Dancing Across... Where? [Flashback, Open]

[Adavi Brevissima]

Adavi frowned; his earlier sulk turning to confusion and then gradually making way for interest as Avarys continued his display. Adults were weird. He didn’t understand why they laughed at things that weren’t funny and why they said stuff that didn’t make any sense. Not everyone was mad. He wasn’t mad, not really, and Avarys didn’t look mad at all, a little strange maybe, but not angry.

The boy didn’t say anything as Avarys spoke. He didn’t feel the man was really looking for answers anyway but, just liked the sound of his own voice.

Avarys’ words confirmed what he’d first believed; that asking Alanys was out of the question and if there really wasn’t anyone else who could teach him then he’d have to go practice on his own. He’d learned a few things from watching her, he could probably figure out the rest. He recalled the image of Alanys boldly diving towards the ground with nothing but a single strip of cloth tied to her ankle for safely. It was daredevil grace when she did it but, the boy saw only his own death in such an action. Maybe if he started by just suspending himself two feet above ground? And knots, he’d want a good strong knot so he wouldn’t fall. Adavi furrowed his brow in thought trying to come up with some excuse as to leave. Even though he might not like Avarys the man was still his elder, it would be disrespectful to leave without dismissal; though, Adavi admitted, it was kinda cool for an adult to talk to him.

Watching from his perch the boy cocked his head in interest as Avarys started to dance. The man’s grace had been evident in his stride but this, this was something else. Carefully climbing to where Avarys now elegantly flowed to his own rhythm the boy watched wide eyed and entranced. This is what he wanted to do; this was exactly what he wanted to be. He was tired of being clumsy and always having to watch his body, he wanted to move like that. To glide like silken water over every surface, bending and moving through the world instead of colliding into it. Avarys’ dance was beautiful, powerful, captivating; Adavi could almost hear the music his movements made, and it was a most enticing song.

The boy had unwittingly moved within two arm lengths of his elder before the man’s last comment punctured his childlike trance. Startled Adavi’s lips parted and he looked away with a rising blush. It’s true, Alanys was beautiful, but he hadn’t wanted to learn that sort of stuff from her, even if her skin did look really soft...

Taking a moment to guarantee the steadiness of his voice the boy looked back to his elder.

“I want to learn how to move like you do.” He said; the resolve in his voice and eyes at odds with his slowly receding blush. “Will you teach me?”

[Poison]

Avarys didn’t answer Adavi’s question right away. In fact it almost seemed as if the weaver were ignoring him for a while. Rather than casting as much as a glance at the boy, he continued his dance. He didn’t make a single sound as he moved, and his feet barely seemed to come in contact with the silken ribbon on which he was dancing. And then he made a small jump, and a moment later he was hanging upside down. His feet were somewhere above Adavi, while his face was on exactly the same level as the boy’s.

Avarys was laughing, and his eyes shimmered with a hint of madness for a moment. „Of course you want to learn how to move like me“, he stated in a matter of fact tone. „Everybody wants to.“ Avarys believed that he was Viratas‘ gift to the people of Kalinor, and his ego was huge enough to fill all those empty houses. Humility had definitely never been his forte.

He made a face as he considered what Adavi had said again. Had the boy really had the nerve to ask him whether he would teach him? After he had said that he didn’t know anybody that could teach him? Was he daft? Hadn’t he heard the rumors? Avarys wasn’t sure if he’d ever want himself as a teacher. He was impatient, and he could be a real bastard. He’d probably corrupt those innocent little Symenestra after a while …

He crossed his arms over his chest and regarded Adavi for a few moments, and then he was suddenly standing in front of the boy again, with both feet firmly on the ground. „Give me …“ he began and furrowed his brow a little. „Give me three reasons why I should teach you. One reason would be too easy. And I want three good reasons. Don’t just say ‚I’d love to learn how to move gracefully‘ and ‚Avarys, you are the best‘, because that's obvious."

