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Preacher was nodding off in her seat. Her bouts of insomnia still popped up here and there and last night, she had not slept one wink. She had even run laps around Lusche until she was exhausted, but no, no blissful sleep for her. At least the instructor seemed just as reluctant to begin the lesson as Preacher was to hear it. She yawned. Giving up, she laid her head down just as Alec wandered in. "'Ello Curry," she said sleepily. "'Lo, Tala, everybody." Preacher shifted and pulled a dull blade out from underneath her ear. Well, maybe sleeping on the table was a bad idea. She could end up with a scar to match her other cheek. As if she needed more scars. Bleh. Preacher looked around, trying to gauge who would be the least mad if she used them as an impromptu pillow.


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Alister startled at the sight of Alec, gasping dramatically. His mouth curved into a puppy-like smile. For extra poignancy points,. he lifted one long arm to point directly at Alec. "Heretic! I never thought you'd be in the military! Still hating on the walls, then? Or was it just that once? You know, Stephen is really sorry he flung a rock at you, really. Oh, I'm Alister, by the way." The man beamed, showing perfectly white teeth in his dark face. "I've been remiss in my greetings. Good morning, everyone. Please treat me kindly." He'd been more than a little nervous about going to this, essentially his first class. His orientation had held few trainees, though he recognized Harper and waved to her. Alister was, quite clearly, a morning person. He tapped out the rhythm to one of his favorite Wallist hymns on the wooden table in front of him.

Preacher and Alec were both given bright, friendly smiles; the others were graced with curious waves. Harper didn't know them, but everyone was a potential friend.

"Hi. I'm Harper."

And then there was Axel... oh, Axel was given the biggest, blushiest giggly grin, and Harper made sure to seat herself as close to the big blond fellow as she could without coming across as being too forward.

She didn't want to sacrifice knowledge for Axel's attention, though, so Harper remained quiet as she ran her fingers over the gear that sat before her.

"Where do we start?"

Alec greeted the familiar face of the copper skinned girl in kind, nodding his head to her with a big smile on his face when she shyly got closer. "Hey Tala, how's it going?" He questioned her gently, not wanting to call all the attention on the bashful girl and upset her, he was just glad to catch up with her.

Harpers usually friendly behavior lit up a smile on the tired teens face. While he didn't match her a giggle (who does that anyway) he did beam at her with a particularly cheeky smile at her enthusiasm, and a greeting of hello to her back. It was infectious, of course he didn't want to get too rowdy.. the teacher had in fact eye'd him from across the room curving some of his excess chatter.

No one seemed to have assigned seating, and could move around the table and classroom to get materials or supplies...or ask the wayward question if need be. While a bit startled by the bustle, and appearance of the newest trainee Alec at least gave a small wave of greeting to Martino as he settled himself in. Axel at least was his usual self earning him a small chuckle, and a shrug, and a hi back. The red head was usually chatty even half asleep, now was no exception even if it was kept quiet.

"Preacher don't fall asleep!" Alec smiled gently patting her shoulders, a quick slid of the hand in a comforting gesture to wake up. He might have said more but his jaw slacked slightly as Alister spoke to him. "I...have a name alright? It's Alec. Unless I get to call you the Purple Canary. Also, I don't go out of my way to disrespect the Walls, even if I'm not much of a follower. By the way, that whole thing, it was for a booth during the festival. I meant no disrespect." He stated in soft apology, with a bit of a frown, reflexively touching the scar that had been left behind on his temple. When he saw the Instructor shuffling and getting read to get up, he stopped speaking looking on attentively.

Gazelle lifted her head when some one asked what to do. While she was monotone, her expertise was unlike any other. Hearing Axel call her instructor she simply shrugged. "Gazelle is fine. Or Instructor Thomson if you must. If you don't feel comfortable with the sharper this time around, try working on fixing the gas mechanism." She was doing a quick head count, vs her roll-call list satisfied with who was present, always able to take more but not too concerned. More worried about the task at hand, she was soon getting up a particular piece of gear, lifting the propeller up and inspecting it for damage. After a moment of curious studying, she turned her full and utmost attention..for all it lacked in enthusiasm and practiced repetitive ease for any would be assembled trainees. Gazelle began speaking again, moving around to point out each thing as she spoke, giving it a name, as well as an object association. "Few of them need tightening down, this one needs a replacement trigger." She pointed to another, this one a hand-grip that had seen better days. "That one needs to have the screws removed and a new grip added. We could also use some more wire to add into the grapple hooks, I'm also certain you can bend a few hooks back into proper shape, or dump them in the bin if they are too far beyond repair. " A variety of tasks, her tone droned on. She was beginning to go off about proper technique for using the tools, breaking down that hammering out the dents in some of the more banged up pieces could also use some attention.

