Yeah. . this'll come WAY earlier in the second draft.

Last Time. . .

We Now Continue.

CUT TO:

EXT, Hikawa Shrine, DAY

REI walks along one of the shrine's mossy and worn stone paths, in full miko garb. A visitor walks by on the same path, on her way to perform her morning prayers. Rei bows. Aside from that one visitor, Rei is alone. We hear a loud CROW'S CAW as we--

CUT TO:

PHOBOS and DEIMOS, the shrine's resident ravens, each pecking away at a thin, bloody slice of beef.

REI (O.S.)

I hope you're happy, because this. . .

CUT TO:

A shot of Rei, kneeling down, watching the crows as they tear ravenously away at their meat.

REI

This is pollution, right here.

(points to the meat)

I've just brought meat-- raw, bloody, soiled meat-- onto the grounds of a Shinto shrine.

PHOBOS caws at DEIMOS, and drops his meat momentarily.

REI

Aw. Don't like it? Not quite rare enough for you?

Phobos picks up the piece of wet meat, now covered with pebbles and soil.

REI

(more serious)

Why won't you talk to me.

(pause)

It's been eight years. Say something.

Nothing.

REI

No-one else has to hear it. Just me.

DEIMOS caws. Rei lowers her head, and we

CUT TO:

The outer fence. Rei, still in her miko uniform walks along the fenceline. She passes by two women, one elderly, one middle aged. The middle aged woman is holding onto a photograph. The old woman seems on the verge of tears. Something bad happened here. Rei tries to pass the two women by without being noticed, but then. . .

OLD WOMAN("O.W.")

Excuse me? Excuse me, pristess?

Rei turns around.

REI

(humbly)

Oh, no. No, I'm not a priest--

MIDDLE AGED WOMAN ("M.W.")

Mother, please--

O.W.

Please, forgive me, I know I'm imposing myself on you--

M.W.

Mother--!

O.W. takes the photograph out ot M.W.'s hands and shows it to Rei. It's a little boy, five years old. Rei knows what this is about, and really doesn't want to see it.

O.W.

He went missing from here around a year ago. His name is Daichi.

Rei, in spite of herself, looks at the picture.

O.W.

(depserate)

If you could just offer a prayer--

M.W.

(whispering, mildly patronizing)

It's alright, mother. It's alright.

M.W. tried to pull O.W. away.

M.W.

(to Rei)

I'm so sorry.

O.W.

(to Rei)

Just a simple prayer for his safe return--

M.W.

(whispering to O.W., again patronizing)

Mother, please! You're embarrassing her!

O.W. walks away, absent mindledly.

M.W.

(to Rei)

I'm so sorry. My mother's. . . old fashioned. She takes all this. . .

(gestures at the shrine, dismissively)

. . . seriously.

REI

(trying to ignore the implicit insult)

Imagine. . .

M.W.

I used to volunteer at a shrine like this.

(to O.W.)

Her idea.

(glances at the shrine)

Actually. . .

(closes in on Rei, whispering)

Is it true?

REI

What?

M.W.

That Takeshi Hino owns this shrine?

(beat)

You know, that politi--

REI

(cuts in)

Yes, my-- Minister Hino's family does own this shrine.

M.W.

(glances at shrine, sniffing)

No wonder they've never looked into it.

(to Rei)

There have been three child dissappearances from near this shrine. Daichi was the latest, last year. How much investigating do you think police have done, hmm? None. Big shock, huh?

(sniffs with contempt at the shrine)

His mother won't even leave the house. One whole year, hasn't left the house. Still, what do they do? Nothing. All thanks to that assh--

(backs off, just as she's really starting to fume)

I'm sorry. . . I know you aren't connected to all this. Not really.

M.W. bows, and rejoins her mother. Rei just stands there, trying to take all of this in. It's not what M.W. said that really stunned Rei, as much as the fact that she did said it, that shocked Rei the most. After a moment, Rei turns around and continues on her way, striding forth with a new sense of purpose.