Goddesses of Dance

Mentioned Characters: Okina, Biten
Story
Son Biten is a youkai with outstanding athletic skills and a bright, energetic personality. She can befriend just about anyone after a battle of bullets. It's unsurprising that she was chosen to be a dancer at Old Desire. But what sort of dancing is there at a social club? With her face scrunched in confusion, Biten began by spinning around between the guests' tables. "She's a natural," smirked Okina, watching from the sidelines.

"The trick to perfect posture is to imagine you're hanging by a string from the ceiling," said Okina, adopting the role of Biten's dance teacher. "Try and enjoy the dance. If you're genuinely having fun, the audience will, too." Biten followed along, mimicking Okina's movements beside her. "Not bad. Not bad at all," nodded Okina. Biten's dancing quickly improved. It wasn't just because of Okina's precise instruction but also because she was excellent at copying Okina's moves. Monkey see, monkey do.

Dance is a performance, an art form, and a way of expressing yourself. It is an offering to the gods, a prayer, and a ritual that connects the dancers to divinity. Woven into each movement are emotions like fear, gratitude, and reverence. It's said that humans created dance as an embodiment of the world around them. Just as the beat of a leather-bound drum from a distant land can stir a sense of nostalgia, dance, too, is something born of nature. Biten seems to possess a sensitivity to nature lost from the modern world―from it stems the true genius of her dance.

InCarnation Bouquet Posture plays a vital role in dance. Good posture stems from a strong core. A strong core brings stability, which leads to consistent, repeatable movements. The difference between a dance that succeeds by chance and one that succeeds by design is plain to the audience. That difference defines the quality of the performance itself. "The time has come. You're ready to dance in tonight's show. I'll be watching," said Okina with a smile, like a master bestowing her final seal of approval upon a student.

Biten's many golden accessories jingled as she began her dance. A spotlight shone down on her from above, like a shimmering ladder descending from the heavens. She was a goddess on Earth, stealing the breath of all those who watched. The crowd erupted in cheers, and as the performance approached its finale, a door suddenly appeared behind Biten and swung open. Out leapt Okina Matara, mirroring Biten's every move with precision. The crowd began to cheer so loudly that Biten could barely hear the music. "You planned this all along, didn't you?!" she squealed with delight.