Dancing With Spirits Part 3

by **Savacea Jovellana** on August 5th, 2015, 11:50 pm

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Dancing With Spirits Part 3
24th, Summer 515 AV

Savacea was running late to her dance lessons with Strid. She had woken up later then she had expected, her body more tired then usual from the strenuous activity she had been doing lately. The Symenestra pumped her legs into a run, moving her arms up and down at her sides, as her sandal clad feet smacked at the fogged ground. It was a dreary morning, as typical of Black Rock, with wisps of thick fog surrounding the area as well as ghosts weaving in and out of the fog. The sun was dimmed out by the sporadic dark clouds blotting the sky, with the promise of another rain. Savacea ignored all this as she pushed her legs to go faster, deftly missing passerby as she weaved through people walking the streets at a sluggish pace. Her legs were burning, her breath coming in rigidly, as she tried to make it to the dance studio at an appropriate time. Beads of sweat formed upon her small forehead, slowly trailing down her face, getting into her eyes making her wince and wiping the salty liquid from her red eyes with the back of her hand as she continued to run.

With a last push her legs screamed as she forced them to run faster, her breathing more erratic and her heartbeat thrumming like a drum against her chest. Finally the dance studio came in sight and she slowed her pace, though still kept it at a jog as she burst through the open doors. Bending down the raven haired girl grasped her knees, placing her head between her legs, bringing in rickety breaths in and out fast. Her breathing finally slowed and so did her pounding heart after a few ticks, making her straighten up and wiping the sweat from her face with her clawed hand. Savacea inhaled deeply, slowly exhaling, as she walked further into the studio to look for Strid.

The Symenestra figured the running was a good enough warm up before dancing and decided not to stretch a lot today. Instead she stopped in the middle of the dance floor, keeping her legs straight she bent down to touch her toes straight forward, then from side to side. Savacea then brought her left foot up to her navel, grasping the toes, and extending to leg up into the air. She did the same to the right foot feeling the delicious burn of the muscle being stretched after a run. She shook herself off, pouncing about from foot to foot, limbering her body up to prepare for today's lesson. She glanced up fondly at her mother's swath of silk she had left from a previous lesson, Strid did not know about Aerial Dancing so she had yet to be able to use the silks, but it being here as if it was watching her dance with Strid was enough to make her feel more connected to her mother.

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

by **Savacea Jovellana** on August 7th, 2015, 12:52 pm

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Another Symenestra..

Savacea observed her surroundings, the walls were withered and old, cobwebs could be seen in the uppermost corners. The Mirrors were tarnished and some cracked, it was a dreary looking studio, but Strid could be a dreary person. Savacea continued to look around, wondering where her teacher could be. It was not like her to be late and she wondered if she was even here, "Strid?!" Savacea called out into the empty dance studio.

"She isn't here." Came a reply from behind her. The voice was deep and thick, with a eerie lilt to it, and male. Savacea's body tightened up slightly, as she turned around to see a man standing there with a playful look on his face. He had shaggy black hair with amethyst eyes. His body was pale like hers and when he grinned she saw fangs like hers as well. His hands had claws that were shorter then her own, but still black and durable looking. Savacea was taken back to say the least, as she looked the man up and down curiously. He did the same to her taking in her features.

"Krova?" Savacea asked, using the honorific of "of the blood" among her race, giving him a curious glare. The man's smile broadened and he gave a wink nodding his head. She was shock to see another Symenestra here on Black Rock, especially one who was as attractive as this man. A smile now grew on her face and she walked up closer to the man, "Savacea Jovellana, you?" She said this in a soft tone, introducing herself and giving her last name so she knew what web she came from. "Varikan Rose, nice too meet you, Sibea." The man said, using the honorific for beauty and good breeding, making Savacea blush slightly, she had not been called that in a long time by one of her own, it was nice to hear it again.

"So Versdakan, where is Strid? She was supposed to be teaching my lesson today." Savacea asked, using the Symenestra term for good brother, as she tilted her head to the side in a curious manner.

Varikan gave a hefty sigh shaking his head, "She is in one of her moods. So you will not see her today, sadness has taken over." He had a sad look in his eyes as if he actually cared about the ghost woman's well being, so she believed him and gave a look of disappointment and worry.

"Ah.. Well I do hope she gets better. I guess I should go then.." Savacea gave a sigh of her own, though it was filled with sadness, as she turned to leave. Varikan reached out to stop her, grabbing her upper arm, "I can teach you Aerial Silks, if that would interest you? Seeing as you are Symenestra I would think it would be of interest."

The words he said filled her with so much happiness she thought she was going to burst with rainbows and sunshine. She turned around swiftly, with an excited look on her face, "Silks? Yes!" She said with a hyper tone then pointed up with her long clawed finger to her mother's Garnet Red Silks she had brought to the dance studio. "I already have my silks up and ready."

