A sidestroke lesson...
Natural Seabreak Pool
Formed when the cliff face to the south collapsed, this rather small, shallow pool is under ten feet deep and the floor is sandy now instead of rocky as it once was in times past. To the south, there are two large doors that can be closed from the inside, that lead into the deeper sea lane that cuts through the stone ridge forming the dolphinhall. To another side is a distinct shortcut to Emerald Cove, just deep for dolphins and their partners.
Swimming about is Nezive
Obvious exits:
Emerald Cove Shallows Sea Lane
Kyu glides smoothly through the water in from the west.
And what lazy creature is that floating in the seabreak pool? Why none other than the water-loving senior appy known as Jessa. What a perfect day it is for being out of the hall and in the water. Rukbat's rays are penetrating and warming, thus the air is hot. Although the water is warm, far warmer than in northern climes, it is a cool and refreshing contrast to the hot summer's air. Which is why Jess is so lazily stroking about and floating in the pool.
And of course, the little sidekick who's sometimes seen sticking to Jessa like a second shadow. At least when there's reason for it. Over there in the corner, doing the splishy-splashy dance for you, ladies and gentlemen, we have Kyu.
It's into this semi-entertaining situation that Daine strides in a black swmisuit, a towel draped over one hand, looking totally confused. "What? What now?" is the distracted call thrown back in the direction of whence she came from. "In here?" That annoyed look crosses her face again. "Y'had better not be kidding me..."
Jessa was a deprived child in many ways. She had a sister, but a twin sister alas. Thus Jess was deprived of the joy of having a younger sibling that tagged along all the time. Apparently this joy is now bestowed upon her in the dolphincraft, which is the one big family she never had. Kyu is, for the moment, ignored. At the entrance of a newcomer, and by land mind you, the senior appy scoots around and gazes at the girl, but seeing as how she's floating on her back she gets an upside down vague view of the newcomer.
Splish 'n splash. Little droplets of water go showering all over the pool, or at least Kyu's little corner on it. And then she gets bored of that little activity, and paddling along in the water like a canine, she swims to the side of the pool, eyes wordlessly querying the stranger.
Daine frowns, head swivelling around on her neck until she's eyeing the two in the pool. Imperiously - arrogantly, even - she stares down at the two of them. Right, what's this hanky panky going on in here? Silence in the name of the... err... guards? Open her mouth to speak, she does, but nothing comes out for a moment or two.
Jessa continues to peer at Daine from her strange gaze, and then blinks a few times. Hurting the eyeballs there, not a good thing. So the senior appy decides to pull her legs down and tread water instead, so that she's now more or less upright. Hanky panky, eh? The senior appy tilts her head and peers at the stranger, "Hello, can I help you somehow?"
In a little bit of a strange mood today, Kyu attempts to add helpfully, from behind her senior. "Might be nice to close that mouth, that way you won't get it filled with saltwater if someone decides to splash." That little bit of advice is offered with all the seriousness of an appy in the Dolphincraft, which is to say probably none at all.
Daine jerks her mouth shut almost reflexively. Y'know, it's what happens when you get used to orders and all, but closed mouths don't help you to speak. "Ah. Ah. I happen to have been directed here by one of the children around, and was expecting to find a swim teacher. Or something thereabouts, as per instructions." Left unsaid is the fact that two other girls idling around in a pool isn't exactly what she expected to see, even though one of them certainly looks old enough...
What is this concept of seriousness? It's a word that doesn't seem to exist in the vocabulary of a certain senior apprentice. Hm, what's this about swim instruction? And well, if the girl is after swim lessons, perhaps Jess'd better take charge of this before her helpful sidekick decides to offer any words of advice. Jess does outrank her tag-along surrogate little sister, if only by a little. She grins at the girl, "Well then, you've come to the right place. I'm Jessa, what kind of swim lessons do you need? And ... are you new to the craft?" Jess just can't quite place the girl, having never seen her before.
Kyu keeps her mouth wisely shut, for once, before she loses her chance at one of them fun lessons. Yep. Although, she starts holding up two fingers and ticking them off one by one. Eenie meenie minee moe? Or whatever.
Daine shakes her head at that. "Craft? Err, no. Not me. I'm a guard recruit, posted to Ista Hold for training." She frowns slightly, and then elaborates. "I /know/ how to swim, actually, it's just that my Sergeant is a little uptight on the protocols. So he insists I need to be taught something I already know." A slight roll of the eyes, before her face is schooled back into blank obedience. Or the simulacrum of one.
