[Closed-ish] Swift as the coursing river

[shortspoken]

Who: Annabellie and her victims students
What: 3DMG lessons
When: Nowish
Where: The forest just off Chloe's ranch



[ Anyone who expressed even the slightest interest in learning to use the 3DMG - and a few who didn't (hello Bertl) - will have received a customarily curt private message via the network this morning. The message contains nothing but a time, the address to Chloe's ranch and instructions to "bring your own gear if you have it."

Contrary to appearances, it's not some kind of drug meet. IT'S 3D MANEUVERING LESSONS TIME, YO. Everybody party. Tell your friends. And watch this while I set up some fukken subthreads.

OKAY DONE. Tag in wherever you'd like, don't feel like you have to play out all the lessons because wow nobody has time for that shit, annnnd if you have questions just prod me. ]

Comments

[shortspoken]

...Yes. I'll save them for you.

[ Children embedding glass in their faces: also bad. GOSH SO MUCH TO REMEMBER.

And on that note, she's just going to show Jamie the basics of controlling the gear. CHECK THESE TRIGGER THINGS OUT KIDDO, WOW ]

This is where the wire comes out. Aim at a surface, and fire to release them. A good shot will embed itself into the place you shoot, creating an anchor.

[ She points to the trees either side of them. ]

Fire the wires into each tree. There's no need to worry, you won't be going into the air until you're ready.

[honestopinion]

[Small hands fork them over, he's a little blind but not too blind. Focusing extra hard on her intrusion before aiming blindly at what he considered the target, thankfully there are close enough and Jamie get both of them.]

I-I did it, didn't I?!

[The smile on his face is wide, perhaps his reaction was a little childish for a thirteen year-old but something about doing things for the first time at his age leaves behind that childhood innocence.]

[shortspoken]

Yes. You did it. Very good.

[ The praise is as monotone as usual and probably doesn't sound that convincing, but she does mean it. She's just busy thinking about how they should deal with Jamie's glasses in future - moving at speed without them could be dangerous, right?

Maybe goggles would work. Whatever. ]

When you're ready, raise yourself by pressing this - [ point! ] - slowly and carefully. We just want you to hang still in the air for now until you learn to balance.

So try not to turn upside down.

[honestopinion]

[Her monotone praise don't affect him, Jamie hadn't said it so much to earn praise off Ellie as he did so to remind himself that it was possible -- to encourage himself.

However, from her instruction, Jamie is going to need a whole lot more pushing if he's ever going to get himself balanced.. Again, the kid isn't sporty, this isn't his kind of thing. What if Jean can't provide him with memories or skills that will get him through this? Jamie's already positive without them he wont be able to do it.] O-Okay um--
What will catch me if I fall?

[The rock-hard ground most likely, a little tiny bit of him says to just try. Enough questions, it's that little tiny bit that's making his hands squeeze the triggers and get his ass moving already.]

[shortspoken]

You're not going to fall. Probably.

[ Wow. So encouraging. She stays pretty close as Jamie starts raising himself, though, just n case he does pitch forward. ]

Stop as soon as you're comfortable with the height. Try to stay relaxed. The idea is to balance like it's the most natural thing in the world.

[honestopinion]

[He's worried, more than just a little, Jamie is terribly worried about falling. Pressing in on the triggers, hoisting himself up only to completely lose balance. Whining and whimpering like he needed someone to hold him, panicking that he was going to break his face or crack his head open.

It worked with his mother...]

H-help...

[shortspoken]

Stop it.

[ SORRY, JAMIE. Ellie has all the maternal instincts of a rock.

A particularly unmotherly rock.

She does attempt to steady him as best she can from the ground without letting him down, but it's not in an especially sympathetic way. Her blank-ass lineface stays firmly in place. ]

Being weak is fine. But if you want to be strong, you have to do some things by yourself.

When I let go again, you need to relax. If you're scared, push it aside. Think about becoming the person you want to be. Ready?

[honestopinion]

[Another timid whimper, hands wrapping around her own that were keeping him steady.

Jamie's not ready for you to let go just yet. However, he does take her words to heart, deep breaths as he closes his eyes.. thinking about the person he hopes to be.] O-Okay.. okay..

You can.. [His breath calms but his hearts keeps pounding.] --let go.



[-But it works on his mom!!!]

[shortspoken]

Good man.

[ That's not a thing many people could say to a scared thirteen-year old while keeping a straight face. Luckily, Ellie is good at that sort of thing and therefore sounds pretty sincere. SCORE ONE FOR LINEFACE MCGEE!!

She takes a step back, then slowly lets go. ]

Stay relaxed and you'll be fine.

[ ... ]

You wouldn't want Alan to look over and see you fail, would you?

[ There. Have some extra motivation. ]

[honestopinion]

[Jamie looks up, giving her a terrified look.
Alan can see them?! He could be watching?!

So much of his energy is being wasted on panicking, wishing the echo would just happen.. but just like Ellie was trying to tell him he just needed to relax so when she lets go Jamie stays still for a good few seconds.

He's not going to get this the first time however, the second he opens his blurry eyes he starts tumbling, feet trying to keep him balanced and for the most part he puts up a good fight before stumbling forward. Screaming loudly upon doing so-]

[shortspoken]

Ah--

[ Thankfully, Ellie's close enough to step forward and allow Jamie to faceplant into her shoulder instead of the ground. She might not be the most sympathetic of people, but she really doesn't want to send kids home with bruised-up faces.

(Bruises in other places are acceptable.) ]

Not bad. Do you think you can get yourself upright and try again, or would you rather get down?

[ The question being more a test of bravery and tenacity than anything else, obviously. ]

[honestopinion]

[He's thankful but almost scared to grab her in anyway for better support. His mom's voice just echoes in his mind to respect women's personal space but eventually he releases the triggers on the gear, lowering down.]

I think so.. um- Thank you.

[The hardest part is over; falling for the first time. Nothing else could even compare to the fear of failing and plummeting to his face.. Jean himself never had trouble getting used to his 3DMG, not like some of his classmates, so now that Jamie's goals and expectations have changed he's finally able to get himself off the ground and balanced.

Whether he realises his echo or not Jamie is keeping himself up rather well right now. Nothing like a real professional but he's not tumbling over, that's a plus.

Finally taking a breath to speak--] Like this...? [His heart racing..]