18744/Rocking the Walz at the Gym

Rocking the Walz at the Gym
Date of Scene:	03 August 2024
Location:	Rock Wallz Gym
Synopsis:	You need to be in shape to follow the news.
Cast of Characters:	April O'Neil, Danny Rand

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April O'Neil has posed:
Saturdays are for the gym. At least early in the morning...early being nearly noon. But she's here at least! April O'Neil is dressed for success: a crop top with sports bra underneath, a pair of black leggings, and blue Hokas on her feet, as she walks into the gym carrying a towel and water bottle. She's also wearing a rope belt, that holds her climbing gear. Who knew she knew how to climb?

She checks in at the front desk, and then looks over at the various walls that are situated around the gym. She spends a few moments considering, before she heads over to one of them, and starts to hook up to an auto-belay at the foot of it. Since she didn't bring a spotter after all.

Danny Rand has posed:
Danny Rand had been at the gym for well, hours. He doesn't actually work there, but he invariably finds himself the teacher, helping people with their form, chi, not that they know that, and spotting them. Having just finished up with the reps of a large man who was benching about four hundred pounds... well, the guy hadn't believed Danny when he said he could spot the man. And when he needed the help, he got it, no questions asked, no theatrics, and no comments.

"You'll be all right, take it easy," he said to the man, before heading off for the next machine he intended to use, except. He spotted another person in need. This time it was a red headed woman who seemed to be heading to one of the rock climbing walls without anyone there to spot her.

Danny, who wore black pants, laced at the waist, no shoes, no socks, and a grey sleeveless shirt, mostly to cover the tattoo on his chest, bowed as he approached the girl. "Hello, my name is Danny. It looks like you could use a spotter. I'd be glad to help you."

April O'Neil has posed:
April O'Neil clicked her carabiner onto the line, and looked about to start climbing up one of the White level paths, as she put her foot on the first hold and was reaching up to grab onto the first hold, when Danny arrived. She stops what she's doing and raises an eyebrow, "Do the auto-belays not work here? Should I not trust them?" she asks, looking surprised at the man. She glances over him once, and it's clear from her features she's not terribly impressed. April's not a supermodel but she's attractive enough that random men coming up to talk to her at the gym isn't an uncommon experience. And this seems like more of the same.

Danny Rand has posed:
"I would hope so, and I see no reason not to," he answered her questions in a calm and even tone of voice. "Forgive my intrusion," he said, picking up that she was not impressed. Looking over towards the wall and everything set up, "it's good to have a safety system." It was not a surprise that she regarded him so poorly. While not looking like he was homeless, he did look unusual; the lack of socks and shoes being a bold example. At least his facial hair was well kept, his clothes were recently washed, and he smelled clean.

April O'Neil has posed:
"It is, yes." April replies, as she starts to slowly climb the wall. She's, good. Methodical. She takes her time working her way up. She's clearly not trying for speed as she figures out the best way to get to where she wants to go. After about three or four minutes she's nearing the top, but there's a hold that's in a very difficult position -- around the corner of an outcropping -- that she's having trouble reaching. She mutters under her breath, and then rocks back and forth on her toes in the holds she has them in. And then she goes for it!

And fails spectacularly. Fortunately for her, the auto-belay is functional. Unfortunately...this is a rather popular path, and the belay has been heavily used, so it's not...super forgiving when she drops. She falls about a foot before the system catches her with a sudden jerk, which causes her to let out a rather adult word. Or two. Loudly.

Danny Rand has posed:
Danny, having offered assistance where it was not wanted, would begin to head elsewhere. Though he would end up chatting with someone, a young man of Iranian descent, who had worked out, not that he had much muscle mass to speak of, only to find that his E-Bike had been stolen from where he locked it up in the parking lot. Eventually, a staff member came by to help with filing a police report, surveillance cameras outside, which unfortunately tied up a few members of staff.

Which just so happened to be when April had her spectacular fall. Rushing towards her, Danny was position to catch her during her fall. The belay did its job, so he didn't need to catch her, but he was there, ready and waiting. Looking up, he heard her let out those choice words, and called back, "the important thing is to remain calm."

April O'Neil has posed:
April O'Neil makes a wry smile at Danny as he stands there. She saw how he rushed over, and probably only would have been two or three seconds late from her splattering all over the ground had the belay failed. She sighs as she lets the system lower her to the floor, "This isn't my first rodeo, cowboy," she replies as her feet touch down on the ground. She says, "I doubt you could be any worse at keeping me from getting whiplash when I fall so...the offer still stand?" she asks.

Danny Rand has posed:
Danny was observant, sometimes uncannily so, at least for the physical. He wasn't as good at reading people's emotions. Being raised in a city of monks would do that to you. He did laugh though at her witty remark, and calling him a cowboy. A soft spoken, wiry looking blond man with a well kept thin beard, and no shoes? Yeah, that reads cowboy all the way. He steps back to let her get on the ground, "yes, of course it does," he replies, still not knowing her name, as she never introduced herself.

April O'Neil has posed:
Introductions are for the hoi polloi, not famous newscasters! April unhooks from the auto-belay, and then starts to connect to the static line that is for human belaying, "What's your name?" she asks, glancing over at the man as she starts to get ready to climb.

Danny Rand has posed:
April was a woman on a mission. As she undid the auto-belay, and adjusted for human belaying, Danny would take the other end of the rope, doing what he had to, "Danny," he replied to her question about his name, even though he had previously introduced himself. Perhaps she hadn't cared as she thought he was trying to hit on her before.

April O'Neil has posed:
"Oh, right. You said that, sorry." April says, and then she's off. She spends a little time close to the ground, making a move or two before sliding back down, apparently trying to find a new way up, but then she takes off towards the top quickly. She gets to the part where she was stuck before, and...she's stuck again. She retreats, she goes back up, she tries to go around to reach it from the other side. There's a lot of movement, but not much progress for a few minutes. Eventually she just stops and rests on her feet, thinking. "Am I missing something?" she calls down.

Danny Rand has posed:
As a spotter, Danny was in charge of her safety. He took it responsibly, watching her every move, eyes glued to her form, watching each step, hand hold, preparing himself should she slip. She did seem to be struggling to find the way. He knew how he would approach it, and when she called out, asking if she was missing something, he suggested, "that big green one, to your bottom left. Take that, and cross over to the one shaped like a boomerang, and then to the one that looks like a turtle shell."

April O'Neil has posed:
"That's cheating," April replies, "Gotta stick to the white ones for this course," she explains. Then she sighs, and goes down a little bit, and pauses before she calls down, "You've done this before, right?"

Danny Rand has posed:
"Only on real cliffs," he called up. He was familiar with the way the belay worked, his role in saving her. That was simple; just a rope and pulley system, ultimately. But mostly, he knew how to climb mountains. He had done it for years. Understanding that she has to stick to the white ones, and watching her descend some more, "all right. Move to your right, towards the L shaped white hold. Then up to the Starfish white hold, and then towards the," he paused, trying to think of a word. "The Elmo head shaped white hold." Yes, it sort of looked like Elmo from Sesame Street.

April O'Neil has posed:
The instruction seems to be helpful, as she starts to maneuver as she's told. Eventually she gets to the oddly shaped hold, and stretches up to grab it. She gets it, and then scrambles to the top. "YES!" she yells, and then hops off the wall, slowly descends to the ground. Once she's there, she seems about to say something when a buzzing comes from her leggings. She pulls out her phone and gasps, before she quickly unscrews her carbiner, and unhooks, "Thanks for the assist! I gotta run!" and she leans up and pecks the man on the cheek, before she practically sprints for the exit. The news never ends!