therookery | crystal;

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FORM: Sending crystal
SENDER: Araceli Bonaventura
RECIPIENT: Everyone
WHAT: Offering advanced parkour lessons and trying to organise a shindig
WHEN: Now
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: Threadjacking encouraged. A few notices have been left around the Gallows to sign-up for lessons.

Inquisition, now that we're settled in Kirkwall I come to you with two very exciting propositions. As some of you know, I taught how to climb and run the walls and battlements of Skyhold, how to fall from such heights safely but alas this was not as it was at home when Skyhold was so contained. But here we are in Kirkwall! I can truly teach you how to leap from building to building if your desire and to dive into the waters from buildings and from the rigging of a ship. Of course, we start small so as not to injure your good self but if that prospect sounds intriguing, please come find me. I am Araceli Bonaventura, at your service. I'm either working at the Gallows or by the docks or you might happen to look up.

The second is a thing to celebrate and I could say that I do it as leader of the naval projects but truly? I do it as someone who loves cooking and seafood, to finally be back by the water after so long removed from it. Tell me, Inquisition, what are your favourite seafood dishes? Your favourite meals from Antiva or Rivain or places such as that? Because I thought it might be an idea to have a cookout by the waves towards the end of the month, say, the twenty-second? Everyone is welcome if they are a fan of good food and good times among friends.

[Also it's her birthday but since they don't really do birthdays that way back home, what better thing to do than have a fun time with people that have all certainly earned it?]

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[She can't help but to laugh softly. It's true that she would rather have fun. It's been...too long since she last had. Months. Years. It all blends together in her head.

Nodding that she'll whistle if she needs anything, she takes off after her. Of course she isn't quite as fast but she still moves well, obviously much of her life as an Avvar still with her. After all, women are expected to be able to survive as well as the men are. And to fight too.

There are times when she looks for an alternate path but at least she doesn't truly fall behind, Araceli remains in sight.

And this...it really is fun. To just run like this, above the world. She doesn't always move like she wants to but she still feels freer than she has in ages...]

Thedas will make up for any lack of whatever you might have missed before there, I think we both saw that sealing up a rift.

[Hey look a goddess of the seas has a right to do what she likes, the sea is not a thing to be trifled with so file that under: things never to tell Araceli unless you want to get into some Lovecraft-lite levels of how great and terrible the sea is.]

I'm not great at cooking for just one or two people, I do better cooking for groups so it's safe to say that unless there's a small army descending on it, we'll have leftovers for people to take with them.

The thinking can be before when you have to plan a route but that's when you're on the ground; walking Kirkwall or anywhere, I look at a place and think how I could get up and down, are the windows big enough that I might be able to slip through should they be open, or could I pick the lock from outside and get in. Where would a guard see me, where do the shadows fall at different times of the day. It's worth being in the habit [a huff out, next part of the lesson to follow because Araceli doesn't really hang on the walls too long so she moves to a new position to avoid getting stiff] to go for walks at different times of the day, on different days.

[A thief's trick. It's how you case a joint.]

Breathe out on the push with the legs, inhale when you pull up. [Important things to remember and it tends to come naturally anyway with the movement of the body but some people fight against it.]

Yes, to the top, we can run the rooftop here then I'll show you to fall.

[This is what Araceli missed when she was in Skyhold. It was always the same enclosed loop no matter how many times she tried to change it up but she can go wherever she wants to now, over as many buildings as she'd like, down to the docks and to use the rigging because the sailors aren't accustomed to people doing that so they tend not to notice a small dark shape moving around.

She listens carefully for anything that might be something worth bothering about because this isn't home after all but no one in Thedas has a pistol and she's yet to meet a pain that's quite like being shot in the back of the leg unexpectedly in the freezing cold of a dark night.

It's when she comes to one building that she comes to a halt, disappearing down for a few moments before she arrives back up with Lux over her shoulders.]

I don't want to go down to the door to get in. [He's very used to this sort of life.]

[Her breathing is faster but there is a smile on her lips. She's having fun. Yes she's noting that perhaps her scars are tighter than she realized but there is little to be done about that aside from just learn to live with them. What better way than this?

So she's sitting there catching her breath when Araceli comes back up, her fennec companion poking his head out of her pack to look around the high area with curiosity.]

To the window then?

[ This is already so much to remember! Probably why it's worth having a teacher instead of trying to figure this all out by herself. ]

Right.

[ Her body sort of is fighting against it, as pulling herself up exerts energy and she blows out breathes. Time to reverse it. She pauses, blowing the breath out of her nose as she lifts up with her calves, and when she grabs a spot to pull up, sucks in new air through her nose. Right now, this seems like so much to focus on while trying not to slip off. If she could just get this to happen involuntarily, that would be great.