Jessa is just so impressed by the girl's stand-offishness. Just see her swim in awe. Or not. The senior appy twirls around in the water, the very picture of happiness and freedom, is she not? "Well, what strokes do you know then? And which strokes do you need to know?" Although that's probably inviting herself to some sort of personal attack, or some sort of attack against swimming.
Kyu whispers from the side, into Jessa's ear. For her ears only. "Y'know, there's a sidestroke lesson due. You could bring it forward." An impish grin, and a twinkle in the eye. 'course, the question prolly wasn't meant for her in the beginning, anyway.
Daine sets aside her standard issue towel, rather stiffly. I bet you'd be stiff too after a day of drills... or maybe it's just a guard thing. Yep. But that question gets a bewildered look. "Strokes? What strokes?" She doesn't know they have names, you see. Strokes are not like people. Or flizzen.
Jessa grins at Kyu and swats playfully at her friend, aiming for the water so that a splash occurs headed in the general direction of the apprentice girl. Jess shrugs at Daine, "Strokes, as in... arms only, where you swim with just your arms, and legs only, where you propel yourself with just your legs. And then there's backstroke, sidestroke, and crawl, and the butterfly." Butterfly, ouch. Hard stroke, thus why it's for senior apprentices. No fun really. The stand-offish and stiff girl, who is quite possibly too uptight to have a real personality that is enjoyable, is eyed with a typical friendly Jessa grin. Try to befriend all, ayup.
Kyu ducks, under the water. Of course, that doesn't really do anything but get her even wetter, but since she's all wet already, it really doesn't matter, does it? A general splash, aimed nowhere in particular, is propelled by a flick of her hands and fingers shortly before she resurfaces.
Daine eyes the two with suspicion and unease. Surely, something has to be up. And will duly be written down in one of them Reports. "I don't know names. But it involves both arms and legs." Of course, the notion of getting into the water to demonstrate has never occured to her.
Oh yes, something is indeed up here. You can just tell by the tension in the air and the conspiratory whispering going on. Jess never really intended to splash Kyu, it was merely a lazy splash aimed for the girl. However, since she's distracted, she gets hit by the splash from Kyu. Of course it makes no difference, being as how she's peering at Daine and in the water. Wet is wet. Ayup, no changing that fact. The senior appy nods at Daine, "Do you do the stroke on your back or on your stomach?"
Kyu ducks underwater for a moment again, at least partially to just below her nose, in an attempt to hide the fact that she's almost about to howl with laughter. And makes a mental note to ask Jess later, if this happens often at all.
Daine turns the evil eye on, she really doesn't have that much patience for this at all. "On my stomach, of course. Who'd swim on their backs?", she demands somewhat snappishly. Just give her an excuse...
Jessa casts a glance at Kyu and her grin broadens. Jess is also finding this rather funny. Just look at how the girl stands there and how arrogant the girl is. Who'd swim on their backs indeed. In reply Jess just flashes the girl a grin and then floats on her back and starts to swim around the pool. Hah. Then she turns so she's on her stomach and does the crawl back to Kyu and Daine. Upon completion of this she raises a brow at Daine and still grinning asks, "Ever seen either of those strokes? Or done them?"
Eyes widened for an insant when Jessa does the one on her back - granted, it's not new, but still pretty entertaining - Kyu strokes over to the side of the pool - look, ma! Arms only - and leans against the side, legs kicking.
Daine cocks her head around in a rather strange position to follow those two strokes. "The second one," she snaps. "Or something like it." It looks familiar enough to her, anyway... of course, she's never seen herself swimming, and proceeds to mention that, in a rather loud mutter. "I suppose next you'll be telling me you don't just swim on your front or back, either?" The last question is a little waspish and probably shouldn't have been asked, but she's a little too tired to care.
Jessa may be a redhead, but contrary to the old belief, she's not quick to anger. Oh sure, she has a temper, yet she is not quick to use it. Although getting snapped at by a stranger for no reason whatsover, a stranger that is expecting to get swim lessons at that, "Well no, we don't just swim on our front or our back. How about if you come on in and learn the sidestroke, which, if you can't tell by the name, means you swim on your side." Ooh, so maybe now the senior appy is starting to get a bit ticked.
Kyu flips happily and dives. Ooh, let's do it... and see how that one swims. "Who're you, anyway...", she mutters, slightly disgruntled. It's a good thing her mama never made her join the guards, for sure as thread will come someone would've had to /force/ her to hang around with people like that.
