<div class="floatright">(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_et9ttl8zdzQ/TD_-vwBMOGI/AAAAAAAAN5E/eP7JumXuE2M/s1600/1a3f651e06434edab4aee510aaf9f5b6.jpg)</div><br/>"Hey, Eliza," Michelle said, somewhat out of breath but glad for the chance to talk to her once more.  Only having to partially turn her head, however, allowed her to see Eliza more easily than just quick peeks, and she noticed the gesture.  "Yeah, I wanted to talk to you some."  She didn't stop her training, and it was messing with her breath and keeping her words from coming out quite right, but she could deal with that for now.<br/><br/>She threw herself from the last strike against the dummy into a more fluid motion, her attacks slow and clumsy from the heavier stick mixed in with the ache in her arms from the repeated effort, but definitely showing some progress.  Michelle definitely had a talent for learning if she truly dedicated herself, at least to intuitively pick up the basics with strike after strike after strike.<br/><br/>She took the sword up into both hands, swinging it downward in a sudden push of effort to ram against Eliza's blade.  Even though Michelle had the interesting knack of making things look not as difficult as one might expect, it didn't diminish her strength any, notable in power though not spectacular.  Perhaps she should have gone easier on the dummy if she was going to be at it a while.