Fighting the Mind.

[Gilsin]

Ein's mind was slowly focusing in and out of reality. One moment a faceless opponent was standing infront of him, the other there was nothing but the slightly overripe but otherwise fresh air. It was a moment more before the focus sharpened, the enemy stood still and at the ready.

Ein's body snapped into motion, right foot stomping down on his opponents, shoulder slamming into his chest with his elbow jabbing forward sending it's point into the stomach. The opponent would land on his back, roll backwards and stand again.

Ein's right fist came down at a downward angle, aimed for the base of the man's neck, his whole body weight following through and causing him to crouch. A moment later the momentum shifted, the entire body being thrust upwards as the left fist came up in a harsh upper cut. The right fist would make a quick circle and jab forward underhanded. A final parting blow to someone that would have not likely survived the first strike.

Ein's eyes focused back into reality, the shadowy mental figure he had been fighting fading back into the simple hardwood floor that covered the gymnasium. He had been at it for hours, even for one that had no other style than his own Ein practiced. It was a requirement to all that fought.

It was only a moment of thought before Ein turned and readied himself again. His pupils dilating and refocusing afew times before the faceless opponent came at him. Ein would take afew hasty steps back before falling backwards into a roll. Afew more rushed backwards steps then another roll, with a difference. Ein didn't return to his feet the second time, instead he put his legs out and used his arms to thrust himself upwards. Heavy boots slamming harshly against the fictional opponents lower jaw and sending him flying backwards. Ein would roll forward with his landing, launching himself forwards while clasping his hands together in mid air. The axe blow would land somewhere in the middle of the man's chest as he hit the ground. His hands going through his mental opponent and slapping harshly against the floor.

His hands would ache, but he would stand and observe his surroundings before deciding to continue.

[Leon Loire]

Slow days called for fast reflexes...

Standing in front of the gymnasium's locker room exit, Leon quickly spent a sudden check of himself to guarantee his attire was suiting of training: track shoes, knee-low running shorts, a simple white tee, a water-proof watch, and a tight sweatband to hold back the loose hair. It was all there; it was all ready.

Relacing his shoes one more time, Leon looked around the corner of the room. The place was relatively quiet, but not dormant, with a few other athletes or students changing or showering. It was about five o'clock, and most were either wrapping up their afterschool activities, in the midst of them, or as far away from the school as logically possible. Only a few seemed interested in personal training today, and Loire was one of them.

Pushing forth the door and strolling across the basketball courts, Leon watched blankly as the school's Varsity Basketball team wrapped up practice and head into the showers as well. The Junior Varsity stood just on the side, waiting for their chance to practice for their big opening game next Saturday.

Leon looked to their team Captain and nodded, "Good luck with your game next week." and the Junior student nodded back in courtesy. Continuing to stroll past them, Leon found the auxiliary gym and pushed through the door, finding the place even more silent then the locker room.

'Geez, I knew I was one of the few...'

Of course, it wasn't completely silent; there seemed to be the loud sounds of fists and feet cracking the wind in the distance, and Leon was honestly surprised that he did not hear the bash of a punching bag alongside it. Then again, such a heavy duffel only held back some, and could easily be replaced by an intuitive imagination.

Leon, however, was up for starting his own exercise with such a simple concept. Stretching himself out for a few minutes in front of a wall of weights, Loire allowed his legs to loosen up, and his arms to tense. It was nothing special, considering he was rather impatient to get started, but it was enough to resist against any severe injuries to come later.

Walking around a corner, Leon was ready to start his beating against the tall bag of sand when he realized someone was glancing at him. Stopping short, Leon looked to the corner of his eye to see a figure... a familiar one at that.

"Gilsin?" Leon quietly commented, just glancing at the other fighter for a moment.

[Gilsin]

"Indeed, have you forgotten already?"

Ein held a small measure of sarcasm in his words. It wasn't meant to be entirely rude, just enough to shock Leon to his senses. There weren't too many like Ein and even if he was amoung those that looked similar he was one to stand out however slightly.

"Training for a fight? Those don't happen too often here and I shall insure that they are to happen less..."

He wondered if Leon had head the news. Ein was a Pillar, in charge with keeping the peace as much as the others. Perhaps not to the full authority as them but he was allowed to sit at his table and the grapewine would soon tell all of the new authority. For that information not to reach a Varronite wouldn't be too surprising but for it not to reach a more Elite one like Leon might mean he wasn't paying attention.

[Leon Loire]

"Hey, perhaps I have. It has been a while since we've seen each other, so what can I say?" Leon replied back humorously as he grinned at Ein's own light reaction. It certainly wasn't a light thing to come across Ein Gilsin, but then again, it wasn't an enormously heavy thing either. Leon could converse with him, and could be around him. The only problem was predicting him.

Leaning towards the punching bag, Leon held his arms in stance - left arm far ahead of the chest, right hovering near the neck in boxer formation - and struck against the sand pendulum in slow, rhythmic hits, the majority from Leon's favored side. As he practiced his punches, his ears caught another sentence from Gilsin, and Leon couldn't help but smirk darkly at the thought.

'Perhaps the rumor's true.'

Leon kept punching, acting as if his next sentence was jest, but in truth, it held quite a bit of dark humor, "A fight alright, but more of an expected one than a planned one. I just had a rather heated debate with a school pillar, and judging from his arrogance, I expect him charging at me in a few days. Then again, perhaps you'll be there! I'm sure it will be one of the few fights around right now, especially if you have Genäht with you. Then you all can crush the ignorant just like last time! After all, it seems to minimize the overall fights, right?"

