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    "All right, you've all gotten pretty good at mental shielding, let's see what you've learned about physical shielding," Nick started right into the lecture. "We've broken you down into two groups of two today because this training takes a lot of room and can have unexpected results. As you recall, unlike mental shielding, which gives no outward physical signs, if you have a perfect physical shield, there will be a spherical aura around your entire body that will glow neon blue-green. It will range in thickness from a few inches to a few feet. Here is a warning: if it goes under your feet, you will levitate a bit, so watch your balance. As levitation is an offshoot of this talent, most of you successful with physical shielding will find you also have at least a tiny bit of levitation talent. So this means...what? Gary?" Nick had mentally picked up that Michelle was being distracted by repeated flirtations from Gary.
        "Yes?" said Gary
        "Well, I see we have another form of shielding practice going on over here." A few chuckles were heard from around the room. Gary however, remained silent and stone-faced. "Since you don't seem to want to work on my techniques, let me help you with yours. What did you say to her?"
        "All right, all right, I get the message."
        "Michelle, what did he say?"
        Gary was squirming a little and Michelle was slow to respond. Just as David Martin was going to intervene, Michelle said, "He told me he had some physical protection in his wallet and asked me if I wanted to practice with him later."
        Nick could see that Gary was starting to percolate, so he laughed a little and said, "Good line, not for someone of Michelle's demure nature, but still...funny." Gary cooled off a bit but was still not happy about the brow beating he was receiving. "Michelle is more subtle and more artistic than that. You should have tried imagery." Nick walked over to Michelle, knelt in front of her and said, "If I could get past your shields, I would take off my clothes and take a moonlit skinny-dip in the cool beauty of your eyes." Nick stood up and watched a small smile appear on Michelle's face and then quickly turn into a blush.
        Three or four people in the room applauded but stopped as soon Michelle spoke: "It was better than Gary's line; but it still needs work, and a more appropriate venue. Could we please get back to class?"
        Nick looked around for a second. Gary was embarrassed, and David Martin looked concerned. Nick slipped back to his original position at the front of the class and said, "Sorry, class, I think the shortage of time we have to get you trained is making me a little impatient. Anyway, the answer I was looking for was 'synergy.' Shielding is
synergistic with levitation so if you are going to do both, be careful you don't crush your head on a wall or ceiling or even decapitate yourself on a ventilation fan." Nick walked out into the middle of class and continued: "None of you has yet obtained full control over this talent; so it is okay if the shield only shows up in front of where you want to protect your body. But please, please practice as much as you can so that you can create the sphere around your body. It should become almost automatic, and you must be able to perform it in concert with other talents. Team up, and be creative and careful with your attacks. One person attacks, the other defends, then switch. Let me show you. Can I have a volunteer..."
        Nick didn't have time to finish asking before Gary stood up. "Gary, you shouldn't do this if you are angry."
        "Are you worried?" asked Gary,
        "YES!"
        "Good, let's go. You attack first."
        David was getting very concerned but assumed Nick knew what he was doing.
        "Everyone else up against the wall and generate a shield in front of you," said Nick as he walked several paces away from Gary. "Rosa, please help anyone who has a weak shield." She knew he meant David, so intentionally positioned herself to the side and slightly in front of the professor. Nick had almost forgotten about the yin-yang sphere and when he checked it, it was slowing down. So Nick took a moment to focus on it until it obtained full speed. "Ready?"
        "Always!" said Gary.
Nick stood still and stared at Gary for a few seconds, then began a guttural chant. After a few more seconds, a small reddish light appeared about two yards in front of Nick, at approximately shoulder height. Nick altered the chant slightly and added subtle gesticulations with his right hand. The light changed into a pinkish-orange puffy cloud about one yard in diameter. Nick stopped the chanting and hand gestures and held his right arm straight out from his shoulder with his fingers together and up so that his palm faced the cloud. The cloud began to tumble and boil but remained where it had appeared. Several shiny rainbow-colored shooting stars began randomly orbiting within the cloud, and the sound of a gentle rain was emitted from the center. It was beautiful and no one in the room could take their eyes off of it. Nick began to walk slowly toward Gary and as he did the cloud stayed with him obediently, but at a constant distance of about two yards in front of him.
        Gary sensed no danger from the cloud, but remembered the purpose of the exercise. He did not have total control of this talent and it was not one of his best, but as soon as he concentrated, a bluish wall snapped up one foot in front of him from his belt to his head. Gary extended and concentrated his feelings as much as he could, but yet, he could feel nothing. Something wasn't right here; maybe this cloud was a diversion from the real attack. Gary quickly changed his assessment as the edge of the cloud brushed by the edge of one of the wheelchairs and the chair flew up against the wall like a puck after a hockey slap shot. Nick was getting closer, so Gary increased the intensity of the shield. The cloud kept coming and was as beautiful as ever. It was getting close and barely brushed the chair Gary had been sitting in a few minutes earlier. The chair rolled right into Gary with one of its small front wheels stopping between Gary's feet, but Gary could still not feel anything directly from the cloud. The cloud, and Nick, kept coming.
        Gary was starting to panic a little now and sweat was forming on his forehead. The cloud was inches from the glow of his physical shield, and Gary was giving full concentration to the shield. He remembered one of the essential keys focus on the technique, not the surroundings. The cloud touched the shield and continued unabated right through it and was an inch from Gary's face. In spite of himself, as the cloud was just about to touch his face, Gary began to yell, "STOOOOOOP!" The cloud passed straight through Gary, and as he opened his eyes, he could see Nick smiling at him while leaning on the back of the wheelchair that had rolled into him.
        "I knew it! Nothing! Is that it? It's my turn now," Gary said, rather quickly.
        Before Gary could move, Nick pushed straight down on the back of the wheelchair. This brought the front wheel straight up into Gary's crotch, lifting him a few inches off the floor. Gary screamed and flopped straight down over the newly elevated front of the wheelchair. "I'm going to seriously maim you for that," Gary half-hissed, half-squealed. This startled Nick and he stepped back from the chair. Unfortunately, Nick was no longer leaning on the back of the chair so the front went straight down, and the back of the chair flew straight into Gary's face. He was on the ground and out cold.