Welcome to Gaia! ::

Marcus entered the main training hall silently, holding his sword with one hand while the other held a rainbow of pills, ranging from red to black and of all sizes and shapes it was clear that he had some form of somewhat serious medical condition. That or he was adicted to pills of various kinds. With a single tilt and swallow half of the pills vanished into his kouth, being swallowed instantly without the slightest of effort, the rest followed in suite soon after. Marcus wiped his mouth on his sleeve and looked around..fairly empty, perhaps students were doing other things today? Looking around he decided to try something new today...perhaps work his skills out on moving targets.

Stepping iinto a more advanced room then he ahd previously used, he stepped up to a rather complicated compute moniter....he wasn't a wiz kid, and he was terriable wih these kinds of advanced computers. "Umm..I'de like to practice on some moving targets please?" he said, as if an omnipitant voice would answer. And at that moment several targets popped from the walls and begain to move in various patters...not bad, good stuff. Unsheathing his sword he lunged at a target, only to have it move out of the way, he slashed at another...and missed! and another! another miss! He must not have been as good as he thought, cause he had yet to hit a single target....Howveer the timing begain to set in, and with a deft but weak slash he hit a target...only to have a target move from above him to behind him. Witbhout him even getting a chance to react the target hit him in the back of his head and he fell foreward unto his face...presumably out cold.

Totro enters the Training hall and looks around. He barely opens the first door on his left to see if anyone was inside. He heard a noise from the hall, but wasn't sure which room it was coming from, and he did not want to disturb anyone. He opened the door a bit wider and a pitch-black monkey lacking detail jumped out from under his hat, and entered the room.

Marcus coughed once and cringed, his eyes still closed...but it meant he was alright, next to his pound head that is. He opened one eye slowly, his vision still slightly blurry and distorted.....someone was above him, but he couldn't make out the face. It seemed familiar but...nope, his vision didn't let him see clear enough. However once he opened both eyes he had clear enough vision to see that it was Laurel.....Micha didn't seem to be around, but at least it was a familiar face. "Hey...thanks" he said weakly and quietly, as always was his tone of voice. He struggled with boith arms to push himself up into a sitting position, slightly embaressed that he had been knocked out cold by a target.

Laurel grinned at him in relief. "You're...welcome, but I didn't...do anything. Just watched." She nodded. As long as she spoke slowly, she could manage without stuttering. I wish Micha was here, to talk for us. I never know what to say. Suddenly missing her sister, she reached out mentally to find out what was going on. Micha had fallen back asleep, and Laurel pulled back from her mind quickly so she wouldn't wake her up. Remembering that she wasn't alone, she focused back on Marcus, watching him struggle to get up. "Are y-you alright, M-marcus? A-are you hurt?" She frowned at him worriedly. She had spoken too quickly, and the nervous stutter came back.

Laurel shook her head, giving him a skeptical look. "J-just because I'm young, doesn't m-mean I'm stupid," she said sharply, then covered her mouth with one hand. "I m-mean...well....you w-were knocked o-out." She blushed a bright pink. I shouldn't have snapped at him...oh... *He asked for it.* Micha's voice came to her suddenly, and she sat up a little straighter. It sounded stronger that before, and she smiled, forgetting all about her conversation with Marcus. *Mi, you're getting better.* *'Course I am. You oughta give him a piece of your mind. He did get hurt.* *But that would be so mean! I couldn't.* *Well tell him I say he's being an idiot.* *Won't. You're just mean. Tell him yourself.* *Alright, I will. Maybe he'll hear me.* Laurel winced as Micha 'shouted' towards Marcus. *STOP BEING STUPID, MARCUS! YOU GOT HURT!* *Micha, not so loud! That hurt!* Laurel clapped her hands to her ears, even though she knew it wouldn't help.

Laurel looked at him in astonishment, standing up. "Y-you...heard her?" *Of course he heard me. I'm noisy.* *You almost made my ears bleed.* *Oh...sorry.* *It's okay. I'll get over it.* Laurel shook her head. *Well, if you don't want me shouting at him, tell him I say he's being silly. It does too hurt him. A lot.* *Micha! You're eavesdropping again! Cut it out!* Laurel scowled darkly, at both Marcus and Micha. "Maybe you d-didn't say I w-was s-stupid," she said softly, "but y-you act like y-you think I am. You're j-just pretending it d-doesn't hurt. M-maybe you'll be f-fine, maybe n-not, but d-don't try to tell m-me one thing when y-you're thinking another." She shook her head. She hadn't meant to let slip that one of them was listening to what he was thinking, but she figured that might be better. At least he'd have a little warning that Micha was snooping. As an afterthought, she added "An' Micha s-says you're b-being silly. An' that she's s-sorry for sh-shouting."

((This is horrid. Just as you post, I have to leave. I'll be back in an hour or so, and post for real then.))