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you can go for the trigger [ closed ]

CHARACTERS: Annabeth Chase & Wichita
LOCATION: gun range
WARNINGS: ... guns.
SUMMARY: Annabeth asked for a shooting lesson, sooooo...

[ this whole thing should probably freak her out, but it doesn't. after teaching her 12 year-old sister how to load and fire a shotgun over a year ago, teaching a friend ( friend, there's that word again ) should be a walk in the park. there's no moral code trying to convince her to avoid the situation, or trying to convince her to convince Annabeth ( who she still needs to pick a nickname for ) to avoid it, and she's not exactly phased by the opinions of those with a moral compass ( sorry, John Blake. if the girl wants to learn, she'll teach her ), so. it's with a clear head that Wichita grabs a spare gun from the armory ( "lessons, just an hour or two, I'll check it back in right after" ) and heads down into the gun range, her own weapon tucked into the back of her jeans and the second closed in a holster at her side. yes, yes, there it is. clear as day, safety on. all very cautious, nobody make a damn fuss.

the range is empty, like it normally is, holographic targets up and waiting to be riddled with holes. if anything, the look of this place freaks her out more than the things she does here. it's decidedly nothing like how where learned at home - no bottles lined up along a fence, no breeze at her back. and more importantly, no Little Rock. lately, that's all she can seem to think about anyway. no Little Rock. at all. no little sister. your sister is in Zombieland without you.

hn. ]

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[When Wichita had responded to her message, Annabeth had expected something similar to what Percy had said. A 'You should have talked to me, I could have told you it'd be a waste of time'. Which it wasn't, not technically, but she didn't need to be told something like that twice. Not when she was still dealing with angry passengers when she hadn't even meant anything by it.

Stupid ship.

But when Wichita insteads mentions hanging out, the gun range, and Annabeth remembers asking her for lessons. Remembers how she needs to learn to protect herself, here, where her dagger might not be useful and she hasn't read myths upon myths of how to kill the monsters that inhabit the ship.

Or worse, the people.

It's an issue that she's been thinking about, dealing with, but the longer she sticks around the more she realizes that her fellow passengers are just as dangerous as the monsters that are killing them. She doesn't have any plans, not explicity, but she wants to know that she's prepared for anything. And on this ship, this just happens to be one of those things she thinks she needs to know.

So when she finally makes it down to the gun range, she takes a minute or so to look around, take it in. She's never been anywhere like this before, so everything is pretty new territory, but she's ready. Annabeth spots Wichita and makes her way over to her, smiling lightly.]

Thanks again for this.

[ it's honestly just a force of habit for her to try and read people, take in the body language and the outward signs of emotion. Annabeth doesn't exactly look out of place or uncomfortable here, but there is that sense of newnewnew that comes with the way she's looking around. but yeah, she gets that. this space-range is way different than the old gun range she learned to shoot in. and Wichita's always wondered what the ranges looked like at the camp they went to, where he learned how to use his sword or whatever, but it's a safe bet it was nothing like this. but okay, right. so Annabeth looks appropriately curious, and Wichita's unsnapping the holster so she can take a look at the gun she was given for practice. it's just a standard pistol, much like hers, only it looks newer. which is good. newer means it doesn't click the same way her gun does, doesn't have as much of a kickback due to a lack of maintenance. the safety doesn't slip the way Wichita's does, which.. is also good.

and no, she's not focusing on the details because she's nervous, she's focusing on the details because she knows Annabeth will be. it makes sense, okay.

she nods once once she thanks her, kinda shrugs though too. ]

Don't worry about it. I'd wanna learn if I showed up here and didn't already know how, so.

[ another shrug ]

Have you handled a firearm before? Like, even anything remotely like a gun.

[Nervous? C'mon Wichita. Annabeth doesn't notice anything off, though, mostly staring at the pistol because she's never seen one in real life. Or, well, up close at least. There have been plenty from far away - being labeled a fugitive will do that - but this is the first time she's been close enough to really see it, watch Wichita check it for...well, for something. She's not really sure.

But then Annabeth's looking at Wichita as if making sure she's being serious, before she shakes her head.]

