For three more days the sisters continued to work at the Dome, once more performing non-combat challenges, or combat challenges against robots or in exotic environments or both. Their mother and Rika largely returned to the routine of the Temple: eight daily prayers, sparring, meditation, while Ayano spend much time in exploring the city, and finding suitable merchants from which to purchase replacements for her Temple garments and for the High Priestess' robe. Then finally, Ayami came by early, before sunset services.

"I have news," she said after the usual pleasantries and after Akane had gone to the sisters to spar and play away from the other adults. "My agent's contacts suggested several possibilities for you three to make money without needing to travel far or take too much time from your worship. But… I'm not sure you'll like them. Especially you, Sister Ayano."

Behind her mask, The High Priestess' eyes narrowed. "Say on," her voice colder than normal.

Ayami drew from her jacket a folder, one holding many papers with images on them. "Here. Posing for photo sets like these will take about a day, two such sets in a month will provide a simple living." The images were strange, women or men or both wearing little to nothing, women engaging with men in activities that Temple law limited to specific occasions, men driving women like animals before the lash, or women driving men. "I know you'll reject some of these out of hand, but I was asked to bring them, and then take back word. In this, I am only a messenger."

The High Priestess glared even through her mask. "You are right," and she set aside all the ones with unclad or underclad women. "These would be against Temple law." Then she set aside the ones showing people driven like animals. "Ayano or Rika could take part in such, but it would bring disrepute to the Temple." She continued to turn through the images, then paused. "This, perhaps," and she paused upon coming to a somewhat different set. "Rika would be an acceptable subject for such as these." The pictures were of women with well-developed muscles performing feats of strength, usually but not always in highly revealing attire. "Keep in mind that she long ago became one with the Darkness."

Ayami gathered up the images, and tucked them back into their folder, then shed her outerwear, and Akane did the same, revealing their prayer suits, and in a converted basement apartment, before a store-bought idol, the last remnants of the Daughters of Aku performed their devotions.

.oO()Oo.

The next day, the High Priestess sent Ayano to Ayami's apartment to bear a message, and after stepping in, and sitting down for some tea, she passed the message. Ayami looked down, eyes lowered. "I don't remember the rites, I'll need a refresher. And Akane doesn't know them at all."

Ayano sipped her tea. "We will teach her. What troubles me is how to burn the offering in the new Temple. There will be much smoke, and how can we disperse it?"

"The fans over the stove and in the bathroom would be enough for that," Ayami told her. "The real problem is that you can't burn the offerings in the idol's little bowl," she said with a frown. Then she smiled. "But you could burn the offerings in mine's! Would the High Priestess be wiling to trade her idol and altar for mine? Mine's really too large for a mere shrine anyway. And I had it commissioned, it's not mass produced like the one you have, and the altar even has storage compartments to hold the sacred chalice!"

Ayano considered the question carefully. "I think she'd approve. Can we move it?"

Ayami rose, and opened the shrine's door. "See if you can pick it up. It's a bronze casting, and hollow." Ayano stepped up to it, looked it over, then turned to the former Sister.

"I'm a normal woman. I don't have Aku's power… oh, wait. I forgot, I do. I still don't think I can lift it, but I'll try. And if I can't, Rika certainly can." After considering the problem, she grasped the idol by its base and by its shoulder projection, strained with al her might, and set it down. She'd managed to rock it, but no more. "We'll need Rika. I can almost lift it, but only almost."

With those words, the two departed for the new Temple, going this time by bus. Ayano led the way once thy arrived near the building, and knocked, waiting politely to be let in. Once inside, they discussed their plan with the High Priestess. "I accept this. Only be careful to keep the idol from the hands of the profane."

"We will," Ayami assured her, "And I will carry the altar, and Ayano can guard us both." And so it was that the Temple gained a new idol and Ayami's shrine a smaller.

.oO()Oo.

When Akane returned from school, such as it was, she found her mother at the table, and herself gestured over. "We're going to the Temple soon, and we'll both need to eat and drink our fill first," her mother said in that cold "this is serious" tone she sometimes used, but not often.

Akane shivered. "A big, slow meal?" she asked, and her mother nodded. Akane rose and went to work carefully cooking a meal she knew would hold them both for a good while, at least half a day she was sure. She didn't make slow meals very often.

.oO()Oo.

When they were done and the apartment was sealed and put in order, they departed, openly clad in their prayer suits in public for the first time in Akane's life, and Ayami double-double-locked the door. Once they reached the Temple, Ayami knocked, and Avi let them both in.

"Greetings, High Priestess," Ayami said, and went to one knee as Akane did the same. "Ayano told you our need, I trust."

"Yes. And I will teach you what you need to know," and with that, she began to take them through the prayer for the dead. "This will be a long ceremony, for there are thirty-two dead to be mourned and tended. Akane, you will help Aji prepare the final meals, the meals we will send on to the departed." The girl nodded solemnly, and the instructions began.

As sunset neared, they all made sure everything had been made ready: the new idol cleaned and wiped down, and its altar, the windows shut and latched, the door locked and bolted. Then the High Priestess, Ayano, Ayami, and the Blessed Daughters, save Ari, began a droning chant while Ari and Akane prepared a simple meal of meat and nuts, which the girl put on a plater and took over to the idol. "Please, departed sister Asuna, may this final meal strengthen and comfort you, that you may enter into the realm of Aku. Accept it in the spirit in which we offer it," said the High Priestess as Akane put it in the offering bowl. The High Priestess poured a bit of oil over it, and lit it on fire, then Akane returned the platter to the kitchen, and with Ari, joined the chant.

.oO()Oo.

From sunset to sunrise, sunrise to sunset, sunset to midnight, they prayed, and cooked, and gave offerings to strengthen the departed, to give them the last bit of aid they could receive to help them into the realm of Aku. The Daughters wept openly, though silently and almost without expression, as did Ayami, and even Akane cried a little, though she had never known the departed. Perhaps the High Priestess and Ayano and Rika wept, but there was no way to know. At last, the final offering was burned, the final chants done, all the smoke drawn off, and the High Priestess decreed a rest, and time to sleep. Akane tried, but could not help whimpering, and her mother spoke for her. "Please, High Priestess. She's only a child, she cries around an empty stomach. Let her have something."

"Of course," the elder said, sounding a bit surprised. "I would never deprive her of needed food. Go, Akane, make a meal for yourself." And once Akane had departed for the kitchen area, "You did very well, and I thank you for your assistance. You have aided our faith greatly today."

Akane beamed at the praise, and after eating her sandwich, went over to her mother. "Thank you," she said to the High Priestess. "Sleep well," and her mother held her in her arms until they were all asleep.