Akiko picked her way through the trees, lighting her way with a torch. The rain had stopped, but she could still hear water dripping from the leaves around her, and her feet were wet from the undergrowth. She reached the sacred tree, the beam of the torch picking out the shimenawa tied around it, but there was no-one else there. She walked round once, checking the whole clearing, but she was definitely alone.

She started to worry that Yoshiko wouldn’t come, and worry about what that would mean, but as she reached out a hand and laid it on the trunk of the tree all her concerns drained away. All she needed to do was wait.

As she thought that, Yoshiko stepped into the clearing, carrying a lamp and a bundle wrapped up in a cloth. Akiko noticed that Yoshiko’s clothes were completely dry, but she did not comment, simply bowing in greeting, a bow that Yoshiko returned.

“Under the circumstances,â€ Yoshiko began, “I think we should start with the dances.â€ Akiko just nodded; she had little choice but to trust her teacher. Yoshiko put the cloth bundle down under the tree and unwrapped it, taking out something that tinkled as she lifted it, and gleamed in the light.

“This is a kagurasuzu,â€ she said, showing it to Akiko. “Have you used one yet?â€ Akiko looked at it, and it did look a little familiar. A conical metal frame was mounted on a short handle, with several small bells hung from the frame. Five long strips of material, purple, green, red, white, and yellow, were attached to the bottom of the handle. As she looked, Akiko remembered where she had seen it before; in the dream when she had first worn miko’s vestments.

“Er, not really,â€ she replied. Using it in a dream probably didn’t count. Yoshiko nodded, but didn’t look surprised.

“Watch me first.â€ She took a few steps backwards, and then bowed to the tree, sweeping the kagurasuzu up over her head as she straightened, the sound of bells filling the clearing.

Yoshiko started to dance, slowly at first, sweeping the bells gracefully through the air while supporting the cloth with her other hand. Her movements got steadily faster, as she spun, running round the tree, swinging the kagurasuzu high and low, quickly enough that the motion was enough to keep the streamers in the air. She passed once around the tree, and slowed down, coming to a graceful stop as she sank to her knees, the kagurasuzu held in front of her chest in both hands, the cloth piled in her lap.

She bowed her head once, and stood up, turning to look at Akiko.

“That’s what you’re aiming for.â€

“I can’t do that!â€ Akiko protested. <em>At least not while I’m in control of my own body,</em> she amended silently.

“Not yet. That’s why you need to practice. And that’s why I want to start with the dances; you need the most practice for these. Here, take the kagurasuzu.â€ Yoshiko held it out, and Akiko took it carefully. It was a little heavier than she expected, and the cloth streamers were long.

“Now, hold it up,â€ Yoshiko continued, “and support the streamers… No. Like this.â€ She reached out and adjusted Akiko’s hand, and the lesson began.