fandomhighdorms | Gun range, Thursday afternoon

After visiting the Blood Gulch Arms, Peter entered the gun range carrying the bow (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0004393412998a&type=product&cmCat=perf&rid=0180101070502&xpid=k17401&cm_ven=Performics&cm_cat=Affiliate%2Dclick&cm_pla=Nextag&cm_ite=DDI%20Link&afsrc=1) he'd gotten carefully. "Afternoon, Susan!" He said with a smile.

"Hello, Peter. You got it?" Susan smiled, beginning to be excited. "Thank you so much for getting it for me. How has your day been so far?"

[np!]

"I did," Peter replied with a big smile. "It's fairly nice too though the draw feels a bit odd." He handed the box too her to inspect. "And it's been very good," he said with an even wider smile.

After picking up some supplies from Blood Gulch, Marty drops by the Gun Range to lock up his ammunition (after writing "Property of Marty Blank! Do not touch!") in the weapons locker and then spend a little time shooting some practice targets.

"Really?" Susan smiled, recognizing a Willow-smile. "How are you workshops? And how is the young lady who was advertising for the 4th Sin, the last time I saw her?" She laid the box down carefully, and opened it with a very pleased smile. "Oh, it's lovely."

Susan waved to him as she and Peter were getting ready. "Hello, Marty! Welcome back. How was your vacation?"

"Excellent. Visited some friends and family and had a wonderful time in Paris," Marty replied. "How was your summer?"

"It's been lovely, actually. Very relaxing. Not even Jell-O dragons could spoil it." She smiled, and motioned to Peter. "Have you met my brother, Peter? He just started here in May."

"The action is a bit rougher than I'd like," Peter replied, engrossed in the bow. "And it's not near Narnian quality, but I think it shall serve." He looked at Susan. "Do you have an armguard at all?"

"Of course. I brought my things out of storage when we schedule this." She fished around in her athletic bag for an extra, and handed it over. "You didn't bring a bow from home? I suppose you had enough to worry about though, really."

[ooc: and I go away for 4 hours. see you in a bit!]

Peter shook his head. "Just my sword and shield. I meant to bring one when I came back last month, but then I had other considerations." He grinned. "You won't mind me borrowing yours once in a while perhaps?"

"I don't think I have," Marty said with a wave. "I didn't realize you had a younger brother."

Peter nodded to Marty. "I didn't realise there were still people to meet." He was amused at the title of younger brother. "It's nice to meet you."

"Once in a while," Susan said carefully, pointing at him, "No more. How much did Tex say it cost?" She lifted it from the case, tested the bend, and then looked for a string for it.

[np! back!]

Susan laughed. "Actually, he's one year older than I am. But there's time travel involved, and so, he's a junior, while I'm on staff." She smiled at Peter, shaking her head. "But I've very glad you enjoyed Paris. You'll have to stop by and tell me about it, when you have time."

"The string is coiled up in the corner," Peter said, avoiding her question. "I think you'll like it. Not anything like yours, of course."

"No, but how could it be?" Susan said quietly. She carefully strung the bow, then tested its strength, and nodded. "Different. More bend to it, I think. Less pull necessary, but less force. But still, it should work for practice."

Peter smiled. "They make bows to hunt animals here not to punch through armour. Did you know they make them out of plastic now? I'm not sure I approve." He gestured towards the range. "Will you try it?"

Susan took out an arrow, and put it in place. "I can try." It was strange, familiar motions, unfamiliar action, and she sighted down the arrow toward the target, pulling back on the bow as far as it would go. The arrow sang through the air, and landed a couple rings lower than the bull's eye.

For a moment watching Su aim and shoot, Peter felt like they were at home, shooting and laughing, ready to ride out or dance or receive an Archenland Duke. He nodded and offered her a second arrow.

"It's been so long. I shouldn't have given it up." Susan shook her head, concentrating as she pulled back the string a second time. "How go your sword fight lessons with Willow?"

