What do you say to taking chances
1/?A small part of Mareike regretted quitting gymnastic as a child as she watched people dance and bop about as they warmed up before they were called away to the stage. Each one surely bringing something unique in their respective audition. Sure years of tennis lessons and matches as well as a lot of practical fighting experience had given the wrath and diligence spawn excellent footwork but that wasn’t something most of her competition lacked. Power and endurance, her key strengths were also evident in several of the hopeful performers.. Grace though. Mareike wasn’t sure she had this thing most called grace, she moved with swift efficiency but if it was pretty to look at was debatable
There was little the maroon skinned young woman could do but watch those who were warming up and hope. There was a chance for freedom and independence here if Mareike could earn it, a chance to test her limits and to strike out mostly on her own. Cirque de la Lune seemed every bit as enchanting as Taylor talked about and while Mareike had no intention of hurling herself from one trapeze to another any time soon she did see potential here for her. If things worked out she might once again have room to grow and a direction to pursue
She was still a fierce tennis competitor but even with her wings tucked to her back they created just enough drag to be a hindrance against more smooth bodied opponents. Mareike was determine to rise through the Gaian ranks of tennis players but she was also reasonable and knew that there was likely a limit that all the training in the worlds wouldn’t help her pass over.
That and Mareike was wavering just a little on her favoured sport, or moreover wavering on the possibility of a future there. She loved playing and competition, enjoyed the thought of making money at it and yet the sense of fulfillment she usually felt was starting to fade and there was practically none at all there when she coached others and that didn’t bode well for making tennis a career prospect.
The guard was a duty and volunteer based and though it did give Mareike great satisfaction as she made her rounds, it wasn’t a job and thus paid nothing.
Which was why she was here with Ebony; preparing to pit new skills against those with more experience in an attempt to reach her the goal of new opportunities.
~
Glad she wasn’t yet being asked to do anything too weird, like the ballet arm positions she’d seen Trinket perform once for Taylor Mareike attempted the dance steps given to her by one of the judges. Wings half open behind her for balance and affect the spawn was not light on her feet but she was focused making each motion precise if stiffer than was likely desired. A small part of her hoped Ebony had done better than this and yet at the same time part of her viewed the other girl for the briefest of moments as nothing other than an obstacle between her and her goal.
By the time the music came on Mareike teetered between being driven and being incensed. This was her chance, this was her striking out on her own, no lessons started by nickel, no backup from the guard this was her decision to take a chance and damned if she’d let it slip away.
There was no denying, as she pivoted on one foot fangs showing during a brief determined grin, that she had presence. Mareike’s maroon skinned body was not the type to portray delicateness well nor she the type to float across the stage. Her audition was a battle, her against imagined betters, bending her body to make each motion count,. She wasn’t dancing to be watched but was watched because she was dancing.
Unused to this type of mental workup and her muscles unaccustomed to this type of sudden workout Mareike was uncharacteristically out of breath when the music stopped. She felt drained, her legs felt weak and she was for the first time in a long while unsure of herself. So much rested in the balance and while she could try again another time Mareike was never one good with rejection or being patient. The spawn couldn’t known how good or bad she’d really done she could only watch the judges faces and try to guess from that.
“ We’d like you to sing for us please”
That was it, all that work and now when she wasn’t sure she could keep standing or that her nervous would hold out and they wanted her to sing? Mareike struggled to keep her hands from becoming fists as she nodded, the thistle haired girl wracking her brain for something appropriate for the situation.
~
It took only one short phone call to guarantee Mareike a shot at freedom, a few exchanged words and the spawn was grinning from ear to ear as she hung up the phone and passed out on her bed. She’s see how Ebony had fared later, for now she deserved a little rest.
Word count: 860
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