It had taken Paige a day or two to cool off.

She'd went back to talk to Grace about how Levi had been an asshole, but Grace had just shrugged and given her an 'I told you so.'

"Well, I warned you. Neighborhood stray. If he starts feeling like someone's too close, he'll up and run. Then you went and chased him down, and now you wonder why he snapped at you."

After that, Paige just hung out with the crows the next day.

She had complained to them about Levi, too, but that didn't get far either.

"Are you sure you don't want us to shit on him? It really sounds like he deserves the good carpet bomb or two," a crow had insisted. "One word, ONE WORD, miss, and we'll bury him so deep in a shit heap that grass will grow on that hill before he's able to climb out of it."

Paige had smiled at that but shook her head. "No, I was told to leave him be. I didn't. He's still an asshole, but I think I just want to leave him alone now." Something about the situation made her chest feel a little empty. Nothing she couldn't easily get over, Levi had just been a crush, but it still got to her.

A lot of what bothered her was knowing she'd only pushed the situation because the system was affecting her behavior. At least she was pretty sure of that. At least she wanted to believe she'd have listened to Grace's advice otherwise. And, maybe, even if nothing developed with him beyond friendship, her and Levi could have at least been friends.

It was the first time Paige had felt like the system's changes had taken something away from her.

She was still mad at Levi. He'd been a complete asshole for no reason, out of nowhere. He'd blindsided her with the complete shift in attitude. And she wasn't going to just be okay with that, either.

The day after that, Paige had met a bobcat. 'Found' was probably the best word for it.

She'd actually deliberately asked the crows to track down another animal. What they'd found was a bobcat. But as far as they were concerned, trying to make friends with it was insanity.

"Listen, listen, miss, we know you want more friends, but a bobcat is all terror and wrath. They don't even play nice with each other. I'd sooner cuddle a rattlesnake than mess with a bobcat."

"Yeah, yeah. How about we find some coyotes, miss? Us corvids and canines got history, you know." Another crow had added.

"Ay, that ain't a bad idea, that. Can't trust them if they haven't had a good meal in a few days, but they ain't bad fellows."

"Maybe later. I'm doing this." Paige had been determined.

Paige had felt she still had to try. At least her circlet would prevent the bobcat from attacking. When she'd first approached the bobcat, it had hid on the limb far above her.

"Hey, I just want to be your friend!" Paige had called out.

She hadn't even received coherent words in response. The bobcat had only growled in a way that sent shivers through Paige.

She had sat down and waited, hoping the bobcat would change its mind. It didn't. After about fifteen minutes of waiting, the crows had alerted her that the bobcat was sneaking away.

Paige had pursued it, and it had hunkered down twice in an attempt to avoid Paige's notice. Paige had found it both times with the help of the crows.

A thought had struck her the second time she found the bobcat. It was a thought she hadn't liked but had to admit to herself. She was doing it again. The same thing she'd done with Levi.

Realizing that, she had found herself looking up at the third limb the bobcat hid behind, wondering what to say.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you alone, now." Paige had said. "I'm sorry I chased you. I-I just wanted to be your friend. I didn't mean to scare you."

She had started to cry, then, but the tears didn't feel like they were all meant for the bobcat.

_____

Levi visited Grace first.

"I feel like shit about it, and I'm sorry to you for just running off, too. I'm just kind of antisocial and felt a little overwhelmed."

Grace waved him off as she dropped something that looked suspiciously like a very tiny eyeball into a bubbling pot. "I'm not offended at all, and I understand entirely." She picked up a spoon and slowly stirred. After a moment, she nodded, set the spoon down, and looked up at him.

"My advice is to leave her alone. By all means, apologize if you cross paths, but you know she has a crush on you. Don't add fuel to that fire." Grace sighed deeply and put her hands in her lap. "This is one of those times I wish I still had some weed," she mutttered.

"Look," Grace continued, "She's young. Far younger than you. You don't even know the headache you are getting yourself into if you tried to be more than friends. Yes, apologize. You both need that, I think. Listen though, please... friends are fine, but no more than that. She's too young and you're too stupid."

Levi swallowed, "I...well...I wasn't really planning to. I just wanted to tell her I was sorry for being an asshole."

"And that's all you should do, but is that what will actually happen?" Grace tossed her hands up. "I'm just urging caution, and I've told her the same thing. I don't see anything good coming out of this. I'm not trying to be mean; I'm just calling it as I see it."

Levi nodded slowly. "I promise, I'll make sure nothing happens between us other than friendship."

Grace patted Levi on the cheek and smiled. "I believe you'll try. But, I don't think you stand a chance."

Grace had given him few hygiene supplies she had made before he left. She had also handed him a bottle filled with a cloudy liquid the color of old dried blood.

"This is my best attempt at a healing potion so far. Joe says they taste like shit but work almost as well as the system ones."

