• Solo • [Venora] Upside Down

[Doran Cooney]

The one seventy-second trial of Vhalar in the 716th arc.

Crowds were not common when it came to his performances. If anything, it tended to be one or two young women who seemed to watch him more out of carnal desire than any real interest in what it was he was actually doing. Good sports as they were, they still tended to pass him along a few coins, with the suggestion they might pay more should he give them a private performance. Doran, having never had much tact for picking out the subtle, lascivious implications of such things, had yet to accept the proposal, finding that a private performance would surely cut his chances of garnering even a small modicum more attention from the passersby than he already seemed unable to do. His obliviousness proved an appealing draw to three women specifically, who had become, thought certainly by no means a stated position, his fans. They were supportive enough, and when there were others, they were the first to offer suggestions - and the first to laugh at his failures.

Currently, only one of them had had the time of day to visit him, and she sat contentedly watching from atop her perch upon a nearby bench as Doran took the time to stretch, for the time being focusing on his shoulders, rolling them back and fourth. "And your handspring? How is that coming along?" Her voice was bright and sharp, like a clear bird's song that slightly whistled between a small gap that sat wide between her two front teeth.

Shaking his head, Doran pulled one arm across his chest, pulling against the limb as he felt the muscles in his back and shoulder strain against the movement. "Bruises aplenty, yet my hands remain springless, I'm afraid." He was close, but the momentum needed to propel his feet over his head had not quite bested the uncertainty of being upside down. Thus, it was more of a tumble of elbows, knees, and the occasional spill of blood here and there where he had not quite taking into account the entirety of his surroundings. "But... soon, I think."

Chuckling to herself, she shook her head, the bouncy red curls catching at the midday light, reminiscent of the calm ocean waves. "Everything is soon until it's not with you."

Squatting down towards the ground, elbows pressed into the sides of his knees, Doran pushed against his legs, the tightness in his groin easing some as he slowly rocked back and forth, shifting his weight onto each foot. "Everything is soon until it's not with everyone, isn't it? Otherwise what else might it be?"

"Confusing, I guess." She rocked back as Doran settled onto the ground, reaching for his toes first on one foot then the other. "What are you planning on doing today?"

It wasn't quite as if Doran's repertoire of entertaining tricks was vast enough for there to be much variation in his routine. Still, he did his best not to do the very same thing each time, if for no other reason than as not to bore his dedicated audience of three. Thoughtfully drawing in breath through his nose, he slowly exhaled as he reached forward, stretching as far as he could towards the woman while his legs remained splayed on either side, the silent protest of his body reminding him that he he quite a long way to go to close the several inches between his chest and the uneven cobblestones of the street beneath him. "Chance willing, perhaps I'll play the professor."

[Doran Cooney]

Though his stretches carried on for a short time longer, when he finally found himself ready, there was a small gathering waiting for him. Several children stood staring curiously down at him, their caretaker having taken a place beside the redheaded woman, her own chestnut locks pinned neatly up, framing a slightly ruddy face that tended to go hand in hand with the chore of watching over the young. Grinning warmly at the trio before him, Doran, now in a squat, bounced on the balls of his feet. "Don't you get tired of standing on your feet all the time?" His words were soft but playful, a twinkle of merriment in his eyes as he regarded their confused expressions.

The largest of the three, a freckled girl with a veritable shrubbery growing out of her head comprised of wild, bushy brown locks eyed him suspiciously, though not without her own fair share of curiosity. "What else would we stand on?"

With a dramatic turn Doran placed his hands down and, with care to make certain he wouldn't kick any of his onlookers, popped up into a handstand. With some effort, he grinned at the now upside down figures. "Why upon your hands, of course." The smallest boy let out an impressed, "Oh!" while the girl and elder boy seemed more composed, though the delight in their eyes betrayed them. Shifting weight from hand to hand, Doran let his body bend in half, setting his feet back upon the ground nearby where his hands had been placed. Standing up, he felt the warm rush of heat as his blood funneled its way back down to his legs, and he offered a little bow towards the smallest boy who provided him a happy round of singular applause.

"But that's it?" There was some disappointment in the girl's voice, and Doran held no frustrations over it.

"Why certainly not. Now it's your turn, young lady." With a twirl of his wrist, he beckoned her to do the same. The boys giggled at the bright flush of pink embarrassment as the girl seemed to decide she wasn't quite ready for such a feat - even if there might have been a brief moment during which she had seriously considered it.

"I... I don't think I can." It was not so much a refusal as it was an acceptance of defeat, and Doran was quick to brush it aside with a reassuring chuckle.

"Nor can a bird fly or fish swim if it deems itself unable." Holding out his hand with an inviting nod, followed by a polite acknowledgement of the brown haired woman's concern from where she sat watching, he continued. "If you think yourself able conquer the feat rather than simply lacking the ability at all, I would happily help you to achieve it. All three of you." He winked at the smallest boy who had no hesitation in stepping forward with a brave tightening of his lips. "I really shouldn't say such a thing, but it's not nearly as difficult as it looks. Just don't tell anyone, or I'll be out of work entirely." The latter his whispered conspiratorially, receiving knowing nods from the three children who seemed intent on keeping the secret between them.