"Do you have any further questions? I can find plenty of things for you to do. There is always something needing to be fixed, or sharpened. Class goes on until 1200 hours when the bell rings. Get comfortable with what your doing." She at last came to a halt, her robotic mannerisms dulled only when she would occasionally blink. They were stuck with her until some break through with what to do were made. She'd make sure of it. The wind up started again, opening her mouth to talk. "If you need more direction, there's always a manual. Or I can personally explain it to you --- again." She leveled her gaze on the group going quiet. If anyone had been tired before, surely now the effects must have been worse.

Alec blinked at the woman, and her tone, lifting his head up for a moment stopping his fussing with the blade trying to listen, struggling only slightly with the way she presented, but had no real questions for her at least.

"In actuality, all gear is tested before proper deployment. It is also why you have your grapple hooks, not just one either mind you. Both should always be able, and ready for deployment, should one malfunction, you will have to use your wits. If a strap breaks, the whole system does not fail, you will come to understand how to control your balance I can assure you. Gear failure to that extent is regulated and controlled as best as humanly possible. Of course, there will always be situations where things happen. You will always have to think on your feet, and use your resources at hand." She droned on, answering the barrage of what-if's without batting an eyelash, unphased by his spacey hymn humming, nor the way he found a list of things to question. Gazelle was here to teach, not criticize her students mannerism.

Her monotone demeanor did not change either as she stared at Alister. " You should always try and keep your senses alert, and ready. It is also why we phase out pieces that are no longer of any use. So, no. You should never resign yourself to death, unless it is your dying breath and you don't have the strength, nor will to continue. Does that answer your question?" She concluded at last.

Alec had a small hammer in his hand, leaving the blade sharpening alone having nearly sliced his hand open while he listened to Gazelle, his eyes blinking, threatening to close for a brief moment before blinking awake at Alister's further talking to him. "The walls I came to defend..?" His voice trailed off, a small frown forming on his face. "I didn't join for that sort of reason, but I can respect that." He added with a small smile nodding finally at his comment about his friend. "Everyone has their reasons...but thank you all the same Alister. I don't know your..friend very well but I'll take your word for it." He used the others name, noting the fact he didn't mind the nickname, the man and his antics were down right odd..but he seemed harmless enough. He was weird yes, but he was peaceful and wore an easy smile. At least he seemed non-threatening, which Alec could work with.

The red head wasn't really sure how he felt about the situation as a whole, but he simply shrugged slightly and began carefully tapping the hammer to a ding on a particular well dented section of metal, eyeing it with a frown. He wasn't even really sure it was enough pressure, but trial and error seemed best in this situation.

Harper wasn't really a morning person, but she hadn't been expecting Axel to be there. She did indeed stop giggling, and sat as studiously as she could so that she could learn whatever the instructor had to show them. This was an Important Thing To Learn, and Harper was nothing if not a sponge when it came to knowledge.

She had a feeling that today was going to be a good day.

After listening to Gazelle drone on and on about gas mechanisms, replacement triggers, hooks and screws, Harper listened to the questions being bandied about. The thought of falling to her death didn't seem very appealing, and she scooted closer to Axel without really realizing what she was doing.

"Have people fallen to their deaths before due to malfunctioning equipment?"

Her voice was a mere whisper, directed at Axel.

Alister sighed happily, nodding so fiercely his hair bounced. "Yes, yes, Gazelle, I thank you. Your name is as graceful as your explanation!" He hummed and poked at one of the wires on the desk. Alister didn't have too many fears about malfunctioning equipment, but it was still better to possess the maximum amount of information. He paused in his humming to sigh. That had sounded like something Stephen would've said. Knowledge was power and all that. He missed the other boy, more than his family, more than his cushy bed, more than fine food. Frowning, he pinched his cheek hard and turned to Alec.

"Why did you join, then? For me, when I think of protecting the glorious walls, I am also protecting what's inside - the heart of humanity." His heart. He pointed to the ding. "You should hit it harder, Alec. And I'm sure if you got to know each other, you and Stephen could get along. He's like a cactus - all pickly on the outisde but full of... uh, water. Or something." Alister smiled beautifically. His long-fingered hands began re-winding the wire with ease.



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Preacher could feel Martino's words trickling in one of her ears and out the other. The man had some startlingly romantic notions about things that were, essentially, bits of metal and wood. Preacher was too tired for this. "I think..." she said consiideringly. "That ya got summat fine romantic feelin' 'bout equipment. S'alright. N', are ya even speaking real words?" Her fierce eyes narrowed. Of course, the man was speaking words, but they weren't standard tongue. And Preacher found her ears confusing up the sounds with technical terms. Her eyes felt crossed.

""Ey, Tala, ya might wanna try screwin' it in witchur fingers first, then switch up ta tools." Preacher leaned around Martino to poke the handle the quiet girl was working on. She never doubted that Tala was confident, but in this, they were all beginners. And, try as she might, Preacher simply did not see the poetry in a grip marred by hands possibly long dead. She rolled her stiff shoulders, and cracked her neck loudly. She fiddled with a fan briefly, then moved onto a wound wire. With a snap, it unwound at the end and lashed across the back of her hand.

She jerked back, a thin line of blood appearing on her dusky skin. Disgusted, she swiped at it.