[[SCENE]] Franziska and Adrian in "Whip Lessons"
Adrian: *it is three o'clock on Sunday afternoon at Vitamin Square, and Adrian Andrews is sitting on a giant plastic orange. She arrived fifteen minutes earlier, and has been eating a snack in the form of a sandwich while she waits. There is a messenger bag seated next to her on the orange*
Franziska: *right on the dot, Franziska walks through the obnoxious candy-striped gate at the entrance of the park. She approaches Adrian, whip in hand and a pleased expression on her face* Ah, you came early. How thoughtful of you.
Adrian: *Adrian notices Franziska when she speaks, and not a second before - her mouth is full of the last hunk of her sandwich, which she forcefully swallows with some effort* Yes! Yes, I didn't want to be late. Whew. *coughs into her hand* Thank you again for the offer. I've been looking forward to this for a while!
Franziska: I was afraid there might be children around, but... *looks around the park* It appears to be empty. Good. We don't want any eyes to be taken out, do we? *it's unclear if she's joking or not*
Adrian: *she, of course, is dead serious* Absolutely not. *rises, picking up her messenger bag and rummaging around in it* I wanted to show you this; I thought you might appreciate it. It was pretty hard to find...
Franziska: *glances down at the bag* What is it?
Adrian: Got it! *she pulls out a coiled up whip - it's long and black and made of very fine leather* This was recommended to me by.... well actually never mind that. But I've been using it to practice since last time!
Franziska: *it's clear in her eyes -- she's impressed* That is very nice. You are quite serious about this, I see.
Adrian: *adjusts her glasses, looking a little pleased with herself* I try to be. Now, how are we going to do this?
Franziska: *extends an arm towards the open area of the park, which is currently full of pigeons* Stand up. Let me see your forward crack.
Adrian: Oh! *looks over at the pigeons, taking a second to decide that she isn't being asked to whip one of them* All right. *stands up, unfurling the whip, and takes a second to breathe in*
Adrian: *she casts the whip back with good form - but as she's bringing it forward one of the pigeons takes off, and there's a squawk and an explosion of feathers as the startled bird flaps crookedly through the air and over the tree line* ....Oops.
Franziska: *crosses her arms* Your form has improved since our last lesson, but you let that bird distract you.
Adrian: I think I might have distracted it. Okay, let me try again. *she shakes herself loose, gets back into position, then casts back and forward - this time her eyes are actually closed, and the whip CRACKS in the air over the pigeons, sending them all scattering*
Franziska: That's more like it! Once you've begun the crack, you must commit to it. I would have preferred that you kept your eyes open, but that's a start.
Franziska: *unfurls her own whip, letting the end fall to the ground* Now, let's work on your aim. It's a difficult technique to master... *stern* but nevertheless, I expect you to have perfected it by now. *with a loud crack, she aims her whip at a discarded pop can; a second later, the can splits in two*
Adrian: *gapes* You, uh.... you expect me to hit an aluminum can from here?
Franziska: *simply* Yes. Why do you ask?
Adrian: *sighs, looking dejected* No reason. I'll give it a shot. *she gets into a careful stances, aiming at another can near the same trash bin. When she strikes, there isn't so much a "crack" as there is a "gong", as she hits the trash bin and makes the whole thing shudder*
Franziska: *grimaces as she struggles to find words of encouragement* Your...you have a lot of strength in your arm, Miss Andrews. Have you been working out?
Adrian: *perks up visibly* Two times a week, every week! Still, it's not about strength, right? It's about technique! I have to perfect my technique.
Franziska: *smiles with satisfaction* Precisely. We'll try something a little less advanced for now. As I covered in our last lesson, the whip can be a formidable defense tool. It can be used to disarm or topple the balance of an opponent. *lashes out her whip at one of the beams holding up the slide, and it wraps around; she gives it a firm tug to demonstrate the grip it has*
Adrian: *raises her eyebrows* I didn't realize it could be used that effectively.
Franziska: Hah! It's the most versatile weapon there is. Your turn.