"Thanks, Grace."

_____

After talking with Grace, Levi went to the training grounds.

Grace had said Joe had gone there to practice and may be willing to spar with Levi. Apparently, Joe had been there the last two days.

When Levi arrived, Joe was extending a hand to a much younger man and helping him off the ground. He held what looked like a wooden training sword in his other hand.

He had changed into his gear, which primarily looked like leather and chainmail.

When he had gotten the kid to his feet, Joe roughly knocked some dirt off the younger man's shoulders and back, and was complimenting him. "Good fight, Gage, good fight. You really made things hard with that shield. I almost wore myself out before I broke through. Do you need a little healing potion?"

The younger man shook his head. "No. I don't think so, but my left ear is ringing like hell. I think I'll be okay, but just give me a minute."

"Alright, but at least wipe down your ear with the rag."

Joe noticed Levi as he walked up and gave him a polite smile.

"So you know how to use a sword, too?" Levi said, half joking, as the younger guy limped off to the side.

"Hardly," Joe answered. "But two decades as a homeless drunk will teach you a lot about using a stick. And what is a sword if not a metal stick with a sharp edge?"

Levi laughed. "Pretty sure anyone who's practiced any form of swordsmanship would take offense to that."

"Trust me, I've learned. See that guy there?" Joe pointed to a slender guy with what looked like a practice rapier working through forms.

"He ate me alive. I couldn't touch him. Didn't hurt much, but I'd have been dead if we were using real weapons."

Joe then pointed to a woman who was closer to Levi's age, "And her. Apparently, she did some Kendo or something in her homeland. Not Japan, but somewhere else. I can't remember. But she trounces me every time we spar."

"Good on you for being humble," Levi said before growing a little more somber. "Look, I owe you an apology too..."

Joe cut him off. "No, you don't. Don't go apologizing for nothing."

Levi saw Joe's look and gave a single nod. "Okay then."

"So, are you here to spar, or was that all you were here for?"

Levi grinned nervously. "I wanted to spar, but I don't have any experience with weapons. And I actually only have a small dagger, anyway. I wanted to practice my hand to hand. I gained a skill."

"Are you wanting a challenge or just trying to figure things out?" Joe asked.

"Both, but I'd like to figure things out first."

"Perfect. I know just who to start you with." Joe started walking to the edge of the practice grounds.

Levi was about to ask who he was going to be sparring against, but Joe tossed the practice sword down and started peeling off his hauberk and undershirt.

Shirtless, Joe was the definition of cut. At least 15 years older than Levi, he looked better shirtless than Levi ever remembered looking in his entire life. It surprised Levi, considering Joe claimed to have been an alcoholic for so long, but the man was actually very fit. As Joe walked back over to Levi with a confident grin on his face, Levi couldn't help but be intimidated.

"Go drop your pack." Joe stood still in the center with his arms by his sides.

Levi couldn't help but notice that glances were being directed toward them. He wasn't sure if the interest was in Joe or that Levi was a new face... maybe it was some kind of combination.

Levi went to the edge, dropped his pack, and decided to at least bare his torso and forearms. Joe was shirtless, so that was fair.

It felt a lot less fair when he walked back to the center and stood in front of what had to be at least a 6'3" Joe looking as if he'd been hammered out of high quality steel.

Joe smiled down at him and raised his fists. "Ready when you are."

Levi was nervous, but he really wanted to see how far his Tai Chi skill carried him. So, he took a stance, focused on letting the skill do its job, and nodded.

Joe circled Levi but didn't strike immediately. Levi, leaning towards defense, moved as Joe moved but didn't act.

After a few moments, Joe tossed out a few testing feints, but Levi didn't react. Levi was able to recognize the feints from his own experience with fighting and sparring. He doubted his Tai Chi skill extended beyond the use of the forms, anyway.

Then Joe threw a real punch. He threw three actually. He delivered a right jab, a left cross, and then stepped in to deliver a right hook. Levi hadn't actually recognized each punch beyond noticing them coming and consciously choosing to react. He'd never been a great boxer. But his skill kicked in, and he was able to deflect the first two punches and get outside Joe's left, putting an elbow into Joe's ribs. The hook missed entirely, with Levi's elbow connecting with Joe's ribs instead.

But Levi's deflections had been sloppy. His arms had felt the blows more than he had liked. It wasn't that his form was bad. In fact, his skill made it perfect. But his timing and ability to properly give way to the pressure of his opponent was horrible. This was why Tai Chi used the push hands drills. But without a partner, Levi wasn't really able to practice that.

The elbow had forced Joe back a step and he let out an "Oof," but he recovered almost immediately and grinned at Levi.

Levi suddenly had a bad feeling.

They began circling again.

The next time Joe struck, he delivered the same combo, except faster. And when he delivered the hook, he didn't step forward, but just twisted into it, going lower for the body shot.

