(Untitled)

[thefinestlady]

Xiao Mei has, it should be said, been keeping to herself. The world is strange. The clothes are strange (she has managed to work out 'modern' zippers and buttons, and shoelaces, but it is still very, very odd), the food is strange, and the air tastes different

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[notsellcookies]

That's true; Marcus tries to remind himself of that whenever he gets frustrated around here. It never helps really, but it keeps his mind off of a lot of the other things clouding his thoughts. Why they're here, what the noises at night are, lots of things.

He's just finished 'patrol' when he wanders into the hotel, stopping in the doorway with a curious expression on his face. Whatever she's doing, it's clearly not the sort of thing he's used to seeing.

"...huh."

[thefinestlady]

Most people, it should be said, do not bend like that. Or have that amount of balance. She's in the middle of a flip when he comes in, landing perfectly on her feet with her sword already swinging up again.

And then Xiao Mei pauses, tilting her head and listening.

After a moment,

"Marcus."

[notsellcookies]

She's good; she's really, really good. And here he was thinking being blind made her...well, helpless, to be totally honest. He can't help it. He hasn't ever had to spend any time around anybody with no vision; people like that...they don't survive long on Sera.

"Sorry to barge in. Am I interrupting, Miss...?"

And he seems to have forgotten her name as well.

[thefinestlady]

She reaches up and brushes some of her hair out of face.

"Xiao Mei. Zhang Xiao Mei, to use my full name, but it makes little sense to use last names here. And not at all, I was begining to need a break anyway." She's ever-so-slightly out of breath, and there is a faint sheen of sweat on her face.

[notsellcookies]

"So that would make you...Mei?" He's not familiar with names like hers. Give him Jack or Jill and he's fine, but when you start throwing a whole lot of foreign names in there, he's not the best. Half the time he doesn't even call his troops by their names anyways, not when he's ordering them around.

"What exactly was it you were doin'?"

[thefinestlady]

"Xiao Mei, actually. 'Mei' is a nickname." Or her mother's name, given that 'Xiao Mei' means 'to be like Mei'. But that would make the explanation a tad more complicated.

"And I was I practicing my sword-work."

[notsellcookies]

Two names. Like Mary-Anne or something. Right. He makes a mental note of this; hopefully he won't forget again.

"Your sword work?" He sounds, understandably, a bit surprised. "But aren't you...I mean, you know. Blind?"

[thefinestlady]

She taps her left ear with her free hand.

"I am. But I am not deaf. I could hear your footsteps outside the door, and I can hear you breathing now. If you were to take another step into the room, I would be able to tell where you are."

[notsellcookies]

"And how exactly is that helping you with your swordplay?" He can understand her knowing he's there, knowing who's there, but knowing where the walls and furniture are? Knowing how to avoid slicing something to pieces? The room seems rather intact, considering a blind woman with a sword is practicing in here.

[thefinestlady]

"In a fight, I can hear where people are. In practice...not so much. I just practice the moves as best I can."

Ask, and she will tell.

[notsellcookies]

"I guess you chose a spot where you figured you wouldn't ruin anything, huh? Scoped out a good place to practice?"

It's an interesting idea; a blind woman as a warrior. How well it works in reality, of course, he's not sure, but her moves were something to behold at least.

[thefinestlady]

She nods, and then her face seems to light up with a smile.

"I counted roughly how many paces the room is wide and long. I'm still getting the hang of it."

She may or may not have crashing into a few walls to start with.

[notsellcookies]

"You need any help or anythin'? You seem to be doing alright, I guess, but I've been kinda worried since we went out seperate ways."

He's not big on chivalry, but...come on. She's a poor young blind lady stuck in a strange strange place. How can he not be a little concerned?

[thefinestlady]

"I think...I think I am all right." She says slowly, thinking.

[notsellcookies]

"Alright," he replies, shrugging. Not that she can see it. "By the way, you meet a guy around here by the name of Gin, be careful. He's a creepy guy. May be dangerous."

[thefinestlady]

"Clearly, you missed our duel."