“Admit it, we’re lost.”

“I am not lost. We’re on a trail. It’s not a very well marked one, but it’s a trail.”

“My feet are killing me. You must be walking us in circles.”

“No, Beth, the shrine is just remote…”

“You know Greg, when you invited me to come with you to Japan, I thought we were gonna be hitting up downtown Tokyo or some other cool place, not visiting stuffy shrines.”

Greg sighed. He and Beth had been going out together for a few months now, ever since his cousin had introduced them at a party. Honestly, Greg wasn’t really that… into it? But Eric had seemed so sure, and Beth had seemed enthusiastic to give it a shot… he’d hoped that the trip to Japan would bring them closer together, but it had instead shown how they really weren’t that good matches for each other. Greg was a quiet, bookish type and Beth… wasn’t. And not in the ‘bring them out of their shell’ way, in the ‘make them buy her stuff on a shopping trip’ way.

But honestly, that wasn’t enough to put the young man in a bad mood. Japan was a densely urbanized nation, but the countryside and forests it did have were stunning, and there was a real sense of history to so many of the places. As a religious studies major, the theology of local religions was really interesting - the complex mish-mash of native Shinto, Buddhism, and Christianity made for some fascinating stories and perspectives that he wished Beth could appreciate more, but that he could still enjoy on their own anyway.

They were in a quiet little patch of forest, visiting one of the last shrines on his list. He’d added it at the recommendation of a nice old lady at the last hotel, and the hike he had to take to get there only added to the anticipation - if such an out of the way shrine could keep in business, it surely would be a sight to see.

“You should carry me. You are my boyfriend after all, and you don’t want my delicate feet being hurt.”

Greg sighed. “Beth, I can’t lift you.”

“You calling me fat?”

Before Greg was forced to answer that… difficult, question, he was saved by a break in the trees. The winding dirt path they were on snaked its way through the clearing to the shrine at the center. There were a series of the distinctive torii gates, freshly painted red and black, all along the pathway. The clearing, where there wasn’t the path, was filled with flowers. Greg spent a few moments taking it all in. Then, he walked along the path towards the shrine.

Beth, meanwhile, just went straight to the entrance, ignoring the path and gates and trampling over more than a few flowers on her way. “Come on, slow poke!” she called to him. Greg winced but kept to the path anyway. He wished she wouldn’t act like such a stereotypical tourist. It was like she was trying to make up for everyone who’d ever avoided it.

“Did you have to walk over the flowers? They looked very well tended.” Greg said as he approached the final gate, at the entrance to the shrine proper.

“Who cares? It’s probably natural. The place looks abandoned.”

There was a polite cough.

Beth yelped and leaped behind Greg. A young Japanese woman in flowing white-and-red robes, with straight black hair going nearly to the ground and a rather pretty face, had appeared behind her, smiling serenely as she waited for the pair to say anything.

“What the hell? You can’t sneak up on people like that!” Beth shouted.

Greg, on the other hand, dug in a pocket for his phrasebook, but as he started to give a greeting the woman raised a hand. “Don’t worry. I’m fluent in English. We get many foreign visitors. I appreciate that you would try, though.”

The young man pocketed the book, and bowed in the Japanese style. “Thank you for your warm welcome, miss. My name is Gregory Schult.”

The miko smiled a little. Then she looked at Beth.

“...Beth. What else do you need?”

If the woman was offended by the terseness, she didn’t let it show. She bowed slightly.  “Sanada Yoshiko. A pleasure. Would you like to worship on your own, or would you like a short tour?”

“I would be honored if you would show us around the shrine, Sanada-san.” Greg said, rising.

Beth groaned.

The first part of the usual procedures was the hairei, or an individual prayer. Greg walked up to the spot that Yoshiko had pointed out for them, and put some money into the box - a pretty good amount of yen actually, as he expected the shrine needed it. He waited for Beth to do the same, but she turned her nose up when he pointed out the box. “Why should I? You just gave money for both of us right?”

“...Right.” Greg said, before ringing the bell. He bowed, clapped his hands in front of him, and silently prayed for safe travels. Beth, on the other hand…

“If you want me to give you a chance, some money would be nice, eh Greg?” she said with a laugh. She took out her phone and started to take a few selfies, clearly intending to get something she could post about out of the trip, while Yoshiko stared quite intensely at her. If she noticed the disapproving glare, she didn’t say anything.