I mean, unless you want to count a water-gun when I was like, six? No.

[ she shakes her head, nah, not what she meant. Percy runs around with a sword, so she wouldn't be surprised if there was some demigod version of a pistol or something. who knows. Wichita was never very good at History. anyway; ]

That's fine.

Okay.

[ she grabs the gun by the barrel, holds it out to her. ]

First misconception about a gun; people kinda treat it like it's made of glass or it's a ticking timebomb waiting to go off. The truth of it is that it's a tough weapon, and you've got full control of it. I wouldn't suggest throwing it or dropping it, but it won't go off at the slightest shake. And as long as the safety's locked? You can leave it in your back pocket and it won't shoot your ass off at the first step you take. The trigger has to be pulled, pretty deliberately, to make it do anything dangerous. That said- don't aim it at anyone that isn't aiming something at you, and don't shoot unless you've got a target in sight. Those're my rules, anyway. Pretty generic.

[Yeah no, Wichita. Annabeth's got a knife-dagger-thing. No celestial bronze version of a pistol.

She takes the gun in her hand, a little surprised at the weight and sure to point the barrel of it away from Wichita. It doesn't take a genius to know where the bullets come out, and that it probably shouldn't be pointed at Wichita as she's talking.

Through the little speech, Annabeth listens carefully. In theory, it doesn't sound all that complicated, but not everything is always as it seems and the last thing she needs is to, somehow, screw this up.]

So safety, trigger, only point at threats. [Annabeth turns to the target out in the gun range, holding up the gun and - again - a little surprised by how heavy it feels in her hand.] That it?

Pretty much.

[ she remembers how this went with her sister, it was- horrifying, actually. she didn't want her to learn how to use a gun, but it was moreso because she hated that she had a reason to learn at all. it made things more real, less 'it's all a bad dream' and more 'I might not be here one day to protect her so she'll need to know how to protect herself'. but this isn't as nerve racking, it's training without a direct threat in mind. there's time, when there wasn't any time at home. not as much pressure. ]

Uh, two hands. That's another rule, definitely. No death grips, but not too relaxed either. Which sounds vague, but I mean- The gun's gonna kick, when you fire. Which you hear about, but it's more of a punch than a kick or a jerk. You're gonna feel it, like the gun's pushing back against your grip once you pull the trigger. Too loose, it'll kick up, too tight and it'll hurt your hand. Two hands will make sure it doesn't fuck up your aim, though.

[ ah, language, language. she knows Percy doesn't like it when she curses, and she ends up kind of pressing her mouth shut after she drops the word. but anyway, she's also moving into her own lane, lifting her gun and aiming down at the target ]

Hold it however's comfortable for you, for me it changes with whatever gun I'm handling, so I'm not gonna tell you there's a definite grip you should practice. It's loud, so- Well, here.

[ her shoulders wiggle a little as she lines up her shot, exhaling slowly before firing twice. the first hits low, around the collar of the target figure, the second makes the headshot ]

The first time I shot a gun it scared the hell out of me, didn't realize how loud it would be. Pretty sure the walls in here absorb some of the sound, but, they've got earmuff things you can wear, back there, if you think it'll be too distracting while you practice.

[When Wichita mentions two hands, Annabeth brings her other hand up to the handle. It's easier, with both hands, but it feels a little awkward when she stands. She shifts her feet, her arms, takes in everything Wichita is saying and alters to hold, her stance, accordingly. She doesn't fire, though, kind of just standing there and aiming, and when Wichita steps up into the lane next to her she drops her arms to watch.

Hopefully Wichita doesn't care about how intensely Annabeth is watching her, taking in her stance, how she holds her hands, how she reacts when she pulls the trigger. Reading about this kind of thing and actually doing it is totally different, so she's careful to watch for everything, memorize as much as she can.

When Wichita fires, Annabeth doesn't jump. Loud noises don't bother her - she's heard worse coming from the Hephaestus Cabin late at night - but she can see why other people would get startled. Why they'd want earmuffs. But rather than asking for them, Annabeth finds the safety on her pistol and switches it off, setting herself up exactly (or as close as she can remember) like Wichita had, taking a breath before she pulls back on the trigger.