The brown haired women moved to protest, but she was interrupted by Doran's first onlooker. The redheaded woman cheerily grinned, whispering something into her ear that seemed to assuage the bulk of the other woman's concern for the time being. With a thankful nod in their direction, Doran once more turned his focus to his three new pupils. "The first and most important thing is to remember that it's a matter of when not if." Whether they understood or not, the three solemnly nodded. "Good." Stepping to the side, he gestured towards where the cobbles gave way to the verdant grasses that lined the street.

"We'll start here." Positioning himself in between the youngest and the other two, he squatted down, beckoning the others to do the same. Once they were properly lined up, he leaned forward, putting his hands out in front of him as he lowered his head so that its top rested against the soft, tickling blades of the grass, pressing gently into the soft earth beneath. "On my mark, I would like you to kick your feet into the air. Like so." Following his own instructions, Doran pushed his legs up into the sky, the weight of his body pressing down upon his hands and head alike as he kept his neck tight to keep from buckling. The children on either side of him watch seriously from their squatted positions, no longer filled with wonder so much as the careful analysis found in the eyes of children who were no longer curious but bent upon recreation. Letting his feet fall back to the ground, Doran settled into a seated position, tapping his neck and continuing the lesson. "Make certain to keep this straight and strong."

After nodding their acknowledgement, the children set about their task. The youngest was the first, the strength of his kick only enough to send his legs a bit below perpendicular to his body. The elder boy was next, casting his legs up and over so that he landed with a surprised "Oof." on his back, much to the laugher of the youngest. The girl was entirely more successful, her feet finding their way directly above the rest of her body, but only for a brief moment before she too found herself upon her back, near breathless save what air enough she had for laughter.

Doran's own mirth joined the three. "A very good start."

[Doran Cooney]

By the time their caretaker intervened, her smile almost apologetic as she drew the children off down the lane with a courteous nod towards Doran's red-faced grin as he waved them off, a break had nearly passed since their arrival. Stretching out the kinks in his neck by slowly rocking his head side to side, he realized that several more children had gathered: these more grown than those before. Clamoring, they asked for several different things: somersaults and cartwheels, handstands and flips, and all manner of things both simple and complex. Never one to balk at challenge for purely what it was, he was happy to oblige.

Somersaults were the easiest, and those who wished to do the same were given simple, breathless instructions: to tuck the head and curl the back so as to roll off the impact rather than allow it to steal one's wind. The cartwheels were trickier, both to perform and instruct, and he and the children found themselves with several new bruises and some improvement once all was said and done. As for the more difficult flips and tumbles, Doran assured them that, in time, he might teach them as well, but only after he was confident it would not cost a literal arm and leg. After some breaks, there remained only a boy about half of Doran's arcs, who, despite his bruised elbows and knees, was insistent on mastering standing on his hands.

"When you're up, stretch your toes towards the sky. It's as if you're trying to put something at the top of a shelf, only... down-side up." He made a vague gesture with hands, certain he'd already say something to same effect at least four or five times before, but the boy, Willam, nodded as if it was new, useful information. Chewing gently on his lower lip, eyes gleaming hard with determination, he set his hands upon the ground and cast up his feet. As before, Doran caught them, letting the boy lean his weight against his arm to steady his balance. "That's it..." He gradually removed his arm, leaving an upside down boy wobbling in the gentle breeze, but yet to tumble. For a moment, they exchanged excited grins, but in the next trill, Willam was on the ground, legs splayed and chest breathless. "Improvement in leaps and bounds, or perhaps more bangs and bruises; improvement nonetheless." He offered a warm hand, and Willam grasped it with a thoughtful nod.

"I think I'll count it." The sun had already colored the sky a golden honey, the clouds that speckled the warm canvas a mix of pinks and oranges. "Thank you for your help, mister." He grinned wide, his two missing upper teeth a wide window of ruddy black between the otherwise ivory wall.

"It was a pleasure." Patting the boy on the back, he waved him off, glancing sideways at the now empty bench. He wasn't certain when exactly the woman had left, but it hadn't been before she'd dropped a couple coins into one of his discarded boots. Slipping the coins he'd made that day into his pockets and retying the laces, he started up at the sky. Sunsets, no matter how many he saw, were always so dreamy a subject of wonder. Though bruised, his spirits were all the higher, and whatever tomorrow might bring seemed that much brighter.

[Rynata]

Name: Doran

Knowledge:
Acrobatics: Cartwheel
Acrobatics: Somersault

Loot: N/A
Injuries: Light soreness and bruising. Should heal in a matter of days.
Expenses: N/A
Renown: 5 (Performer seen in positive interaction with the crowd)
Magic XP: N/A

Points: 10

- - -

Comments: What a philosophical performer. I really enjoy his cheerful attitude toward all things. His naivete worries me a little though! Go ahead and update your thread list in your CS.

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