"Daine", is all the recruit has to say. Whether that's her name, or some random utterance will have to wait another day to find out. She may be proud, but she's sure got a reason for it, as she slips fluidly into the pool from the side, muscles rippling.
Jessa is hardly impressed by Daine's muscles or the airs the girl puts on. Jess has muscles too, developed for swimming. Swimming muscles are different from other muscles used for lifting and running. Bwahaha. The senior appy nods, "Well then, Daine," Jess just assumes that the girl is called such, else she'll just have to provide another name for them, "I'm Jessa, and this is Kyu," although she already introduced herself, it can't help to give this arrogant girl yet another introduction. Maybe then she'll remember it. "Alright, for this stroke you'll start on your side, and push off from the wall with your legs. After pushing off, you'll glide for a moment before thrusting your arms in opposite directions. Which means," for those of us who need such things explained, "One arm goes up above your head, the other towards your toes. Then you'll bring both hands to your chest, elbows straight away from your body." Jess pauses in her explanation, "You with me so far?"
Kyu flippantly does as Jessa's instructed. She can do it, yes she can, better than any upstart Recruit, too. After all, she's seen it loads of times, even if she hasn't heard the instructions for it till now. How'd it go again? One hand forward, the other back, like a pinwheel toy on a windy day? And so she does it, for a short distance, before coming to a gentle stop. There. A raised eyebrow at Jessa in place of a vocalized query.
Daine snorts audibly. You'd really want to know where she picked up /that/ vocabulary, maybe from hanging around the herder halls. Or worse. Speculation on that line will have to wait a while, though, as a slight shrug of her shoulders while treading water - yes, amazingly, she can do that - makes for a noncommittal response of sorts. A frown is thrown in Kyu's direction. Showoff. Reluctantly, a 'Yes, mam' is dragged out of this Recruit.
For all that Kyu attaches herself to Jess, it must pay off. Kyu gets a nod from Jess, who then continues in her instructions, before reprimanding the recruit slightly, "Y'don't need to say ma'am." Formality. Gah. Something totally intolerable, at least in Jess' opinion. Snorting eh? Something Jess has heard plenty of, being from Keroon and all. "Where'd I leave off? Ah yes, at bringing both hands to your chest with your elbows straight away from your body. At this point you'll bend your legs in preparation for a kick. Then you'll do a strong scissor kick and thrust your hands oppositely again. Glide again, and then repeat." A glance is cast at Kyu before she adds, "And you decide whether you'd like to start on your right or left side. I prefer the left side, but most prefer the right." She shrugs, "Your choice, whatever's easiest, go ahead and experiment. Kyu, care to demonstrate that again?"
Kyu nods silently, her mouth clamped shut on whatever laughter is about to ensue, although her eyes twinkle as she focuses on the 'new' stroke she's going to demonstrate. Hands, twirling like Jess into position, followed up by a strong kick, her own style. Any sauce to top the serving off, anyone? Or maybe the Recruit will provide it. And oh yes, like her esteemed mini-role-model, she starts off on her left.
Daine hmphs, as she glances narrowly at Kyu. Looks simple enough, but the doing is anything but, as she attempts to launch herself into it, without any nice, prior experience in organized strokes. Tangle of limbs and kicking, which moves her through the water but looks nothing like what the sidestroke is supposed to be, ensues.
Jessa is hardly role model material. She eats tons, twirls a lot, and sleeps. Oh, and she does go to lessons and give the occasional lesson. And she did somehow make it to senior apprentice, which must mean something. Either that the rankers at the Dolphinhall are crazy, which is a distinct possibility. Jess is such a good teacher though, isn't she? She's not laughing, at least not out loud. Although you could probably see it clearly in her eyes. Or is that just her usual happy gleam? Ouch, was that humbling for the guard girl or what? "'Ey Daine, how about if you try again, but this time just do the arm movements, and come over here in the shallower water and try them in the air first."
Kyu flips over again, and proceeds to ease herself slowly into the stroke, swimming another lap of it. Well, let's not talk about the eating part, perhaps, but the rest is perfectly fine for role modelling. Oy. Good thing we don't have modelling agencies here on Pern, at any rate.
Daine sighs, barely audibly, mangled-stroking her way over to where Jessa is, until her feet can touch the bottom and she can stand tall, recovering just that little bit of her dignity. Too little for her, and probably too much for everyone else. "How /do/ you move them in two directions at one time?", she wonders audibly.
