Lesson Number One (Kris)

[JordanCortes]

Jordan entered the room of requirement, the room was empty at the moment. She closed her eyes, and imagined an ice skating rink. Before she could completely think up a rink, she changed the image to a balance beam. In the middle of the room stood a balance beam, part of ice skating was balance and Jordan didn't have a lot of that lately, so she needed to brush up on it a bit. Jordan ran towards the beam, lept forward, and landed on it. Swinging her right leg back, she balanced on her hands, both legs up in the air. Now, it was time to see if her balance was as good as it used to be. She took a deep breath and lifted her left hand to the outer areas of the beam. Jordan closed her eyes and in one swift movemt, flipped backwards and landed on her right hand, facing the other side of the room. Jordan whooped with triumph and hopped down off the beam.

Closing her eyes once more, Jordan imagined a skating rink. When she reopened them, a rink was there. Jordan skated out, doing a triple axel. She giggled as she landed and skated backwards a bit before doing a 180 and skating forward. She glanced down at her outfit, it was a black velvet uniform and her white figure skates. Jordan continued to skate as she pulled her hair out of her eyes, two strands of charmed-emerald green hair framed her face, she was getting quite fond of coloring her hair. As she did a sit spin and waited for Kris, she remember their deal they had made. He was to teach her to swim, which he had, and she was to teach him to ice skate.

As complicated as swimming was, ice skating was just as complicated. Ice skating took posie, grace, balance, patience, and most of all; passion. Jordan had taken up ice skting when her brother Justin took up mixing. Which was around the age of 8. It was a better passion than Latin ballroom dancing because, it was something she would learn on her own. Jordan skated to the middle of the ice and did an upright spin. The upright spin usually made Jordan sick, but not this time. She kept spinning, and completed the spin with grace. Jordan finished in perfect timing, for as she was finishing the spin, Kris entered the room. Jordan skated towards him, stopped by using the toe pick at the tip of her skates, which caused some ice to be scraped up.

"Right on time," Jordan looked at him and shook her head as she withdrew her wand, "those shoes just won't do." She waved her wand and ice skates took place of his shoes. Considering, Kris wasn't expecting the sudden change of footwear nor the strange support of the ankles, Jordan half expected him to collapse, and was surprised when he didn't, "Impressive. First things first, skating is very different from swimming. As you probably alreayd figured. Skating is about poise, grace, balance, patience, and passion. A lot like Latin dancing, which you are damn good at." Jordan said this and with each element of skating she spoke of, she demonstrated. Poise; a steady forward glide. Grace; a 2 foot turn. Balance; the spiral. Patience; a sit spin. Passion; a walley jump. Jordan skated back to Kris, "You ready?" She asked as she held out her hand for him to take.

((Title changed because unfortunately only English is allowed on Proboards. You may use a few foreign words in your posts but you must translate at the bottom when you do.))

[kris]

Kris walked towards the Room of Requirement swiftly. He had made an agreement with Jordan the previous evening, that he would teach her to swim and in return Jordan would teach him to ice-skate. Smirking grimly, Kris wondered how many bruises he would be supporting by the end of the lesson.

Reaching the Room of Requirement, Kris glanced at his watch and noticed that he was right in time, before he entered just in time to see Jordan ending a spin. As Jordan skated towards him, Kris wondered briefly how she was planning on stopping, when Jordan stopped, scraping up some ice. As the younger girl pulled out her wand and transfigured Kris’s shoes, he wobbled slightly, as it had been unexpected, but managed to stay in balance.