Varikan gave a chuckle looking up at the beautiful silks high above the floor. Then he looked back at Savacea his lilac eyes piercing her red ones, "Let me hang my silks and we will begin then." The man said in a low voice, that for some reason had a hint of seduction to it. Savacea grinned and nodded ready to do some silk training. Varikan walked off to retrieve his silks, while he was hanging them from the ceiling, she went ahead and climbed to the top of hers, wrapping one her left foot on one side of the silks, then her right foot and locking them in place. Grabbing each side of the silks with her hands she stood high above the floor, waiting for the Symenestra males instructions.

Note for Grader :

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

by **Savacea Jovellana** on August 9th, 2015, 5:02 am

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Hip Key Drop

Varikan secured his ebony silks to the ceiling, climbing up with the ease and agility of not only a Symenestra but with the fluidity and lithe movements of a Aerial Dancer. "The first thing I would like to show you, is the Hip Key Drop. It is a basic drop and is not difficult, if you pay close attention." Varikan said this in a tone that was soft, though it held a stern note.

Varikan stretched his legs out, spinning them making the silk wrap around him until he was laying horizontal on the silks. The tail of the silk was behind him and he grabbed it looking at Savacea, "See how this tail is behind me? You want to grab it, take the tail bring it up and around your right arm, making it go behind you once more." Explaining what he was about to do first, before he then took the silks and brought it around his muscular right arm so it trailed behind him, but was now wrapped around him more securely then before. "Now grab your silks with both hands, bringing yourself upright and locking your legs. The tail of the silks should be between your lega, you want to bend your left leg and stretch out your right, pointing your toes." Varikan went through the movements as he spoke, with a gracefulness Savacea was rather jealous of. "Now once that is done, you roll your body to the side so now you are back to the right hip." The male Symenestra then followed through with the movements, Savacea absorbing his every word, breathlessly watching as he did each one with such ease.

"Once you are on your right side, the tail of the silk should be under your right knee." Varikan was now spinning slowly on the silks from his movements, as he stared into her eyes talking, she looked back intently with a glare, making him give a boyish grin but continuing, "So pull the tail under your right knee, then you.." He did not finish his sentence as he dropped towards the floor, Savacea had seen this before from many others in her race, but it still made her heart pound to see it so up close once again.

The man of course landed the drop perfectly, hanging upside down from the silks, his head pointed to the floor and his right leg bent with the left poised beautifully. He reached up, twisting his legs to untangle his body from the silks, and descending to the floor. The man looked up giving a wink, "Your turn, talk yourself through it. I will be here if you need me I will not let you fall." The man nodded his head, giving her a reassuring smile, which came off a bit seductive so Savacea rolled her eyes at him.

"Okay..." Savacea mumbled, as she inhaled a deep breath. She twisted her legs around to wrap the silks on her legs, but failed the first time. The second time around, she stretched her legs out a bit further, splitting the silks so she could wrap them around her legs and body, going horizontal on the silks laying on her hip. "Now that the tail is behind me.. I uhm.. Grab it then bring it up to go over my right arm..?" Savacea was not used to repeating things with this man, her voice came out loudly and questioning as she sought reassurance from her teacher. The man gave her a quick nod, gesturing with his hand to go on. She gritted her teeth and continued, now taking the tail of the silks and putting them over her right arm to secure her more. "Now I grab the silks with both of my hands." Savacea said this as she gave small grunt using her muscles to pull herself up on the silks, resting for a moment as sweat beaded on her forehead, not realizing how much muscle strength it actually took to do movements with the silks, she made sure the tail of the silks was between her legs then locked them, bending the left as gracefully as she could manage, and stretching out the right. Her legs were not as poised as Varikans however, but it would take more practice to be as elegant as he was.

"Okay.. Now I will roll my body.." Savacea said a bit breathless from the exertion, as she rolled her body to the side to lay once more in a horizontal position on the silks on her right hip. She then checked to make sure the tail was going to wrap around her right knee, and since it was she once again inhaled deeply, preparing herself for the next part.. the drop to the floor. She sit there in that position for a couple of chimes, the silks starting to hurt her body faintly from resting in one spot for a prolonged time. Varikan's voice piercing through her fears of falling to her death, "It is okay, let it all go, I am here to catch you if you fall." The man reassured her further by extending his arms out below her, in the case that she did indeed slip up during the wrapping and did not secure herself.

Exhaling loudly, she let go, letting it all go not just the silks but her fears as her body twisted to a center position, and she was hanging upside down with her head three feet from Varikans. Her legs dangling out in a ungainly orientation. Her heart was beating against her chest, her breaths coming out in short gasps of air, as she stayed there dangling before the male Symenestra, then she bent her right leg and pointed her left out. Varikan gave a chuckle, clapping his hands softly, "Bravo little spider.." The man said smiling, making Savacea roll her eyes once more, straining her body to go up as if it was doing a sit-up, and grabbing the silks in each hand, and untangling her legs and body from the soft masses, descending down to the floor.

