“Thank you for making time for me tonight.” Hanako greeted Eva the next evening as she led her into the tatami room. She had, with the help of Komaki, prepared it for their lesson a few hours ago when she had returned from classes. A small table was sitting in the center of it, a pair of incense sticks held upright by a small piece of wood on top of it. On either side was a flat cushion for the women to sit on.

“It’s not too much trouble really.” Eva replied as she waved towards one of the cushions. “Though be warned, I have little experience teaching. You did bring the Mask from the festival right?”

“Yes, thanks for sending me that reminder.” She replied as she kneeled down in seiza before carefully removing a wooden box from her bag. “But why did you want me to bring it tonight?” Hanako continued as she opened the box to reveal the wooden fox mask, sitting on a purple velvety lining.

“I’ll get to that in a bit.” Eva explained with a smile as she snapped her fingers a few times, until she finally managed to create a small ember to light the incense. “But first let me explain some basics about magic.”

The other woman simply gives a silent nod before waiting for Eva to elaborate.

“In the most general terms, there are two approaches to how to perform magic. Both equally valid, but approaching it from very different mindsets.” The Kitsune began to explain. “The first, and what I’ll be teaching you, is to form a clear image of what you want to achieve, then force that into existence with the help of your magic.

“The other is to perform actions aimed to somehow shape magic into a desired effect, but please don’t ask me how that actually works.”

“So how do we start Sensei?”

“Meditation.” Eva said, barely managing to suppress a sigh. “As most humans have little inherent magical ability, you’ll first need to learn to draw on a different source.”

“Is that where the mask comes in?” Hanako asks, her gaze fixed on the wooden artifact as her right hand brushes one of the wooden ears.

“Mhm. When a Kami possesses an object like during the festival, they leave traces of themselves behind. Their followers can, with the right practice, draw on those to work magic themselves.”

“So how do I do that?” came the obvious question, as confusion mixed with eagerness on Hanako’s face, the corner of her mouth dropping slightly.

“First you put it on.” Eva instructed, but taking in the wide eyes and hesitation from her student, she continued. “Don’t worry, Mumei is fine with that, or I would not be teaching you. But if you are uncomfortable with it, holding it in your hands will work too. Though it might make it more difficult.”

Hanako's face returned to a less shocked expression at that, but her gaze lingered on the mask in her hands for a few moments, before she brought it up and tied the Mask to the side of her head.

Giving her a reassuring smile Eva continued. “Good, now close your eyes and breathe in deeply. Let the smell of the incense fill your nose and seep into your brain.”

As she instructed Hanako, she herself did so as well.

“Now breathe in again. Then slowly out, letting your attention go from your sense of touch, just focus on the smell.”

As the student mirrored the teacher's breathing, Eva began to let her consciousness drift. Not enough that her body became unconscious, but enough that she could feel her own presence in the mask across the room. The view from its eyes a hazy dream overlaying on the black and red of her closed eyes in the well lit room.

“In.”

“Out”

“In”

“Out”

“Now Breathe in again, then as you breath out, feel the air leaving you rejoin the air around us.”

“In”

“Out, and feel your breath in the room again.”

“In”

“Out”

“On the next repetition, now feel the air you breathed into the room flow around, and follow it to the mask.”

“In”

“Out”

“In”

“Out” Eva could slowly feel a tendril of faint energy touching the piece of herself residing in the mask.

“In”

“Out” And the touch did grow firmer, until a gasp came from before her, and it vanished abruptly.

“What did you see that made you lose concentration?” she inquired of her student.

“I, I don’t know. But it felt friendly, eager, but also nervous.” Hanako responded. “Also warm and alive.”

“Then I think you found what you were looking for.” Eva explained as she felt a grin form on her lips. “Now come, let us try again, and this time don’t let it shock you as much.”

It took a lot more tries, but by the time Touya came in to let them know Hanako would need to hurry to catch the last train, Hanako could form and hold a connection with the energy in the mask. Though she still lost it the moment she opened her eyes.

“Well I won't keep you any longer then.” Eva said with a smile as Touya stepped back out of the room again. Handing Hanako a pack of the incense they had used during the lesson she continued. “I think for now you can practice on your own. This incense helps with this whole feeling magic thing. Try to keep the connection even when opening your eyes. But nothing further, it's too easy to mess up magic really badly if you do not know what you do.”

“I will.” Hanako said as she hurriedly stuffed the bundle of incense into the box with the mask she just pulled off. “But I really need to catch that train.” She finished before she raced out the door, barely giving a wave goodbye to Touya in passing.