(2016-04-27) Fencing at Sundown
Fencing at Sundown
Summary: Bev manages to get Gabrielle to have a conversation lasting more than 30 seconds. And gets a fencing lesson out of it.
Date: 27APR2016
Related: None
NPCs: None
Scene Runner: NA
Players:
bev..gabrielle..

Late in the afternoon, after classes have been over for about an hour, the strains of Charli XCX's Boom Clap can be heard coming from the gym. Someone following the sound of the music would ultimately find Gabrielle. Dressed in an oversize t-shirt and dance leggings she's completely focused on the rhythmic gymnastics routine she's working on choreographing to the song. A bright blue ball flows from hand to hand over her body, flies through the air just to be caught at the last second and generally seems to have a mind of its own, almost becoming a partner for Gabrielle instead of a prop. The routine would normally be impressive enough but since joining the Coral Springs High a year ago Gabrielle has begun integrating both her wall crawling and her teleportation into the routines she develops. So on top of everything else the room is frequently filled with the tiny sparks of light caused by the air imploding into the spots Gabby teleports away from, creating a light show to accompany the gymnastics routine.

Bev Sunderland is flitting about as is her wont in the late afternoon — that time when the sun is still shining, and the girl is wired on daylight. Maybe it's not visible down here, but Bev is fully aware of its presence off to the west. The sound of music playing draws her attention. The brunette peeks around the door and then enters the room and watches Gabby from the doorway, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Y'know," she calls after a moment, "there are a few people forming a dance team. They'd love to have you, I bet!"

Bev is one of the most noticeable members of the Athenian League. In the daytime she's bright, sometimes loud, and full of herself. In the evening she's mostly in her room, because she pretty much rises and sets with the sun. She was on TV for years before coming to Coral Springs — and tends to assume everybody knows it. So certainly Gabby has heard it, whether she's said much in response or not.

Gabrielle is in the middle of a pirouette that has her holding her ball against nth emiddle of her back with the back of her thigh. Hearing a voice unexpectedly makes Gabby disappear with a pop and a spark of light, ball and all, just to reappear against the far wall of the gym, hugging the ball like a safety blanket. She watching Bev with the same kind of wariness a bird watches a cat that's a little to close but her interest is definitely piqued at the mention of a dance team. "Really? Who's doing it?" Nothing make her interest clearer than the fact that she's speaking loud enough to actually be heard all the way across the gym with the music playing.

The fact that she can hear Gabrielle speak is enough to surprise Bev, her eyebrow rising on her forehead. She resists the urge to say something snarky. Bev can be snarky, to be sure — and sometimes for no obvious reason. But she tries to avoid it around her teammates. Really, she tends to be nice to new kids and Athenas, even if she's seriously full of herself under the best of circumstances. "My roommate, for one," she says, moving closer, toward where the girl has been dancing. "Stefanie Howson. Also Annaliesa and Felicia from Ares." She pauses a moment, then says, "You're Gabriella, right?"

Gabrielle is still watching Bev warily but she at least hold her ground when the older girl comes closer. As the song fades out she lowers her voice some, nodding for a moment before changing her mind and actually correcting Bev on her name, "Gabrielle, with an 'E' at the end. But Gabby is OK too. So what kind of dance are we talking about?"

"Gabby," says Bev. "Sorry. We haven't really talked before. I've seen you around the dorm, though." Pause. "I like your hair." She couldn't do that with her hair — she'd never get parts. But still. It works for Gabby. "I don't really know, honestly. Stef asked me if I wanted to join, but I'm more into music and acting than dancing, so…" She shrugs. "But still, talk to them, at least. Or I can send Stef to talk to you." Because she wonders if Gabby would actually talk to the other girls. And also, Stef is probably the sweetest girl around, so she could probably get Gabby to talk.

Gabrielle lowers her eyes at the mention of her hair, muttering a thanks followed by, "No choice. Was born that way." She watches Bev through a curtain of hair for a moment longer, making sure that the compliment is genuine and not some kind of backhanded way of making fun of her. Finally she uses one finger to brush said hair back behind an ear and nods, "Stefanie would be OK. I practice here almost every day so I'm easy to find." After a beat to think about it she asks in a timid voice, "You're a teleporter too, right?"

"Only in the sun," says Bev. "But I'm working on it. Mostly I just shine." She glows all the time, but now she makes herself glow more brightly — a yellowish sheen shining off her skin, coming brighter from her eyes. "Well, that and fire lasers at things." She doesn't do this at the moment. That sort of thing is best reserved for the training room downstairs. Plus, it might scare Gabby. And Gabby seems a bit on the skittish side to begin with.

Gabrielle tilts her head to the side, heightening the vague resemblance to a bird her hands already give her. A very small, hesitant smile blooms on her lips as she says, "That's a pretty effect." Her eyes dart to a pair of blunted rapiers that are sitting along the edge of the gym's wall and after taking a moment to screw up her courage she asks, "Do you fence, by any chance?"

