The young boy ran ahead of his parents, turning around periodically to check if they were still behind him. They had agreed to take him to the street fair if he was good at school, and he had tried his best that week.
He stopped his running when he came up to a small tent, with the perfume of strange incense floating from it. Turning to his parents, he looked at his mother with question in his eyes. "What is in there, mama?"
The woman smiled at her young son. "That's a fortune teller, dear. How would you like to go have your fortune told?"
Shyly, he looked at his father, and then back to his mother. His mother read cards; she even started to teach him how. He wasn't sure he wanted someone other than mommy telling him his future.
He watched his father lean over to his mother and whisper something to her.
"Are you sure you want to let him go in there? You know these fair fortune tellers are full of crap," he said quietly.
The woman chuckled and shook her head. "Let him have a little fun," she replied.
His father nodded and they walked into the small tent, the strange scents assaulting their noses, the smoke from the incense cones making the tent hazy.
An old wrinkled woman with yellowing eyes and bad teeth sat behind a table. "Aah, what do we have here?" she asked her partner.
The young man smiled. "What a handsome family."
The old hag beckoned the little boy over to her. Again, he looked shyly up at his mother and father for reassurance. When they nodded he went to her. "Yes, mam?"
She took his chin in her hands to get a good look of him. "I feel much power radiating from this young man, don't you, Shin?"
Her partner nodded vigorously. "Yes, much power from this young one. Why don't you read his palm or aura?"
The woman looked to his mother and father. "I'll read his fortune for 580 yen. Is that reasonable?"
His father took his wallet from the breast pocket of his coat and pulled out the money and handed it to the woman's partner.
The money safely tucked away in a clay pot, she closed her eyes and started to concentrate. "Ooh, yes, great power this young boy has. I can see one day that he will be a great shrine priest!! He will be one of the greatest of his time!"
He looked over his shoulder at his parents, with a look of elation on his face. "See, mama! I told you one day I will be running the shrine!"
Both of his parents laughed, knowing that the fortune teller was just saying it to make the small child happy. "Thank the nice lady," his mother told him before she took his hand.
He looked to the woman, the grin never leaving his face. "Thank you!!"
The woman smiled and patted him on the head. "You're welcome, son. Best wishes for you and your family."
He felt a gentle tug on his hand. "Come on, dear."
Following his mother and father out of the small, strange smelling tent, he glanced back at the old woman once more and she winked at him.
Happier than he had ever been in his five year old life, he couldn't wait to tell his best friend when he went to school on Monday.
----------
"And that is how I knew I would be a great priest one day!" Grandpa announced.
Inuyasha snorted. "Great priest my ass." He dodged a smack from Kagome.
"Respect your elders," she hissed.
"But I'm really HIS elder," he replied cheekily.
Grandpa shook his head. "I knew neither of you would believe me, after all I'm only an old man!" He bumbled away, set off to clean one of the store rooms.
"See, now you made him mad!" Kagome yelled at him.
Neither of them noticed when Ms. Higurashi approached. "Did he tell you the story about the fortune teller again?" she asked, amusement showing through her eyes.
Kagome nodded. "For the fifth time this month."
"Well, at least we know why he thinks he is such a powerful holy man," Mama said. Seeing that her daughter and Inuyasha were still staring daggers at each other, she quickly changed the subject. "How about we go get some ramen. My treat!"
Thrilled over the idea of getting ramen, Inuyasha dragged Kagome along when her mother began to walk away.
Story Notes:
This was written ages and ages ago for iyfic_contest. It is still one of my favorites! I totally dig Grandpa.
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all related characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't own anything, and I'm not making any money from this.
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all related characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't own anything, and I'm not making any money from this.