(Disclaimer in First Chapter)

Chapter Three:

Mayura stepped up to the bar and placed her hand on it with the rest of the group. There were twenty club members, mostly young women – there were six men in the class. Some were returning club members, like Nishinada Ayase, the club president, whom Mayura had met the day of the Student Activities Fair. Others, like herself, were new.

"Okay everyone! Let's run through the positions and then we'll take off. Now! Everybody – first position!"

Mayura took a deep breath and relaxed her body as she moved through the five positions she'd learned over the last few months in time to the music. Together with archery twice a week, this was her time to relax and enjoy herself after classes and tests. She didn't expect to become a prima ballerina, but the movements and positions, stretches and repetitions became fluid and easy with the music. There was a gentleness and delicacy, combined with the powerful, controlled movements of the whole body – something that even archery didn't quite have.

The first meeting had been cheerful and exciting – Mayura found that like her, many of the club members who had joined had never danced before either. She'd already made several new friends, some of which even shared some of the same classes with her.

"Alright everyone, that's a wrap for tonight! Go home and we'll see you Friday. Have a nice evening!"

Mayura went to the benches and picked up her bag to change clothes. As she walked towards the locker room, Ayase called out to her.

"Hey! Mayura-chan! Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure! Is something wrong?"

"Nope – I just wanted to ask you if you'd do me a favor. It's one of the art professors – they've asked if some of the dancers would please come to one of her sessions and pose for his class. Would you mind? I'm going, and so are Hotaka-kun and Naoko-chan."

Mayura smiled.

"Of course – just let me know what time."

"Perfect! It's next Thursday - I'll call you later with the details! Got to run – are we still on for this weekend?"

"Yup! I'll meet you at the coffee shop at ten!"

"Okay see you later!"

Ayase waved and ran out of the room. Mayura continued on to the locker room, changed her clothes and left for home.

The weather had begun to turn cool again as fall neared. The sun was setting earlier now, turning all the buildings a bright, fiery red just as the street lights turned on one by one.

sigh

'I love walking around the campus when the sun sets, it's so pretty!'

Mayura walked by the soccer field where the team was just dispersing after its evening practice. Some of the members waved as they spotted Mayura, and she in turn waved back. Mayura watched them one by one as they took off into their locker room before crossing the street to the train station.

"Mayura!"

Mayura turned around at the steps to the station and saw Alice running to catch up with her.

"Nee-chan! Want to ride home together?"

"Sure – but what are you doing on this side of town today?"

"The team had a meet tonight, and I decided to take the train home."

"Okay!"

Together Alice and Mayura caught the train home.