<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">As the afternoon drew on, the number of visitors dropped off a little, giving Akiko and Shiraishi time to talk.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We need someone else to watch the shrine,â€ Akiko said, and Shiraishi nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We could call…â€ she began, and then fell silent. Akiko blushed slightly; she knew what Shiraishi had been about to say. The priest seemed to have noticed what was going on.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I’m sure Akira is busy with his job at the moment,â€ she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “It’s not fair to impose on him.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“No,â€ Shiraishi agreed. “In any case, I think what we really need is another priest. I can’t keep up with demand.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“And we still haven’t been out to purify the area,â€ Akiko noted. Shiraishi pulled a face.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“No. And Tamao…â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Harae! Harae now, please!â€ Kazumi’s voice sounded truly pained, as if she was dying of thirst, and Akiko and Shiraishi both suppressed smiles as they turned to look at her, leaning theatrically on the wall of the shrine house. “I’m dying here!â€ Still fighting the smile, Akiko switched her vision.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The rats swarming over the girl’s body were gnawing at her stomach, and blood was already running down her legs, soaking the sweat pants and dripping onto the ground, where it boiled and vanished. One rat turned towards Akiko and screeched, before disappearing under Kazumi’s blouse, another red stain spreading across the white.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Yes, of course. Right away.â€ Akiko knew she had gone white, and Shiraishi obviously heard the strain in her voice, because she looked at her in shock, and then just nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“This way, Kazumi.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The harae worked, the rats disappearing as the wounds to Kazumi’s stomach healed, and the girl breathed a sigh of relief.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“That’s <em>so</em> much better.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Where have you <em>been?â€</em> Akiko asked.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Huh? School. Like, where else would I go?â€ Kazumi looked genuinely surprised. “Why?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Which school is yours?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Goshozuka High. Don’t you recognise the uniform?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I don’t have a sailor suit fetish,â€ Akiko said, forcing a grin.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Ah, of course, sorry. You’re into miko! I’d better go change!â€ Kazumi was grinning broadly, and Akiko felt herself blush. “Ha!â€ Kazumi’s laugh was triumphant, and Akiko realised that she’d been teased again.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We need to go out…â€ Shiraishi called.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What?â€ Kazumi called back from inside the house. “Can’t hear you.â€ Akiko rolled her eyes, and hurried into the house. She glanced into the room they used for changing, but Kazumi wasn’t there.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Where are you?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Bathroom.â€ Kazumi popped out of the door, naked apart from her knickers, and Akiko quickly shooed her back into the changing area.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We have to go and perform some purifications, so you’ll be watching the shrine by yourself. Is that OK?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“So, just me, the giant snake, and the aramitama?â€ She paused in the entrance to the bathroom and grinned again. “We’ll be fine.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">She pulled the door shut behind her, and Akiko heard a shower start. For a moment she couldn’t work out what was odd about Kazumi’s response, and then it hit her. The girl was thinking of the kami as an ally, not part of the problem. <em>It must be nice to be so trusting,</em> she thought.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The door opened again, revealing a wet Kazumi.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You can come in and watch if you like.â€ Akiko felt herself blushing furiously, and shook her head. Kazumi just convulsed in laughter again, and started to close the door, before pulling it open again.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh, could I stay here tonight? I really feel a lot better in the shrine. Just ask Revd Shiraishi for me, OK?â€ She closed the door before Akiko could say anything, and moments later the shower started running again.</p>