She was running it wrong.
Vane stood at the outer ring gate and watched for a while before stepping through.
Asura's Dance.
Third form.
Maintenance pace.
No output.
No wasted mana.
He could name every step by rhythm alone.
He had learned that years ago.
Weight shift.
Three steps.
Turn.
Reset.
Again.
Ashe was coming through the turn half a beat early.
Every time.
Vane frowned.
She had done the same thing at eleven.
Ryuken had told him once, years ago, and actually laughed while saying it.
Something about Ashe trying to arrive at the next motion before the current one had finished being hers.
Vane watched another repetition.
Too early.
Again.
Too early.
Then he understood.
She was doing it deliberately.
Rushing the turn so she would have something to correct.
Something small.
Something solvable.
Something with an answer.
Vane stepped onto the worn stone.
Ashe saw him.
She didn't stop.
Neither did he.
