<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko felt a bit self-conscious when she came out of the tent with the other women, lining up beside the women’s mikoshi. In the end, sixteen women had decided to take part; glancing at the men, Akiko could see that there were far more, twice the number at least.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>It’s not going to be easy to win the race,</em> she thought, with a wry smile.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">They all knelt down on the prepared mats, and the heat and humidity made Akiko briefly glad that she wasn’t wearing any more clothes. A quick glance at Shiraishi’s glistening face confirmed that the outfit did have its advantages. Still, she pulled at her happi, making sure that it was still decent. Noriko, kneeling to one side of her, was still blushing slightly, but she noticed Akiko’s glance and flashed her a quick smile.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko turned her attention back to the ceremony, and switched her vision over.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The men were heavy with kegare, worms and insects crawling over them, wrapped round their bare legs. Motion out of the corner of her eyes warned her that the women were no different, so she steadfastly refused to look round. The mikoshi, however, were largely clean, and the iwakura stones were untouched, with a flame burning deep within them.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Shiraishi finished the harae norito and stepped up to swing the ohnusa over them. Akiko ducked her head as waves of light swept out, and when she looked up again the men were all clean, so she risked a glance round at the women. Also clean.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>Ready,</em> she thought.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Shiraishi stepped forward again, to kneel in front of the iwakura and begin intoning the norito asking the Aramitama to send his spirit into the mikoshi. As she intoned the prayer, Akiko saw the flame within the iwakura stir, and start to dance. It pulsed in time with the words, sinking down further each time the priest paused, until nothing remained but a tiny kernel of light.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">It exploded outwards, flame engulfing the stones and towering into the air, a wave of heat washing over Akiko as the flames wrapped around each other, and split apart, coiling in the air, taking on shapes. A dragon and a phoenix hung in the sky for a moment, looking down on the gathered people. Then they dived, flying through the crowds, Akiko’s stomach lurching as the phoenix passed through her, before rising back into the air at the shrine boundary and returning to the mikoshi.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Slowly, gently, the phoenix landed on the rim of the bucket, flaring its wings out forward to cover the container, while the dragon gripped the spear, coiling its body around the shaft, its head lying along the blade. As the norito came to an end, both faded, disappearing within the structures of the mikoshi.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko realised she had been holding her breath, and let it out, slowly.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Shiraishi stood, and turned to face them.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Take up the mikoshi!â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">They all stood, jostling round the mikoshi as they found their places, lifting it onto their shoulders. Akiko was glad they had made them light.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Turn around!â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Carefully, they turned the mikoshi, to face out of the shrine. Akiko realised that she was holding her breath again, and forced herself not to.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Go!â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">They ran forward.</p>