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Description
[ Part 1 of the 'Spirited Away' sequence ]

Located on the periphery of Kerorin Town is a small shrine dedicated to a local deity. Although 'popular' with the locals, the entrance of the shrine would be hard to locate for a visitor to Kerorin Town as it is hidden between two large buildings. Despite its proximity to the train station, it is still easy to be missed or mistaken for an entrance to a park. Most young people never go there. Nowadays, it is really only visited by the older generation and even then fairly infrequently so there's a somewhat rundown ambiance about the site.

None of this, however, deterred Chibi IA from 'volunteering' to serve there as a Shrine Maiden (also known as a 'Miko'). However, if truth be told, she was not doing this out of the purest motives, rather, she has a rather ambitious master plan which she is keeping strictly to herself at the moment. For you see, Chibi IA is planning on 'Spiriting Away' a 'Kami'. Which kami by her reckoning wouldn't be important, just as long as it's a bona fide kami. However, before she could do that, she had to do some research into kamis.

Not being the bookwormish type; in fact it would be hard for anyone to make her sit still (or for that matter keep quiet) for an extended period of time, she figured, volunteering to be a Miko for a day would not only give her greater insight into her 'project', but have some useful side benefits. Firstly, it would be good PR, secondly it might be good karma and thirdly, it would be one-upmanship on both her older sister IA and her best friend Tda chibi Miku. The first had matter-of-factly stated that she wouldn't last half-an-hour, the second had flatly stated that she would rather spend the time in front of her Nintendo DS set playing her latest Dragon Quest game. There was also an additional, unplanned benefit - when her grandmother heard of her intentions to serve as a Miko, she had dug out from storage a beautiful Miko costume for Chibi IA to wear for the occasion.

The operators of the shrine were more than delighted by the offer of Chibi IA's services for a day. They had a hard enough time maintaining the shrine with the meagre donations offered, plus the fact that their congregation was shrinking due to the age of the constituents. 'Young blood', especially in the form of this adorable Chibi would be a big boost in their efforts to invigorate interest in the shrine. Especially since they were close to the rail station, having Chibi IA stand near the entrance greeting potential visitors would generate a lot of positive publicity for their shrine.

Then again, they really don't know what she's really like now do they?

Well, the first part of the plan worked better than the Shrine operators had hoped. Chibi IA's presence at the entrance did indeed serve as a useful 'crowd puller', but true to her nature she couldn't stay there for the whole day. In fact, she barely made it for half-an-hour. So, she changed her 'modus operandi'. Instead of just standing at the entrance all day, being a rather energetic ten year old, she not only pulled in 'worshipers' using rather unorthodox techniques, she also gave 'instructions' on how to 'properly appease' the kami. So, it went something like this ...

Chibi IA: HEY ... yeah you. You look like your love life needs help. Well guess what, today, and just for today I must emphasize, the Kami at this Shrine is giving a special blessing on luck with love ...

... do I look like I'm joking?

... yes I'm a real Miko!

... well until sunset anyway, after that I have to go home or my Mom's going to be really upset and I'll be grounded all week if I don't get home by 7 pm.

... like I haven't got all day, so you want your love life to progress or do you want to end up a spinster like my sister?

... how old is she? OLD, and that's all I'm saying!

... how old am I? Never ask a Miko that question ... old enough is good enough.

... how's my love life? Better than yours ... (with fingers crossed under the long sleeves of her costume) ... after all I'm cute!
(Note: Mikos aren't suppose to have a 'love life').

... What do you have to do?

... I thought you'll never ask that question. It's really simple, just follow me! Then, all you need to do is make a wish at the Kami's shrine and pray for luck with love, ring the bell and clap three times. And most importantly LEAVE A BIG DONATION.

... That's the important part: even in the World of Spirits, money talks!

... Whaddya mean 'bull shit'? Would I lie to you? After all I'm a Miko! You think I'm dressed like this for fun? In the first place it's really hot and secondly did you know you can't wear underwear under as it's considered 'unspiritual'? Now just take it from a pure maiden who happens not to be wearing underwear to be telling the truth.

By this time she had attracted a small crowd, a lot of whom looked like otakus or were middle-aged men ... many of whom were taking photos of her with cell phone cameras.

Chibi IA: Did you all know it's very bad karma to take photos of a pure-hearted Miko maiden without leaving a donation at the shrine? You could lose all your money, become impotent, lose your hair or even in the worse cases ... die!

... am I serious?

