Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Hmmm," pondered Levi as Alex explained how he's just automatically appeared like this. It was no use; Levi was no computer whiz. He couldn't understand the programming that led to this predicament of their younger friend, but perhaps one of the admins would be able to fix it or, or contact VH's creator and---Levi's eyes flicked up at Alex, noticing the faint color of scarlet as he looked at Talia, and grinned a wicked grin. Now he must've been noticing what he'd just said in front of Talia's virgin ears.
However, as usual, Talia made every booboo better like a band aid and a kiss. Down to the point that Levi had carelessly missed to point, having thought it obvious enough to not need reassurances, Talia expressed that Levi and herself would keep their lips sealed. "Here-here!" Levi concurred.
Alex surprised Levi with the amount of his delight about that. The face he showed them was sickeningly sweet, and for a moment, Levi had to calm his heart as it skipped a beat. With those big amber eyes, adorable smile, and radiantly sparkling tears, Levi had to remind himself that the kid was male. Repeatedly. He canted it inside his head like a mantra as Alex sprang up and enveloped Talia in a jovial hug. He didn't dare let himself think about it, otherwise he'd go tomato-skinned. Nor did he dare request some gratitude for himself. Levi and Alex had already gotten off on the wrong foot, and Levi wasn't sure he'd fixed his reputation in the kid's mind yet, so he didn't risk pushing the envelope. Besides, Levi didn't want that temptation anywhere near him.
Just as his heart stopped thudding dangerously high for the guy, a voice boomed from the sky. Levi grinned excitedly and leaned backwards to look at the clear figure in the sky. Jayce Wilder, the creator of the game. He announced the beginning of Virtual High with splendour and ghostly cheering, which Levi enthusiastically chimed in on, whooping and throwing his first in the air. He pointed at the figure in the sky and beamed at Alex. "That's the creator of this game. He did this last year as well..." He was drowned out when Jayce Wilder started speaking again, announcing that the new change would be the admin arenas where you could go to challenge any admin you liked. Levi whooped for that as well, throwing both arms in the air. When it was over, Levi was laughing, and he turned happily at the two of them. "How's about that? Now we don't have to hunt down the admins all over Virtua High, and I can even strike a good fight while we're at it. We won't know if they'll be able to help until we try. But how's about we do you a favour and equip you something less girly, for your pride?"

Levi twitched, his attention spinning elsewhere. A few trees down, he saw, attracting the attention of a forming crowd of students, a big fella made a slight fool of himself. Striking a dramatic pose amid the idle students, the stranger shouted for all to hear "EQUIP!" Nothing at all happened, which wasn't surprising. The creator had a much more subtle style, excluding flashy catch phrases for their tackiness.
Like many of the audience, Levi couldn't help himself. Naturally loving a good laugh, he smirked and broke into more boyish giggles at the now bashful male's performance. "Ah, this is why I love sitting at the front entrance. These newbies are amazing. No offense, Alex." He grinned at him, shaking his head, and stood up from his earlier crouch to admire the outstanding guy who meekly strode over to a cherry tree a few spaces down.
Just when he though that was the last of it, the guy's voice revved up again. Levi's attention was inadvertently drawn to him again, and to Levi's surprise he slammed his fist into his palm quite loudly, and tried yelling for some help. Levi's eyebrows rose in amusement, then drew down again when he saw two seniors share a devious look and start towards the big guy. Of course, battle season had just started, and there were always a few impolite simpletons that took advantage of new students.
"Hey, Talia, I think I'm gonna go assist that poor guy. Someone's about to take advantage of him. Maybe take Alex out to get some guy's clothes before this crowd gets too big, and Alex gets too nervous." He shrugged amiably at Alex. "He trusts you more than me anyway." He sniffled falsely, and gave Alex a mock-hurt pout. Then he sauntered off,relaxed in his approach to the big guy and closing in at the same pace as the two hecklers. "Just don't talk to Moira without me! I've been waiting to see that angel for the whole summer!" he called over his shoulder at the two of them, grinning, before twisting back and jogging to beat the blockheads to the new guy.
"Wow, you are much bigger than you looked over there," Levi announced when he was behind him. Seeing him, the hecklers swerved off, having recognized that the big intimidating new guy now had a friend that they recognized. Levi watched them go with a blissful smirk, then stretched his neck back a little to stare the stranger in the eyes, ignoring the inferiority of his height. He shoved his hands in his ockets casually and smiled cheekily up at him. "You're not a freshman...are you? I'm guessing this is just your first time at Virtua High. I wouldn't go shouting for help right after the the battles started, since I just saved you from getting virtually mugged, but that's my experienced opinion. The name's Levin Jude, but I like Levi. Howdie, and how can I help?"