Kris nodded and listening carefully as Jordan explained different stages of skating, while demonstrating them.
“Alright, I think I might be able to handle the poise and grace. Maybe even balance, if I’m good enough. But I think I’ll skip the last two things you showed me,” Kris let out a long breath and shuffled his legs, almost loosing balance once again, “So how exatly am I supposed to be able to glide on two thin blades?”<br>
Kris regained his posture and smirking, moved his legs, advancing a little. Slowly and wobbly, but still advancing. Until he took a too long stride and loosing his balance, ended up on his back. “This wa not a too pleasurable experience,” Kris muttered wishing for a pole next to him, which appeared and holding on to it, Kris got onto his feet and after beign sure he could stand again, let the pole disappear once again, “So I just have to try sliding,” Kris almost fell again, as his ankle twitched, but caught himself on one knee and both hands. P0ushing himself up again, Kris started moving again slowly and not nearly as gracefully as Jordan was gliding: “So will it just take some getting used toand practicing or is there some trick?”<br>

[JordanCortes]

Jordan laughed, "Remember what you told me about walking that night you taught me to swim? Once you do it you can't forget it? It's the same with skating, only take it literally. You don't necessarily have to immediately glide, just start out by, walking. Slowly. One foot, then the next." Jordan told him, "No, wait. Maybe we should try standing on them first, eh?" Jordan nodded, and skated towards him. She grabbed his shoulder, and straightened it, then the other, "Okay, now...just, close your eyes and stand. Don't think of moving. Once you can accomplish standing, you can accomplish walking on ice."

She skated back a bit, watching him, wondering if she would have to use the book on the head thing that her ice skating instructor had made her do, "Ok, you got the standing down. Now, move your right foot forward 1 cm, if not less. Don't try to take long strides, or you will fall." She watched him, try, and succeed. Jordan nodded, "Now the other foot. If it helps, you can do heel toe," Jordan demonstrated this by, stepping on the heel of the blade and then on the toe. Jordan knew she was horrible at teaching, half the time she didn't have the patience, and the other half she knew she wasn't making any sense. But, she was breaking it down as simply as she possibly could.

"Try walking a bit, then we'll go from there." Jordan said as she stood by him, and watched his footing. Once in awhile he would wobble, and she grabbed his arm to keep him from falling. After awhile, Kris seemed to have gotten the hang off walking. Gliding would be different, "And no, there isn't a trick. It's just, one of those things where you have to practice to be perfect, and I'm not even perfect. If you have the want to be able to skate, forget the jumps and the spins, but just skate, then you will be able to."

[kris]

Kris listened to Jordan and closed his eyes as she ordered, holding himself completely up-right, recalling his ball-dance lessons and how he had been instructed to hold his body there. It seemed to have worked, as he inched his legs forward. He was still a bit wobbly from time to time, but Jordan was skating next to him and she balanced him quickly enough, so Kris didn’t fall.

Opening his eyes, Kris rolled his eyes at Jordan: “I actually feel weird doing this, but if it helps me lea…argh,” Kris stumbled a, but managed to regain his balance, “Alright, I better not open my mouth for a little.”<br>“But, I’m not thriving to be perfect. Too lazy for that, to tell you the truth,” Kris still continued in a conversational tone, “But I want to get good enough to be able to move freely on ice. Besides what is perfect anyway? There is always room for improvement.”<br>
Risking a glance over at Jordan, Kris smiled: “You seem good enough in it though. Did you learn yourself or had special classes you went to? If you don’t mind me asking.”<br>

[JordanCortes]

"Perfect," Jordan smiled, "is just a word that describes your best. There's the best, and there's your best. Do your best, and you'll be perfect." She smiled, and twirled the green strand of hair around her finger. She continued to walk next to him, though her step had a glide of grace in it, unlike his which was still learning. Jordan nodded her head, thinking he was ready for the next step, "Have you ever slid on a tile, or linoleum floor with socks? You know how you slide forward? I want you to do that now, only slowly." Jordan instructed, demonstrating.

"Did I learn on my own? There were things that I did learn on my own, then there were things that I didn't. I had an instructor, but she didn't do much but, watch, and I didn't mind you asking. Considering that it wasn't anything personal. No, Kris, smaller steps. Like this," Jordan took a step that was about the size of her foot, which was quite small, and slid forward, "A foots length apart." Jordan went back to his side, making sure he didn't fall, "It gets easier, I promise. Without knowing, if you just continue to walk, you will just start to glide without notice." Jordan stopped walking a bit, and tilted her head at him, with a small smile.