"There was this one scene in 'My Secret Identity,'" Bev says, glancing at the swords in turn. "I had to fence with the bad guy. But that was, you know, all choreographed. I've never fenced for real." She pauses. "I mean, sport fencing. Or real fencing. With real swords. Either way, I haven't done it." She chuckles softly, glances skyward. "Getting close to sundown. I'm getting a little bit distracted. You fence?"

Gabrielle nods shyly then a little line creases her forehead, right in the middle of her eyebrows. "Do you have to go? If you need to I understand…" She's trying not to impose on the older girl but her longing gaze is on the swords, which not a lot of people have actually had a chance to see her use even if she carries them everywhere around the school, except to classes.

Bev shakes her head quickly. "No, I don't need to go. I mean, you know, when the sun goes down, I get sleepy, but I'm fine for now. Just… I can pretty much sense where it is in the sky." She follows Gabrielle's gaze back to the swords, chuckles softly. "I can try," she says, "but as amazing as I am, you are totally gonna beat me."

OK. That brings out a full blow smile from the blue-haired girl. The sparkly, midnight blue ball she's been clutching to her chest drops to the ground and bounces there as she runs over to the swords. Taking one up in each hand she comes back to Bev, suddenly full of confidence, "OK! So do you know /anything/ at all about fencing, other than stage combat? Did they teach you how to hold the hilt properly?"

"Well, we do aim for realism," Bev replies, taking the hilt in hand and lifting it properly. "More so lately than, you know, twenty years ago or so. As far as I know, this is right." And it is. It was a few years ago that Bev did that scene, but she remembers her cues, in general. Perhaps she watched some fencing matches to prepare.

Gabrielle runs her eyes over Bev's hand then nods, satisfied. "Well, I don't practice Olympic fencing. I practice medieval fencing so it will be a lot more like a movie or a TV show. You can move anywhere you want and any part of the body is a fair target. But we're not going to aim for the face since we don't have helmets." Moving to the center of the room, she motions for Bev to follow with a wand wave that is pure Bruce Lee. "Do you want to start on the offensive, just so I can see how much you really know? Just try to tag me, edge or tip doesn't matter." The swords' tips have a large blob of rubber on them and the edges are blunt enough that even a full force hit (at normal human levels) would leave nothing more than bruises.

Bev's powers keep her well energized, more dexterous, a little stronger, more resilient than most people — but not off the charts. She shrugs at the suggestion. "I make no promises of talent," she says. "And my scene was pretty much sport fencing, but…" She tilts her head slightly, furrowing her brows. "Medieval fencing? Like renaissance festival stuff?" She's been to renaissance festivals — King Richard's Faire down in Massachusetts is fun, especially when she dresses up as a royal lady and then gets recognized by fans. Bev's life kind of revolves around people being in awe of her.

"Okay. Attacking first," she agrees after a few moments, and then launches a clumsy, if still agile, attack with the point of her foil.

Gabrielle wags her head from side to side a bit, "Kinda like renfaires. I'm part of the SCA, the Society for Creative Anachronism. Think Civil War reenactors but with a medieval theme." As Bev attacks Gabrielle starts to move. At first it seems like she's just barely parrying or dodging Bev's attacks but the longer the other girl attacks the more noticeable it becomes that Gabby is letting attacks come close to her on purpose, leaving it until the last second to parry or, more often than not, to bend in painful looking ways to get out of the way of the lunges and slashes.

Nimble, Bev notes internally. She's only a sophomore, but Bev is one of the more experienced Athenas around. She's taken leadership roles on missions — more because she assumes she has the right and responsibility to do so than because she's a great leader. She's also managed to get herself knocked unconscious more than once. So she's observing Gabby's moves, pondering how she'd work among the others. Still, she presses her attack, managing to strike at least once, if glancingly. She's quick, but she really doesn't know what she's doing — the choreographer taught her very specific moves, and she wasn't the hero. She was beaten quickly in the scene.

After Bev's first contact Gabrielle calls a halt to the sparring, the big smile that first appeared when Bev agreed to play with sword still on her lips. "I think you have a lot of potential. Want to learn how to fight with these for real? It would help me too, there's only so much I can do to practice without a real, live sparring partner or two?"Holding out her free hand he wordlessly asks for the sword back while offer to train Bev.

Bev steps back when Gabby calls a halt, raises her brows once more at the blue-haired girl's suggestion. She considers this a moment, then nods, smiles as she hands back the sword. "In my line of work, it's always good to have other skills. Fencing could come in handy for a part sometime — and knowing it is better than having every step choreographed. Thank you."

As soon as the sparring is done Gabby's shyness comes back full force. But at least now a small smile is lurking somewhere in her expression's background. "Great! I'm sorry I have to leave but I promised my parents I would call tonight. But we'll do this again soon?" By this time she has her things all gathered up and she's retreating out the door without waiting for an answer. almost as if she's afraid that given a few more seconds Bev will suddenly change her mind.

Bev smiles a little more broadly. "Soon," she agrees as Gabby retreats. "You know where to find me. See you later, Gabby." She watches the girl go, then heads for the weights — always a good plan to work on muscle tone.

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