Parkour!

[foxsays]

WHO: Araceli Bonaventura; open
WHAT: Climbing lesson 1: falling without breaking your neck
WHEN: After the wake; lessons can be picked up whenever
WHERE: Stables and that crumbling chunk of the battlements next to them
NOTES: lessons offered

prepwork;
A distinct advantage to her home is that when she taught herself, she had plenty of deep water to land in.  Skyhold has snow but until she has to, she's not going to go prowling the mountains in a hurry.  Skyhold does have plenty of straw from the stables and after a few tests, it's entirely sufficient to her needs and so armed with a rake, she gathers it into piles because whatever, her needs are greater and the horses can get it back later.  Anyone showing up early will have their attire inspected and be told to do a few stretches.  If demonstrations are truly needed, this is the time to ask.

falling!  (with style);
The roof of the stables themselves are low enough that it would take an exceptionally bad fall to cause an injury so that's where she bases the lesson, a ladder handily placed to help less confident climbers up and she talks them through it, the importance of breathing, of relaxing stressed several times.  The instructions are usually to stand on the edge of the roof, take a deep breath and allow her to give them a quick shove as they spread their arms and go as limp as possible to land in the straw but for those a little more confident and with at least some skill in climbing, there's the stables and hayloft to climb then up to the battlements, ropes helpfully attached because she has absolutely no desire to see someone injured in her first few days here.  Her instructions are clear, emphasis on not rushing, on looking for where your hand has to go next, to use the legs.

Everyday is leg day if it's parkour day.

warm down;
The lesson might be over but she won't let people leave without some cursory stretching at least.  They're cautioned about some stiffness the next day or so before she starts tidying up the straw into the proper place, happy enough to chat away or answer questions; if someone is willing to help clear up then she'll be in their debt because who enjoys dealing with straw, no one that's who.

Comments

[foxsays]

Okay she could have phrased it better, it's been a while since she taught and everyone involved owned pistols so there were far worse potential injuries they'd been talked through as girls. "But how many times have you hurt yourself even on a little fall? People fall and break hands because they catch themselves badly, they sprain things, get covered in bumps and bruises. The body always seems to pull very tight because we anticipate and have longer memories of pain than pleasure, it goes against so much to relax, to go limp and loose. Acceptance isn't one of the strongest traits of any person. Or human." It's strange to have to clarify that when there are only humans where you come from apart from things seen from far away, not elves and dwarves and Qunari or Tal-Vashoth.

"Ah, that slows you down. You see, like in the air, you experience a certain drag if you're spread out. You travel faster if you're in one long shape because there's less disruption - think of diving into water compared to jumping. When you dive there's very little splashing, your hands make a nice clean space and your body follows. You jump and," she makes a sound effect to demonstrate, hands balled into fists before the fingers stretch out, fists pushed apart. "The air is a bit trickier but you feel it. You don't want to hit the ground fast, you want to slow down because it hurts less that way."

[el_tybs]

"Do you want an actual count or a rough estimate?" Alright, perhaps it isn't that much, but the answer is still 'a lot', which was why he wanted to take these lessons. Course his falls were usually off a chair or something of similar height, not from the top of a building.

The bit about positioning your body for drag in the air is pretty interesting, pulling Sam's attention away from the empty space behind him for a moment. It makes a bit more sense when she makes it a reference to water. That he's more familiar with. "I'll... try to keep that in mind."

Alright. No more stalling. Letting out a long exhale, shaking out his arms a bit, and lastly giving Araceli a glance, Sam leans back. Immediately his body wants to correct itself, but he forces himself not to, feeling his insides tighten as he suddenly drops. Before he can even blink Sam finds his back hitting the hay, his eyes wide as they continue to stare at the sky. It wasn't exactly a comfortable landing, but it definitely was softer than hitting the ground.

He'll just need a moment of just laying there. Give him a second.