Though the big fella had been rough and tough looking from the very start, Levi was ill-prepared for the physicality of his greeting. Blinking as the man's arm flew at him, he made to duck, but was instead caught as he moved in and captured him in a rock solid chokehold. "Gah---" he yelped, his nose stuffed into the stranger's armpit, and tried to pry him off when he went for Levi's blond locks, tousling it with a big meaty hand. Over his own sounds of protest Levi heard Ayate Kengoro introduce himself. His voice was boastingly loud and prideful as he said his name, and Levi discovered by struggling to keep his eyes out of the man's underarm and seeing through his disheveled hair that Ayate was not a man shy of theatrics. He swept one palm across the sky, staggering Levi, while he skillfully kept the squirming younger male under his other arm. He dictated that his height was an impressive 6 feet and ten inches, and that he worked out, with excessive pride. "I-I didn't really ask---Hah!" He'd finally popped out from the chokehold. Levi vainly liked to think he'd done so with his own ability, and had not simply been allowed free. He teetered away, spun around, and flinched away as Ayate begun rehearsing thrusts a little too close.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure endurance and muscle alone would work wonders against a psionic," retorted Levi, trying to finger comb the crown of his head so it didn't look like yesterday's bedhead. Once satisfied, he rose one brow at Ayate. "So a total beginner, I see. I'm a junior, though I was hear last year, so in a way, I guess I'm your senior." Levi puffed out his chest, a mocking comparison to Ayate's beefy form, though Levi seemed wholly unaware, like a cat and a bear. Still Ayate beat him as far as enthusiasm. He was hopping around like a Mexican jumping bean. As Ayate went on, inquiring about fantasy equipment, revealing armor, battles, stats, special abilities, and new upgrades and sorts. Levi began to think Ayate was far too hyper and hadn't researched before enrolling at VH.
"This isn't exactly some medieval fantasy, you know?" Levi stated, unfortunately ruining the grand scheme Ayate seemed to have in his mind. Levi scratched his ear with an awkward, sympathetic smile. "Virtua High is fashioned after a regular school network, but instead of studying and testing, we fight to prove who's the best. The Top Eight those are the Admins. They've got retty funky powers, but so does everyone at VH. There are three, well four, types of powers: Physionic, that's physical orientd abilities like super speed, strength, etcetera, etcetera; Psionics are mind players with telekinesis, telepathy, illusions;---" he waggled his fingers to demonstrate the point then Shenomonics control other stuff like eementalists and such. Admonics are the admins' abilities, and they can be trippy. As for equipment, the skimpiest thing you can see here due to the rating is Admin Moira's shirtlessness, and I hope it's not fixed this year. But yeah, you can get new weapons, upgrades and the like from the Upgrades shop in the city." Levi looked up at his eyebrows, taking a second to remember the last instructions. "Battling is basically free-duelling, but this year you heard they have admin zones. It's to encourage more fights between the admins and players, I'm guessing. Those are in the arenas around the city. You start off with one ability and stick with one, unless you can defeat an admin, then you get their admonic I hear, but I don't think anyone succeeded last year. However, there's always a trick or two you can learn at the upgrades shop." Levi's breath came out in a whoosh. "Did I miss anything...Oh, um, yeah, not really any stats, but you can earn points and pay with 'em, too."

