Diving with Kyu...
Sea Lane
Surrounded by bedrock walls worn smooth by the passage of time and water, the sea lane is just wide enough for sailing ships to pass through to the docking caverns beyond. Walls wet with sea spray and the action of the waves, the water here is shadowed by a bridge high overhead that crosses from ledge to ledge. Gaping and large enough to fit a dragon within it, lies the actual entrance to this large sea cave, huge metal doors set to either side making this area easy to seal off from the weather and thread.
Hovering over the water is Toretto
Swimming about are Eri, Tessa, Bao, Tillek, Mayri, Pip, Zaphi, and Ihiske
Obvious exits:
Seabreak Pool Lounge's Ledge Infirmary Pool Docking Cavern Outside Hall Waters
Kyu swims in from the northwest.
Sitting on the wall is Jess, a towel is beside her and a ferret and firelizard are also keeping her company. As she sits and waits for something, she swings her legs loosely.
The something approaches, yes it does, in the form of an apprentice vehemently insisting why her two flitters /shouldn't/ cling on to her when she's clothed only in a swimsuit. "It just isn't dignified!" she complains, somewhat loudly. "Well, ok, you do make a dashing pair, but if I ruin another one just 'cause your claws were a little too enthusiastic, not only will the headwoman make me buy my own replacement - or sew it - but the scratches you leave might keep me from class if that fussy j'man takes it... you know who..." Her voice trails off as she approaches the sealane, and the waiting Jessa.
Jessa peers at Kyu and the 'lizards. Silliness abounds. Luckily Jess' firelizards aren't that clingy, although the rare occasion that Navi decides to perch on her when the Jess is clad in only a swimsuit are not exactly pleasant, a few small, pale scars on the senior appy's shoulders attest to that. Jess peers at Kyu and grins, "You the only one?"
Kyu shrugs, as best as she can with them clingy lizziefolk. "Apparently so," she calls, just as they decide that shrugging perches aren't really their thing. Pity they took so long, though. A few glances at the appropriately quiet, NPC'ed classmates hiding in various watery nooks and crannies, and she nods. "I don't think there's anyone who hasn't turned up yet." Pity, this report'd usually be left to the classmonitor, who's ... ill. In bed. Bad thorn in foot and all.
Jessa grins and nods, looking around. Nope, no one there. The senior appy nods and grins, "Alright then, well, private lessons are fun." And they're beneficial, see, you get more one on one attention. Which is always nice. "So, ready to learn how to dive?" Jess grins and stands up.
Kyu grins in return as her flizzen find perches elsewhere. They already know how to dive, and Rigel cheeps while unassumingly deciding to show off. Splash. And up again, fish in mouth. "Showoff..." she murmurs under her breath. "Anytime!" is heard, in reply to Jess. Lessons over chores, any and every time.
Jessa beams at Kyu, "Well, come on up here to the ledge, and careful, don't fall in quiet yet." Oooh, lesson time. Quite fun. Her own companions, Navi and Nebbie, have the good sense to glide or scamper, depending on which one it is, away.
Kyu chuckles, and has the good sense to take extra care. With that strict j'man hanging around the hall, one can't be too careful these days. About getting hurt, that is. So, up the wet rocks she goes, hand over foot, to join Jess on said ledge. High up, and /scary/. Well, a frightened mind exaggerates everything. Don't blame the flizzen though, they're babes too.
Jessa beams at Kyu. "Diving is fun." Simple fact that is. Remember it. They'll be a quiz on it later. "Alright, to start, you'll want to put your feet on the edge of the wall, or whatever surface you'll be diving from." Jess demonstrates this by putting her feet on the edge, "And let your toes hang over, so that you can wiggle them." The senior appy wiggles her toes appropriately. Cute, no? "And bend your knees slightly. Then bring your hands behind your back." Jess pulls her hands back and stands in the position for a dive. "You with me so far?"
Kyu nods, and tippy toes to the edge. Feet over... wait, that's a bit too far! Nevermind that it's only half a toe. "Erm." And she stands there, shivering and quaking in her swimsuit. Right. Of all the things to happen, you had to find one who's afraid of heights, right? Moments pass, and she finally brings herself to stick toes over the edge. That stiff, jerky movement doesn't look like a wiggle though. Oh, it's trying indeed. Very trying. It takes even longer before she stands up straight, and then a while more before she screws her eyes shut for an instant, while bringing hands behind her back. And of course, the tension has kept her ramrod-straight.
