Dancing for Your Life

Practice

Weeks had passed and true to her word, Reina was hard on Victoria. She gave the young dancer harsh critiques, refusing her food if she didn't get every movement perfect. If she placed a limb just a bit off from perfect form a leather crop would smack the offending limb. If she dropped character and messed up she would be forced to redo the entire routine she was learning.

She would dance continuously, not allowed to stop. Her bleeding feet were ignored for the most part, unless her legs were unable to keep her up. When that would happen, two stagehands would give her an ice bath before sending her back to practice. This process would go one from early in the morning to late at night. The hope of seeing her brother again remained fresh in her mind, if she did what Reina said.

A loud crack reverberated through the theatre hall, another sharp pain worked its way up her arm. She had let her arm drop slightly lower than it should. A warm and happy-looking smile stayed on her face throughout the entire, even as tears began to fall. She wanted to run to the nearest person to cry and scream that it wasn't fair she had to go feel so much pain.

Her mentor retained a hard, impassive mask, not caring for the girl's tears or the pain she had been going through. She motioned for a stagehand, keeping her eyes on Victoria. "Get me some chakrams." In a matter of seconds, they brought out two pairs of the circled blades.

"Stop your dancing Child, you'll be learning something new." The weapons were placed on her hands as soon as she walked up to Reina. The older woman fixed Victoria's grip in the items so she was holding them properly. "As a dancer, you are the envy of all women. And more importantly, always sought after by men. For these reasons, you must become like a dangerous flower."

She walked to the middle of the stage, beckoning Victoria to mimic her movement. Quickly she took off, twirling and slashing the blades in her hands before throwing them out towards the empty audience seating. The woman spun into a backflip before twisting sharply and catching the returning weapons with ease.

"Beautiful to look at and admire, but deadly to those that wish to tarnish that beauty. Make like the higanbana with its poison, a rose with its thorns or the nightshade with both thorns and poison. Truly, dear child, it matters not which flower you choose to be. As long as you're able to protect yourself."

The two twirled and twisted with the chakrams, Victoria copying the movements of her mentor exactly. Reina continued to speak, telling her how to throw the chakrams and giving her tips on when to catch them. The two continued this for hours, Reina doing more complex movements and techniques.

Unlike her earlier harsh teaching ways, she would gently encourage her and give soft praises every now and again. The woman obviously loved dancing with the chakrams, and Victoria was starting to like them too.

Soon it was time for their practice to end, yet unlike the last few weeks, Victoria felt more accomplished after. She was happy to see a different side of Reina compared to the last few weeks and she honestly preferred her like this than her usual harsh training.

The two quietly walked through the halls towards the young girl's room. Once inside Reina spoke.

"You've been keeping up so well lately, there's almost no error in your dances. I may have to give you my gift earlier than I expected. Goodnight Child."

"Goodnight Miss Reina, could we dance with the circles again next time?"

The woman stopped, catching sight of the bright and hopeful gaze of her charge. A kind smile spread across her face. "If you do even better tomorrow We will."

A large grin made its way to Victoria's face. Quickly, she nodded and scrambled into her bed, bidding the woman goodnight once more and letting sleep take her.