(OPEN MINGLE) i wanna be the very best

[skelters]

Who: vash & caitlyn and YOU!
Where: an empty field on the outskirts of aldrip, somewhere out of the way but not too far from town.
What: anytime before the march event - a friendly sharpshooting practice turned competition turned ??? if you want to come and practice or learn or if you just wanna come and show everyone you're the best, or if you want to just come and judge people, open to all!
Warnings: nothing yet, will mark as needed.

[ there are a few ways you'd have found your way to the empty clearing that serves as the impromptu target field for some shooting practice ... there are some hastily drawn posters that you might find pinned up at the common room of the inn or any public noticeboard, that simply says

PRACTICE DAY: we've got plenty of targets!
which ... really, doesn't tell you all that much about just what kind of practice it's meant to be?

or otherwise you might find vash walking past with a cartload of little clay plates - or you might be out on a walk and run into caitlyn critically arranging some empty bottles (and other things, go creative go wild) in neat rows along various points on the field, with little cards to mark out the distance.

honestly, however you made it here, this is just a friendly competition / friendly opportunity to practice somewhere safely without getting in the way of others! feel free to make your own top levels and mingle! teach people how to be gun safe! challenge them to some clay shooting (and welcome to up the stakes by making the throws as difficult as you want for the other person) or do an old fashioned bottle shooting - or come up with a fun competition idea yourself! shoot a leaf out of the air? you don't shoot but you want to stand around and criticise how everyone's forms are totally wrong? go wild! ]

Comments

ota

[solitarysoul]

[He wasn't really sure what to expect with 'practice day,' though the mention of targets felt to him like shooting them somehow. So Levi's brought his rifle and some extra ammo and is pleased to see that it is the sort of practice he wants.

He tends to be up pretty early, so Levi arrives while there's still set up being done. He approaches Caitlyn and/or Vash with a shy smile.]

D-do you want any help? Setting things up.

[Later on he can be found doing his own practice. He's an unnervingly good shot, and if questioned will admit to having been a sharpshooter himself.

Sometimes he just watches other people, getting an idea of the skill levels they have here. He may or may not be wincing at how people are doing things, but he won't approach anyone to criticize. He is available for tutoring in how to shoot good and gun safety. He's most experienced in his 1942(ish) era rifle and guns like it, but some of that knowledge still applies to other era/world guns.

He's also very interested in what he thinks are weird, new guns. Modern weaponry or anything from the fantasy/scifi world are likely to get his interest. He's too shy to approach anyone directly, but he's not hiding how he watches with interest.]

[bulleting]

practice day: ota

[Caitlyn was honestly enjoying the fact that more people in town were familiar with guns. It was nice to have people to talk to about them, but it was also nice to have someone to practice with.

Even if the idea started as friendly competition, making it open to anyone from town to come and learn and practice was even better. She already had experience teaching a few of the Chosen before, so she welcomed it again, and brought her extra rifle for others to try out.

Throughout the day, anyone that comes out to watch or practice might find Caitlyn shooting moving targets. She's also available to coach new shooters, and help teach gun safety as well.]

a challenge: closed to vash (and vi)

[Caitlyn was never one to say no to a challenge. She saw a little of Vash in action during the fight against the octopi monsters, but there was so much happening that day that it was all more of a blur. Still, it was good to keep her skills sharp, especially with her working with Toph now to get better at her metalbending.

She was at the field at the agreed upon time, not minding getting things set up in the early hours. She hoped people would come and have some fun. Even if they weren't shooting, she hoped her and the other gun users could keep things interesting. They could all use some fun, given how crazy things had been lately without power.

As people arrived, she jumped into teaching about shooting, helped with some gun safety instructions for people wanting to learn, but eventually, her sights turned to Vash.]

I think it's about time to give all these people a show.

[invinciblemikey]

(in a distant future, shooting a gun will be as easy as breathing air to manjiro. that isn't now, though, manjiro at this moment has never shot a gun in his life. it goes a little against his principles - he thinks the weapon must be one's own fists and muscles, he isn't very keen on taking anything else to the battlefield.

but here, there's some crazy shit. it might be useful.)

Okay. How the fuck do I use this.

OTA

[killjoyprince]

[Naoto was still trying to get into a routine here. It was strange not having work or school to go to, she just had to pick up odd jobs. At least the inn didn't charge. But she found herself with a lot of free time.

The new poster had caught her attention. Even if it was really vague. But still, she had the time to take a look and satisfy her curiosity. She was glad for it, this matched her interests. Especially when she'd heard something about monsters?

Naoto could be found just, examining the clay pigegones with a small smile on her face. That took her back, it'd been a while since she and her grandfather had practiced together. Then she was looking for a maintenance kit, she'd not been able to properly look at her gun since spending half a day on a cold roof. She had no idea if someone had tampered with it while she was in 'the hospital'

If there were bullets available, she'd practise with her own gun. She was a pretty good shot.]

