<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko started to recite the purification prayer, concentrating to make sure she did not slip over any of the syllables. The level of life and energy in the forest was making her a little light-headed again, especially with her vision tuned to the spirits, and it wasn’t as easy to focus on the words as she had thought.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>I do need more practice,</em> she acknowledged, and almost lost the thread of the norito.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">As the prayer continued, Akiko saw wisps of darkness, like scraps of cloud in a windy sky, gather and stream from the tree, towards the twig she held in her hand. Within the tree, the darkness around the tree at the other end was receding as it was drawn through and into the twig. Earthen ground came into view, and then the base of another tree.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The norito finished, and Akiko bowed, the twig held in front of her. As she straightened up, there was a sudden flare of light, and a roaring in her ears, as the twig burst into flames that consumed it in a moment, leaving a light scattering of ash over Akiko’s hands.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">For a long moment, Akiko and Kazumi stood in silence, looking at where the twig had been.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well,â€ Akiko said at last, “that answers the question of what we do with the twig.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Are you all right?â€ Kazumi sounded concerned, and Akiko quickly nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh yes, I barely even felt the heat. Certainly no burns.â€ She held up her hands as evidence, and Kazumi smiled in relief.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“So, did it work?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I think so. I can see more of the area around the tree at the other end now.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What can you see?â€ Kazumi sounded a bit impatient, and Akiko remembered when Shiraishi had wished she could see the spirits.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Just earth and some more trees. Maybe the tree is in a wood somewhere.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“No-one around?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“No,â€ Akiko replied, without thinking, and Kazumi sprang up to the tree, wrapping her arms around it and vanishing.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The girl appeared in the image Akiko could see within the tree, looking around, walking around the tree, and then embracing it once more.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">She appeared back beside Akiko.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What did you think you were doing?â€ Akiko exploded at her. Kazumi took a step back, her face shocked.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I… I just wanted to test it.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You could have ended up anywhere!â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I could get back!â€ Kazumi was almost shouting back now, and Akiko suddenly realised that things were about to get out of control. Dropping her gaze, she took a deep breath.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“OK. It worked.â€ She looked up again. “It was still a stupid risk.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We have to take risks. We aren’t going to find anything out otherwise.â€ She still sounded sulky and defiant, and Akiko had to admit that she had a point.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well, at least tell me in advance.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You’d have said no.â€ Another good point.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“OK. So, where did it go?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Kazumi smiled.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Ah, it was dark, so it was a bit difficult to tell. A woodland, though. Quite a big one. Maybe the forest park? Or Ikuta? At least, if it’s within Kawasaki.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Was it in a city?â€ Akiko asked, and Kazumi thought about it for a few moments.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Yes,â€ she replied, at last. “I could hear traffic.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Hmm.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We should have a look at some of the others,â€ Kazumi said, but her tone was more pleading than the words suggested. Akiko thought for a moment, and then smiled.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“OK. We won’t learn anything if we don’t explore.â€</p>