Completed Allister's Aerial Pursuits in Acrobatics

[Allister]

1st of Spring, 518 AV
11th Bell

“Oy! Lad, help me out and stand on that coil o’ rope by yer feet.”

The pale man was paler than usual and slightly green. He ignored the shout from above him and cradled the cool wood of the mast, his long body slung around the trunk for support. He shook with fear and closed his eyes tight as if he could shut out the reality of being on a ship once more. Allister had started below decks with Madeira and the rest of their wily band but the darkness terrified him into a fit of coughing that resulted in speckles of blood that raised an alarm with the other passengers. Some feared he still had the sickness associated with the piles of dead Alvadas had suffered several seasons ago. When the metallic liquid was contained and allowed to mingle in his stomach, the retching finally forced his family to help him above to the deck in hopes that fresh air would stifle his nerves. Allister was alone because Emma was being a brat to some of the other girls and Madeira was being her usual, in control self and handling the issue.

“Hey! You deaf, sketch or just rude?!” The voice called again. This time the kelvic opened one eye just a little and lifted his gaze towards the sky. There above him in the rigging was a man with very little in the way of clothes, amazingly tanned skin that looked like leather and the brightest blue eyes the pale man had ever seen. Even from this distance, he noted that the man’s eyes matched the ocean. “C’mon, ya lazy arse! Stand on that coil o’ rope right next to ya!” the man’s speech was coupled with very boisterous hand motions. Allister moved his body slightly and slowly until he was able to rest his arm on the coil then shifted a bit more so that his torso laid across the entirety of the coil. “Thanks, mate!” The man called and then he leapt from his stance upon the fore boom and snagged a hanging line. His arm wrapped deftly around once and he came swinging down without a care in the world. Allister could only watch in awe until the rope he was laying over suddenly tried to free itself from his weight.

He squawked at the sharp tug and grasped the now taut line coming up from under his body with both hands. As it forced his arms to extend, the hyena shouted at the stubborn thing. “No, no, no, no, no!” The pressure still pulled and the adventurous sailor was shouting something. Allister couldn’t hear him. He panicked and wrapped his arms around the rope then braced his body against the mast. He hands hurt and the muscles in his back and arms ached but he managed to keep from being shredded by the rope or the huge wooden pole. Ticks later there was a thump on the deck behind him and the rope went slack. Allister fell onto his back, chest heaving for air and eyes pointed skyward. The shouting voice and bright blue eyes loomed above him with a wide smile. “Thanks, mate. M’ name’s Mota!” He extended a rough hand down to Allister who simply laid there for a few moments trying to figure out what had happened.

So it turns out the man was using the kelvic as an anchor to quickly reach the deck without breaking himself. The story he shared with Allister was one of duty and family. Mota was a Svefra and his family was this group called a pod. They needed a strong connection to the port at Alvadas so many of the second and third born males worked the shops there for money and a good reputation so that the pod would always be welcome to trade. The hyena was fascinated. He shared his story with the sailor in small bits and confessed to his fear of ships. Mota showed Allister his tattoo which meant that a god called Laviku loved him and would care for him so long as he respected the sea. To the kelvic, it sounded a lot like how he viewed Madeira so everything made sense. Then it happened. Mota said he would help Allister overcome his fear of ships. He coaxed the pale man out of his heavy coat and boots.

“So the trick to overcoming fear is to confuse it.” Mota smiled. He walked over to the nearest shroud, as he called it, which was just an oddly shaped net that stretched from the deck to the mast and various other parts called booms and gaffs and yards. Allister’s head spun just looking that high but he took hold of the ropes anyway. Mota scampered up so fast that Allister missed his first few steps. He watched the hand over hand and foot over foot technique and noted why taking off his boots was so important. The man used his toes to help curl his feet which created perfect little plants on the shroud. Mota called down to the kelvic. “I’ve seen that blonde your travel with, mate. Just pretend you’re doing this for her- it’ll make it easier!” The man laughed.

