<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I thought you wanted to change the festival?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“That was before someone said my shrine’s festival was inappropriate!â€ Shiraishi sounded rather annoyed, but Akiko was struggling not to laugh.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well, Kazumi seems enthusiastic about it.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“And why not?â€ Shiraishi suddenly stopped, and then sighed. “Noriko is at least partly right. We still can’t have topless women running around; that’s against the law. But we’re going to have the mikoshi race.â€ Akiko nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I think we need to stay as close as possible to the original form of the festival. Otherwise the Aramitama might not be satisfied.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Did you see those mikoshi? We can’t afford anything like that. They’ll have to be…â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Suddenly, they heard shouting from the entrance to the shrine, and it sounded like an argument.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh, not <em>again</em>…â€ Shiraishi’s expression was weary as she stood up, and Akiko followed her down the steps.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The scene was all too familiar; a bloc of protesters separating the guards from a group of people who wanted to enter the shrine. There seemed to be at least half a dozen different arguments going on at once, and a few people were going quite red in the face. Akiko paused half way down the steps and switched her vision over, looking at the pollution. As usual, the guards had very little kegare, while the protesters were heavy with it, creatures that looked like roaches with dozens of legs leaping from one protester to the next, leaving sticky threads linking them. Beyond, the visitors, some of whom Akiko recognised, also had heavy kegare, kegare that smelled of burning plastic and clung to them like smoke and oil. She hoped that they had come for a harae, because they clearly needed it.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Look, please let them through!â€ Shiraishi was shouting as loudly as she could, but Akiko could barely hear her over the noise, and the protesters paid no attention at all. The guards had heard, though, and, glancing up, one started pushing forward, the others following.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The protesters pushed back, still shouting their protests. The guards pushed harder, and one of the protesters stumbled, grabbing the guard in front of him to avoid falling.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">And then the guard stumbled, swearing, and Akiko realised that he’d been kicked in the shins. He struck back before Akiko could say anything, and this time the other protesters saw it as well, one of them swinging a fist at the guard, who dodged easily and returned it.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!â€ Akiko yelled, as she ran down the steps and into the melee, trying to push people apart. “Stop it this instant! I’ll call the police!â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">She staggered as a solid blow landed on her back, and then slipped as another one caught her face.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">She cried out, and as she fell to her knees realised that the fighters had pulled back, stopping as, she thought, they realised what they were doing.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What on earth do you think you are doing?â€ Shiraishi sounded really angry now, and Akiko could see her rage was directed equally at the protesters and the guards. “Get out of the way now! Go on! Move!â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The protesters scattered, apparently somewhat shocked at what they had done, and the guards sheepishly retreated up the steps. Shiraishi came to the bottom to help Akiko to her feet.</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€</p>