Break a Sweat (Open)

[Gallows]

Ricardo's Gym was part of an endangered species these days. It was weird, seeing which businesses were hit hardest by industrialization of society. Everyone knew that family owned restaurants were being replaced by McDonalds and Burger King, and local department stores were falling to Home Depot. But not as many realized that the funeral home industry was being taken over by commercialized centers that shipped out mass produced coffins all across the country. And many didn't know that decent, small gyms were becoming harder and harder to find. Ricardo's Gym was one of those few--Gallows had met the owner, a big Hispanic man who looked as if he knew his way around a gym and used it, frequently. He also seemed like a pretty decent guy, and Gallows was well on his way to becoming a regular.

Gallows was wearing workout shorts and an old white t shirt. His fists were enclosed in training gloves, and he glistened with sweat as he bounced back and forth in front of the punching bag. He had boxed in high school, but ever since his graduation--and Awakening--he had been too busy with his work and his studies to keep up his exercise as much as he would have liked. He finished his flurry of punches and took a step back, breathing heavily. He was more tired than he would have liked to be from that routine, but he was still in pretty good shape--just not as good shape as a seventeen year old who had little to do but exercise or work on the family farm. He supposed that was part of passing thirty. Didn't mean he had to like it, though, or stop working against it.

Wiping his forehead off with a towel, Gallows made his way over to one of the benches nearby and had a seat. He took a long drink from his water bottle, looking around at the other customers at the gym--some of them regulars, some not--as he waited to get his breath back.

[Miach]

Miach was usually more an outsdoor guy, but he had this cliff in mind that he really wanted to climb, and he knew he would never achieve it without some specialized training. With that in mind, the Acanthus had checked some websites, taken advice from more experienced climber, and decided on a training regimen which brought him to Ricardo's gym. He had heard of it from Miguel, the mexican bouncer of the Splash Bar, and decided to check it on a whim, if only to keep in the good graces of the physionomist.

Now that he was exercizing his body as prescribed, chin ups alternating with rowing, rowing and chin ups, with some good old fashioned weight lifting thrown in for good measure, the Enchanter felt his body as a whole once again, and loved it. His heart, his lungs, his bones, his muscles were all working in unison toward a set goal. He reveled in the feeling as much as his body would support him, and then recalled that overtraining could be as detrimental to performance than not enough training. Stopping, he only now focused back on his surroundings, as he slowly recovered his breath. That's when he saw a face he had seen before.

Gallows... Moros of the Silver Ladder. Member of the Catalyst.

If the man was here, he was probably body-conscious too. Maybe he would be interested in the course Miach was setting up. Regardless, the Enchanter could hardly pretend he hadn't seen him. He was such a poor liar... so he headed over to the Necromancer, noticing there was already someone beside. Someone unknown, so potentially a Sleeper. He would have to tread carefully, then.

As he came near the two men, he stopped a few paces away, and nodded to catch the attention of the black man.
Hi Gallows. How do you do ? I hope I'm not interrupting anything ?

It was possible, though unlikely, that the man would have noticed him at the Consilium. Anyway, the use of his Shadow name would surely pique his attention.

[Gallows]

Gallows nodded at the man who sat down next to him. "Not bad," he said, taking a swig from his water bottle. "Yourself?" The man looked vaguely familiar to him, but he couldn't place the face. Was he a regular? Gallows couldn't be sure. 'Have I seen you around here before?"

Another man walked up to them, and Gallows blinked as he used his Shadow name. Well, wasn't expecting that. He took a look at the man, trying to place him. He had spent a lot of time trying to learn as many names and faces at the last Consilium meeting, but it still took him a moment. "Hey...ah, Miach, right?" He grinned apologetically. "Sorry if I got that wrong, things have been a bit hectic lately."

[Miach]

Miach smiled at the black man as he recalled his name too. They had never been introduced before, even if the Acanthus had presented himself at the Consilium. Not everybody was blessed with the same memory as his.

Hectic sure is the word, indeed. No complain here.

He smiled too at the man beside with the Stargate T-shirt, so as not to outright exclude him from the conversation either.
Say, fancy seeing you here. I'm no regular, far from it, but I didn't expect to meet someone like you. What are you exercising for ? Me, I got this cliff I want to climb in Cache Creek...

That was when a wild beauty entered the gym, and the Enchanter missed a heartbeat, giving others time to reply.

[Gallows]

Gallows blinked at Cog and Miach, then chuckled and sighed to himself. For a moment he had tensed at the sudden presence of two wizards, and being exposed, but it seemed it was just a coincidence. "I guess it is now," he said quietly. "Though we might want to keep that quiet." He shook Cog's hand. "I'm not exercising for anything in specific, just to keep in fighting shape, so to speak. Don't have enough Life yet to do it by cheating." He reference the Arcanum quietly, though it sounded fairly innocuous anyway.

"I've never been much for climbing--not many cliffs in New Orleans. Looks fun, but a little terrifying."

[Miach]

Taking his eyes off the beauty that was gracing the place with her presence, Miach returned to the talk at hand. He promptly looked around to see if anyone had heard Cog openly mention Wizards, and breathed a sigh of relief to see all eyes were set on the woman. Damn him, that was foolish ! Had I been a Guardian... Gallows quickly made light of it, though, so the Acanthus decided to roll with it.

Ermh... did I hear you talk about Life ? Funny you should mention it... I just happen to be about to open a class about it at the Museum, where I'm a regular, you know ? Would you like to take part ?

You know though, the fun part about climbing is the fright. But you need not uselessly worry, you can do it tighly roped, and in perfect safety.

From the tone of his voice, it was clear that was not how Miach would be climbing.