After their meeting, Biralee’s new ‘sisters’ seemed in little rush to integrate her into the larger group – she had her own life.
There was some correspondence – feeling a bit lake occasionally catching up with a long lost friend by email – and a wave of recognition at the University – but everyone kept their distance.
The first real invitation to anything came from Vedika – She wanted to do a yoga instruction stream with a few people, so Biralee wouldn’t have to stick out if she didn’t want to… Like most of her streams, starting in the early morning to leverage western bits and subs.
The sun had almost started to rise when Biralee made it to the park – easily finding Vedika and Mouri hanging a thin bedsheet between two trees to soften the sunlight and not blind the other participants. She sighted Sophi – taking the place of the instructor. Ami – although Biralee had a memory of her ‘from work’ – she new it wasn’t a memory specific to her… she introduced herself as they waited.
“It’s… honestly my first class.” Biralee wasn’t strictly lying. “Have you been doing it for long?”
“It’s been pretty recent. I’ve been sort of ugh-” she mimicked a faint, ” for years and realized I needed to do something about it. And, honestly, I’ve always sort of wondered. One of my coworkers-” She glanced around- “She can do some crazy shit. Like, I never thing I could be a professional or anything. But it’s sort of encouraging, right? That people around you are so talented.”
Biralee called the class to order- and found her mat on the grass had been slightly adjusted by a short chubby woman with her hair bound up. “Hey friend, can I count on you to have my ass today?”
Biralee blinked, then realized why everyone she was expecting might not be here. “Usha?” she mouthed silently.
“Rina,” The woman winked as she offered one hand putting the other to her lips, “Howdy do?”
Sophi led the group in a warmup as Vedika opened up the stream, with Mouri handling the camera. She explained the premise; People with a wide range of still levels were here under the supervision of the stream’s old host, and everyone at home was free to follow along as they wished.
“Rina’s” roll was as the extreme beginner – she could manage a few of the sitting poses, and a few of the balances, but when the advanced poses started, she started failing in some interesting ways – snapping out out a pose, tripping over herself, landing on her face – but coming out laughing every time. Her roll was to convince the viewers it was ok to fail.
Vedika started as an ideal student – pointing out just how she got each pose ‘perfect’, always going for s slightly harder variation – never showing her true elasticity directly.
Sophi wandered the group, giving tips and criticisms… much less frantic than she had been in her days of streaming multiple times a week.
Biralee was initially at a loss of where she fit in on the spectrum of skill. She was quite sure she could do better than Vedika – but, Vedika could do better than Vedika. Rina had the low end covered. She decided to split the difference – Carefully following the instructions given, but letting herself fold further and further as the class went on.
After the guided section completed, various students started waving Sophi – and Mouri’s camera – over to show off what the moves the were proud of accomplishing. Sophi would always have a little bit of advice, or help them as they pushed a little further. Ami, for example, was eager to show how her Utkatasana was progressing, hovering in mid-air like she was sitting in a chair.
Biralee, ‘Warmed up’, asked ‘Rina’ and Ami to pull her into a frontbend. She laid on her back on Rina’s lap, and stuck her legs out to the side in a not quite a split, where Rina feigned incompetence for a moment before grabbing both her ankles. Then Ami, braced against Biralee’s butt and pulling Biralee’s wrists, pulled her arms and torso forward, pulling them into a loop. Biralee kept assuring Ami it was ok to proceed, and eventually her torso pulled into a loop, letting Biralee kiss her own butt.
Vedika could only imagine what her chat was doing at the moment – but hoped it was going wild… noting to herself, just as Rina’s earlier tumbles would not fool anyone who knew how to fall, her newest-found sister was far too comfortable in that pose – a point that would have to be followed up later, in private.
Vedika’s sign-off was not an ornate one, given the sun was about to be in everyone’s eyes. Encouragement to tune in come Wandom Wednesday, responding to a forwarded to question or two by phone to assure everyone of the liveness of the stream. All the students behind her gave one last long wave to the camera – and the stream ended.
“Now that that is all done…” Ami had quickly gathered her things, stuffing them back into the duffel bag she had arrived with. “You. I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?”
Mouri stared stared at the point of an accusing finger. “I… work with Sophi’s – Vedika’s – stream a lot. She might have shared a photo at some point.” She knew very well that was not what Ami meant.
“Oh no you don’t. It’s one thing that Sophi over there was the one who interviewed me at work once. She makes sense. You. It was you with the briefcase, wasn’t it?”
“Briefcase? I do own a briefcase, but. Do you mean the camera’s hard case?”
“Usha said she knew you. What was the name…” Ami scratched her head. “I don’t remember. But it was you. A few months ago you cam into the office and shoved her into a briefcase.”
Rina was relaxing in the shade. For once, Mouri was having to deal with the consequences of her actions.
Biralee sat down beside her, “Are you free for lunch? I… honestly have some questions that have been coming up.”
“Sure – i’m free to munch an a schoosh”, she was really trying to lean into whatever character this was, “I take you don’t remember the briefcase indecent.”
Biralee shook her head, and turned to watch the proceedings.
“You know, she showed us later. Slithered into into a purse like a snake,” Ami was not letting this go.
“She- this ‘Ushe’?”
“So you’re denying everything? Seriously? What’s the point in… unless there’s more.” Ami leaned in, “Are you sure you want me figuring out more on my own?”
Mouri took a long deep breath. “Do you want me to tell you what you want to hear, or do you want me to tell you the truth?” She finished packing away the camera.
“I mean, I’d take both.”
Mouri solemnly nodded. Then dashed away, with the camera case under her arm.
“Get back here!” Ami quickly grabbed her duffel bag and gave chase.
“A snake?”
“I don’t know how she got a snake from it. But otherwise, yes,” Rina stood up, jiggling a little more than she was used to, “I think I’ll just stay like this a while longer – really should have brought a change of clothes. Any lunch preferences?”
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