... you want to put your life on the line?

... I thought not, so I'll tell you what, just leave a donation in the donation box and I'll leave a good word with the Kami for you. And consider that a big favor, as I'm not in the habit of doing favors. It's just that I don't want your death on my hands as that's bad karma.

... Hey, you - touch me and I'll scream and that'll not only bring the police on you; see that lady cop on the other side of the street? She is a personal friend and trust me when I'll tell you she knows karate and hates men - I know that as she's got no boyfriend - plus you'll incur the wrath of the Kami which means if she kills you here, your soul will go straight to Hell.

... Now, get with the program people, just line up and follow me. Trust me, this is going to be painless, just get your wallets ready.

... Sorry, we don't take plastic - I don't know why. Like they take plastic at 7/11 but not at a shrine several centuries old?

... Anyway, move along, come on now, I ain't got all day. HEY OBA-CHAN (grandmother), yeah you, say a prayer here for your hernia, bet you feel better after.

... What? You don't have a hernia? Well, listen to me, if you don't do as I say the Kami will get pissed and you'll end up with a hernia. Take that as fair warning from a Miko!

... Get moving people. Shake out all that change. Might as well leave it here where it'll do you some good before the tax man gets it. Know what I mean? Like the government can't grant prayer wishes now like my Kami, right? In fact, if you think about it. What exactly do you get for paying the government money? Like any ten year old can tell you nothing good will come out of it.

... Hey you? Trying to be cheap here? I heard only one coin go into the box. PAY MOAR ... you really don't want to piss off the Kami now do you? Like we take bills too you know!

As it turned out, the Shrine had not had as successful a day in a long time. As for Chibi IA, she was exhausted by the end of the day; so it was lucky that her sister came to fetch her for the trip home. However, she had learnt no more about kamis by the end of the day, but on the other hand, the local kami learnt a lot about her ...

And was very interested in knowing more ...

[ To be continued ... ]

CREDITS
Chibi IA (in Miko costume) - Mdql/Mao
Kerorin Town 2.02 - BTA Kelorin Jo
MME - adult shader . diffusion 7 . rule of thirds
Pose . lighting . camera - by me
Rendered in MMD 7.39
Photoshop 7 used for Post Processing (quite a lot was done to the original render).

Description
[ Part 1 of the 'Spirited Away' sequence ]

Located on the periphery of Kerorin Town is a small shrine dedicated to a local deity. Although 'popular' with the locals, the entrance of the shrine would be hard to locate for a visitor to Kerorin Town as it is hidden between two large buildings. Despite its proximity to the train station, it is still easy to be missed or mistaken for an entrance to a park. Most young people never go there. Nowadays, it is really only visited by the older generation and even then fairly infrequently so there's a somewhat rundown ambiance about the site.

None of this, however, deterred Chibi IA from 'volunteering' to serve there as a Shrine Maiden (also known as a 'Miko'). However, if truth be told, she was not doing this out of the purest motives, rather, she has a rather ambitious master plan which she is keeping strictly to herself at the moment. For you see, Chibi IA is planning on 'Spiriting Away' a 'Kami'. Which kami by her reckoning wouldn't be important, just as long as it's a bona fide kami. However, before she could do that, she had to do some research into kamis.

Not being the bookwormish type; in fact it would be hard for anyone to make her sit still (or for that matter keep quiet) for an extended period of time, she figured, volunteering to be a Miko for a day would not only give her greater insight into her 'project', but have some useful side benefits. Firstly, it would be good PR, secondly it might be good karma and thirdly, it would be one-upmanship on both her older sister IA and her best friend Tda chibi Miku. The first had matter-of-factly stated that she wouldn't last half-an-hour, the second had flatly stated that she would rather spend the time in front of her Nintendo DS set playing her latest Dragon Quest game. There was also an additional, unplanned benefit - when her grandmother heard of her intentions to serve as a Miko, she had dug out from storage a beautiful Miko costume for Chibi IA to wear for the occasion.

The operators of the shrine were more than delighted by the offer of Chibi IA's services for a day. They had a hard enough time maintaining the shrine with the meagre donations offered, plus the fact that their congregation was shrinking due to the age of the constituents. 'Young blood', especially in the form of this adorable Chibi would be a big boost in their efforts to invigorate interest in the shrine. Especially since they were close to the rail station, having Chibi IA stand near the entrance greeting potential visitors would generate a lot of positive publicity for their shrine.

Then again, they really don't know what she's really like now do they?