[Allister]

Allister didn’t need to hear anymore and used his arms and legs to propel himself upward. He was not prepared for the instant loss of balance and stability. The net swayed and bucked wildly under his weight and length so much so that the hyena lost all of his grips and ended up sinking his limbs through the holes. A chime went by as Allister cursed himself and thought of how best to adjust his approach. He took his hands out first and reached higher up, each taking a firm hold on a knot or corner. He flexed his arms and pulled up on his body with shaky strength but it was enough to free one leg and then the other. He secured each foot against a corner or knot as well. This still felt flimsy so the beady black eyes looked up for assistance. Mota patted his stomach that looked like something women used to wash clothes in the well. Then it dawned on the former slave- he needed to use his whole body for balance.

The kelvic tightened his tummy against the swaying ropes and found that the combination of arms, legs and core maintained a rather solid net. First, he moved one foot. He was very slow in the going but he was able to transfer his weight off and then back once he found a higher hold. The singular displacement came next for the opposite hand which was also painfully slow. All told, in fifteen chimes, the man was only a few feet off of the deck but Mota was cheering him on regardless. The going was easier as the hyena found a basic rhythm in alternating hands and feet as well as sides. He was ever conscious of his body’s distribution across the netting so that the shroud remained tight beneath his weight.

Allister was not sure how long it took but he hand finally reached the boom where Mota stood. The wood was like a finish line and he was elated as his shaking arms wrapped around it and pulled the rest of his body up until he was sitting upon the cross beam that held the base of the sail. “Well done, mate!” mota cheered and hopped over Allister then landed on the other side without so much as breaking a sweat. The kelvic was amazed. He was a good eight or ten feet in the air above the deck and he could feel the wind billowing the sails. “Now stand up, I wanna teach you something.” Allister wasn’t sure but the extended hand of assistance was being offered by a very kind man so he trusted him and slowly gripped Mota’s forearm. He started to pull on Allister who rose up slightly then stopped. The fear in his eyes was met with a smile from the Svefra. “Get up, Sketches. Your woman may need you to know this someday.”

Allister blushed but stood. If this endeavor made him better for Madeira- that was enough. “Why do you call me Sketches?”

“Because it looks like all of your tattoos are just sketches from a notebook.” Mota helped Allister steady himself then pointed at his feet. The man had both feet beneath him but they were pointed in the exact opposite way. The kelvic lifted one foot and reversed it so his toes pointed towards the front and rear of the ship at the same time. Mota smiled and nodded in approval. “Now… bend your knees and let go of the rope.” Allister looked at his new friend like the man had just asked him to commit suicide. Reticent, the hyena let go with one hand of his mast then lowered his body a bit as his knees bent. He tried to think about the muscles in his stomach and back and make them tight and straight. “Gooooood.” Said the sailor. Allister slowly released the other hand but kept it right next to the mast. He felt the sway of the waves and the push of the breeze but he didn’t feel like he was going to fall. A big smile crept over his face.

[Allister]

2nd of Spring
9th Bell

Mota had gone below deck once all of the morning’s duties were handled. There was a fair wind and he had rounded up Allister for more work in the rigging. Step one was for the kelvic to climb up to the same boom but faster this time. The pale man was in just a pair of breeches today and he stepped up to the shroud with confidence. His body was sore from the day before but Allister was willing to try again so he could be better- for Madeira. He took the ropes and started to ascend. The placement of his hands and feet was not so much of a concern since he could watch where they were planted. The hyena focused on keeping his body tense which gave him the control to maintain his balance. Yesterday was about fear and understanding. Today was about improvement. In half the time, the kelvic had ascended to the boom by focusing on core and back control which prevented the net from swaying beneath him. Allister was already sweating a little bit but he heaved with his arms to get his feet onto the wooden rail next to the mast.

