Its Like a Gym, Only More Dangerous

[Darren Nash]

Ash loved to run. It was something that seemed to lift the soul and bring it into harmony with the body, made a person realise they were alive.

Or dead, if you happened to have Death's Grim Sight up while jogging past a place where some unfortunate cyclist had been knocked off there bike on the way to work or where a young man got in over his head and was gunned down in cold blood, still attached to the place of his violent end.

Came with the territory, Ash thought as he carried on like a breath of air. Wearing a pair of navy jogging pants and his blue England rugby shirt he arrived quite early in the morning, not starting his shift until mid-afternoon and wanted to see if anyone was available at the Circle to help him with his little bit of training. Entering the builidng, he still couldn't believe the scale of the place and had to whistle in response.

Damn impressive, as ever.

[West (The Mage)]

In the walled yard, West sat in an adirondack-style chair, reading a magazine and listening to his iPod. He wore sweats with dark spots, indications that Ash was not the only one that was up early exercising.

[banner]west[/banner]

[Darren Nash]

Spotting West, Ash tried to think the best way to do this.

If I tap him on the shoulder, he might pull a gun and shoot me in the face. However, if I just cough lightly, he might not hear me and I'll look an idiot. Ash frowns as he tries to decide what would be the best choice.

Idiot or dead?

The Moros walked lightly towards West making sure to stay in his eyeline, a nervous smile on his face.

"Hey Boss," Ash says in the stupid way someone usually does to get the attention of someone else in another world. He felt like an idiot.

I wonder if its too late to be shot?

[West (The Mage)]

West looked up, laying the magazine down, and pulling the earbuds out. He hadn't seen any of the Arrows since Orphan's training exercise, and this was a bit of a surprise.

"Hey?" he asked. It seemed that was going to be the greeting, as well.

[Darren Nash]

Ash waits for West to remove his ear buds and smiles as he is acknowledged, giving a little wave of the hand at the same time.

"Happy New Year and all that," he said before adding, "how's things? Seems quiet." He scans the grounds. Catching the Boss relaxing seemed, well, weird.

[West (The Mage)]

"It's another day," West shrugs. "Joshua or Orphan may show up, they do that every now and then."

He didn't add that they usually only showed up for Enlightenment & Training; instead, he waited to see what brought Ash.

[Darren Nash]

"Cool," Ash says while idly scratching his stubble. "I phoned Ankh and asked her a for some training help and she directed me to you. I wanted to do it on my own but, well, apparently you need ID to go to a shooting range and well, I don't exist, do I. I mean, I don't even remember fuck all before Awakening." Ash shrugged apologetically.

"Sorry Boss."

[West (The Mage)]

West looks at Ash as if he'd just sprouted a pig's tail in the center of his forehead.

"Why are you calling my girlfriend?"

[Darren Nash]

Ash frowns at West quizzically.

"I didn't know she was your girlfriend," he says innocently. It was the truth. Besides, he had had his fill for female companionship for one month.

"She was cool during the obstacle course so I thought she might know how I could improve my combat talents. Maybe it would have been better for me to call Orphan instead, despite his tendancy to go on a bit" he adds at the end.

[West (The Mage)]

"Or Falx? The First Talon that carries around an MP5? Or, yeah, Orphan -- the First Talon that carries around swords," West replied.

I mean, seriously. Unless he wants to learn to fight like a polar bear.

"Anyway, yeah, she is," he added.

Maybe I should have shot him.