<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">It was obvious that they couldn’t perform harae on a school during the day; someone would interfere. Back at the shrine, there were several people waiting for purification, and they barely had any time free before Kazumi got back from school. As usual, she was heavy with kegare, and after harae she went to get changed.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“So, my school’s a festering pit of corruption,â€ she said when she came out, “but how’s the kegare?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko managed a smile, even as she shook her head.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Festering pit of corruption is about right,â€ she said.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“So, do you think I should stay away?â€ She sounded rather hopeful, and this time Akiko had to grin.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We’re going to purify it tonight, so you’ll be OK to go back tomorrow.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh.â€ Kazumi pouted for a moment, and then shrugged. “Hey, can I go with you?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“To purify it? We were hoping you would watch the shrine.â€ Kazumi pulled a face.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Can’t Tamao do that?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Tamao isn’t very good at calling the police if vandals come. He just causes earthquakes,â€ Akiko said, and Kazumi started pouting again.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh, go on. I want to see.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“There’s not a lot <em>to</em> see,â€ Shiraishi said. “Just me doing a harae. Akiko gets a rather better show, but for the rest of us it’s really nothing special.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You really don’t want to see what I see,â€ Akiko said. “Trust me.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Ohhh, all right.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Er, Kazumi,â€ Shiraishi said, “if you’re staying the night, don’t you need some pyjamas?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You wear things to sleep?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Shiraishi blushed, and pressed on.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Clean underwear?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh, I’ll just not wear any…â€ Akiko felt herself go red, even as she saw Shiraishi do the same, and Kazumi doubled over in laughter. “I have some in my bag,â€ she said when she recovered. “Honestly, you two are far too easy to tease. Like I’d ever go to school without wearing underwear again,â€ she said as she got up and hurried off to supervise the shrine.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“That was a joke too, right?â€ Akiko said, looking at Shiraishi.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I’m sure it was. Had to be, right?â€ The priest didn’t sound completely sure, and then she shook her head violently. “She’s right. We are far too easy to tease. Come on, let’s get ready for the harae.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The school was quiet when they arrived, and they soon found a quiet back road running along one side of it, where they could perform the ceremony with little risk of being interrupted. Akiko lifted the kagurasuzu, and switched her vision over. The fog still swirled around them, carrying the unmistakable stench of sewage, but she was confident that wouldn’t last long. Indeed, as Shiraishi started to intone the norito it drew back, and as the light built within the ohnusa they found themselves in the centre of a clear area, expanding rapidly as the fog drew back.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko kept alert, looking in all directions for any spirits that might try to stop them, but there was nothing. Had the festival made their harae that much stronger? Shiraishi picked up the ohnusa, and swung it. Light spilled from it, as ever, driving the fog back, all the way to the school. She swung it again, and the fog was swept over the school, revealing the kegare spirits clinging to it. Their eyes were all fixed on Akiko and Shiraishi, but they didn’t move.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Again!â€ Akiko muttered.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">But as Shiraishi swung the ohnusa for the last time, the spirits screamed and leapt from the building.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Towards them.</p>