Welcome to Gaia! ::

*At this rate, Maggie's blush is going to become a permanent fixture on her face. But, even though she's self-conscious about it, it's comforting to feel his arm around her, so she doesn't pull away. Instead, she just listens to his exchange with Cora, as she sorts through and tries to settle down her jumble of emotions*

:::Cora beemed a smile:::

Congratulations Bard! That is quite an accomplishment. Your training will surely pay off. Keep up the good work. :::She was saying all the things her drill captains told her, of course it was only ever praise...until she started showing up at the Brink:::

:::She was now at the bar, and had picked up two empty beer bottles. With those in hand to headed to where Bard and Maggie were standing:::

Allow me to demonstrate what I have been capable of thus far. :::She held one beer bottle in each hand, and then pressed a button on her right wrist:::

Computer, duplicate motion. :::It beeped a reply, and she looked back at her friends::: Please stay clear of my swing.

:::When they were safely out of the way, she studdied the target off in the distance, and began to concentrate. Her left arm pulled back, the right following it's motions simultaniously and flawlessly, down to the muscle fiber. She released, hurling the bottles at the side of the bar:::

:::As the bottles came a couple feet within hitting the bar, she began to focus on the left, slowing it's area as much as she could. Moments later, the bottle from her right arm hit the bar and smashed into a hundred peices. The bottle from her left hit the bar seconds later, slowly enough to not shatter, and clunk the remaining few inches to the floor in once peice:::

:::She smiled, satisfied with herself...then immidiately grabbed a chair and slumped into it, breathing heavily:::

*Bard removes his arm from around Maggie's shoulders and applauds*

I never get tired of watching you do that. But you're getting lazy. I know you can control a bottle better than that. *he winks*

*Maggie frowns, puzzled . . . could he just have been teasing her?*

:::Cora was about to ask him a question, but was interupted by his flickering out. Instead she turned to Maggie:::

What does it mean, to joke?

:::Her head retreats::: Why would anyone do that? Where I am from, that is called lying. Was Bard 'joking' when he said he'd seen me use my power before?

:::She loosens up a bit, but still looks concerned, her investigatory skills stopped short when she couldn't understand the social implications:::

I'm afraid then, I am at a loss of understanding. Would you know? What is funny about telling me he'd seen my use my power before? Why did he think I was trying to be funny by telling him that he had not..?