[melnik]

[ Shooting ranges were a proper pastime of some in the Metro. They really went all out with them at times, even releasing live targets or putting up prizes for a full sweep. Miller never really spent much time engaging with it personally unless he was trying out a new weapon—he had more than enough practical experience—but when he headed out of his room at the inn in the morning and saw the flier about "practice day," he was pretty curious.

So, now he's here, and although he carries a revolver on the harness at his side, he's mostly taking in what everyone else is doing. Case in point, he tunes in for the show when Caitlyn decides to give the moving targets a whirl, clapping his hands when she hits one far off in the distance. ]

Nice shot!

[beautifulleopard]

[Naoto isn’t the only one who’s still trying to learn the ropes around this new, strange town. Having arrived not too long time ago, Juri is also focusing familiarising herself with her new surroundings, trying to settle down on a routine of her own.

She, too, sees the poster advertising for the practice at the shooting range. It sounds interesting enough so she might as well check it out. After all, Juri doesn’t really have any prior experience with guns. So, hopefully it’ll turn out be worth of her while.

After arriving to the scene Juri scans the surroundings quickly with her eyes. Well, at least it seems that whoever is hosting this event is smart enough not to leave guns idly around without supervision — but at the same time it seems like there aren’t really organised teaching either. Huh, kind of disappointing

— Anyway!

Juri spots Naoto focusing on the clay pigeons. Maybe it is the person’s rather small built or blue coloured hair that makes Juri think fondly back to her underclassman back in her own world. She’s sure that Miki would have found the statues endearing, too.]

See something you like?

[killjoyprince]

[She was still examining the clay pigeons, looking at the grain of them. Testing the weight of the plate. It'd been nearly a year since she'd seen her grandfather.

Naoto didn't jump at the voice, but she did stiffen. Her eyes widened for a split second before narrowing again.]

Nothing in particular. I was just seeing which target would be most suitable.

[Not the bottles, who thought that was a good idea?]

[killjoyprince]

[She'd gotten a variety of experience with guns. Though the one she found most practical was her revolver. It was easy to hide and move around with. Compared to a rifle like what this young man was using-]

Impressive, you're able to handle the recoil so well.

[She'd shot rifles in a range with her grandfather. But as painful as it was to admit, she was too small to handle them. It took her too long to aim again after shooting.]

[solitarysoul]

[He lowers his gun and looks to her.]

I'm used to it by now. Thanks, though.

[The recoil had been an issue when he started. Levi still remembers the bruises he'd have on his arms and shoulders.]

[bulleting]

[Teaching gun safety and technique has actually been a bit more fun that Caitlyn expected. She's enjoyed coaching others, especially those eager and willing to learn. It was refreshing to see more and more people with a familiarity with the weapon as well. It seemed like, for a good while there, she was one of the few that even knew what they even were, let alone had one here with her.

It's as she's checking on some of the other newbies that she spots Mikey and his struggles, so she decides to approach and see if she can be of assistance.]

Would you like a hand with that?

[bulleting]

[Caitlyn was so focused on her shooting, she didn't even notice anyone was watching so closely. It took a lot of concentration, especially since she made sure some of the targets were metal so she could track the movement by her newly acquired senses. Metalbending, what was Toph called it. An interesting name, indeed, but it's been a skill she's barely scratched the surface of.

It definitely made shooting a bit more challenging, trying to rely on her new powers and not just her standard shooting skills, but it was worth it when she fired off several successful shots.

And made an impression, given the applause she gets. Safety back in place, she lowered her rifle, turning to the person responsible for the cheers.]

--- Oh. Thank you. I didn't realize anyone was watching. [even if the whole point of today was for everyone to get together and watch and help each other!! She just didn't expect too many others to find her shooting that interesting.]

[melnik]

[ It's probably not ever going to get close to something Miller could call "normal" to see people pulling off superhuman feats or magic or whatever they preferred to call it. But he is starting to get used to the fact that being awed by that is going to be a regular thing here. He hasn't fully figured out if she's the one moving the metal targets or if that's been set up by somebody else, but there's no one else directly next to them, so... may as well just consider it that much more impressive for now.

He folds his hands together, looking around. ]

Isn't that what this gathering is for?

[ Granted, it could very easily not be... he really came here without much expectation. But since she's already participating, maybe she knows more about it than he does. ]

To be honest, I didn't really know what I was attending.

[beautifulleopard]

[Well, Juri can definitely appreciate the diligence and thoroughness. Being the captain of the fencing team she knows very well how important it is to take even small details into consideration when practicing, and choosing the right materials for targets is one of those.

But while she shares Naoto's sentiment about the bottles she can't help but tease the other a bit. So, she walks past the other, bends down to grab one of the empty glass bottles and offers it.]