[Adavi Brevissima]

Avarys sudden downward movement was met by hardly a flinch from the boy. This was due in part because Adavi had become accustomed to a safe environment and startled slowly, and partly because of the great deal of focus the boy was currently directing towards his elder. He watched as Avarys stretched and balanced his body across the fragile stage; muscles fluidly contracting as one movement blended seamlessly into the next. In this way Adavi’s subconscious mind had predicted his elder’s sudden change of motion even if the conscious part was caught off guard.

The boy blinked his face slipping into minor shock while his eyes refocusing upon the face suddenly before him. A face which glinted in a way Adavi found both curious and strange, but not yet to the point of danger. If the situation had been less important to the boy, he would’ve smiled when Averys laughed proclaiming his self-importance. The man was funny if a bit peculiar, and reminded Adavi of his brother.

He looked up as Avery’s feet touched the ground keeping his eyes on the older man’s face.

“Because, I-“Adavi begin swiftly in answer, but cut himself off med sentence just as fast as he’d begun. He’d been expecting Avarys to ask something like this, he’d even prepared two possible answers, but three? And one of his answers was for the question ‘Why do you want to learn?’ Not ‘Why should I teach you?

“Because,” He began again, slowly this time, his mind scrambling for alternate reasons. “When everyone asks how I learned to dance so well I’ll tell them you taught me.” The boy frowned. It wasn’t a very good motive in his opinion, but maybe it would appeal to Avarys’ ego; now to find two more.

He could say Avarys owed him since Adavi was pretty sure it was his fault Alanys wouldn’t teach him anymore, but no, that’d be petty, and Avarys had already proven he didn’t care, so blackmail wouldn’t work. How about if he said he’d do something for Avarys in return? But what could he do? He was just a kid, and no one of importance at that. What if he tried expressing how ashamed he was a being clumsy? No, like the blackmail idea looking for pity was futile.

As the seconds passed dozens of similar options flipped one by one through Adavi’s mind, each quickly rejected for one reason or another.

Stuffing his hands stubbornly into his pockets Adavi gazed up at the dancing cloths overhead for inspiration. His first answer hadn’t been all that great and he’d only two left to make up for it. That was like craming three reasons into two answers! He needed something impactful, that would appeal to Avarys whims but, also confer his own passion to learn.

What came to mind when he thought of suspension dancing? Well that it was dangerous for starters; courageous, graceful, powerful, focused, illusionary, and lucky if nothing went wrong. That’s the kind of reasons he needed then; something that reflected all or at least most of those qualities.

Adavi felt something smooth and hard in his pocket; it rolled around his fingers and his eyes widened briefly as an idea haphazardly configured itself.

Being ten years old the concept of controlling people via threat of physical violence was still new to Adavi. He’d only recently realized other people could feel pain; much less that he could induce it. The boy had seen other kids use this tactic on each other before, and whether consciously or not he’d been experimenting with it as well. The boy wasn’t sure if it’d work on Averys though, and not just because Averys was bigger than him, or because he could get into a lot of trouble.

Averys was an adult, and kids couldn’t hurt adults, it just wasn’t possible, like trying to hurt a god, ridiculous. But, but it was daring, showing some sort of courage if foolishly so; and dangerous if Averys got mad. It would show his determination and that what power he had he was willing to display; though the act itself would sort of be an illusion or more accurately a bluff as Adavi wasn’t sure he’d actually be able to go through with the threat. And there’d be luck, perhaps a bit too much luck as much of the outcome depended on Averys mentality. Grace....well maybe, if he executed it properly...

Adavi let the idea germinate a few moments longer before bracing himself with a final decision. Pulling out his slingshot and loading it in one fluid motion he aimed at Averys’ groin.

“Because,” The boy continued. “I’m the one holding back this rock, and, because from this distance, I can’t miss.” His voice quavered near the end but, his hands and eye were steady as he watched carefully for Averys response.

[Poison]

„Oh, that’s a good answer“, Avarys replied as Adavi said that he would tell everybody he’d taught him. And he wasn’t being sarcastic in the least. In fact he smiled all over his face. „But I’m still waiting for your other two answers. I can’t just lower my standards because you’ve somehow managed to say that one thing I wanted to hear more than anything else.“ He tapped his food on the floor and somehow managed to look almost like a teacher for a moment, a slightly mean teacher who didn’t particularly love children.

