<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You didn’t say it was <em>this</em> sort of festival,â€ one of the women complained, holding up the strip of cloth in one hand.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>We didn’t know,</em> Akiko thought to herself, but that wouldn’t be a good thing to say. She had already changed into the loincloth and happi coat, and was aware that she was constantly blushing, something that didn’t help her to explain that there was nothing strange about it at all.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">It wasn’t really surprising that the outfits had been Kazumi’s idea, but she had pointed out that the only established festival to the aramitama used them, and that they couldn’t afford to get it wrong. Akiko and Shiraishi had both had to concede that she was right, even as they adapted the mikoshi part of the ritual into a sort of contest involving two gohei; Shiraishi was sure that they needed some kind of chaotic competition to energise the aramitama.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Sorry, it must have slipped my mind.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 I want to wear this.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh, don’t be such a wuss.â€ Akiko gave silent thanks for the older Mrs Tanaka. She’d even bullied her older daughter into wearing the outfit this time; she was standing at the side of the room, back to the wall, her face red. “It’s not like there are any men here.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“There are. I saw them.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“About three. And that Akira Takenaka is a really sweet boy; you don’t need to worry about him. The other two are older than me, and have probably lost interest.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko wasn’t sure about that, but the shortage of men was worrying her. It was going to be another difference from the model festival.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Have you lost interest?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Absolutely.â€ Mrs Tanaka said it with a completely straight face. “Us old folk have no interest in ogling naked bodies at all.â€ The woman smiled, but she wasn’t showing any sign of getting undressed, so Mrs Tanaka tried another tack.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Have you had a harae recently?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well, yes. We all came at the weekend.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“And?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“And? Oh, yes, it made a difference. We all felt much better.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Right. So now the shrine is asking for something in return. It’s not like you’re actually going to be naked.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“OK, OK!â€ Half exasperated, half grinning, the woman put her loincloth down and started to undress. “This had better be a <em>really</em> important festival.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>More than you realise, </em>Akiko thought, as she smiled and thanked her.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">As they filed out into the shrine grounds, Akiko saw Mrs Watanabe standing at the top of the stairs.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What is this obscenity? What sort of depravity is the shrine descending to now? And with children here!â€ Akiko looked around, and realised she must mean Kazumi. The idea of Kazumi being corrupted by seeing people running around in loincloths was so funny that it gave Akiko the courage to go over and confront Mrs Watanabe.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“This is a religious ceremony…â€ she began, but Mrs Watanabe cut her off.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You’re just trying to lure people in so that you can spread your fascistic poison. You and your kami are parasites on Japan, and…â€ Akiko lost patience.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Kegare is about to overwhelm Kawasaki. If we don’t perform a festival to strengthen Tamao, we won’t be able to purify it, and it will destroy the city. If you don’t leave <em>right now</em> you’re going to be in the same place as a very strong, and very angry, kami. You can try to explain your attitude to him directly if you like, but I really don’t recommend it.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Mrs Watanabe stared at her for several seconds, the expression on her face strange and shifting rapidly. Akiko remembered the dead girl, and suddenly felt guilty about the threat. Then Mrs Watanabe turned and ran down the steps. Akiko could here her sobbing as she vanished from view.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">A bad taste in her mouth, Akiko turned back to the festival, suddenly aware that people were staring at her.</p>