She's about halfway to the top, going much slower than Araceli. Thankfully, she has no fear of heights. It's kind of impossible to when you can be a bird. And it's that thought that suddenly bolsters her. If she falls, she'll just shift into bird form. So now she can take risks and speed this up a bit. Araceli might notice her renewed vigor as she pushes up and grabs for new handholds. ]

Sounds good. [ She won't mention the bird thing, even though Araceli has already seen it. Ellana is here to learn this skill, not take shortcuts unless she's about to break her neck. ]

[Waver gives a nod to show that he's registered the whole thing, then moves to the edge to watch Araceli fall. It is more than a little terrifying to behold, in truth, but the logical side of Waver reminds him that this has been done time and again.

He stands there, balancing carefully, waiting for some kind of landing noise.]

[The hay rustles as Araceli gets to her feet, shaking it out of her hair as she rearranges the pile and waves up at Waver.

Now for the climb back up that's quicker because she's not watching or teaching, giddy from how good it feels to let go.]

Simple enough. You let go, you let your body go loose, you breathe out before you go.

[Araceli's been doing this since she was twelve. Long enough for some things to become habit, earning her living off it since the age of fifteen as well as being a strong swimmer that always helps with the whole controlled breathing issue.

Glancing at where Ellana is from time to time, Araceli concentrates on climbing up since the Gallows isn't much of a challenge by now - it's tall but nowhere is as tall as Castileos, it's got plenty to cling to without too many gaps or obstacles between, and there isn't any real chill in the air or heavy structural damage the way there was in Skyhold.

On the whole it's a good place and Ellana's doing fine without coaching so she makes her way to the top, pulling herself up in a fluid movement where her elbows bend and straighten as she uses her arms for that final moment to get her legs over. She does wait there though, a hand ready for whenever Ellana makes it up if she needs it. Sometimes this is the worst part for people when they aren't used to having to use their bodies like that, a little trembly or shaky with it.]

Maybe at some point we can get watchers too, that way you can learn how to do this without being seen. Better than doing it the hard way where someone might shoot you in the backside.

To the window.

[Lux sniffs the air as Araceli agrees before she starts to clamber over the edge where she's left a window open just enough for her to start opening it once she's down and level. Feet balanced on the edge of it, the fox hops down and in, peering out before she moves away along the wall to look up at Kattrin.]

I'll close it once you've put your things in, Lux sounding off if anyone else shows up'll scare them off and Korrin's shift might be over before we're back.

[Maybe. Sometimes they change and sometimes she stays late, so long as she keeps out of trouble given what's happened.]

[Under most circumstances, Waver would have at least attempted to undercut his own tension. Instead, when Araceli gets back up, his face betrays his nerves.]

Right. Time to ignore my brain tell me that this is how I'm going to die then.

[Waver turns around, then steps off of the building.

For the few few seconds, he does try and scramble, looking more like a cartoon than someone practicing a serious attempt at well, falling with style. But Araceli's right. Let go. Relax.

And one he manages that, the whole experience is far less terrifying. He lands with a solid FWUMP in the hay, the stuff then covering him entirely. It takes a few seconds for him to clear it out of his face and gently roll out of the pile.]

Nothing's broken!

[Which is his definition of success.]

You aren't going to die. You will be fine. I have faith in you.

[That doesn't stop her heart from leaping into her mouth because as much as she can sell this as a valuable skill to learn, as something that someone decided to learn of their own free will, if anyone gets injured or worse then that's always going to be on her.

But stare down a lot of bad things and you have a good poker face. Be a girl making your way in a world that wants to put your in your place and bravado is second nature.]

Bueno! See? Look at you go! [She'll follow him down, rolling out to bounce up next to him with a smile.] Like flying, no? The body and the mind are capable of things when we trust them like that.

That-- [ huff ] would be good. [ huff puff. ] Maybe next time?

[ She's close to the top now, looking up to see Araceli looking as natural as if she was born atop the roof. One more pull up and she's able to get her leg over, grateful for any help Araceli offers at this point. Once she's safely up beside her friend, Ellana rotates her shoulders and grimaces slightly. ]

First time's always the hardest.

[Waver stops picking straw out of his hair to watch her jump again. It is far, far more elegant than whatever he just did, and frankly, to make it look so effortless is the goal. Well, one of them. Among many.

But, straw.]

More like extremely well coordinated falling. [But Waver is grinning, a little breathless.] It is exhilarating though, once you figure out that you'll be fine. I. Well.

Thank you. Even just for this. I wouldn't have ever had the mind to do this on my own.

Skyhold was good for a few things that here isn't. It was all enclosed where I had to practice with soldiers on watch and on patrol, patterns to memorise, patients in others. Which might not be a bad idea. [If Araceli can see the guard pattern and confirm it, then have Ellana watch and report it back? It's all practice. If she wants to learn how to sneak, it's the sort of thing she'll need to get a real handle on.]