Modelling agencies? Jess would hardly be a candidate for that. Who really finds tall, thin girls attractive? And girls with short, curly red hair at that. Nah, Jess most certainly is not a looker. Jess smiles to Daine and stands in the water near her as well, so that she is standing an arm's length and a half in front of the guard girl and holds one arm upwards and one arm downwards. "Like this. When your arms are at opposite ends like this, simply pull them inwards, towards your body." Jess slowly pulls in her arms, keeping the elbows straight out, "Make sure to keep your elbows like this. And when it comes time for you to kick, you'll push them out away from you," she does this and ends up with one arm upwards and one arm downwards, but opposite of her starting position. "Care to try it now? It's easier without having to push against the water to start with."
Kyu sidestrokes her way over to Jessa and Daine, her bright eyes mimicking those of a dolphin's. They certainly bear enough resemblance, at any rate. Doesn't it just scream were-phin? It's her way of providing moral support, yupyup, and not once does it cross her mind that it might be disconcerting to be stared at when one is trying and maybe failing to learn something.
Daine attempts to mimic Jessa, albeit somewhat awkwardly, and not after a few false starts. Starting with her left doesn't seem to work like it does for Jessa and Kyu, and so she resorts to trying with her right side first. And suprisingly, the move seems to fall into place, though whether it's because of the side issue or because she's finally gotten the hang of it, no one knows.
Jessa watches as Daine experiments. Didn't Jess tell the two to experiment with which side they preferred. She nods as she watches Daine, "That's right, you're getting the hang of it. Just remember to keep your elbow straight. Care to try that in water? Just remember to time your strokes so that you kick as you thrust your arms back out."
Kyu flippantly cocks her head to one side, still staring at Daine, swallowing sympathetic chuckles that seem to want to emerge from her throat. There's only so much you can watch, though, before it gets boring, and off she goes again to get used to the sidestroke... keeping her elbows straight, of course.
Daine is too busy trying to get herself coordinated to notice the appy, as she sinks to a semi crouch, trying the stroke out in the water. "Must... keep... straight...", she murmurs to herself. Speaking out loud is a proven memory aid, and she needs all the help she can get. It's a wonder that water doesn't get fully into her mouth, as she finally moves on to attempting the kick, and after quite a distance and time, it appears to straighten out. The order, that is, although her direction probably needs more control.
If there's one thing Jess will have to teach her shadow, it's not to laugh and to be more understanding and control one's self during lessons. But there's still time yet. As the guard girl tries to talk in the water Jess grins slightly, and nods, "Alright, that's looking better. Care to swim back here now?"
Kyu swims back to Jessa, _expression schooled to a better, eh, more controlled one. A wink at Jessa, and she slides in the water to take up a position behind Jess. Where her shadow would be, in fact, and where Jess can block any slips from the poor Recruit.
Daine swims on a little further, not really hearing Jessa since her ears are kind-of blocked with water, but the wall looms before her, and she turns back, anyhow. Her mouth is shut tight this round, and it's a good thing she isn't spluttering water like a landed fish, or something like that, as she swims back, her strokes slightly more even as she pulls her hands back, but still a little ragged in form.
Jessa just waits for Daine to get back. No problem in her taking extra time to stroke all the way back. She grins at the guard girl and nods, "That was good. And like all things that you learn, you need to practice. So just keep practicing and you'll be a good swimmer, sort of like us." One can almost hope that she'll discover the joy of swimming and improve her attitude so that she's more pleasant and then she'll be converted to the Dolphincraft.
Or not. Of course, Kyu's happy with the excuse for some water-fun, but if she sees the recruit again, she'll probably burst out laughing. Mrfle. Mrmph. Gotta keep the laughter down, and maybe Jess can tell her how.
Daine touches down, home free, and feet now touching the floor, proceeds to half-stand in the water. "Thank you, ma'm." It's a guard thing, really, it is! A salute, in the water, in a swimsuit, somehow doesn't have the grandeur it might from a guard in full uniform. But it's the thing about habits, again...
And that is a trade secret. Mwah. Jess' shadow ought to know perfectly well how to keep quiet and neutral. After all, shadow's don't talk. Or giggle for that matter. Jess nods to Daine, "You're welcome. Have a nice day." Formality. Shudder. These guard types are rather scary folks, if only because they have such unpleasant personalities, or rather, lack of personalities. The senior appy leans back in the water to resume floating idly about.
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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