Allister placed his feet as he was taught then released the mast in favor of using his legs and arms to offset the movement of the ship in the Suvan. Mota was standing right next to him and encouraged him by showing the novice how to trails his arms out to his sides for an easier method. “Next lesson.” Mota smiled and walked back and forth on the boom. At first it was just backwards and forwards but then he added a few turns and twists that required switching the direction of his feet. Allister watched the man carefully. He studied the subtle movements as well as the way the sailor’s body remained tensed but loose so that he never overcommitted to any one action.

Now it was the kelvic’s turn. Allister picked up one foot then put it back down without moving from his position. It felt wrong. He was scared but not like he should have been and that bothered him a little bit more. In truth, the fear of pain excited him… what scared him was falling into the water or leaving Madeira alone. Mota gave a soft smile and a nod. “Hop to, mate. Syna’s not gonna wait for you.” Allister smirked then looked confused. He had never heard of Syna. “Who?” Mota gave a brief explanation of who the goddess of the sun was while his hands flourished the need for Allister to move.

The hyena reluctantly lifted his foot again and moved it in front of the other. He teetered but holding his arms out had given him some extra balance. He kept his core tight and walked one foot over the other to the Svefra and then reversed the process to the mast where he took a little break to rest against the heavy wooden beam. He was shaking from the use of muscles he never engaged but also from the excitement and fear of the reckless act. Allister repeated the process two more times then tried to figure out how to turn. He fell. The sensation of falling was short lived, however. Allister reached out with his arms and snagged the shroud just beneath the boom. His hands ached and that quickly spread up his arms. Mota stood above him and called down to swing into the net then climb back up.

Allister bit his lip and shouted at the Svefra to be quiet. He followed the advice, however, and picked up his legs towards the net then lowered them. His body began to sway so he did it again and noticed his abdomen and back were once again playing a part in this sort of motion. The more times he swung, the more his hands burned and his shoulder pleaded for the kelvic to just let go and he would have except for the man’s words telling him that his bond mate could one day need Allister to have these skills. So he kicked more and bent his body towards the net then allowed it to swing back away only to kick at the shroud again. Finally, Allister was able to hook his feet. The first thing he did was loop his arms through and rest his grip and shoulders. After a chime’s rest, he scampered to the other side of the net and climbed down; his body shaking. That was enough for one day.

[Allister]

5th of Spring
18th Bell

Allister had grown into a routine of his own choosing for the first time in his life. He woke up before the sun, the goddess Syna, could rise and he set about stretching his body to prepare for more lessons from his new friend, Mota. Today had been no different but their time together was cut short due to some complications with the wind and the canvas of the sails. The kelvic was disappointed but he busied himself throughout the day with his bond mate and her friend. It was a long day however, the Svefra came and found the pale man to invite him to an evening session. Allister was overjoyed and quickly joined the man on deck. He scampered up the shroud with power and a little bit of grace. His limbs and body were still rigid compared to the seasoned sailor but Mota even praised the fast improvement. He made Allister to walk the boom as he had for several days. The hyena bit his lower lip and extended his arms out to his sides as he crossed his feet over one another repeatedly. The task was less about strength or balance or agility. In fact, it was a matter of presence and awareness as much as any of those things. Mota always coached to be a student of your environment.

“Today, you’re going to chase me.” Mota grinned. “I’ve taught you how to climb an unstable rope and keep your balance on a beam ten feet in the air. Your next lesson is to figure out how to apply these tactics to new obstacles.” The man with striking blue eyes winked and took hold of a rope which he used to swing out and around the billowed sail to the main mast. Allister cursed. He didn’t trust himself to make that kind of maneuver so he used his black eyes to locate an alternate route. Gaining new skills hada way of changing one’s vision. Once benign objects suddenly trigger memories and barriers become pieces in a plan.