Seconds passed without Adavi saying anything, and Avarys began to get even more impatient. He couldn’t help but wonder if the boy had suddenly lost his ability to speak or if he wasn’t particularly intelligent (he’d been about to change his mind about Adavi when he’d heard his first answer).

He looked a little confused and not particularly impressed when Adavi stuffed his hands into his pockets, but that changed as abruptly as Adavi pulled his slingshot out and aimed it at his groin.

The weaver’s eyes widened, and then he immediately covered his groin with his hands because he’d rather lose his hands than that part of his body, that very, very important part. And then, a moment later, he laughed out loud. He laughed so loudly that his voice seemed to echo from the rocks around them.

„That …“ he said, and he sounded as if he really meant it. „That was fantastic. I had no idea that you had it in you, boy. Maybe you aren’t a complete loser after all. I might teach you, just because I’ve never met anybody brave enough to threaten me. But do me a favour now and lower that slingshot. You could hurt somebody with it, you know?“

[Adavi Brevissima]

"Really?" Adavi asked, his voice hopeful and laced with just a breath of relief. Just like that? Just a bit of ego stroking and one threat and Avarys would teach him? He almost couldn't believe this simplicity of it. In hind sight what had appeared as such an impossible tasks now seemed too easy, and as Adavi lowered his slingshot a paranoid little voice began jabbered warnings. What if Avarys was lying? What if his words were just a trick to get him out of harms way? What if the man was just pretending to be impressed and was in reality furious? Avarys hadn't actually promised to teach Adavi dancing, the frantic voice reminded, only implied that he might.

Slipping the sling shot back withing his clothing Adavi firmly squashed the chatterings of ungrounded fear. It was true, the boy had noticed a meanness in his elder. Something petty, like a man who enjoyed tormenting those weaker then himself, but Avarys was also a gallant, he liked to shine and have others look upon him with praise and respect. Adavi could give him that, and more he could become a septical for such things, if Avarys did in fact plan to teach him. But even as this voice was a coldly calculated as the other was overly paranoid, the true voice, the true reason Adavi was so quick to lower his weapon was because, he wanted Avarys to like him.

Avery's was an elder, and in the boys childish view, of age much older then himself. It wasn't often that adults talked to him, or showed any interest beyond a passing glance or word. But Avarys, Avarys might actually teach him something, something Adavi desperately wanted to learn, and more, the man had seemed impressed by the boy's antics. Maybe Avarys would end up liking him too? That'd be nice, the man really did remind Adavi of his brother, and he missed Jheverrei.

Adavi's hope was that of a child, ignorant to the workings of an adult mind, but of wanting, of reaching towards that with his boy heart desired. Of doing anything he could to get that which he wanted without fully comprehending the consequences his actions might recoil.

Looking towards Avarys the boy let a triumphant smile cross his features.

"I'm not a looser." He confirmed the man's previous statement with a little nod, "I just want to dance..." Adavi glanced up at the streamers hung high above his head and suppressed a gulp of fear.

"More then anything." He finished his last words vibrating with a childish passion that echoed from within the large eyes he turned back upon Averys.

[Poison]

„Really“, Avarys confirmed. „You can believe me. Do I look like a liar?” The weaver looked as if he were a little offended now. He even pouted. “What can I say, I like it when people say good things about me. And I also like a surprise every now and then.” He still hadn’t removed his hands from his groin though and eyed Adavi a little warily. Why hadn’t the boy lowered the slingshot yet?

As Adavi finally removed the damn thing, Avarys breathed an audible sigh of relief, but a moment later he acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, as if he hadn’t been worried about being castrated in the least. He was his old, arrogant self again, and he even managed a very confident smile.

“I didn’t call you a loser”, Avarys insisted. “Not a complete loser anyway. And if you want to dance, you’d better start doing so now. If I am really going to teach you, I have to find out what you know first. I need to see you move. So get on the rope where Alanys was dancing before she decided to lose her mind and show me what you are capable of.”

“Or are you a coward and not interested in learning from me after all?”