"It can be scary at first, but it was a simple drop and I was here to rescue you if need be." The man said a bit cockily, walking over to his jet black silks. Savacea shook her head, "I don't need saving.." She mumbled at his back under her breath, she was not sure if he had heard her as he did not comment on her retort, instead he grabbed his silks and turned to glance at her, "The next is a descent and not a drop, it is one I think you will like." The male Symenestra spoke as he climbed the silks once more.

Hip Key Drop :

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

by **Savacea Jovellana** on August 9th, 2015, 5:16 am

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Spider Descent

The man climbed the silks, so Savacea started to ascend hers as well. When they were both at the top, he looked over to explain the next move, "This is another basic move, called the Spider Descent. Once you are up on the silks you want to spread them apart. Having each silk mass in each hand, you will use it to lift and flip you upside down. Your hands and arms should be in the middle of your legs that are stretched out. Then you will bring them around the silks, entering between the gap of the two silks, wrapping your left and right to each silk mass to secure yourself." Varikan paused to follow through with what he was talking about and once he was hanging upside down with his feet secured in the silks he continued, "The tails of the silks will be behind you, so you will reach behind you crossing the tails and bringing it forwards." The man did so as he spoke, his movements slow yet fluid so she could see what he was doing, "Once they are brought forward, one tail will be at your left armpit the other at your right. And so you can begin to descend down. The speed is up to you, I prefer a medium speed though I suggest you do a slower pace at first until you become more comfortable then speed it up if you wish." The man ended his chatter, as he grabbed one silken strand in each hand, and started to descend to the flower hanging up side down.

His legs would bend and straighten as he went down, as well as his arms, making him look very similar to a spider. His speed was swift as he seamlessly descended to the ground. Bending his body ever so slightly so he now laid on his back on the floor, the silks unwrapping themselves from his body, as he hopped to his feet, gesturing for her to try it now. Savacea gave a nod and a unsure half smile, looking at her mother's garnet red silks.

With a skeptical sigh, she parted the silks before her, grabbing a swath in each hand. Inhaling deeply, she brought her body up but fumbled, so she came back to locking her feet in the silks and holding a swath in each hand. This was taking more body strength then she thought, as she gritted her teeth not wanting to seem weak. With a bit of rage boiling inside her at being weak, she tried it once more, holding onto the swaths in each hand she swung her body up and over to be upside down.

Bringing her feet between the parted silks she wrapped her left foot around one and then the right securing herself. Still dangling upside down, Savacea reached behind her to cross the swaths. She fumbled slightly, as she could not see behind her and it took a chime before she got them to cross. Once they were crossed however she brought them forward. Seperating them so each swath would hang on opposite sides.

Biting her lip she brought her left knee up in a bend and moving her left arm in unison, trying to coordinate her movements in a very languid manner. Savacea then brought her right knee up, bending it and moving her right arm at the same time. She felt like she was actually good at this and became a bit cocky with confidence, so she decided to go ahead and speed it up. As she did so her coordination faltered and she slipped. With a squeal she fell towards the floor, she closed her eyes tightly waiting for the impact that would surely break a limb.

The impact of her demise did not come how ever, as soft yet strong arms eneveloped her, catching her from her fall. She pried her eyes open slowly to look up into Varikan's. She gave a few blinks, then slapped his arm, hopping to the floor. "Is that how you thank all your saviors?" The man said playfully laughing, "Told you I would be here to save you." He gave a shake of his head and approached his black silks once more. "You were doing very good at the Spider Descent, but you let your cockiness get in the way and messed it up. Remember that you are here to learn, not to prove anything." The man said this sternly, looking her over with a slightly fierce look as he grabbed his silks readying to climb.

Savacea was a bit shocked with his tone of voice and body language, that she stood there not sure what to say, her eyes wide. She fumbled slightly over incoherant words until finally a sentence formed, "Yeah, sorry. Will not happen again." Savacea said in a whisper, feeling badly because she knew he was right. She should of never done that, she was here to learn not to act like that. The man nodded accepting her apology, "Good now let's get back to the silks." Varikan said, no longer wishing to relish on the past, but to move forward in the lesson.

Savacea gave a small smile, as she watched him climb to the top of his silks. He moved so easily on them, it was as if he was one with the silks, a part of them. She could only hope to achieve such grace, as it was now she was a bit clumsy and fumbled more often then not. Dismissing the thoughts on a sigh, she grabbed her silks and climbed to the top as well, ready to learn what the man had in store next.