It looked like Levi had been able to calm Alex down much more with his talk though the kid seemed embarrassed that Talia had heard their whole conversation, but that wasn't that surprising. As Talia had finished he started to smile, not really helping out his whole, trying not to look like a girl thing. She had to admit, she now knew his gender and still had a hard time believing it with the face he was putting on. He jumped up and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly and thanking her ecstatically. She laughed a bit "Well it's the least we can do to welcome you to the academy" she said with a smile as she hugged him back lightly.

Not a moment later a familiar face appeared in the sky. Talia recognized it immediately, the creator. Whom announced the beginning of Virtual High as well as the beginning of the battles and mentioning a new admin arena. That piqued Talia's interest, last year the admins were almost like ghosts, so hard to find. But now they'd be set in their own areas. She smiled over at Levi joining the enthusiastic cheering, blending his cheer in with the automated ones. He looked over to Alex and explained who the floating head was and offering to get Alex some clothes.

More and more new students were spawning though none really drew attention until Talia heard an "EQUIP!" she looked over in the direction of a newly spawned, quite muscular, student. Levi laughed along with the other students and Talia spared a smirk, must be a first year, though he looked older than herself. Levi made a crack at the newbies causing Talia to grin. It was true, seeing how everybody adjusted and the bewildered looks on the kid's faces when they first started was priceless. Levi spoke of going to help out the beefy kid and suggested she take Alex to get some male clothes. Talia looked over at the student and sure enough, a couple of seniors were closing in. "Fine, go play hero, I'll see you later" Talia said before turning to Alex, hearing a call behind her saying not to talk to Moria yet. She smirked a little before addressing Alex.

"I think he has a point, what do you say we get you a change of clothes. And If you've got any other questions about Virtua High I'd be happy to answer them" she offered with a smile

"No bad a** equipment," Levi solemnly repeated. It was the first time Levi had seen Ayate lose steam. It didn't stall him for long though, and when he asked about the shirtlessness, Levi rose his one brow, as if Ayate was the one thinking inappropriately. He quickly explained that he wasn't asking for what Levi thought he was thinking, but the eyebrow stayed quizzically up.
Moving on, Ayate voiced his ignorant opinion on mind tricks. Levi's eyebrows twitched straight up, both of them, in silent, subtle aghast. After all, Levi was a psionic player. The idea of his illusions being flat-lined in a method as easily as closing one's mind. . . well! Levi almost wanted to challenge this newbie right then and there for his insult. However, as irritating as the insult was for his honor, he knew that picking on him for it would not only defile his honor further, but it would also make him a possible enemy that could turn fatal for his game plan in the future.
Meanwhile, Ayate had considered going after adminship. Levi wouldn't discourage him for that. Plenty of first timers could become powerful and able players. Levi, from first hand experience, had discovered strategy and exploring your element would absolutely push you forward. He was lucky he'd been well equipped for his power. "You look like a physionic, too. I hope you get it, 'cause I think they're randomly generated."
Ayate turned out to be interested and confident enough to return to the far off ambition of becoming an admin. He was wondering how to raise his reputation, when he came up with the brilliant idea of ticking Levi off, cracking a joke that he could beat up the youth. A no-nonsense look crossed Levi's face like a passing shadow, slipping away when he grinned jovially, icy mischief in his eyes. "Oh, no, no, I'd be glad to help you out," Levi offered, offering his hand. "Besides, a lot of freshmen and newbies are trying to figure out their powers. You already have an unfair advantage with all your bulk. And you can try out that theory of blocking out my mind games, while we're at it," he said, admitting that he was one of those psionics that he thought so highly of. He waggled his fingers at him again, this time looking like the incarnation of mischief in wolfish grin and tinkling eyes. "Oh, and of course, I'll help you out, too. A trial like this might let you discover your power."