<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko paced around the tree, hoping that Yoshiko would put in an appearance tonight. Neither she nor Shiraishi had been able to come up with any alternative ideas for purifying the high school, and she really wanted to talk to the other miko. Kazumi had wanted to come too, but Akiko had finally convinced her not to come.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">A flickering light approached through the trees, and Akiko felt a great sense of relief. Yoshiko emerged into the clearing, and bowed formally.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I have been most remiss in contacting you.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko bowed in return.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“No, it is I who should be apologising.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">They straightened up and faced each other, and Akiko realised that she had no idea where to start. The silence stretched on, until Akiko had to break it.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Shall we continue not asking those questions for a while?â€ Yoshiko looked a bit surprised, and then nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I think that might be better. I don’t understand what I saw. It was real, wasn’t it?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Yes. Yes, it was.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Then… I don’t think I’m ready to ask about it yet.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“No,â€ Akiko agreed, “I don’t think I am, either.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">There was another awkward paused.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I do have a different question, though. About purification.â€ Yoshiko visibly relaxed.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I might be able to help with that. What is the problem?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko explained about the school, and the heavy kegare. Yoshiko shuddered at the description.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I’ve never seen kegare spirits like that. So, you want to purify the place?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“But it’s very difficult. Normal harae doesn’t seem to work.â€ She described their first attempt, and then the attempt with the gohei, following Tamao’s instructions. Yoshiko was shaking her head as Akiko finished.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I’m not surprised it didn’t work. You had the kami present in the gohei; waving it around might make the kami more energetic, but it wouldn’t purify the area.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It kept the spirits away,â€ Akiko pointed out.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well, yes. The aramitama would scare any kegare.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko leant back against the tree, letting her tension drain away for a moment.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“So, what should we do? We need to purify the place.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Yoshiko nodded, obviously thinking.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I think you must be right about somehow involving the aramitama. I think that is what Tamao meant. But…â€ She paused, looking up at the tree as she thought some more, and then looking back at Akiko. “I don’t know. If the kami somehow performed the purification, that might work. But,â€ she said, quickly raising a hand to forestall the obvious question, “I don’t know how you would make the kami perform the purification. It’s a difficult problem,â€ she concluded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Mm.â€ Akiko was silent for a few moments, lost in thought, and then she shook herself, and stood up. “Well, we did solve one problem. I know how to get back out of the kami forest here, rather than at that other place.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh?â€ Yoshiko suddenly looked interested.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We just chose the wrong tree. Each of the trees in the forest seems to be connected to a different tree.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Ah. Yes, that makes sense,â€ Yoshiko admitted.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“So… Should we practise the dances in the forest?â€ Yoshiko looked at the ground.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It is a good place to practise,â€ she admitted, without looking up, “but…â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“No, it’s OK,â€ Akiko said quickly. “We can practise out here. I brought the kagurasuzu.â€ She held it up, and Yoshiko quickly brightened, soon becoming engrossed in the dance lesson.</p>