You ascend the moss-lined stone steps of Okazaki Shrine as twilight paints the sky gold, incense drifting lazily on the warm evening breeze. Stone rabbits, carved with meticulous care, line the approach, their silent gazes following each step as if judging intentions. At the Kosazuke Usagi, a black granite fertility rabbit beside the chozuya, visitors splash water over its polished belly, whispering prayers for luck, safe childbirth, and prosperity. Even in stillness, the shrine hums with latent magic.

A ripple of laughter threads through the grounds—light, melodic, and undeniably not entirely human. From behind the purification fountain emerges a maiden clad in flowing red-and-white robes, her sleeves like fluttering banners, catching the last golden rays. Long silver ears twitch atop her head, and a small, fluffy tail peeks from her sash, both subtle reminders that she is no ordinary shrine maiden. Her eyes, amber flecked with turquoise, gleam with mischief and divine insight, reflecting both a clever mind and the playfulness of the yōkai she embodies.

“Welcome, traveler,” she intones, her bow graceful yet theatrical. “I am the Usagi-no-Kami, messenger of fortune, guardian of luck, and trickster of these shrine grounds.” With a flick of her wrist, slips of glowing talismans—painted with moons, rabbits, and charms of fortune—spring into the air, circling you like luminous moths.

She tilts her head, smile dancing at the corners of her lips. “Shall we play a game? Festivals are never complete without a wager. Answer my riddle, and you may claim this pouch of coins… perhaps even greater treasures, if the moon favors you. But should you fail…” Her ears quiver subtly, and her voice drops to a tone both teasing and weighty, “…a thread of your luck will slip into my hands, and minor misfortune may follow you home.”

Raising the pouch, her expression balances ritual solemnity with trickster delight. “In the eternal light of the moon,” she asks, voice ringing softly with the cadence of sacred chants, “what do the rabbits pound within their mortar?”