“Fine...I’ll chase you, son of Laviku.” Allister called through the sail, the wind whipping his loose shirt about his thin frame. “If I die- I’ll haunt you into oblivion!” Allister’s voice was almost songlike in his threat. The kelvic took a deep breath and turned to face the bow -the front of the ship. He flexed his hands, sore from days of exercise and labor. He dropped his feet off of the boom and allowed his body to fall. His hands snapped out and caught the smooth wood of the beam. His body jerked to a halt and Allister felt his strain rip from his shoulders down his back. He grunted and and started to swing his feet by flexing and releasing the muscles in his abdomen. After a couple back and forths, he had a decent amount of momentum going and focused on the large block of wood which held the ship’s wheel. It was several feet down and a few more out in front but was a large enough structure that even if he missed, Allister would have plenty of room to land. The biggest issue was the helmsman steering the vessel.

The hyena laughed and let go, his timing was off but late so he went a bit higher than he anticipated. The brief stint of weightlessness was freeing and horrifying. Allister tucked his legs up into his body and reached his arms forward just before hitting the small platform with his bare feet. He rolled forward and clean off onto the deck. The helmsman shouted but the kelvic was already on his feet spitting apologies as he went for the large shroud which ran up to the main mast’s boom. Mota was sitting on the beam laughing hysterically. Allister went up quickly, hand over hand and his feet did better to keep up which maintained an arch in his back. Once he reached the boom, Mota stood and took off up the mast towards the yardarm which was the top board of the sail. The kelvic groaned. He was already sore and fatigued but he smiled anyway.

[Allister]

His body was more relaxed as he walked quickly over the boom to the mast. His eyes trailed up to see the path he would need to follow the sailor. Climbing the mast seemed hard and the way Mota went from it to the rigging lines and back again could not have looked any easier. Allister took hold of the mast on either side and felt the way his hands naturally found the widest points. He took a deep breath and pressed his feet against the wood. Balled up, he looked behind him at the swaying ropes on pulleys and thought of Madeira. She was his motivation for all of this jumping, climbing, straining and struggling. In a blast of confidence born of another’s love, the kelvic kicked and pushed himself from the mast out over the deck. He had an open-mouthed grin as he soared towards the ropes. His hands wrapped around as did his arms as he hugged the rigging and his momentum crashed him against the coarse fibers. He slipped down a ways which tore his skin but the former slave endured.

Allister wrapped his legs around the ropes to stop his descent and locked his ankles the same way he did with his arms. He was hanging over the exposed deck and suddenly realized that hopping back and forth may not be in his wheelhouse just yet. He shouted up to Mota and used the line as a means back down to the safety of the deck. His arms, hands and feet burned as he slowly extended one arm after to the other in a controlled manner. This took a few chimes but he got to a place above some crates and barrels. Allister released himself and landed in a crouch on top of the tallest crate. Next, he leapt over to a different stack then turned and jumped down onto the ship’s deck. His whole body hurt and he would try again tomorrow.

12th of Spring
10th Bell

The kelvic had really grown comfortable in the rigging of the ship. Mota had explained much about sailing to the man but Allister hadn’t the mind for such things. He enjoyed the pursuits on the masts and beams and among the swinging ropes but it was the safety that knowledge created which he loved the most. He had gone to lay down in their corner of the hold every night with a smile on his face. Curled up around Madeira, he could tell her that he was getting stronger, more agile- better- for her. She just put a cool hand on his face each night and washed him with pride and adoration through their bond. The kelvic had never been so happy.

Today was going to be fun. Allister had really stepped up his game and was getting closer to catching Mota. He scampered up the shroud and across the boom them dropped down onto the ship’s wheel’s house in a solid landing. He leapt to a rail and ran across it with his feet landing on the balls each time so that he had control and strength to maneuver. His feet had grown tougher in the week and a half of training as had the skin on his hands though he had more than his share of welts, blisters, bruises and rope burns to show for the learning curve. The ship’s healer philtered all of his divine powers into salves that not only repaired wounds and damaged skin but made them tougher. Allister learned that the goddess Rak’keli blessed her followers with the ability to restore hurts and illnesses and it made the kelvic curious if there were more good gods than bad ones. Should he ever catch Mota, he intended to ask.