Spider Descent :

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

by **Savacea Jovellana** on August 10th, 2015, 4:45 am

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Aerial Splits

"The next is going to be an Aerial Split, we will practice in the middle of the silks closer to the floor for the first time. After you have learned this and practiced it you are free to take it higher." Varikan moved lower on the silks after he told her what the next move would be. Savacea could not help but wonder if he was taking it lower because of her mistake on the Spider Descent. Perhaps this was the case and he wanted to be safer with her. She had not done Aerial Silk dancing in quite some time, she was a bit more clumsy because of this. But she did notice as the lessons went on that she was becoming more accustomed to her body and the silks, remembering her other lessons when she was in Kalinor.

Savacea descended down the silks to where Varikan was on his and he continued on with the lesson, "Start with a foot knot on the right side of the silks, then you are going to take the left side of the silk into your armpit, holding on to the right silk with your left hand." Varikan then demonstrated what he said and when he was in position he continued speaking, "Now you want to reach behind you with your right hand, grabbing the slack and draping it over your left knee then switch hands." He paused for a moment doing the movements he described then continued once more, "Once you have done this you will take the draped silk in your left hand, leaning back hook your thumb around the silk at your waist." He went through the motions and was now leaning back, his voice a wavered a little when he spoke again, "Hooking your left knee on the left silk from the outside to the middle, and arch your back. Take a pause and stretch your legs out." Varikan demonstrated looking like a master as he stretched out, his muscular body would be tempting to any female so Savacea could not help but gawk a bit.

"Reach up with both hands for your right silk, hooking your left toe above on the left silk. Then you will climb up the silk rotating your left leg to an Arabesque. Keeping your legs stretched, straight, toes pointed." He finalized the lesson by doing the Aerial Splits in a fluid grace that almost made Savacea drool. It was perfect and contorted his body in a rather seductive way. He unraveled from the silks, going to the floor to stand underneath her, "Alright, now you give it a try." Varikan said with a knowing wink, making Savacea wonder if he noticed her gawking earlier. Her heart fluttered with embarrassment but she had to dismiss it as it was now her turn to do the splits on the silks.

Starting with the simple foot knot on the right side of the silks, Savacea grabbed the left side of the silks, placing it into her armpit, and grasping the right side of the silks with her right hand. Reaching behind her with her right hand, her movements were a bit wobbly as she did so making the silks start to twirl around. Grabbing the slack behind her with her right hand and draping it over her left knee as Varikan had instructed. Switching her hands now made more movement as she fumbled slightly at switching the hands. Reaching and grabbing the draped silk now with her left hand, she leaned back hooking her thumb at the silk around her waist. Bringing and hooking her left knee on the left silk, arching her back and taking a pause for a few seconds. She kept her legs straight as the silks kept turning, making her slightly dizzy though it was not fast it was a slow motion. Being upside down though made her dizzy. So coming out of the arch she reached up with both of her hands, a little frightened so she fumbled once more, grabbing the right silk and hooking her left toe above the left silk climbing up the silk slowly. She went at a slower pace then Varikan had done, was way less graceful as well. Once she climbed up the silk, she rotated her left leg into an Arabesque, keeping her legs stretched out and as straight as she could manage, with her toes pointed.

The silks still spun her slowly around as she held the position, then grabbed the right silk once more with both hands, unraveling the silks and descended to the floor. Varikan gave a nod of approval as she came to the floor, "That was good, build up more confidence with your moves and you will not fumble as much. Try to keep your core strong and your limbs fluid. Also you should relax!" The man said on a chuckle patting her shoulder making her tense up more, he gave a shake of his head, "I said relax not become more frigid."

Savacea gave him a glare and refrained herself from sticking out her tongue. She really need to stop her childish habits, although she was mature in a lot of ways she still held onto some of her childhood habits. Instead she finally dropped the glare when Varikan glared back, "I will try and be more relaxed next time." She supplied with a half smile. Varikan's glare disappeared as as a beautiful smile stretched across his face, "Good. Next time I want to show you some better warm up techniques before we do the silks also. Perhaps that will limber you up more." The man suggested, wiping the few beads of sweat from his forehead, "I think that should be all for today. The next lesson we will focus on warm ups, acrobatics, then we will do some combinations on the silks. Sound good to you little spider?"

Savacea gave a delighted smile and a nod, "Yes thank you, can't wait!" Her tone came out a bit more excited then she would have liked it to, but she could not suppress how happy she was to be learning the silks with another Symenestra. Varikan gave her a broad grin and dismissed her with a gesture of his hand. She gathered her things and left the dance studio, her mind wondering to Strid and hoping she would be able to see her next time as well. Savacea actually missed the ghostly woman today and hoped that her mood swing would diminish by next lesson.

Rebecca Split :