Adrian: All right. *it seems about as hard, to her, as hitting the can - but she lashes out, and she's able to swing just enough to wrap the end of her whip around another of the beams holding up the slide. She has to force herself not to look too pleased as she adjusts her glasses*
Franziska: Good! Now, to let it unfurl requires a quick forward thrust of the handle followed by an upward tugging motion -- think of it as using a shovel. *she demonstrates, and the end of her whip comes loose and neatly falls to the ground in a straight line*
Adrian: All right! *she does as instructed - but her forward thrust is not pronounced enough, and when she tugs up she tugs hard. It snags for the briefest moment, and she uses even more force-*
Adrian: *the support pops off, wheeling upward through the air, spinning like a helicopter blade as it comes free of the whip. Adrian watches it careen through the air before it lands behind her, spearing the can she missed earlier*
Franziska: *just looks at that speared can, stunned*
Adrian: *silent for a beat* Well, at least- *there is a much more pronounced groaning as the missing support tells on the slide, which leans - and then the other supports collapse, and it hits the ground with a crash*
Franziska: *stares at the fallen slide next to the giant apple for an awkward moment. Then, she turns to Adrian, trying to convince herself that Adrian didn't just royally mess up public property:* ...Hmph! They don't make children's playgrounds the way they used to any more! I will file a complaint to the park boards about this hazard.
Adrian: R... right! *seems to slide into this line of logic pretty easily, whipping out her cellphone* Still, it wouldn't be right for kids to be playing on the same model. I know a contractor who can set up a new, sturdier one within a couple of days.
Franziska: A prudent idea. Come -- we'll have a coffee break while you do that. *moves toward the gates already, a sense of urgency in her footsteps*
Adrian: Absolutely. *grabs her messenger bag and she walks after Franziska, browsing her contacts list, nearly tripping because she is walking very quickly*
Larry: *Larry has been sitting across Vitamin Square the entire time, hiding in some bushes so he can sketch the two women without them seeing. When the slide collapses and they leave in a hurry, he taps his pencil eraser thoughtfully against his lower lip*
Larry: *sketching an image would probably get him beaten unconscious all the time, forever. But seeing the two of them running off together... he begins to write on his sketch pad* This is gold. GOLD! Ooo, they're gonna eat this one up... *and he keeps writing*
Franziska: *right on the dot, Franziska walks through the obnoxious candy-striped gate at the entrance of the park. She approaches Adrian, whip in hand and a pleased expression on her face* Ah, you came early. How thoughtful of you.
Adrian: *Adrian notices Franziska when she speaks, and not a second before - her mouth is full of the last hunk of her sandwich, which she forcefully swallows with some effort* Yes! Yes, I didn't want to be late. Whew. *coughs into her hand* Thank you again for the offer. I've been looking forward to this for a while!
Franziska: I was afraid there might be children around, but... *looks around the park* It appears to be empty. Good. We don't want any eyes to be taken out, do we? *it's unclear if she's joking or not*
Adrian: *she, of course, is dead serious* Absolutely not. *rises, picking up her messenger bag and rummaging around in it* I wanted to show you this; I thought you might appreciate it. It was pretty hard to find...
Franziska: *glances down at the bag* What is it?
Adrian: Got it! *she pulls out a coiled up whip - it's long and black and made of very fine leather* This was recommended to me by.... well actually never mind that. But I've been using it to practice since last time!
Franziska: *it's clear in her eyes -- she's impressed* That is very nice. You are quite serious about this, I see.
Adrian: *adjusts her glasses, looking a little pleased with herself* I try to be. Now, how are we going to do this?
Franziska: *extends an arm towards the open area of the park, which is currently full of pigeons* Stand up. Let me see your forward crack.
Adrian: Oh! *looks over at the pigeons, taking a second to decide that she isn't being asked to whip one of them* All right. *stands up, unfurling the whip, and takes a second to breathe in*
Adrian: *she casts the whip back with good form - but as she's bringing it forward one of the pigeons takes off, and there's a squawk and an explosion of feathers as the startled bird flaps crookedly through the air and over the tree line* ....Oops.
Franziska: *crosses her arms* Your form has improved since our last lesson, but you let that bird distract you.
