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it was time for some much needed air-- the compound underground always seemed to be too thin on it, and the swarm of people underground was starting to get on her nerves.

Well. Okay. Not starting. They had been since day ******** one.

Without Balthazar (as usual, it was depressing how the void was, in her mind. A familiar silence, empty space and abandoned--) and with trusty runic daggers that had become her allies over the last month, Clerise made her way to the training fields.

An unfamiliar figure was there, performing some familiar activities.

They were ******** class="postcontent-align-center" style="text-align: center">Cartwheels.

"CARTWHEELS." She jumped up and down in her shoes, comfortable trainers that were obviously well loved. "You're doing gymnastics," is all that Clerise repeats, intensely excited.

Sure, Robert was a dancer. But there weren't any of her people her, certainly no acrobats-- and gymnastics were one thing she adored more than almost everything. In quick succession, the redhead stripped out of her white coat and red scarf, unbuckling her daggers and laying them on top of the pile where her coat laid.

And then she took off running backwards, launching into a few backwards handsprings, warming up, then did a few cartwheels until she was standing by the boy again.

Clerise pulled the pipsqueak into her arms for a forced hug. "DO MORE."

"You want me tot each you?" she replied with a feral grin, red eyes alight with complete and utter glee.

Sure, Clarice and Reine had abandoned her for the likes of Halloween. Sure, she had no weapon. Sure, things kind of sucked.

But god, it felt good to move. To avoid any injuries, she stretched while Otto obliged her, loosening tight hamstrings and glutes.

"Hey, you're not bad!" she called across the field with a grin, doing one last set of stretches. Touch the toes, stretch the arms, do a backbendd--- Oh yeah.

She was ready.

"I hear you. I am honestly pretty sick and ******** tired of beating monsters up in the fog. Like, really sick of it. Like, Botulism levels." She stuck her tongue out.

As Otto walked on his hands, Clerise made a face that signified "not bad!" and offered him a golf clap all the while.

"Hm. Well, if you can do a cartwheel, how about a one-handed one? They're really not as bad as you prolly think."

She readied herself for a normal cartwheel, moving slowly. "There's a point where you are only held up by one hand, and then the other springs you up and off the ground as you come back up."

"You can basically choose between two choices: opposite foot to hand, or same foot and hand."

She did the aforementioned style first, leading with her left hand and pushing off the ground with her left hand. Then another, with left hand and left foot.

"I prefer opposite hand, honestly, it feels less awkward, but whatever. So it's a stretch to do it at first, so let's try to get you doing them slowly for me, I want you to focus on the feel of one hand being on the ground and then the other before you push away from it, so we can take away one hand without much stress."

Clerise made a face. "Sorry. I talk a lot about this s**t." She jumped up and down a few times, clapping. "Gogogogo!"

"Oh look at you go, little dude." She grinned, feral, clapping her hands politely for him.

She did another one towards him, a spring in her step and a glint in her eye.

"Since you seem to have that down~ Let's try without any hands!"

Clerise ran back away, arms tucked in. Instead launching herself in a perfect sideways line that was traditional for cartwheels, she pushed off with her leading foot and went slightly more forwards than sideways.

"Trust me on this," the acrobat said with a nod, "give yourself a running start. Keep your arms free in case you need to brace yourself. Push off with your front foot, let your legs follow, don't lock your knees."

The redhead beckoned to him. Come on, little prodigy, you can do it.

Clerise laughed raucously, jumping up again. She pressed Otto to her bosom, his face right up against her chest, the heavens themselves shining in her eyes.

"Just like that, mister prodigy." She shook him by the shoulders again. Later, Evie and Reine(maybe not, since she was gone for now--) would probably be incredulous when Clerise said that he was...

You know.

Kind of happy. Or at the very least, not grumpy enough for Clerise to pick up on it.

With ease, she picked the teen up and spun him for a brief moment.

"You said you can do a back tuck, sometimes?" She pulled away, holding her hands out to spot him. "Let's try it with me spotting-- if you know what that is? It just basically means I help you out so you don't die if you suck."

A smirk.

"Unless you think you don't need it~"

Excitable was a good word to use for Clerise.

"Excellent." There were gears turning in her head, running at a million miles an hour.

She loved Deus. Really, she did, despite all the bullshit. But gymnastics had been in her life for all of her remembered life.

"Manage is a polite way of saying you just rocked that." Clerise gave the boy a noogie. "Now, since you can do a few pieces..."

She shook out her limbs, piece by piece, letting her body sink into its role as a well oiled machine.

"Let's chain them together."

Readying herself, Clerise shook out her wrists one last time. She ran forward, never slowing as she did a roundoff followed an aerial cartwheel followed by a back tuck, ending with her hands in the air.

"Momentum. Don't ever slow down." Clerise crooked a finger at Otto, lips quirked upwards. "Do as much as you think you can."

Clerise jumped up and down, screeching with laughter. She didn't even have words, just a grin, wide and alive.

Life was pretty good, no dorms notwithstanding. As soon as the blond was done rocking his moves, Clerise snatched him up again. "I could kiss you," she said, eyes shining with mirth. "Oh maaaan. I've been DYING for someone else to do s**t with. Holy s**t. I could show you how to do stuff on bars if we ever get any in the gym."

Already, the gears were turning in her head. Maybe they could ghetto hack some.

"Just...Oh man."

The hills were alive with the sounds of THINKING.

CLERISE THINKING.

Be afraid, world.

Be afraid.