The Beach, Friday, Lunchtime

[glacial_queen]

So that was the ocean. Karla hugged herself a little, grinning a large, dopey smile. Even though the day was cloudy, the beach was still beautiful. The water had a slightly gray cast to it, a reflection of the overcast sky, but that didn't stop Karla from hiking up her skirt to knee-height and wading, calf-deep, in the water, kicking up great big splashes of it. Ben was supposed to be showing up for an airwalking lesson (one that would be taking place on the ground this time, lucky him), but until he did, Karla was free to laugh and play like she was nine again.

Within minutes she was soaking wet, and shivering whenever the wind blew, but who cared? It was the ocean.

[OOC: For Ben, though its a free and open beach]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

"You found the water, I see," Ben said, sounding distinctly amused as he came closer.

[glacial_queen]

Karla whirled around, nearly falling backwards into the ocean. She managed to avoid falling by flailing about wildly, but there was no saving her dignity; that sank like a stone. Fortunately, between her workout this morning against the wall and the joy of discovering the ocean, she wasn't as bitchy about it as she normally would be.

"Don't you know not to sneak up on a witch when she's playing in the water?" she teased, coming up to onto the beach. "It's bad luck. Everyone knows that." That statement could almost have been taken as ominous, except it was hard to be intimidating wringing seawater out of one's hair and clothing.

[momslilassassin]

"I don't believe in luck," Ben said, still grinning, "but I'll remember the warning."

[glacial_queen]

"See that you do," she informed him primly, bur her eyes danced. Her facade of seriousness couldn't last long, however. "Isn't the ocean wonderful?!" she said, laughing. "I tried airwalking on it, but if you're too low to the surface, waves can come by and knock you down. It's thrilling!"

[momslilassassin]

"Just don't drink it," Ben advised, "unless you're a big fan of salt water."

[glacial_queen]

"I might have gotten an accidental mouthful or two. It turns out that I am neither a creature capable of breathing underwater, nor a fan of salt water." She grimaced.

"Are you ready for a lesson in airwalking, or would you prefer to play in the water a bit, too?"

[momslilassassin]

"I think I like being dry today," Ben said, pretty much begging to end up very, very wet at some point. "Let's get to work."

[glacial_queen]

Karla filed that almost-request away for a future date.

"Of course," she said innocently. Too innocently perhaps. "Give me a minute to finish drying off, and we'll get started."

[momslilassassin]

"Take your time," Ben said, finding a patch of sand to sprawl out on.

[glacial_queen]

Craft was one of the most useful things ever. Within a few breaths, Karla was mostly dry. Her hair and clothing was still a bit damp and there was salt clinging to her limbs, but she neither of those things were impediments to teaching.

"Okay, so the first thing I want you to do is to take off your socks and shoes. Stand barefoot in the sand," she instructed, brushing off her arms. "And close your eyes. I promise not to bite."

[momslilassassin]

Ben took off his boots and socks, then stood up and closed his eyes. "I can still tell where you are," he said.

[glacial_queen]

"Your lack of trust disturbs wounds me," she assured him.

She concentrated and frost covered the sand beneath Ben's feet. "It's like floating something through the air, but you do it to yourself. I want you to feel the sand. I mean, really feel the sand. Feel every grain individually, feel the coldness of the frost, feel the least little movement beneath your feet. And now feel that all the way up through you, until you're not sure where you stop and the roof begins. And when you feel that, close your eyes, and walk across the beach. Feel every step. And concentrate on floating yourself."

[momslilassassin]

Ben's eyes stayed closed. This part (right up to the floating, of course) was very familiar. He extended his feelings out, reaching through the Force, seeking the serenity that came so naturally to his father and grandfather.

...and then he floated. A very tiny smile played across his face as he walked a few steps and didn't touch the sand.

[glacial_queen]

"Wonderful! Wonderful!" Karla cheered. "Perfect on your first try!"

Then she damped down her enthusiasm. "All right, back to the sand. Let's see you do it again. This time without me coaching."

[momslilassassin]

"I'm a fast learner," Ben mumbled, obviously embarrassed, as he dropped back down to the sand.

[glacial_queen]

"Good. Then you shouldn't have any trouble when I start making things difficult for you," she smirked. "But let's see you do it a few more times, first."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded, then closed his eyes and ran back through the exercise she had told him. Having a perfect memory came in very handy. This time he floated with greater confidence and for a longer length of the beach.

"And this works in a combat situation?" he asked.

[glacial_queen]

"Of course," Karla answered. "It's not just airwalking," she reminded him, sitting down on a chair of nothing. "Not only does it allow you to ignore terrain, you can get places you wouldn't normally get to, and dropping down from the sky has a way of confounding one's enemies, I've found," she smiled wickedly.

"Try climbing the air like a staircase now."

[momslilassassin]

Ben blinked. "I can do that?"

[glacial_queen]

Karla demonstrated. "You can float things up high, can't you? It's the same thing. Just keep feeling the earth beneath your feet as you go."

[momslilassassin]

Ben had no problem leaping off of buildings so high he couldn't see the bottom of them, but climbing up air seemed...strange.

"Unlearn what you have learned," he chanted to himself, closing his eyes and taking a step up. On air.

...and it worked, at least for a second.

[glacial_queen]

Karla had readied a net out of Sapphire power as Ben had started to climb. There was always a chance he's climb to tree-height and then fall; it had happened before.

"Hey--careful!" she said as Ben stumbled.

[momslilassassin]

Ben steadied himself immediately--he'd grown used to a far harsher form of training than his father would've preferred. "Sorry," he said, very carefully opening his eyes and taking a deliberate step up. He was now hovering a good foot above Karla's head. "Hi."

[glacial_queen]

"Good job," she said, grinning like an idiot. "Go on, go higher. See how fast you can go." The Sapphire web sparkled in the sun, visible for a moment. "Don't worry about falling. I'll catch you--though I doubt you'll need it."

[momslilassassin]

"Falling I know how to deal with," he said with a laugh. "I jump off buildings. This is a matter of taking that knowledge and reversing it."

He began climbing the stairs he was imagining, first slowly, then much faster. "What's the web thing?" he called from far, far above her.