He didn’t know what he’d expected. It was probably that. Beth walked off to the next part off the shrine, while Greg and Yoshiko followed at a more sedate pace. “I’m really sorry about her…” he said.

“I appreciate that, Schult-san.” the miko said. “At least you know some respect. It is better than I’ve seen from many visitors to the shrine, foreign or otherwise.”

“I’m surprised you get that many tourists,” Greg said, “It’s so remote. It’s beautiful, but really out of the way.”

“People in nearby villages appreciate the beauty and often direct travelers this way.” Yoshiko said. “It’s a bit of an odd shrine, I do admit. Our practices, such as myself living here and not in the village, are not all very traditional. I do love it, though...”

The tour continued in that way for a while, Beth continuing to be… Beth, while Greg tried to at least maintain a bit of decorum and respect. Yoshiko was reasonably good at keeping her irritation under wraps, but Greg could see a bit of eye twitching now and then when she thought nobody was looking.

“Hey, lady,” Beth said, looking up at the sky and seeing the sun starting to go down. “You think a couple tourists can stay the night? That famous Japanese hospitality? I’m not going to go down through the woods in the dark.”

Greg winced, but Yoshiko didn’t seem… that annoyed. “Of course. I couldn’t ask travelers to go such a long way in the night. You may stay a while. There are some traditions that must be observed, however.”

“It’s the least we can do for your hospitality.” Greg said quickly, before Beth could complain. She stuck a tongue out at him, but went with it.

“Excellent.” Yoshiko said, “Then follow me.” She led them into the shrine’s interior section. It was a lot larger than those they’d seen elsewhere in Japan - many were almost entirely outdoors. “Before you rest,” she continued, “There is a purification ritual you must each undergo. It won’t take very long, but I must insist you separate. It’s a personal ritual.”

“That’s fine, I can take a nap or something.” Beth said, strolling off to one of the side rooms to wait.

Greg and Yoshiko, for their part, went to the other side. It was a simple wooden room, with a tatami mat, as well as a stand containing a haraigushi (a large wooden wand decorated with paper strips) and a water basin for the temizu-ritual. “Our shrine’s purification rituals are a bit more involved than many, at least in regards to those who wish to remain here for a time.” Yoshiko said, “Please, stand on the mat.” Greg complied, as Yoshiko walked over and gently took the haraigushi from the stand. “Traditionally, a priest would be the one doing this - but it’s just myself here, so it’ll be me this time.”

“That’s fine, I still really appreciate that you’re letting us stay the night. Beth wasn’t the nicest about it, but it’s a bit of a worry this far in the wilderness…” Greg said, closing his eyes and taking a few breaths. He could feel the motion of the wand over him, and something about it was very relaxing.

“The animals here are very tame. You would have been quite safe. But I understand.” Yoshiko said. “I must thank you again, for being so respectful of the shrine’s traditions. Many foreigners, and even some natives, behave more like your partner.”

Greg nodded. “I think it’s important to show proper respect to places like this. It’s got a real sense of history. It’s been here long before we were born, and will be here long after we’re gone.” The wand waved over him again, and while they were indoors, he could swear he felt a draft. His hair was blown about, which was weird since it hadn’t felt that long before… maybe it was time for a haircut…

Unbeknownst to Greg, there was a good reason for that. With every wave of the wand, a glow of magic surrounded the young man. Already, his hair - red, and a bit curly - had begun to darken and grow out, brushing his shoulders. It was only the beginning. Yoshiko smiled serenely as she followed the traditional motions, but with a bit of a twist. “Long after we’re gone, hmm?” she said, “Perhaps, perhaps. The shrine and it’s kami do deserve respect, and it warms the heart to finally meet another who understands that.”

“It’s honestly a bit frustrating to hear you’ve had this many problems. I made my donation a bit bigger than usual, but I don’t think it’s nearly enough help…” Greg said, not noticing how his shoulders slimmed except in the sense of a pleasant looseness to them, as if after a long massage. There was just something so nice about it.

“To be honest, I would always like some more help. But you just being such a kind visitor is quite nice on it’s own.” Yoshiko said, as another wave of the wand led to a new set of curves around the waist and hips. “Your friend… Beth. Why are you together? You don’t act like any couple I’ve met. Assuming I’m not making too many presumptions.”

