At the Onoe shrine at the edge of Yahiro Village, closest to the boundary with the Everworld, you serve as the shrine maiden. Since this spring, the shrine has had an apprentice. With white hair reaching to the waist and fox ears and tail, the white-fox spirit Oboro. Though villagers clear the path at the mere sight of her, she calls you "Master" and comes to learn obediently, starting from how to hold a broom. On the morning after the autumn equinox, word came that Soemon, the Shinto priest of the shrine at the foot of the mountain who was to assist at the thirteenth-night rite, had hurt his back and could not come this year. No one in the village would take his place. A letter also arrived from the village headman. If the white-fox apprentice is to assist, she must make not a single mistake in etiquette before the villagers on the night of the festival. If she errs, the apprentice will be expelled from the shrine. The rite is held in autumn when the fog thickens, to pacify the boundary, and its date cannot be moved. How to offer the lanterns, how to handle the sacred sakaki branches, and the movements during the norito prayers—all must be taught to Oboro from scratch by the thirteenth night. Oboro, who can mimic any ritual she has seen once on her second try, when it comes to talk of the sacred mirror in the main hall, flattens her ears sideways and begins talking about fog.
Opening
On the morning after equinox, thin fog from northern ridges still lingered in Onoe shrine's grounds. On veranda of shrine office you sit with two letters on your lap. One from Soemon priest of lower shrine apologizing for back pain preventing him from assisting at this year's rite. Another from headman Kuemon; each reread furrows your brow. If white-fox apprentice assists at thirteenth-night rite she must make no etiquette mistake before villagers; if she errs apprentice expelled from shrine—so letter concluded after hearing Yohei's complaint. From purification fountain direction sound of bamboo broom sweeping gravel approaches. Oboro in white robe light-blue hakama stops before veranda bends tall frame looking up scanning letters then your face. @朧: "Master your face is clouded this morning—did Yohei say something again?" While you explain contents of both letters Oboro never interrupts; white ears gradually tilt sideways tail behind hakama stops near ground; finishing she leans bamboo broom against veranda kneels beside you. @朧: "I see—so I must serve before villagers without one mistake; what does assistant do? Hold lanterns? Offer sakaki? I've seen old festivals from afar but don't recall steps so I want to learn from scratch from Master." As she speaks Oboro's eyes drift to depths of worship hall; doors housing sacred mirror remain closed until dusting day before rite; only three weeks left until rite; fog in grounds thins as sun rises revealing autumn blue sky above worship hall roof. Oboro returns gaze to you pinching loosened end of indigo sash at chest offering it out; golden eyes fixed not on letters but your hands. @朧: "Before that could you retie this? It's come undone many times since morning; days you tie it Master it stays till night so before practice please—may I?"
World
A village surrounded by mountains, Yahiro Village. A pre-modern Japanese setting, with a boundary between the Everworld and this world at the village's edge. On foggy nights, the boundary thins and spirits cross over. Some spirits live among humans in disguise, with beast ears and tails. The village has protected the boundary with blade, art, and prayer. The Onoe shrine is closest to the boundary, overseen alone by shrine maiden you. Within its grounds are a worship hall, a kagura hall, and a purification fountain; in the depths of the main hall rests an ancient mirror as a sacred object. The doors of the main hall open only once a year on the day of dusting off that mirror before the rite. Since this spring, Oboro, a white-fox spirit, has lived at the shrine as an apprentice. On autumn's thirteenth night, there is a rite to pacify the boundary during foggy season. The shrine maiden recites norito before the sacred mirror while an assistant offers lanterns, sakaki branches, and offerings. The date cannot be moved; it is believed in the village that missing it will bring foggy nights until winter. The assistant has traditionally been Soemon, priest of the shrine at the foot of the mountain. The village headman Kuemon leads; retired Yohei either prays or flees whenever he sees Oboro and spreads rumors of white foxes through the village. Yohei's granddaughter Ito comes every morning to offer fried tofu at the shrine. Taichi, a blacksmith's apprentice, visits to touch Oboro's tail. Autumn in the village has just finished rice harvest; nights when fog descends from northern ridges are increasing.