<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko stared at the tree in shock, her mind racing.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Kazumi!â€ she shouted, but there was no reply, and she hadn’t really been expecting one.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Good evening. Who is Kazumi?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko turned round to face Yoshiko, and bowed her own greeting.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Kazumi is another miko at the shrine.â€ Yoshiko looked around.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Has she run off?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Not exactly.â€ Akiko paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts, and then pointed at the discarded yukata. “She touched the tree, and it seems that it made the same suggestion to her that it always does. But she actually did it, and then she disappeared.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Yoshiko looked a bit confused for a moment, glancing between the yukata and the tree, and then her eyes widened.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You mean she embraced the tree naked? And disappeared?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Right.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Hesitantly, Yoshiko took a couple of steps forward, and placed one hand lightly on the bark.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It feels the same as ever,â€ she said, as she lifted her hand off. Akiko tried it, and all her worries drained away into the rough warmth of the bark. She lifted her hand off again, and nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“But what do we do?â€ Yoshiko frowned at the question, and looked back at the tree.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It doesn’t look any different,â€ she said. Akiko quickly changed her vision so that she could see the spirits, and it was true; the tree was unchanged. It still seemed to tower into the sky, looming over the trees around them, the power of life flowing through it like a great river. Akiko started to feel dizzy, and shifted her vision back. Yoshiko flashed her a quick smile.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You can’t look at it truly for long, can you? Too much power.â€ Akiko nodded, suddenly realising that Yoshiko could look for the spirits as well. <em>Of course,</em> she told herself. <em>That shouldn’t be surprising.</em></p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We could ask Tamao,â€ Akiko suggested. Yoshiko thought for a moment, and then nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We can try, anyway.â€ She looked around. “I suppose we had best head for the sanctuary. Ah, that way?â€ She pointed through the trees, and Akiko nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">It got lighter as they made their way through the trees, until it was full daylight when they emerged into the open. The copper roof of the shrine sanctuary shone in the sunlight, the white wood glowing with a more welcoming warmth. Akiko and Yoshiko glanced at each other, and then slowly made their way round to the front, kneeling before the shrine.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Good Child, Bright Child.â€ Even as she bowed to the ground, Akiko thought <em>Tamao sounds surprised. Why does he sound surprised?</em> Akiko and Yoshiko clapped together, twice, then bowed once more.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“How are you here together?â€ Akiko had to fight to keep her face calm. “Good Child, how can you be here now?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Lord Tamao,â€ Yoshiko said, “we came from the kami tree.â€ The snake reared up, light flashing from its scales and lightning dancing around its lips.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Ah. Yes.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Lord Tamao,â€ Akiko said, “Beautiful Harmony has disappeared. She embraced the kami tree, and vanished.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“She embraced it naked?â€ Tamao seemed amused, but Akiko couldn’t work out how she knew. “Well.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What should we do?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The snake looked at them quizzically for a moment, its golden eyes unblinking.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Follow her, of course. Bring her back.â€</p>