Your body will get used to it, swimming will help to tone some of the muscles, stretches if you feel anything getting stiff but obviously not every time is a time you get to stretch. [Life being what it is.]

Let me know when you can breathe comfortably and we can keep going. I don't want you getting a stitch or dizzy up here.

[Being just shy of ten years doing this makes all the difference when it comes to getting a job done and getting it done with style. But she never had her first students in Skyhold go off a building. The fence by the stables, the stable roof, or the wall at their own discretion, but never from this height and she's proud.]

You believed in yourself. If you hadn't, you wouldn't have gone. Whenever you want more lessons? Just leave me a message and you'll be racing me in no time.

Just a minute, then. I'll tell you when I'm ready.

[ She looks down over the edge, breathing hard but keeping focused as to the goings-on down below. Soldiers are moving towards the training area, several people with baskets are heading towards the garden, and two scouts are leaning against a wall having a smoke. ]

Everything is so... less organized here. Which is funny because we have this nice, centralized place for it all, but people are either sitting inside all day or milling around out here. [ Her head nods towards the scouts. ] They could do that every day at this time, or just found a free moment. Same with those guys heading to the sparring ring. And that's with people who are here everyday. Spying on others when you don't know what they're supposed to be doing must be a lot of work.

[Waver smiles at that, his eyes flicking right back up to where he had jumped from.]

I almost want to go again, but I think my body strength will abandon me when I'm halfway up. No one needs to deal with that.

[But more importantly:]

You're an excellent teacher, by the way.

I have little so I am not worried.

[Climbing down, she moves along the wall and waits until she has a good angle before swinging her bag inside. It lands neatly to the side of the window and she nods in satisfaction before moving up the wall again towards the roof again. Certainly easier for free running up there than to test grip strength.]

That's what city life is. People are always coming and going but it still has a rhythm and pattern to it, it just takes longer to find it. You have to be willing to put the time in to do it. [Araceli stretches, her back popping.] You know I was a thief before I was in Thedas, but to be a good thief that didn't get caught by the guards or who didn't get captured by anyone and put in a cell, I could spend days, weeks, even months learning different routes and routines. That was home, you know home. In time, people will settle, you'll know Kirkwall. Not everything is predictable but you'll learn to have as many plans as you can.

I had mouths to feed with what I was stealing but it was the thrill too. I was better than them. All those rich people with all their money and their guards and sometimes they chased me, sometimes they fought me, a few times they shot me but no one ever caught me. [That's a lie. Leandra caught her but Leandra's plan was very clever after all.] You want to be the best, it becomes your life. I ran with a gang of thieves when I was twelve. I moved to my own rooms at fifteen to provide for myself and then the rest in that building. [Araceli might have had a safety net waiting for her if she needed it but it's where everyone's different life starts to tell them apart; Ellana can survive in the wilds better than Araceli ever could, she'll always know far more about magic and what it is to live in Thedas but this is what Araceli knows. If she's better at passing that on than teaching how to spot tells remains to be seen.]

[Lux yips once, the usual signal of him acknowledging he's been asked to do something before shutting up again. Araceli smiles, ready to go, the route clear in her head.]

You know where the warehouses are? I thought we could go make it to there without touching the ground, dive in, run back so we don't go too cold. And I realise now that's more an issue for me than you.

[Look she's short and most of Thedas is colder all the year round than home.]

[She looks to where the warehouses are and gives a nod. Of course then she pauses and offers a smile.]

If you find yourself cold you can wear my coat and tunic. They will be warm even when wet.

[She seriously doesn't mind running around topless. Araceli should see what some Avvar armor is.]

[ Months? Ain't nobody got time for that, girl.

Of course, Ellana is rather impatient, but she needs to go down this road. The front lines of battle just aren't for her anymore. So she'll have to learn patience. ]

I didn't know all that about you. [ Which surprises her. Yes, she knew a little, from when she and Araceli would sit at cards or Liar's Dice, but not the being on her own at fifteen part. ] When you watch people, well, you said guards. Is it only guards, or do you watch everyone to make sure they aren't watching you in return? And where do you watch from? Up high like here, or do you walk among them?

So I've noticed. But I can roll with the rough and tumble lifestyle.

[Not if that involves leveling an entire city!! Gosh, a god can have some basic courtesy if nothing else.]

Certainly has to beat what gets served by the Inquisition cooks sometime. Wonder how you keep leftovers good though? I mean, if left out they'll go bad in no time. And no refrigerators in Thedas to speak of.

[Oh she did. You don't forget the time your girlfriend came home from a funeral covered in something kind of like paint from the waist up.

What an Age to be alive in.]

I couldn't possibly, those are yours Kattrin.

[As much as Araceli shares, clothes are kind of a thing.]

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