Three shots, with enough time between them for Annabeth to see where she missed the target and try to change her aim. The kick makes her tense up each time, but that much she can't really help, making herself relax before each shot. She misses, though, the first a little low (around the chest area) the second probably a little high (she can't see where it hit, so she probably shot right over its head) and then the third low again, closer to the head but still around the neck area.

She lowers the gun, frowning at the fact she doesn't seem to be getting it.]

[ there's a tiiiny smile that comes with noticing Annabeth's frustration, and she lowers her gun, just so she can turn to face her properly. she won't move into her space ( rules, rules, rules! though those are gun range rules ), but she does step to the edge of her own lane, closer to the other girl ]

Not for nothing, but a shot to the chest isn't much to frown at. I'm just.. better at headshots than I should be because I had to be, back home. But. Anyway, um, aiming. Try thinking of of it like in bowling or basketball, coaches would always be like follow through and it sounds like bullshit, but if you think of it as moreso like. Don't just aim through the gun, but your whole arm. Or like you're pointing a finger-gun down the lane. If you're physically pointing right at the target, you'll get a better shot. Then once you get used to it you'll be able to relax a little more and not worry about if you're perfectly lined up or not. But for now, take your time lining it up. Eventually it'll feel less calculating and more natural.

[ Don't mock her, Wichita, she's used to being above average in just about everything she does. Except for things like swimming or surfing - water didn't sit well with children of Athena. You can thank their mother for that. ]

How long did it take you to get good at it? [ Annabeth only glances over at Wichita for a moment before she's lifting her arms again, this time taking her time with the shot. Aiming just like she was told, taking her time in breathing, finding her spot, taking a breath and then on the outtake, firing. She's closer to the head this time - probably taking out the target's cheek in the process.

But she seems a little happier about it, doing the same again. And then a third time, just to make sure she's got it. Her third shot was a little off to the side - someone's getting too confident - but otherwise Annabeth's feeling better. ]

I'm guessing this is one of those 'it comes with practice' kind of things?

It took about a week before I wasn't wasting bullets. But I was running around shooting things literally everyday back home, so that was a heavy crash course.

[ she keeps quiet while Annabeth shoots, and for all the frustration the other girl has, Wichita's pretty confident in what she's seeing. if anything she'd be a little concerned if Annabeth was a perfect shot right away, that's some serial killer shit, but she's confident with a gun which is a lot more than she can say about the people that were forced to learn to shoot back home. then again, she probably isn't phased by any kind of weapon considering the whole demigod thing. hm. ]

You'd think they'd give you guys shooting lessons at that camp you go to. [ not that she knows.. anything about the camp besides the fact that it exists, but whatever. ] But I'm glad you use swords instead because now I get to learn how to use a sword. Win/win.

Every day. Sounds like fun.

[ Annabeth keeps at it until she's gone through the clip, bringing the gun down to have a better look at the pieces. What it seems to be made of. She's nowhere near levels of a Hephaestus kid, but that's probably something she should know.

But then she kind of laughs at the idea of guns at camp. Chiron would have a fit. ]

Mortal weapons don't affect monsters. Not until they start forging bullets out of celestial bronze, and that's not really a good use. We don't have enough of the metal to do that. [ She lifts an eyebrow at the sword comment. You learning from Percy or Luke?

Yeah, what is that? Celestial bronze? I've been meaning to ask Percy why they don't just make bullets of the stuff, but I didn't know it was rare. And yeah, Flipper's been teaching me. Baby steps, though, I'm not exactly built for swinging heavy weapons around with any kind of precision. [ she shrugs, grinning a bit ] It's fun, though.

It's an ancient metal, mined from mount olympus but treated in a bunch of different places. It's almost impossible to get, anymore, if it's not be recycled from other weapons. Making bullets out of it wouldn't be smart because they're a lot more difficult to reuse after being shot.

[ Annabeth nods when Wichita talks about learning how to swordfight. ] It takes a while to pick up. Granted, we demigods are also hardwired to fight with ancient weapons, so it might take a little bit longer for you. [ No offense. ] It's handy to know, too. Especially for longer battles.

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