Well, the first part of the plan worked better than the Shrine operators had hoped. Chibi IA's presence at the entrance did indeed serve as a useful 'crowd puller', but true to her nature she couldn't stay there for the whole day. In fact, she barely made it for half-an-hour. So, she changed her 'modus operandi'. Instead of just standing at the entrance all day, being a rather energetic ten year old, she not only pulled in 'worshipers' using rather unorthodox techniques, she also gave 'instructions' on how to 'properly appease' the kami. So, it went something like this ...

Chibi IA: HEY ... yeah you. You look like your love life needs help. Well guess what, today, and just for today I must emphasize, the Kami at this Shrine is giving a special blessing on luck with love ...

... do I look like I'm joking?

... yes I'm a real Miko!

... well until sunset anyway, after that I have to go home or my Mom's going to be really upset and I'll be grounded all week if I don't get home by 7 pm.

... like I haven't got all day, so you want your love life to progress or do you want to end up a spinster like my sister?

... how old is she? OLD, and that's all I'm saying!

... how old am I? Never ask a Miko that question ... old enough is good enough.

... how's my love life? Better than yours ... (with fingers crossed under the long sleeves of her costume) ... after all I'm cute!
(Note: Mikos aren't suppose to have a 'love life').

... What do you have to do?

... I thought you'll never ask that question. It's really simple, just follow me! Then, all you need to do is make a wish at the Kami's shrine and pray for luck with love, ring the bell and clap three times. And most importantly LEAVE A BIG DONATION.

... That's the important part: even in the World of Spirits, money talks!

... Whaddya mean 'bull shit'? Would I lie to you? After all I'm a Miko! You think I'm dressed like this for fun? In the first place it's really hot and secondly did you know you can't wear underwear under as it's considered 'unspiritual'? Now just take it from a pure maiden who happens not to be wearing underwear to be telling the truth.

By this time she had attracted a small crowd, a lot of whom looked like otakus or were middle-aged men ... many of whom were taking photos of her with cell phone cameras.

Chibi IA: Did you all know it's very bad karma to take photos of a pure-hearted Miko maiden without leaving a donation at the shrine? You could lose all your money, become impotent, lose your hair or even in the worse cases ... die!

... am I serious?

... you want to put your life on the line?

... I thought not, so I'll tell you what, just leave a donation in the donation box and I'll leave a good word with the Kami for you. And consider that a big favor, as I'm not in the habit of doing favors. It's just that I don't want your death on my hands as that's bad karma.

... Hey, you - touch me and I'll scream and that'll not only bring the police on you; see that lady cop on the other side of the street? She is a personal friend and trust me when I'll tell you she knows karate and hates men - I know that as she's got no boyfriend - plus you'll incur the wrath of the Kami which means if she kills you here, your soul will go straight to Hell.

... Now, get with the program people, just line up and follow me. Trust me, this is going to be painless, just get your wallets ready.

... Sorry, we don't take plastic - I don't know why. Like they take plastic at 7/11 but not at a shrine several centuries old?

... Anyway, move along, come on now, I ain't got all day. HEY OBA-CHAN (grandmother), yeah you, say a prayer here for your hernia, bet you feel better after.

... What? You don't have a hernia? Well, listen to me, if you don't do as I say the Kami will get pissed and you'll end up with a hernia. Take that as fair warning from a Miko!

... Get moving people. Shake out all that change. Might as well leave it here where it'll do you some good before the tax man gets it. Know what I mean? Like the government can't grant prayer wishes now like my Kami, right? In fact, if you think about it. What exactly do you get for paying the government money? Like any ten year old can tell you nothing good will come out of it.

... Hey you? Trying to be cheap here? I heard only one coin go into the box. PAY MOAR ... you really don't want to piss off the Kami now do you? Like we take bills too you know!

As it turned out, the Shrine had not had as successful a day in a long time. As for Chibi IA, she was exhausted by the end of the day; so it was lucky that her sister came to fetch her for the trip home. However, she had learnt no more about kamis by the end of the day, but on the other hand, the local kami learnt a lot about her ...

And was very interested in knowing more ...

[ To be continued ... ]

CREDITS
Chibi IA (in Miko costume) - Mdql/Mao
Kerorin Town 2.02 - BTA Kelorin Jo
MME - adult shader . diffusion 7 . rule of thirds
Pose . lighting . camera - by me
Rendered in MMD 7.39
Photoshop 7 used for Post Processing (quite a lot was done to the original render).