<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“The pollution has been purified, and my domain is safe. If you live your lives as you should and continue to pay me honour, it shall not return.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko bowed as Tamao finished, and then straightened up. The kami was staring at her.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Bright Child? Convey my words.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko was puzzled. Surely everyone had heard Tamao speak? He had hardly been whispering.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“They hear, but they do not understand.â€ Still puzzled, Akiko bowed again, and then turned to face the crowd.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Tamao says that the pollution has all been purified, and the area is safe again. If you continue to honour him, the pollution will not return.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">A few people bowed their faces to the floor, and then others copied them, until everyone was prostrate in front of the kami. Akiko turned back to Tamao, and knelt herself, bowing to the ground.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Suddenly, Shiraishi sounded a long, low “ohâ€, rising towards the end. Akiko felt, rather than saw, Tamao withdraw into the pool, but when Shiraishi finished and Akiko dared to look up, there was nothing to see but ripples on the surface of the water.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">For a moment the shrine was silent. Then…</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What was that?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Has it gone?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Was that the kami?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Will it eat us?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Will it come back?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Those were just the questions Akiko could make out, within the hubbub of shouting voices. Everyone was on their feet, most still hanging back from the pool, but a few stepping forward, looking at the water, Akiko, and Shiraishi.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What do we do now?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What does the snake want?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“How can we get it back?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko looked at Shiraishi, and the priest looked back at her, her face bewildered. Akiko smiled, hoping it looked supportive, and Shiraishi nodded slightly, her expression becoming solemn.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Be quiet!â€ The priest raised her hands, looking out at the gathered people. There was no immediate reaction.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What did it say? Why did Ms Tanahata speak to us?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Where did the feather robe come from?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Quiet!â€ This time Shiraishi almost shouted, and everyone subsided, partly from shock. The priest took a few moments to look around, making sure that she had everyone’s attention.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“At this point, the special festival of Tamao Shrine has safely concluded. Thank you for attending.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">She paused, visibly taking a deep breath.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We need to talk about what happened.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We certainly do! What was that?â€ someone shouted, but Akiko couldn’t quickly see who it was.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Yes. We need to talk about Tamao’s manifestation.â€ A murmur passed through the crowd as Shiraishi confirmed what they had seen. “But I suggest that we all get changed first, and gather in the house. We need to discuss it calmly, and thoroughly.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The crowd looked at each other, and Akiko could see people remembering what they were wearing. There were a number of nods, and noises of agreement, and a few people started moving towards the house.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Once everyone is changed, we’ll meet in the large reception room,â€ Shiraishi continued. “That’s the one the women are using to change in.â€ People were moving towards the house now, glancing back towards the pool, and Akiko. Kazumi, however, had walked over to the pool and was crouching at the edge, her hand hovering over the surface of the water. She seemed to feel Akiko’s eyes on her, and looked up, sighing as she stood.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I suppose we’d better get changed as well.â€</p>