Levi had reacted the same way he had the first time, but knew he'd messed up when he felt his elbow brush past Joe's torso, followed by all of Levi's air being forced out of his lungs. Then things went white as another blow connected with his jaw.

Levi couldn't have been out for more than a second. Laughs came from those watching, and he was still gasping to get his breath back. He hadn't even seen the blow that had dropped him.

Once Levi caught his breath, Joe helped him to his feet and handed him a rag soaked in pink liquid. "Here, rub this on your jaw where I hit you, and a little on your head. Healing potion. Tony thought of this," Joe pointed a thumb over his shoulder at a stocky, shirtless man in his mid to late 20s. "It goes a lot further than drinking them for these bumps we get training."

Levi did as Joe instructed, and after just a couple of seconds, his head cleared. He expected his head to be wet, but it was like his body had just drank in the liquid. It wasn't even damp. "That's awesome," Levi commented, handing the rag back to Joe.

"Yeah. Smart. And it makes one bottle last several people almost all day."

"What the hell did you hit me with?" Levi asked.

"Left elbow. You were too close to punch, but also too close to see it coming." Joe took a step back and looked at Levi. "You never actually used that stuff in a fight, huh? What is it?"

"Nope. And it's Tai Chi."

"The stuff old people do?" Joe asked, cocking his head to the side.

Levi laughed. "Kind of, yeah."

Joe shrugged. "Well, it isn't that bad, but I don't think it will get you far with all these weapons and stuff. You know anything else about fighting or is that it?"

"Eh, I know a little. Not very good at anything except a little grappling, and even that's nowhere near the level of someone who's trained in it for years. I was really just trying to see how my skill would use the Tai Chi in combat, though," Levi answered.

"Pretty good for a skill. But I think the best thing to do is just spar. Sure, let the skill work when it does, but don't focus on only that. Relax, use everything you know about fighting, and let the skill fill in those gaps.

I don't really know what kind of fight IQ you have, either. Can't tell shit if you're just using that skill. But trust me, knowing how to fight makes a league of difference when all skills are equal.

How much were you wanting to spar today? We're lucky. With the healing potions and system we can pack a week's worth of sparring into a couple of hours. And it's more realistic." Joe was smiling.

It was the most Levi had ever heard the mostly quiet Joe speak, if you didn't count the government meeting. Joe seemed to really enjoy this kind of stuff.

"I'd like to spar until I can't force myself to step into a ring again. I want to hate myself for making that decision by the end of the day."

Joe grinned. "Now that's what I like to hear. And we call them pits. Speaking of which, lets get out of this one so others can use it. There's five of them, which is usually plenty, but we have this rule about not standing around talking in them." As Joe lead them to where they'd set their gear to the side, he continued speaking.

"We have a few unwritten rules for the training grounds. They just kind of naturally developed over the last couple of days. You just heard the one about not using the pits to stand around talking.

Another simple one is that you reapply the healing potion on the rag if it is running low. Some people keep their own personal rags. It isn't worth having your own unless you plan on being here all day, but if you are, make sure you provide a rag. And share with those you spar against. This one is mine." Joe held up the rag Levi had used. "Speaking of reapplying healing potion..." Joe held his hand out.

After a moment, Levi got the hint and grabbed one from his pack.

Joe poured a third of it onto the rag, then handed the recorked bottle to Levi. He tossed the wet rag on the bench. "The new guy always resupplies healing potion the first time they spar. That's another unwritten rule. And don't worry about losing any while it sits there. So far, they never dry up as far as we can tell."

"How many unwritten rules are there? Should I be writing them down?" Levi joked.

Joe caught his eye and smiled in a way that sent a chill up Levi's spine. "Hey, don't worry about forgetting the rules, too much. They're all basic courtesy. If you forget, I promise someone will remind you." Joe let the words hang over Levi like an axe for a moment, and then continued.

"Don't go giving advice unless it is asked for. That rule is more flexible for people who've proven themselves, but still a rule.

That being said, everything is free knowledge and everyone is a teacher. If someone asks you to teach them some of your Tai Chi, do your best. We're not asking you to open a dojo, but the point is that we don't hoard information.

For example if you ask Tony how to throw a faster jab...he's the best around here for boxing, by the way...he'll at least give you some pointers and some exercises to use.

You catch all of that so far?"

"Yeah, I got it. Pretty simple," Levi answered.

"Good. Final rule is easy, and I don't see you being the type to have any issue with it. No trying to seriously hurt anyone. If they go down, you stop and let them recover. No going too far, on accident or on purpose. It's only happened one time. That guy isn't welcome back, and he's down two healing potions. One for the person he hurt and the other so he was able to walk out of here."

Levi grinned at that, "Good."

Joe gave him an approving nod. "So are you ready for me to put you on your ass a few dozen times?"