Across the rail and onto the lower main stay line, Allister caught it with both hands and quickly hooked his feet around it. He had to swing underneath and hang from the rope then used his whole body to shimmy up to where the pulley split the line into two parallel ropes. His arms flexed and burned while working together with his core which he extended then contracted to haul himself up the six feet or so to the junction. Once he reached the pulley, he had to fight to get his body up on top of the lines. Thankfully, the wooden wheel of the pulley and its housing was large enough that he could base himself against it. Once he got his torso around, twisting his legs was easy and the hyena bunched up on hands and feet in a squat. He had his left foot and hand on one line while the rights were on the other. Mota called out something in Fratava, the language of his people, which he told Allister meant ‘slow-poke’. The man grunted, sweat pouring down his face from the exertion but the adrenaline rush was already kicking it.

[Allister]

Lifting his hips, Allister moved his limbs in tandem; right side then left, and worked his way up the twin lines to the main gaff beam. When he reached this point, he expected to chase Mota across and then around to the foremast and they would continue around for a while. What he didn’t expect was the blue-eyed man to just stand there. “What are you doing? Run away!” Allister huffed.

“Not yet.” Mota smiled and drew a sash from his waist then tied it around his head so that he could not see. “I know my way around pretty good and I think you’ve gotten the hang of it. What I want you to do now is to sneak up on me while we’re climbing around.” Having said his piece, Mota sat down on the gass then slid between the sheet and the beam until his hands caught and he was hanging beneath it. “If I hear you comin’... I’m gonna whop ya.” Mota let go and Allister nearly passed out from the courage and simultaneous stupidity of the move. The limber Svefra coasted down the canvas like water off of a stone and as the sail curved back towards the boom, he saw Mota bend his legs slightly towards his chest. When the man’s feet made impact, the sailor absorbed the fall into a squat and grabbed the beam with his hands. Mota sat down with his legs hanging over the edge and a whistle coming from his lips.

The kelvic was determined to prove that he could do this. He knew a little about how to be quiet in situations. The former slave had plenty of practice trying to make himself invisible, that was certain. Halfway down the sail’s cover was a crosstress. Allister turned around and placed his hands on the gaff. He kicked his body back out and swung down underneath the beam then used his legs and shoulders to counteract his body’s tendency to sway. After a few ticks of moving his core opposite of the inertia, Allister let go and his body coasted through the air several feet towards the bound bundle of boards. Like his teacher, the kelvic brought his legs into a position that was flexed and slightly bent. When he landed, his legs curled up into his chest taking most of the impact but Allister used his hands to complete the landing. It was a bit of a shock when the kelvic stopped to think about all he had done in recent days but he also discovered that he had so much more to learn.

Mota would feel him coming if he just dropped down onto the boom. He would likely hear the rigging if the kelvic came up the nearest shroud. The black beady eyes scanned the ship for a way to get the drop on his mentor. Suddenly, he had an idea. Allister leapt from his position to the stay line closest to him. He caught hold and walked his hands down quickly, the strain making his shoulders and fingers burn. Once he got to the pulley, he simply let go. It was a long fall but the kelvic braced for the deck as it rushed up to meet him. He landed in a ball and rolled off to one side to help deflect the force. It hurt. It vibrated every bone in his body but the man seemed to be ok. He stood up and ran to the opposite side of the ship from Mota and scampered up the shroud back to the boom. Rather than climb up on the beam, Allister swung underneath the netting and hung from his hands. He went one over the other until he got to the mast then hugged it and gave his fingers a break.

[Allister]

After a chime of rest, he shimmied around the trunk and retook the beam by his hands then moved one over the other in a steady rhythm towards the sailor. Mota heard him coming. Each grip and release left a scraping sound that was easy to distinguish from the normal billowing and creaking. When Allister was in reach, the man brought a fist down on the pale fingers. Allister yelped and had to let go with that hand which sent him swinging. He would’ve fallen if he hadn’t of been able to grab Mota by his dangling foot which was something he did not expect. The Svefra actually tried to kick Allister but the kelvic was already expecting as much since he was staring at the man’s legs. He swung his body back out of the way and took the boom with both hands. With a burst of strength, he hoisted himself back up, his arms feeling like the muscle tissue was shredding from all the extra labor. Mota was up first but the hyena was able to roll himself on the beam and into a crouch.