“No, we are together like that… honestly, I figured we could give it a go… but we have nothing in common. I hoped the trip would bring us together, but I think it’ll be best for both of us if we break up after this.” Greg said. “I don’t know that she’s a bad person, per se… just, our lifestyles are incompatible.”

“I see, I see.” Yoshiko said, walking around the girl in the making and waving the wand more - his ass was filling out nicely, and small budding breasts had formed on his chest. His hair was down past his shoulders and a nice shade of dark brown now, much more appropriate for his new self. He lost several centimeters bringing him into line with Japanese standards. There was only a bit more to go…

“I don’t know what you’re doing, but it feels nice… very… peaceful.” Greg said after a bit, shifting his posture to accommodate his new proportions. Or her proportions, rather - another wave of the wand, and her face had shifted to become more feminine, and her manhood… well, that wasn’t an accurate title anymore. Where once a lanky American tourist had stood, was a cute Japanese girl. She opened her eyes as she heard Yoshiko putting the wand away, and stretched a bit. “Should I wait here while you… what’s wrong with my voice?” It had become higher pitched and with less reverb - even in her head it couldn’t be mistaken as a man’s voice.

“I must admit, Greg, that this is not a normal shrine for more reasons than one…” Yoshiko said, taking a small bowl of water and filling it from the tamizu basin. “The kami here are… more active, than usual.”

“I’m not sure what that has to do with…” Greg started, but she looked down and saw the distinctly feminine mounds poking from her chest. They weren’t very large, even compared to Yoshiko’s, but they were undeniably present. “...Huh?”

“When I was a child, I was lost in the woods. I found this shrine in disrepair by happenstance. I was given food and water by the attending miko, in exchange for my service. I never regretted it.” Yoshiko continued, “That was over a thousand years ago. Since then, she fell in love with a mortal and settled down, giving up her immortality. But I’ve remained, looking for the next apprentice.”

Greg gave her breasts an experimental squeeze, testing if they were real. “A thousand… you can’t… what?”

“The kami gives us the blessing of immortality and magic. But an immortal cannot become an apprentice. That’s why the townsfolk send the shrine foreigners. Most, in recent years, have been unworthy. You have shown the most genuine respect - not a facade or formality, but because you truly respect our traditions and culture.” For a moment, her serene expression cracked. There was just a bit too much happiness. “I won’t be alone anymore…”

“Wait, what? I can’t… I have a life at home… friends, family…?”

“They won’t feel sorrow. As far as they’ll know, you and your girlfriend decided to remain. They’ll receive messages.” Yoshiko said, reforming the calm facade. “Besides. The kami has chosen you.”

Before Greg could react, the miko had sprinkled some of the water from the basin onto her face, a flick of drops. It was suddenly hard to hold onto the negative thoughts. What was she worried about again? Staying with Yoshiko… with Sanada-san…? Right, she was supposed to leave… leave…

Another sprinkle. Why was she… she wanted to say bye to her family right? But Sanada-senpai had told her that she couldn’t, and that was upsetting. Greg wanted to… who was…?

Another sprinkle, and the last of the worries and doubts melted away. The young woman blinked away the water. 「Is that all, Sanada-sensei?」she asked in Japanese, tilting her head a bit. 「I don’t get why you thought you had to show that to me again though...」

「It’s your first time dealing with a visitor, Sachi-chan. I had to demonstrate.」The senior shrine maiden said, patting the shorter girl on the head. 「Now let’s get you ready - you look like you just came from downtown tokyo!」

Sachi looked down and frowned - that was unlike her. She usually got ready in her robes before the lessons… well, she wasn’t about to make a stink of it in front of her teacher. She was lucky enough to be here, she didn’t want to waste the chance!

A few minutes later, Sanada-sensei was tying the last knot on her shrine maiden’s robes. It fit perfectly, like it was made for her - which given the nature of the shrine, it probably was. She thought she looked pretty cute, with her long brown hair tied into a ponytail, and the elegant miko robes. She frowned a bit, cupping her chest - the breasts just weren’t quite as big as she’d like… but in any case, she was ready to go meet with the visitor. Sanada had warned her that she was very rude, but that just made for a better lesson.