"See?" Kris had started to glide, not steadily, but it was still a glide. Though, she knew that the moment he figured that he was gliding, he would stop. Or at least she thought she knew, that's the natural instinct of people. She had done it when she was swimming, dancing, doing gymnastics, and ice skating.

[kris]

“Sliding? Does being pushed or thrown by my trainer count as well? Or being pulled by some animal?” Kris muttered and took a bit too long stride, causing him to wobble slightly. Jordan had noticed however and Kris made a pouting face towards her, as she reprimanded him.

Kris tried to walk with smaller strides and concentrated on it, so he was rather surprised, when Jordan suddenly told him “See?” For a moment Kris tried to process what he was supposed to see, before he glanced down and noticed the he was gliding. The discovery caused him to startle and his left ankle gave out, sending Kris crashing on the ice. Kris managed to catch himself on one knee and both knuckles as he slid a half-circle, with the
heraldic family-heirloom jumping out of the collar of his blouse and hit Kris’s cheek lightly.

Standing up and regaining his balance, Kris swiped a loose strand of hair out of his eyes, leaving the ring hanging out of his shirt on the silver chain. At his father’s death the ring had been handed to Kris. It was a nice ring – a silver with a big tetragonous emerald in the middle with the coat of arm of his family engraved into the emerald. A star shining above a snarling wolf, who was standing on top of a blade, which hilt was leaned on an open book. And small forest-flower blooms on the ground. Kris rather liked the ring, even though he almost never wore it on a finger.

“Guess it takes some practice from me then,” Kris said with a grin towards Jordan as he started walking slowly again moving swiftly over to small half-steps/half-glides and then starting to glide once again.

[JordanCortes]

"You, 'kay? That looked bad..." Jordan said with a small smile, she remembered how bad the ice hurt when you unintentionally fell on it and scraped across. She hadn't done it recently, not since her last skating lesson, but she remembered the pain all too well, in fact she had plenty of scars. Jordan didn't compete in competitions like her brothers had wanted her to, she just skated for fun. Dancing more than skating, but there was some dancing in skating. Jordan looked at the ring that was around Kris's neck, curious, but not asking.

"Yeah, lot's of practice. But, you're getting the hang of it. It's lot's of patience as well. I know, it get's rather boring, but, eh, it's worth it in the end...I think." Jordan remarked with a slight shrug, before she skated off and did a sit spin. Her right leg out infront of her, and she spun, slowly going down towards the ice. She tried to go back up, but she couldn't and ended up falling backwards and scraping her back along the ice, "Oi!" She muttered as her head hit the wall. Jordan stood up, steadied herself, and made her way back to the center of the rink. She muttered something again, and music filled the room, lightly.

It's just a ride, it's just a ride
no need to run, no need to hide
It'll take you round and round
Sometimes you're up
sometimes you're down
It's just a ride, it's just a ride
don't be scared
don't hide your eyes
It may feel so real inside
but don't forget it's just a ride.

"No, not that..." Jordan said, the music changed instantly to a different song, and she nodded her head, liking this one better. It was They by Jem, before it had been Just A Ride, she didn't like that one as much as They. As the lyrics flowed around her, she watched Kris skate, he was doing well, "Good! You learn fast, that's a good thing." Jordan exclaimed with a grin. She watched him continue to glide, nodding when he completely a perfect glide, wincing when he fell. She didn't make the sudden move to help him though, what kind of learning would Kris do if all she did was catch him when he fell?

[kris]

“I’ll live,” Kris shrugged. He wasn’t hurt too badly and he smirked catching Jordan’s glance at the ring around his neck and explaining calmly, “Families heraldic ring with my family crest. At least the crest of my part of the family tree branch. Dana has a different one.”<br>Kris grimaced as Jordan’s head hit the ice rather roughly, but deciding he would be more of a nuisance than help, he didn’t try to skate to help her up. He’d probably end up pulling them both down, as he wasn’t really very comfortable on the skates. Luckily Jordan didn’t seem to be hurt as she got up and soon music started to sound through the Room. Kris didn’t have a clue what was playing, but it didn’t hurt his ears, so he didn’t argue with it.