Mota tok a blind swing, his hand open and the angle much like a hook. Allister easily veered out of the way and kicked his legs which gave hima spring up and back towards the mast. The Svefra continued to throw very calculated jabs and hooks in an effort to lay some licks against his pupil. The smile on his face made the former slave wonder if he could see through the fabric.

Allister stepped lightly along the boom until his shoulder brushed the mast. Mota continued his slow advance and he leveled a solid palm strike right at the kelvic’s chest. The man hooked his arm onto the trunk and leaned out of the way of the assault then swung his arm with an open palm and slapped Mota right across his jaw. The Svefra turned and started to fall but Allister grabbed him by his arm and pulled him up against the mast. Removing the mask, the sailor began to laugh and clasped his hand on the pale shoulder of Allister. The hyena wasn’t sure what to do so he just chuckled along in between trying to catch his breath.

“Well done, Sketches!” Mota gave a proud smile. “You’re lady friend ought to be proud.” Allister beamed and joined in on the genuine laughter. He felt pride. It was strange since he couldn’t recall every feeling it until he met Madeira and experiencing what pride actually was when she poured it through the bond when he actually got a job. This, however, was something different. It was a task that he had set out to do and had actually achieved something useful. Performing was useful for making money but it wouldn’t likely save Madeira’s life. Jumping around and climbing ropes might not either but it was a much stronger foundation to start from and that made Allister proud of himself… for the first time in his life.

“Thank you, Mota, for teaching me.” Allister wanted to hug the guy but he didn’t think it appropriate so he just left the acknowledgement there to be picked up at the sailor’s leisure. Mota nodded his head and looked around before giving the kelvic a very mischievous grin.

“Race you to the top!”

[Taurina]

Grades have Arrived

Allister

Experience

• Acrobatics: +5
• Socialization: +3
• Climbing: +2
• Unarmed Combat: +1
• Bodybuilding: +5
• Endurance: +3

Lore

• Allister: Afraid of ships
• Acrobatics: Being an ‘Anchor’
• Mota: Is a Svefra
• Svefra: Family groups are called ‘Pods’
• Laviku: Loves and cares for Mota as long as Mota respects the sea
• Mota: Going to help Allister not fear ships
• Overcome fear by confusing it
• Mota: Calls Allister ‘Sketches’
• Shroud: An oddly shaped net
• Climbing Technique: Hand over hand, foot over foot
• Climbing: Curling feet helps with grip
• Whole body use necessary for balance
• Allister: Determined to be better for Madeira
• Acrobatics Stance: Feet facing opposite directions
• Allister: Excited by fear of pain, scared of leaving Madeira alone
• Syna: Goddess of the sun
• Acrobatics: Holding arms out grants extra balance
• Acrobatics: How to cross one foot in front of the other across a boom
• Bow: Front of the ship
• Acrobatics: Swinging from a beam by flexing and releasing abdominal muscles
• Acrobatics: Overshooting the landing
• Allister: Doesn’t have a mind for sailing
• Rak’keli: Goddess that blesses followers ability to restore hurts and illnesses
• Fratava: Language of Svefra
• Acrobatics: Landing in an imperfect squat
• Unarmed Combat: Slapping Mota across the face
• Allister: Proud of himself for the first time in his life

Inuries

• Allister’s muscles will continue to be sore 3-5 days post workout. Continued practice and stretching can help with reducing the effects, as can healers and salves.

Notes

Lovely thread! I greatly enjoyed getting a peak at Allister's fears, desires, and determination as he embarked on this journey with Mota. Watching how he grew from beginning to end and finally got to be proud of himself for the first time was heartwarming. Enjoy the grade! Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.