Adrian: I think I might have distracted it. Okay, let me try again. *she shakes herself loose, gets back into position, then casts back and forward - this time her eyes are actually closed, and the whip CRACKS in the air over the pigeons, sending them all scattering*
Franziska: That's more like it! Once you've begun the crack, you must commit to it. I would have preferred that you kept your eyes open, but that's a start.
Franziska: *unfurls her own whip, letting the end fall to the ground* Now, let's work on your aim. It's a difficult technique to master... *stern* but nevertheless, I expect you to have perfected it by now. *with a loud crack, she aims her whip at a discarded pop can; a second later, the can splits in two*
Adrian: *gapes* You, uh.... you expect me to hit an aluminum can from here?
Franziska: *simply* Yes. Why do you ask?
Adrian: *sighs, looking dejected* No reason. I'll give it a shot. *she gets into a careful stances, aiming at another can near the same trash bin. When she strikes, there isn't so much a "crack" as there is a "gong", as she hits the trash bin and makes the whole thing shudder*
Franziska: *grimaces as she struggles to find words of encouragement* Your...you have a lot of strength in your arm, Miss Andrews. Have you been working out?
Adrian: *perks up visibly* Two times a week, every week! Still, it's not about strength, right? It's about technique! I have to perfect my technique.
Franziska: *smiles with satisfaction* Precisely. We'll try something a little less advanced for now. As I covered in our last lesson, the whip can be a formidable defense tool. It can be used to disarm or topple the balance of an opponent. *lashes out her whip at one of the beams holding up the slide, and it wraps around; she gives it a firm tug to demonstrate the grip it has*
Adrian: *raises her eyebrows* I didn't realize it could be used that effectively.
Franziska: Hah! It's the most versatile weapon there is. Your turn.
Adrian: All right. *it seems about as hard, to her, as hitting the can - but she lashes out, and she's able to swing just enough to wrap the end of her whip around another of the beams holding up the slide. She has to force herself not to look too pleased as she adjusts her glasses*
Franziska: Good! Now, to let it unfurl requires a quick forward thrust of the handle followed by an upward tugging motion -- think of it as using a shovel. *she demonstrates, and the end of her whip comes loose and neatly falls to the ground in a straight line*
Adrian: All right! *she does as instructed - but her forward thrust is not pronounced enough, and when she tugs up she tugs hard. It snags for the briefest moment, and she uses even more force-*
Adrian: *the support pops off, wheeling upward through the air, spinning like a helicopter blade as it comes free of the whip. Adrian watches it careen through the air before it lands behind her, spearing the can she missed earlier*
Franziska: *just looks at that speared can, stunned*
Adrian: *silent for a beat* Well, at least- *there is a much more pronounced groaning as the missing support tells on the slide, which leans - and then the other supports collapse, and it hits the ground with a crash*
Franziska: *stares at the fallen slide next to the giant apple for an awkward moment. Then, she turns to Adrian, trying to convince herself that Adrian didn't just royally mess up public property:* ...Hmph! They don't make children's playgrounds the way they used to any more! I will file a complaint to the park boards about this hazard.
Adrian: R... right! *seems to slide into this line of logic pretty easily, whipping out her cellphone* Still, it wouldn't be right for kids to be playing on the same model. I know a contractor who can set up a new, sturdier one within a couple of days.
Franziska: A prudent idea. Come -- we'll have a coffee break while you do that. *moves toward the gates already, a sense of urgency in her footsteps*
Adrian: Absolutely. *grabs her messenger bag and she walks after Franziska, browsing her contacts list, nearly tripping because she is walking very quickly*
Larry: *Larry has been sitting across Vitamin Square the entire time, hiding in some bushes so he can sketch the two women without them seeing. When the slide collapses and they leave in a hurry, he taps his pencil eraser thoughtfully against his lower lip*
Larry: *sketching an image would probably get him beaten unconscious all the time, forever. But seeing the two of them running off together... he begins to write on his sketch pad* This is gold. GOLD! Ooo, they're gonna eat this one up... *and he keeps writing*