[Raellon]Stretch and Bend 6 (Solo)
Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2020 5:28 pm
75th of Searing, 120 AS
It was an odd day today. It wasn't the weather, it was exceptionally hot as it often was this time of year. A few clouds dotted the sky, but despite this, the sun still poked its gaze around those fluffy pillows to look down on Raellon as it typically did. The winds were calm, but if Bell was not mistaken she thought she felt the beginnings of Ash on the breeze. Tilting her head to the side Bell just barely caught sight of a tree as she passed, searching among its leaves and spotting a few that were beginning to redden at their edges. Maybe it was the change of season that was getting to everyone she passed today. As she thought this an older woman started when she looked at Bell, edging to the side as if to get as far away as possible until the Rabbit was passed. Shifting her weight Bell raised a hand to wave at the woman, who blatantly ignored the friendly gesture and quickly walked away. With a frown Bell returned her hand to the ground, continuing her walk on her hands, feet swaying in the air as she made minor adjustments to her balance over time.
Honestly what is with people in this city. One moment they are pleasant as they come, and the next they look at you like you were a fox in the hen house. Bell shook her head and bent her knees, her body bending at the spine until her feet touched the ground and she wept back up smoothly until she was walking upright once more. She set one hand on her hip, using the other to rummage in the pouch at her side to take out a fine stripe of sapling bark. She nibbled the bark as she walked, looking around at the people passing by. Some still eyed her oddly, and to these, the Rathari flicked an ear and smiled. They probably couldn't help being peculiar. Few could after all.
Her walk steadily shifted into a bouncing step, which transitioned into a skip as she finished the bark and began to move her hands in rhythm to each hop. Breathing in Bell raised her arms overhead and tilted, flowing into a cartwheel and up again to resume her skipping walk. The practice this season was truly beginning to pay off. She was starting to feel freer in her body than she had in... well years. Suddenly her muscles responded with such accuracy and precision that she at times had to slow herself down so that her mind could keep up with her reflexes. Her smile was growing as the skip increased to a light job as she pressed forward, rolling into another cartwheel and transitioning to a backhand spring afterward. As she landed she tilted backward, tucking her knees to her chest and tumbling into a roll before coming up on her hands once more facing the opposite direction. With a mental shrug, she started maneuvering in this new direction instead, heading back toward the marketspace. There was likely someone selling bread there, and she had to admit she really wanted some with a bit of butter. She had been working hard, after all, she deserved a treat every now and then.
A younger girl pointed at Bell as she passed with her mother, saying something to which the mom shushed and hurried them away. It was at that moment that Bell realized... It really must be quite odd to see a person walking on their hands down the street. Perhaps THAT was what the stares were for. Frowning she mulled this thought over but slowed as she came to the decision. She lowered her legs to the ground, standing up and patting her hips as if to say, 'that's enough of that' before continuing on her way. Really she couldn't help it. The Rathari felt as if she had rediscovered the ability to walk after decades of being bound to a chair. How could she NOT perform whenever she got the chance? Who wouldn't want to turn a few flips and cartwheels just because the COULD? No one, that was who.
As she passed a fountain Bell paused, staring at the slightly raised ledge with interest. Her thoughts swayed through a series of contemplations, half calculations, and musings before she abruptly throughout all logic and made a full-on sprint toward the gurgling water. One man all but leaped out of her way before she collided with him, shouting at her retreating back with a fist waving in the air. For some reason that made Bell almost remember something... something she was supposed to be doing, or maybe not doing? Too late though, for as soon as the nagging thought started she was already almost to her destination. As she neared Bell breathed in, releasing the air as she came slightly off the ground as she stepped up on the fountain, letting the momentum of her run swing up through her other leg that she kicked into the air and carry her over backward into a backflip. It wasn't the most controlled thing, but before she could even curse she landed with both feet firmly on the ground, knees bent as the weight of the jump crashed into her. For the briefest instant, Bell felt as if she had succeeded, but like a rug being pulled out from under her, she was suddenly falling backward, landing with an 'OOF' that sent the last of the breath from her lungs.
Bell just barely managed to keep her head from knocking against the hard stones of the road, but for several seconds she found she couldn't draw in a breath. Steading herself Bell forced herself not to panic, assuming she had just knocked the wind from herself, and sure enough, within another 20 seconds, she was breathing normally and groaning slightly as she rolled up into a sitting position. Her back hurt, as did her pride, and both she rubbed in an effort to make the pain go away. Some around her laughed, others grumbled that she had gotten what she deserved. Bell ignored all of them, standing slowly with the help of the fountain. Yep, she was definitely going to be sore tomorrow...
Glancing around Bell slowly straightened, adjusting her clothing and turning to head in the direction of the Inn. She still hurt, but as she walked she felt the sharpest pains begin to fade, leaving behind a dull ache. The rabbit rubbed her backside with a grimace, wondering what she had gotten wrong.
Don't get overeager, Reimar's voice said in the back of her mind, as if scolding a child, and don't be overconfident. Both by themselves are dangerous, but the two together will get you killed.
I guess I was a BIT overconfident... Bell admitted to herself. It was true that she was much more comfortable in her body than she had been in a long time, but that did not mean that she had mastery over it yet. There were still areas that she had to improve, parts of her motions and movements that were not perfectly in sync. Some of her twitch reactions, as Reimar had called them, were slightly off. Kind of like how an animal's instincts respond to danger when there is nothing present. Her senses, and thus her bodily control, were not yet fine-tuned enough for her to accurately gauge for herself what was and was not possible. What did that mean for her right now? More practice... and perhaps an ice pack.
The Inn came into view, and Bell felt a sense of relief wash over her. Just before she went in, however, she paused and stared at the wall of the Inn. That deep, childish part of her soul seemed to flare then, egging on, demanding that she... just try it. The ache in her back seemed to flare up at that thought, and Bell looked around half expecting someone to say something to her. Of course, no one did, and her eyes stared at the wall once more. She chewed on her lip, unsure what to do for a minute... But then that rash part of her won out and she took a few steps back. After all, progress required more than just practice, it required trying new things, especially when you were afraid. Right?
She started at the wall, moving at a measured pace instead of the full sprint she had when attempting the trick off the fountain. As she neared she leaned forward slightly, lowering her center of gravity as she 'ran up' the wall partway before her legs kicked off the wall and back, turning her over in the air to fall back onto her feet on the ground once more. She grunted as she landed, bending her knees until she was almost squatting. There she paused, waiting a few extra seconds before standing up slowly. Happily, Bell clapped her hands together, sticking her tongue out at the wall before turning, heading into the Inn, and to a hot mean and mug of ale she had most certainly earned.
