting. "Hey Koko. You need to stop getting so excited." She said calmly putting a hand on her sholder. "I'm never ready for school, only art class and lunch." She half smiled and began to walk toward her blanket. "What brings you here today?" She asked already knowing the answer. School was starting in a few days, that meant "the croud" would be around her at all times; never leaving her alone until she got in her car to walk home. That also meant the men hitting on her and trying her to get naked with them. 'Not happening.' She thought. The last thing she needed was an emotional breakdown...or worse. A child to ruin her partying teen years.

Kokoro followed Izumi towards the blanket. She had calmed down considerably now. She was impressively calm, yet looked a certain kind of sad. She folded her arms across her chest, using one hand to support the opposite elbow like each was an ornament to the other. "You know I never really get excited...only around my besties." she smiled calmly, and flipped her newly dyed and cut hair out of her eyes. "And as for not being ready for school....neither am I really. I kind of WANT it to come around now, but god knows what'll happen when it does." She knew that because it was her first year at the high school, everything would be insane. She would be making or breaking relationships, doing homework up to 3 AM, and she would most likely start out partying for real. She was just starting to explore life as an option...And she wouldn't let high school get in the way. She realized she'd been lost in thought and suddenly shook herself. "Sorry, I was thinking. I'm just here to relax and write...and hope like hell someone will text me." she laughed.

Zu sat down on the blanket and sat cris cross. She saw a hint of sadness, that was normal for her. "I know~ As for the hair... It's a new twist. You can see your true colors now~" She laughed at her joke, it wasn't meant to insult her or anything, just to joke around. She continued to look at her and remembered her first year of high school. It didn't take her much to get to the top. Actually... She didn't do anything. People just began to like her. Zu hated it because she thought it was because of her looks, not her personality. "High school will be fine, sweetie. Just be yourself. That's all the advice i can give you. That...and planning your time will help too." She smiled gently at her and watched her think. Zu knew her thinking face, the way she could tell was that she lost connection in her eyes. "It's alright dear. And for the texting, someone will text you when you least expect it~" Zu was used to getting a lot of texts at first but people learned to stop texting her because she usually doesn't text back because her phone is almost always off.

Kokie sat down on the blanket across from Zu, sitting with her legs out stretched to the side and one hand supporting her upper half. She smiled contentedly, yawning as she did so. The sun was just beginning to go down, even though it was only about 5:45 PM. When winter rolled around, the sun began to set earlier and earlier. "Well, I guess pink is my true color. Hot and fiesty with a whole lotta cute." she grinned. Then she sighed at Zu's advice for high school. "I suppose you're right. It would help if I knew who me was in the first place though. I guess I've gotta look into that a little..." she added the last part quietly and looked down at the ground. She had been investigating different religions lately...mostly for her story...but one had appealed to her a lot...She just wasn't sure if she should mention it to Zu.

Zu looked at into her eyes, searching them. Looking into peoples eyes was something importaint to her and a habit, unless she was afraid for the other person to read her eyes. She looked at the sky for a moment and sighed happily, she got energy from the nature; that's why she always was out and about. She smiled to herself and looked back at Kokie. "Listen to me for a moment?" She asked but before she could respond she started talking. "High school is all about finding who you are. I don't even know who i am. All you have to do is be the same as you are now and things will come to you. You can't always search for things. They have to come to you." Zu said and took a deep breath afterwards. She leaned over to hug her for support. "No matter what, i'll always be there for you." She whispered into her ear.

The instant Zu finished speaking Kokie knew it was time to tell her about becoming Shinto. She hugged her back tightly and smiled happily. "Thanks Zu, you're a saviour, ya know it?" Then she pulled her backpack off of her back and pulled out a small leather-bound book. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you Zu...and I think it'll be important in learning new things about myself. I'm starting a new religion...it's called Shinto. It's the major religion of our country, Japan, but it's been lost to time and other cultural influences..." She opened the book and read aloud fluently.
"Shinto does not have a founder nor does it have sacred scriptures like the sutras or the bible. Propaganda and preaching are not common either, because Shinto is deeply rooted in the Japanese people and traditions.

"Shinto gods are called kami. They are sacred spirits which take the form of things and concepts important to life, such as wind, rain, mountains, trees, rivers and fertility. Humans become kami after they die and are revered by their families as ancestral kami. The kami of extraordinary people are even enshrined at some shrines. The Sun Goddess Amaterasu is considered Shinto's most important kami
In contrast to many monotheist religions, there are no absolutes in Shinto. There is no absolute right and wrong, and nobody is perfect. Shinto is an optimistic faith, as humans are thought to be fundamentally good, and evil is believed to be caused by evil spirits. Consequently, the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits by purification, prayers and offerings to the kami.

Shinto shrines are the places of worship and the homes of kami. Most shrines celebrate festivals (matsuri) regularly in order to show the kami the outside world. Please read more on our special information pages about shrines and festivals.

Shinto priests perform Shinto rituals and often live on the shrine grounds. Men and women can become priests, and they are allowed to marry and have children. Priests are aided by younger women (miko) during rituals and shrine tasks. Miko wear white kimono, must be unmarried, and are often the priests' daughters.

Important features of Shinto art are shrine architecture and the cultivation and preservation of ancient art forms such as Noh theater, calligraphy and court music (gagaku), an ancient dance music that originated in the courts of Tang China (618 - 907). "

She stopped there and smiled up at Zu. You can borrow this if you want to learn more..I've got all the notes in my notebook!" She was obviously very excited about the whole thing, and was bouncing slightly when she spoke. Her eyes were bright...something very unusual for her."

As Kokie explained what her new religion is she was suprised, she didn't see this one coming. She wasn't upset or anything just not sure wht to say. She looked around searching for words. Zu wasn't used to religion, she grew up as an athiest because her mother never intoduced her to religion. She was just used to not believing. An idea of what to say popped into her head. "Well, if that's how you want to explore. So be it. It makes you happy, that makes me glad." She said smiling brightly at her, not knowing what else to say. Another thing that suprised her is that her eyes were bright with happiness, she never seen that in her before. It shocked her.

Kokie laughed as Zu struggled for words and punched her playfully on the shoulder. "I know religion isn't really your thing...but maybe one day you'll try it with me, and maybe you'll learn something about yourself along the way!" Kokie could tell by the way Zu smiled that she wasn't upset or angry....just not sure of what to say. Which was, of course, understandable. If your best friend had just rattled off a new religion you didn't know existed...you'd be in shock too. She hugged Zu again and then stood up. She yawned loudly and stretched a little. "I better go school shopping soon...this haircut is the only thing I've got accomplished so far." She laughed. "Yay for Hot Topic! Boo for no worker discounts!" she smiled again and then seemed to get an idea. "Hey! You wanna come? We can get dinner afterwards...My treat!" She smiled. Good thing mom and dad don't care about me...or else I'd have a curfew. her mind seemed to think the words bitterly, but at current...she was pretty happy that those words were true.

Zu laughed when she got punched in the sholder. She really didn't feel it because shewas being gently and Zu was used to pain. After she said the religion thing, she nodded, maybe one day she would find a religion she liked. In the meantime she liked being athiest. It didn't get in the way. Of course she wondered if there was something out there but thats all. She gave her a smile when she asked if she would like to go shopping with her. "Sure! We'll take my car! It's right by the street a few miles away." She laughed and got up, helping Kokie up as well, even though she didn't need it. "To the mall?" She asked starting to walk.