Yoshiko was perfectly happy for Akiko to get a couple of full nights’ sleep once she explained the situation, and by Thursday morning Akiko felt a lot better. She’d slept well, with no disturbing dreams, as if Tamao realised that she needed the rest.

<em>Maybe he does,</em> she thought, remembering the way he had encircled the iwakura in her last vision, dream, whatever. <em>Maybe he is finally getting some idea of what it’s like to be human.</em>

She went into the kitchen after showering and dressing, and found Shiraishi eating quickly. The priest glanced up.

“Mr Fujimura called. He wants us to do an Ise Yohai for him and the guards. Could you do the morning ceremonies by yourself while I sort out the norito?â€

“A what?â€

“A norito… Oh. Ise Yohai. Paying reverence to the Grand Shrines of Ise from a long way off.â€ Her face twisted for a moment as she frowned. “It was very common in State Shinto. I don’t suppose that’s entirely unconnected with why Mr Fujimura wants one.â€ She shook her head then, as if to clear it. “Anyway, it’s a fairly simple ceremony, and always done with a himorogi, so the lack of the shrine buildings is no problem. I just need to put the norito together; I’ve not actually done one before.â€

“Oh, certainly. No problem.â€ Akiko got her breakfast. “What time are they coming?â€

“Ten. So we have time.â€

They were exactly on time, Mr Fujimura, Ms Yamanaka, and about two dozen young men in uniform. Akiko switched to check them for kegare as they approached the shrine, but they were all virtually clean, unlike the protesters, and guided them to the seats they had set out, facing west and a little south, towards Ise, and then went to join Shiraishi and put her over-mantle on; Shiraishi had decided that she would dance one of the simple dances as part of the ceremony.

Kneeling to one side as Shiraishi performed the first part of the ceremony, Akiko felt remarkably calm, despite the fact that this would be the first time she danced in front of a significant audience. <em>It’s not for them, it’s for the kami,</em> she thought.<em> I hope the kami doesn’t possess me…</em> But even that thought did not worry her. <em>If it happens, it happens.</em>

She rose to dance, as Shiraishi started beating the small drum, setting the rhythm. The moves were slow and stately, and Akiko found that she still had to pay attention, still had to think about them. <em>This is good,</em> she told herself. <em>I’m still in control.</em>

She turned towards the himorogi, and felt a sudden wave of warmth, a sense of being watched, assessed. The feeling was so strong that she almost lost the rhythm, almost stopped turning, but practice kept her going. The sense weakened, but did not vanish entirely, strengthening every time she turned back to the himorogi, until she sank to the ground to conclude the dance, and the awareness vanished, with a vague sense of what could have been approval.

She stood naturally, and returned to her place, the ceremony proceeding to its conclusion without incident. In the office, later, when she mentioned it to Shiraishi the priest just shrugged.

“Could have been anything or nothing. If we worried about every detail of something that seemed supernatural, we’d get nowhere. So don’t bother about it until it actually seems to want something, or need something.â€

Akiko had to admit that that sounded like very good advice.