“Thanks. I guess that practice from martial arts and dancing and other activities I do help be stay in balance,” Kris stretched out his arms as he was about to loose balance and continued after regaining it, “But it will still take some practice. Reminds me to get a pair of skates or transfigure something into them to come practice here. I should also be able to cover a smaller pond in the Forest for as long as I’ll skate.”<br>
Kris moved a bit more and started to get a bit better, when he lost his balance again landing hard on his back. His skates had pushed free a small shower of sharp bits of ice and one of them cut his cheek, drawing out a drop of blood. Kris brushed it away carelessly – the cut was small and not even worth mentioning as he climbed to his feet again, gingerly touching the back of his head and wondering if he would get a bump there or not.

Getting back on his feet Kris started moving again making a couple of circles around the ice-rink, when his left ankle almost gave out under him. The pressure the skate’s put on his feet and ankles was very unfamiliar like the movements themselves and Kris frowned seeing that the string – or whatever it was called on the skates – had came loose.
Kris wished for a chair and plopped down to sit in it gracefully when he felt it appearing behind him. Bowing over to retie his skate Kris smirked noticing that the armchair that had appeared resembled antique – it had a high head-rest and was covered with deep-red material and had precise wooden carvings.

“Is there anything else I should know about skating?” Kris asked checking on his other skate as well, before leaning back in the chair and raising his arms to fix his short pony-tail, so his hair wouldn’t fall into his eyes, “Or will it just be practicing from now on?”<br>

[JordanCortes]

"Ahh, I see.." Jordan said in a small voice as he explained the ring, she then stopped skating, her ankles getting stiff. She bent down on one knee, and untied her skate..she quickly pulled it off, then switched knees and undid her other skate. She pulled her shoes on over her feet, and walked steadily over to the chair Kris was sitting in. She leaned on the back of the chair and looked down at him.

"I don't wanna be mean, but I'm giving you homework...gotta love me!" Jordan smiled as she summoned her book, and let it fall on Kris's lap. It wasn't a thick book, so she wasn't expecting it to take that long to read, it just went over the basics, the moves, the spins, the twirls. She was determind to at least make him complete a twirl or a spin. Even if it meant arguing with him to make him do so. Jordan closed her eyes, and the ice disappeared, and some rubber appeared, so Kris's blades wouldn't get scratched.

"Practice as well, because if you don't then you won't get used to your ankles being held up. I haven't skated in awhile so,that's why I had to quit so early. And you look like you could use a break as well." Jordan commented, nodding towards his skates. It could be worse, she could make him learn ballet. Jordan laughed at that amusing thought, then shook her head, trying to rid her mind of the image of him in toe shoes, prancing around.

"So, Mister Balance, is skating harder or easier than you thought it would be?" Jordan asked with a tilt of her head, and a look that was sincere in curiosity. She twirled the colored strand of hair around her finger and waited for his answer. When she had first tried skating, she thought it fairly simple, the moment she touched ice, she could glide, she knew that wasn't the case with Kris, so she was thoroughly interested in how he saw ice skating.

[kris]

Kris looked up curiously as the ice disappeared and looked as Jordan came towards him without her skates on anymore. The pressure of the skates on his ankles had been awkward and a bit tiring, but Kris would have never admitted it though. His pride just wouldn’t allow it.
“Theoretically – as you aren’t grading me – this doesn’t really count as homework,” Kris commented thumbing through the book Jordan had let fall on hit lap, making a mental note to read it through later. It would probably take 2-3 hours, not more, as Kris was a fairly quick reader. The hours spend at the bookstores of his legal guardians, where he just read, had certainly paid off.