Didn't the cowboys and other heroes of the past use these?

goro akechi - ota

[murderingjustice]

[Did someone say shooting practice? Oh. You can all bet your asses that Goro Akechi, ever the fan of games and competitions, will be there. So, he arrives rather early to the clearing, and after giving his hand at setting things up and ready for other participants.

After everything is in their places Akechi goes and sets up his own private practice somewhat away from the others just in case, placing various targets, from glass bottles to cans and clay statues, in different distances. Once he's done, Akechi takes his place assumes a position, equipping himself with his own handgun. He takes deep breath and shoots. Each bullet hits their mark perfectly, either knocking them down or shattering them apart. Akechi is not only great marksman but also terribly fast with his movements. It's clear that he's done this quite often.

But once he's done, he clicks his tongue and eyes narrow in frustration. 'Not good enough', he thinks to himself as he walks to put up another set of targets. And again, he goes to his spot, raises his gun and shoots another round.]

pop a cap on that ass--

[chemex]

[Akira knew he'd find Goro here-- so of course, he lurks like a creep a good distance away to watch him shoot. It's different than when they played Gun About, different from in the Metaverse... For a split second when he shoots, Akira's whole body goes cold and he hears an echo that sounds too close and too far away all at once, the strangely specific ping of a silenced pistol, and a distinct thud that makes his whole body buzz and ache in a strange, detached way.]

[So of course he does the perfectly sane thing and approaches Akechi anyway, rolling his shoulders and slipping his hands easily into his pockets to avoid any more tellingly anxious tics. He waits until Goro is clicking his tongue and has the gun lowered before he calls out:] I've seen you hit moving targets faster than that.

akira please.....

[murderingjustice]

[It's funny how their roles have almost changed completely since the leaving Tokyo. This time it's Akira's turn to be the stalker in the shadows while Goro's trying to live his life -- well, at least the motivations they both have are starkly different this time.

Goro is setting up another clay statue on the pedestal when he hears Akira's voice calling out for him.]

Well, yes. This is no Metaverse. [He calls back, without bothering to turn around. Though, they both know the truth. He is getting rusty.] Did you come here to run mouth or are you planning to give it a go?

[killjoyprince]

[She gave him about look, tilting her head. Examining him. He wasn't that much bigger than her, same build.]

Maybe I should try again with a rifle. It's been a few years since my last attempt.

[solitarysoul]

[He was even smaller when he started, he just didn't have the luxury of being able to stop.]

If you want any help I can probably give some pointers. I've had to help people with it before.

[People who were also often too small for their guns.]

[killjoyprince]

[There was so many different types. The size of the plate, the shape of the curve affected how it flew. Though Naoto would probably just stick to the standard sizes. They seemed to have a limited supply and she'd rather not impose too much. ]

They did, but they also used plants and rocks... [It was not the safest of times.] They also didn't tend to clean up afterward.

[So many shards.]

[chemex]

[Akira finds himself both more and less aimless in Aldrip than he was in Tokyo-- sure, there's not the pressing need to Save The World, but there's still enough regular Weird Shit that sometimes he's glad for the mediocrity. He chuckles as he ambles up behind Goro, keeping his hands in his pockets and hunching forward to hook his chin over Akechi's shoulder, humming.] You wanna teach me? I've only handled a real gun like... three times, and never to fire it.

[murderingjustice]

[Goro pulls his lips into a thin disapproving line when Akira leans on him, but doesn’t move to deny the other the closeness. Instead, he turns the clay station so that it is positioned right in the middle of the pedestal.

Huh, how interesting. It seems like Akira’s yakuza friend actually had some of the real stuff hidden among the toys.]

Are you sure? I always thought that the knives suited your gentleman thief act better.

[chemex]

[Iwai probably had plenty of real weapons, but Akira had only handled the one he passed off to him in a paper bag. Akira may well have never even known if he hadn't been too nosy for his own good, though that was always his lot, wasn't it?]

[He hums, closing his eyes thoughtfully and rolling his head on his shoulders a bit, back and forth to jostle them both with his chin still hooked over Goro's shoulder.] We all had guns, anyway. And it's not like toys work here like they did in the Metaverse.

[beautifulleopard]

Hmmhmm. [Juri hums quietly, weighing the bottle in her hands before placing it back on the shelf.] I suppose back then you had to with what you had at hand.

[Well, it seems like that the same applies to them as well. After all, their resources appear to be rather limited.]

What do you prefer to use?

[solitarysoul]

[Levi watches Goro shoot and raises an eyebrow as the other clicks his tongue.]

Not good enough?

[murderingjustice]

--Hey, [He huffs with mild annoyance when Akira moves them, reaching his gun-free hand to flick on his forehead.]

I can teach you if you are certain. I suppose it is a good skill to have in here. [Because who knows when they're going to lose the touch with their Personas again. Better be safe than sorry.

Goro retracts away from Akira and hands over his gun.]

Go take the position and show me what you got.