[foxsays]

"Basta!" Playfully she swats at the air and laughs, shaking her head. "Shh, sometimes this," okay she's going to have to just point at his head he's taller than her and she doesn't want to have a single possible moment of lost balance up here when he's new to it, "gets in the way of all this." She gestures to the whole of him because the mind is always ticking away and it's a very difficult thing to quiet, seemingly more urgent in a whisper when the heart or body may be shouting.

Watching him, she resists bouncing on the spot with excitement, giving him a thumbs up and then away he goes.

"You did it!" She checks, just to make sure he's not completely out of it before taking aim for the next pile, falling and popping up to come over and kneel next to him, bright smile tempered just to be safe as she holds up three fingers. "How many fingers my friend? Does everything feel good? Can you wiggle your fingers and toes?"

[el_tybs]

It's a good thing there is another hay pile because Sam doesn't feel like getting up for a bit, his heart still beating so fast it felt like it was going to pop out of his chest. Kind of reminded him of when Krem swung his maul at him while he was prone during their first spar.

Feeling Araceli plop down next to him, Sam turns his head to look at his instructor. The fingers being placed in front of him makes him blink in some confusion before answering. "... 3. Besides my stomach being all the way in my throat, I'm fine," he says all while looking at his hands and wiggling his fingers. "Toes feel fine.'

[foxsays]

Even though it was years ago, she remembers that first leap, resurfacing to the cheers of the other thieves clustered around the dock as they'd clapped and she laughs, tossing her head back when he seems to be right as rain. She sits, knees drawn to her chest, arms around them and her smile is still wide and bright.

"That's what it feels like, every time, you've just broken a rule, or it feels like that. The rush." It can be addictive, often she climbs and runs and leaps for the sheer joy of it when she could get around just fine and with less fuss on the streets but it's always better up high. "You did it! I'm so proud, you must be too! Come on, I'll help you sit." Or she'll try because there's about a foot or so in it and muscle if she's any judge of these things but best to sit up, take stock, soak it in properly.

[el_tybs]

"Pride might come later. Right now I'm still in a bit of shock," he says with a shaky laugh. Maker, he had actually done that. At feeling her grabbing his arm and actually trying to pull him up earns Araceli another laugh, though this one sounding less shaken up. With him just being a dead weight she was only managing to kind of roll him a bit. Snorting at that Sam helps with sitting up, a long exhale escaping him when he settles again.

"That was... interesting. Think I could keep practicing that, just... not again today." That was enough excitement for one day, didn't want to over do it. "Thank you."

[foxsays]

It's interesting to get to watch the reaction this time because there are some others with experience at these lessons and her fellow guards had watched her do it plenty of times but it's dawning on her just how odd this all must be. To just fall. To climb right up the sides of walls instead of using stairs or ladders, even instead of using rope and it's maybe a good thing he won't quite be able to see her smile after she gives a huff once he's up. It's fond, the excitement less so it's not overwhelming but she is proud, the way she always is when she's helped to introduce someone to something new.

"There's no need to thank me but gratitude, you are most welcome. What I think you need is to eat something to settle your stomach and a good stiff drink," she shrugs lightly because that's pretty much her advice in most situations because what doesn't improve with fine food and something to wash it down? "I'm always around at the moment and I can keep one where it is, I'll find the man in charge of the horses and ask him to leave it. But don't hesitate to seek me out whenever you want more lessons and to advance along."

[el_tybs]

That gets a laugh out of Sam, feeling the rest of the shock disappearing. "Food sounds like a good idea. Drink? Still working on that." It was sound advice regardless.

"I'll take you up on that offer. Whenever I feel like throwing myself off from the roof of something I'll be sure to call you." Looking up to the hole they had come through, Sam gives a shake of his head, still in a bit of disbelief that he had done that. "This was... fun." Terrifying, but fun.

Looking back to Araceli he gives a smile. "Thank you for showing me the ropes. I think I'll take your advice and try to go settle my stomach, and... I'll plan on being around."