The foreigner - a blonde haired blue eyed American - was sitting on the floor snoozing when they arrived. 「Wow, she’s even more rude than I thought...」Sachi said with a frown.

「You prepare the o-nusa - that’s the one we use for rude visitors. I’ll wake her up.」Sanada-sensei paused, coughing. “And have you been practicing your English? I promised your parents that your education wouldn’t go unfinished.”

「Do I have to? Why should I speak a foreign language, it’s not like the kami cares what language I speak...」A glare caused Sachi to shut her mouth. “...Practice little. Don’t like.” she said, in thickly accented English.

Sanada sighed. “That’s better than nothing.” she bent down and shook Beth’s shoulders.

“Mmmwaht?” she grumbled, shaking the sleep out. “Oh, you. Finally. Thought you’d gone to bed without me.”

“I had to help prepare my apprentice. She’s doing her first purification today. Sachi, say hi.”

「Hello, rude bitch.」Sachi said with a cheerful smile, although she recoiled when Sanada-sensei glared. She coughed. “Hai. Nice meet.”

“That’s better.”

“Why does she have to do it? Can’t you just wave a wand, ‘you’re pure now, here’s the bed!’? You do have a bed right, you’re not going to ask me to sleep on the floor?”

“Not floor.” Sachi said with a shit-eating grin. You could lay it on as thick as you liked with tourists like this and they’d never get it until it was too late.

“Good.”

“You’re not wondering where Greg is?” Sanada asked. Sachi frowned. Who?

“What? Oh, right, him. Nah. Get on with it.”

Sachi didn’t know who Greg was, but she felt kinda bad for him. She looked to Sanada-sensei. “Start? Yes? No?”

“Very well then. Sachi, begin, just as I taught you.” Sanada said.

Sachi nodded, and smiled sweetly at the bitch who wasn’t going to be one much longer. “Stand, no move please.” she said, pointing to the mat.

“You need a better English teacher, girly.” Beth said. Sachi considered using a few choice English words she did know, but didn’t since Sanada-sensei was right there.

The ritual began as normal, waving the evergreen branch with white streamers attached over the woman. Sachi concentrated very hard, and at first nothing seemed to happen. But as she was starting to sweat, she started to see a change. Beth hadn’t noticed, but her feet had stopped moving and turned grey.

Sachi went through the motions of the dance, the sa-yu-sa, carefully and deliberately. But the tourist was locked in place now - even if she realized something she couldn’t escape. Inch by inch, the stone crept up her legs. She’d probably not be feeling anything, too distracted by something on her phone.

She didn’t even notice the few mistakes Sachi had made - a fox tale pushed out of her bottom before the stone reached it, and ears had appeared poking through her hair. The apprentice miko felt her heart stop as the tail swished around, but Beth was too absorbed in her own little world to notice it. A good first purification indeed.

As the stone reached her chest, and started to stiffen her hands, she finally noticed something. “What!? Why can’t I move!?”

"You’re quite possibly the most disrespectful visitor we’ve seen in a long time. I think it’s only appropriate you be made to represent the very thing you lack.”

“You a butt.” Sachi said, smugly grinning at her obviously excellent English insult.

“What on earth- what!?” Beth shouted, “You’re going down for this, you hear-” Sachi waved the wand again, and the stone suddenly claimed her face, mid shout.

「Bye bye, rude bitch!」Sachi said, flicking the new statue on the head.

「Show some respect, Sachi. She was rude, but she has provided us excellent material.」

Sachi didn’t think that warranted respect, but she wasn’t going to disobey her teacher. She bowed respectfully for a few seconds.

「Now, I’ll show you how to make some additions post transformation. You can’t always get them to stay perfectly still, so it’s a useful skill...」

Soon, Sachi was helping to move the granite statue to the entrance. It was a work of fine craftsmanship, depicting the kami of the shrine in the form of a human woman with vulpine characteristics. The face looked nothing like the woman it had been made from - it was the very picture of dignity and respect.

As Sachi wiped some sweat from her brow and walked away from the shrine, she felt like she was forgetting something…

「”Oh, yes!”」she said, turning around - she was remembering something extremely important.

She picked up the phone from where it had been left on the statue’s pedestal. Sensei wouldn’t let her have one, but what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. Then, she returned to the shrine interior…