Placing the book on the armchair, Kris bowed to take off his own skates as well. Standing up and stretching for a moment, Kris wished for skids in his mind, and after they appeared, he made a couple of somersaults on the bars, before stretching out his arms and making a full turn around the bar, holding on with only his hands and his arms and body stretched out.
Landing in a crouch again Kris made the skids get lost. They were good for some easier warm-up, but Kris didn’t really like them otherwise.

Thinking about what Jordan had asked, Kris stretched once more.
“I have to admit I expected to fall a lot more often but it certainly needs some practicing from my part. On the whole, I guess it’s not that complicated, once you get the main hang of it. Just takes time, patience and training like every sport,” Kris commented coolly, sending a curious glance at Jordan at her sudden laughter, but didn’t question.

Already knowing from experience that the ring would only be in the way, if he wanted to practice a bit, Kris pulled the chain off his head and opened it with the required charm, slipping the ring on his index finger, where it glowed with sea-green color for a moment, recognizing it’s master. The ring was a couple of centuries old, so it had absorbed enough magic to do so and Kris wore it, as the ring required more respect than just leaving in on the ground.

Kris made a couple of cart-wheel before jumping into a salto doing a complete twirl while in the air and landing in a low crouch. Kris was actually only a step away form martial arts, as he had liked the sport – even though it was mainly taught by muggles, and partly it had came naturally to him. Maybe because his father had taught him the basics when he was still a kid.
“Ever learned martial arts?” Kris asked Jordan with a glint in his eyes and a smirk as he straightened up once again and picked up a thin wooden pole to practice balance as he twirled it a little. A rack of the poles had appeared on the wall as well as some matts when Kris landed from the salto.

[JordanCortes]

“Martial arts? Um, no. Gymnastics? Yes. But then again, I was forced to take gymnastics.” Jordan remarked to Kris with a smirk. She had watched him do a few things that she had never seen before and wondered if there is really anyway that she could learn to do those without him teaching her. The deal was only for ice-skating and swimming. Now she didn't want to extend that to martial arts as well. Though she couldn't help but feel that she wanted to learn something new. Is that a bad thing?

“I'm not so sure if I should ask this, but world did you do that?” Jordan asked in question.
She tilted her head to the right a little, and smiled in wonder. She had talked to him many a time, and somehow he always seemed to teach Jordan something new. This she was very grateful for, for if he hadn't talked to her about letting her friends in the she would've been very lost. There were many things that she regretted doing, but there are many things she didn't regret to doing. As Jordan stood up from the wall she had been leaning against, she bit her lip in anticipation.

((Sorry if this is short, but I have to go to see a play, sorry again.))

[kris]

Kris laughed at Jordan’s question, noticing the curious look in her eyes: “These are some warm-up exercises I do for martial arts practice. Father showed me the basics, when I was a kid once again and it also comes rather naturally for me. I have taken classes in it and have a private instructor by now.” Kris twirled the pole between his hands and around himself calculating his moves quickly, so it seemed as only one swift movement, “I’m probably competing for black belt in summer. Black belt is the highest level, if you don’t know.”<br>
Kris smiled and used the thin pole to hit a training-dummy that had appeared in front of him. He could handle the pole, even though Kris rather preferred martial arts without the use of any weapon. Kris smirked noticing the look of anticipation in Jordan’s eyes and nodded towards the rack: “Get a pole and spar with me a little. I doubt you’d be much of a challenge, since you don’t have martial arts training, but it won’t hurt either. I’ll just have to control my strength a bit more.”<br>
Kris twirled the pole behind his back and moved to one edge of the matts on the floor, before turning back to face Jordan: “If you want that is. Take off your shoes before getting on the matt – martial arts are practiced without shoes.” Kris smirked and spread his arms, so he was holding the pole with his hands smirking at the younger girl. Fro Kris martial arts were almost something where he could express himself – like others drew or danced hteir sould out or sang their sould out – Kris did those thing when he was bored. When he was ‘inspried’ or feeling some very strong emotion, Kris practiced martial arts. Then again – some of his moves were like a hard and practiced dance. Kris twirled his pole idly, wondering if Jordan wanted to spar a little or not.