Leon kept punching throughout the entire statement, his breath holding solidly throughout most of it, his words spoken slowly and clearly, collectively presenting the thought of humor and ease. Again, however, Leon knew Gilsin from their brief meetings; he was far from foolish, and would more than likely catch onto Loire's meaning rather easily.

Then again, it was unpredictable how he'd react. But Leon wasn't concerned; after all, he was still getting to explore the school. Why not his fellows?

[Gilsin]

"Sounds like Tiao..."

Ein frowned slightly. Tiao was definately the attack dog of the Pillars. Not the brightest ever and highly aggressive, but perhaps he needed to be reigned in. Blayne didn't seem to give a tight grip on him and perhaps he was becoming too zealous.

"I wouldn't reccomend such a fight. You'll only draw the attention of more than the one you fought with and perhaps embolden the few fools that are still resisting Hircine. The situation is inflamed enough as is..."

Ein knew what Leon was getting at. Poking at his methods and even the new school itself. It seemed that no matter where this one went, even if it was better than the last, he had to try to "fix" things. It was a foolish path, always trying to force utopian views into the real world. Such things would never happen even if people refused to admit it.

[Leon Loire]

Leon felt his left fist collide tightly to the bag as his muscles prevented further exercise for a moment. A small smirk seemed to cross his lips, and he side glanced to Gilsin, the new so-called Pillar, "You know me Gilsin, I'm not much of a physical aggressor. If I could somehow convince Shen to not attack me, then I'd do so. But after fifteen of trying to talk reason with him to only speak as if he were a bloodhound, even you would suspect the worse. He'll be the aggressor; I'm just anticipating it."

Leon continued his punches, but felt the need to slip in another notice, the grim notes of Gilsin rather interesting, "Just remember, it won't be me that 'inflames' the current situation. If you've noticed, nearly all of the recent fights have been thanks to the 'Hircinian' population. Therefore, Shen's making things worse, not me."

[Gilsin]

"I've never known you to let things be. I've little doubt you have just as much a hand in Tiao's anger as his short temper does. Most likely things came about because you are dissatisfied with this system just as you were with the last."

Ein's face turned part way into a scowl. It was hard not to become angered when talking to Leon in many occasions. His utopian vision and his zealotic pursuit of it was aggrivating to say the least. The man almost refused to adapt, instead trying to change things to the way he thought they should be.

"Reguardless, should aggressions ensue. Do one thing, as I am sure it will stop the fight from happening. Though I know you will refuse, it is simple."

Ein would wait a moment, quietly letting Leon attempt to think of what the action might be. Ein was sure he wouldn't be able to think of it but the time to allow him thought was neccessary.

"Admit your fault. Apologize and conform. Should you be sincere, I doubt the problem will arise again. If you are competent at faking such a stance, then it might avoid the confrontation for a short time. Perhaps enough for the Hircine resentment to die down slightly."

[Leon Loire]

Leon only smirked at the bitterness in Gilsin's response. It seemed most fitting to the irony that Gilsin had gone from an apathic intellectual to a conforming muscle.

'There's clearly more to his choice then meets the eye... or is it really as simple as that? Does he have a reason for abandoning apathy?'

Leon allowed his punches to continue, clearing his ears for Gilsin's following statement. At first it seemed as if he was preparing an attack on Leon's opinions, but instead he transitioned to something simpler: a possible method to evading a fight in the first place. When Ein left Leon to think up his own reaction, the Senior stopped his punching and stood there, sincerely considering his options for a moment.

To be honest, Gilsin's former statement brought the idea of apology. Leon had to admit a good deal of guilt for what happened in their argument, and in truth, he had orchestrated the anger in Shen on purpose. Of course he would not confess that to Ein, but perhaps an apology was exactly what was necessary.

'Looking like an asshole to a pillar is not exactly a wise strategy at the moment. Besides, if I apologize, it may show my own conscious is stronger than his, and only seek to prove his brutal methods even further. That way I'll come off far more human than any of the pillars... perhaps even Gilsin himself, if he wishes to be a sheep so openly.'

Leon, apparently, was half right; apology was one of the two methods Gilsin suggested. But the other option that the newly appointed Pillar was, like he apparently believed, never even a subconscious consideration of Leon Loire.

Leon side glanced him with a bit of fire, but let it go. An argument was not only unnecessary, it was a waste of time. Ein Gilsin knew damn well of Loire's beliefs and intentions, and it was clear what he thought of them and him. If he wished to be Loire's enemy, that was his choice. Leon could not change that; Gilsin was too strong both intellectually and physically.

Leon allowed another light smirk to pass over his lips, hiding the slight intensity behind his voice, "I admit Gilsin, you're right about one thing: I certainly should apologize to Shen. It was my fault for starting that argument, considering I was the first to open hostilities in that argument, even though he made an insult to me. I'll have to make a mental note to search him out in the school halls tomorrow."

Leon then stopped punching the bag once again, grabbed the top, and leaned backward to give him a leverage of ease. A moment later, he let go, and looked to the Pillar.

"But don't even waste my time withe idea of conformity. You know my opinions, and you know that I'll never give the consideration to give in to the current ideologies of our superiors. This is the United States after all, and I have every right to resist for the sake of my own liberty. Conformity be damned. I'm an individual, not a sheep. So let's not get too far into this discussion, because I respect you too much as an intellectual to speak out the truth of my opinion regarding you."