<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko sat at the kitchen table, her third cup of coffee in front of her as she tried to keep her eyes open.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>Next time, I’ll insist on going into the forest,</em> she thought. Kazumi had finished breakfast, and had been sent to watch the shrine, while Akiko and Shiraishi discussed the problem of the school. Akiko explained what Yoshiko had said, and Shiraishi nodded as she finished.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“That makes a lot of sense, actually. Waving the kami’s yorishiro around isn’t normally part of purification.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Yorishiro? Oh, yes, the thing the kami is inhabiting. Well, it didn’t work, so obviously we were doing something wrong.â€ She took another sip of coffee, and frowned. “But what can we do to it right?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well, if we could get the kami to perform the harae, that might well work.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Tamao doesn’t have hands,â€ Akiko pointed out, “and the aramitama doesn’t even seem to have a body.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“That <em>would</em> make it a bit difficult,â€ Shiraishi conceded. “Although I think there are other ways to do purification; the ohnusa is just the most standard one today.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Like what?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well, washing in a river or under a waterfall is the classic on. Using salt water or boiling water is also common. Transferring the kegare to a paper doll, and either burning the doll or dropping it in a river. Er…â€ The priest paused a moment. “I think there are some shrines that use small pieces of rope, as well.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“None of those sound like things that Tamao could do, though,â€ Akiko said, and Shiraishi shook her head.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You’re right. They <em>are</em> all designed for people, after all.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Do you think I should try to ask Tamao what sort of purifications he can perform?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Wait, do you remember? He purified Kazumi with light when we saw him in the other shrine. Do you think he could do that for the school?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Maybe…â€ Akiko thought for a moment. “But he didn’t suggest it. I know Tamao isn’t always as helpful as he could be, but failing to suggest that seems really obstructive.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Maybe he’s testing us?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I don’t think so. I think he really wants the kegare to be cleared. The aramitama certainly seemed very angry about its presence at the wild festival; I don’t think Tamao would endure it for longer than he had to…â€ Akiko fell silent as something occurred to her. The aramitama had possessed her at the festival, and before, when she had worn the mask. “Revd Shiraishi, what about if I performed the purification while possessed by the aramitama? Would that work?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Could you?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">It was a good question. In the previous possessions, Akiko had not been fully in control of her own body.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I don’t know, but it might be worth a try. I was able to take the mask off during the wild festival, so I don’t completely lose control. Maybe if we explain to the kami first, I’ll be allowed to keep control.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The priest looked at her for a few moments, and then stared up at the ceiling for a while. When she looked down, she nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It’s worth a try. I’d better teach you how to do the purification properly.â€</p>