Jessa peers at Kyu a moment. "What's the matter?" There's really nothing to be afraid of. After all, it's only water she'll be falling into, and not even falling really. Jess reaches out a hand to gently touch Kyu's shoulder and perhaps help stabilize and comfort the younger apprentice. "Are you okay?"
Kyu swallows again, and nods. "It's just the open air and height, really..." Her voice trails off a little, but recovers. "I'll be fine. In a moment or so." So the moment passes, and she takes the final step of bending her knees. "Like this?" A hint of wavering in her voice, but overridden by control this time.
Jessa watches the apprentice for a moment, just to be sure that Kyu's stabilized somewhat. Jess then puts herself back into position, and then watches Kyu. "Just relax, keep yourself loose. Don't be too tense." Injuries are likely to happen if you're too tense. "Now for the fun part. When you want to dive, take a deep breathe, then push off the ledge with your feet and swing your arms forward into a V. Then you tuck your head between your arms, and keep your body straight as you enter the water." The senior appy pauses, then grins at Kyu, "I'll demonstrate for you." Because it's easier to do all that she just said, after having seen it. The senior appy pulls herself back into position, bends her knees, pulls her arms back, then inhales and pushes off, throwing her arms forward. She enters the water at an angle and with a very small splash. Jess resurfaces and then treads water, reorienting herself to look up at Kyu. "Shall I demonstrate that again?" Because Jess is more than willing to demonstrate again and again until Kyu is confident.
Kyu watches with a gulp. "Ok...." And then stops for a while to consider the situation. "Well, maybe one more time?" She wiggles a bit, just not the toes, but the whole body, willing herself to forget about this heightphobia thing. And mentally creates a charm for luck.
Jessa nods and then swims over to the wall and climbs up the rungs. The senior appy goes over near Kyu to give her a reassuring pat. "Don't worry, there's nothing to be afraid of." Really, there's not. People dive all the time, and have lots of fun doing so. The senior appy positions herself near Kyu, but not too close, you do need some room for this. She positions herself nicely, toes slightly over edge, knees bent, and arms back. The senior appy inhales and launches herself off, pulling her arms forward and tucking her head in. Easy, see? Again she enters at an angle with little to no splash. After resurfacing she treads water again. "Care to try?"
Kyu finally decides to attempt it, and with the decision, some of the fear goes away. A deep breath is taken, and held, and before she can regret that decision, she leaps off the ledge, arcing in a curve down to the water. Not a particularly graceful dive, but as far as first attempts go, this one... is hopefully ok.
Jessa continues to float in the water as she watches. Once Kyu resurfaces the senior appy gives some hints. "Keep your arms together until after you enter, and keep your body straight. Enter at an angle. And the object is to make as small as splash as possible." Jess grins, "Nice for a first try. How're you doing?"
Kyu treads water, thinking. "How do I feel? How do I feel...." Surprise of all surprise, this might just be the cure for height phobia! Come one, come all, to the dolphincraft's heal-all store! Err, wait. Wrong channel. "Actually, it feels kind of ok", she admits. "Wait, I'm kidding myself. It actually feels quite good!" And then she swims to the side, and up the ledge we go again.
Jessa giggles and nods, "Well then, go ahead and give it another shot." Indeed, most apprentices seem to be afraid of diving when they first start. Some, but not all. But once they try, they're hooked. Bwah. Diving is the 'phincraft's way of keeping its methods. Once you start, you just can't stop. Or something like that.
Kyu approaches the ledge again, taking deep, calm breaths. That's right girl, relax. Toes over the edge, knees bent and arms prepared to swing forth from where they hide at the back. We'll have no hiding here, no we won't! And with that, she pushes off again, arms coming to the front somewhere in the air, and entering the water a a near 45 degree angle.
Jessa grins and calls out to the apprentice, once she's resurfaced. "Alright, that's pretty good." The senior appy continues to lazily float. Giving lessons is hard? Pfeh, nah. "Just keep practicing and you'll have it down perfectly." Which is a cue that this lesson is over. Yay. Kyu just learned something, right?
All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are © Anne McCaffrey 1967, 2000, all rights
reserved, and used by permission of the author.
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