"You shouldn't've," Peter agreed, watching her sight for the shot and noticing several changes in her posture and technique from his Susan. He couldn't tell yet if they were a result of not practicing or further training. "They go well. She's enthusiastic about learning, but she needs to get a good deal stronger before she could actually train in earnest."

"I remember when Lucy first started to ask for training, you weren't particularly enthusiastic. I'm glad you're more flexible with Willow." Susan flexed her fingers, remembering everything anew, and drew back another arrow, loosed it-- and watched it hit the bull's eyes. "Ahh. I remember this, but my muscles don't. It'll be a while before it's perfect again."

"Bit of a different situation, isn't it?" Peter said, watching his sister shoot. "Lucy would want to ride to battle with the sword and fight in front. Her place isn't there. Not like Willow shall have the possibility." He grinned at her bull's eye. "Brilliant, Su. You're still as ever you were."

Susan raised an eyebrow at him, and refrained from commenting. But she did have to wonder if his Lucy and hers would follow the same path. Best not to interfere there. "You can't be sure of that, for Willow. This place being what it is." She smiled though, feeling herself blush. "Thank you. It's more than I deserve. Four years since I did this regularly. Residency is hell."

"She's fought at home - Willow has, that is - but there's a difference between that kind of fight even when it's dreadfully important and the full-fledged chaos of a battlefield." Peter said. "If it's been four years than you deserve even more praise. You'll not drop it again will you?"

"No, not now that I have the time for it." Susan shot another arrow, hitting high on the target this time, but still inside the main rings. "Does Willow want to fight? And what did she do at home?"

"She's from the same place as Miss Calendar - a Hellmouth. Her friend at home killed vampires. Willow and a Xander helped her," Peter said, hitting his perception of the salient points. "I think she doesn't want to be helpless or rely on others, but I can't imagine that fighting would generally be her first priority."

Susan nodded, thinking of what Jenny had told her in Chicago. "That makes sense, actually." She sighed and handed over the bow. "Your turn to try. You need to keep up your skills as much as I do. Remind me, how much was it?"

Peter raised an eye at the sigh and gave her a pointed questioning look. He took the bow and, with a face at the odd action, shot three arrows in quick succession. "I ignored your question the first time, and I shall continue to do so," he said with a quick smile.

"One of us, despite being the younger, is an employed counselor and can pay for her own weapons," Susan pointed out. "And I was just thinking that-- well. I missed doing this for more than just practice." She looked resigned. "Now, watch. We shall be inundated by giant bats. My fault."

"And one of us ought to be allowed the pleasure of a gift to his little sister," Peter pointed out. "It is the right of a -" he changed the word he was about to use "brother." He loosed a fourth arrow into the center of the circle the previous three had made. "If we do, we'll be prepared," Peter said as he handed the bow back to Susan. "I've missed this as well, Su."

"Very well. But you may be certain that your next birthday present shall be unexpectedly lavish, brother mine." The dimples showed for a second, then Susan said, "And I'm glad we can do this. Just catch up. Even though it's been months now, I'm still not used to having you back," she said, her voice droping.

"Speaking of birthdays," Peter said with a mischievious grin. "Your seventy-seventh is approaching rapidly. You're very spry for your age, sister." He became more serious. "It's gone so very fast; I can hardly believe it's been months. And I can only hope we have much longer."

"Myself as well," Susan said, thinking of his recent trip home. "And at seventy-seven, one begins to truly appreciate the little things. A new bow. A good mocha. And time with my brother." She wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "We should do something to celebrate one of our birthdays as we would in Narnia."

"Your last birthday we had a hunt and a ball," Peter said dryly. "Should we try for that?"

"Most indubitably... not." Susan smiled at him. "Maybe a picnic, out at the dryad's grove? We could invite a few other people as well. And take music?"

He smiled back at her. "That would be lovely. I think the dryads would enjoy it as well. I've been feeling badly that we've not visited them again. Who should you like to invite? Will Miss. Calendar be back?"

"I think so, at least, she was planning on it. And perhaps," she cocked her head, thinking of a few of her fellow teachers, "One or two others as well. And your friends-- Willow of course, but anyone else whom you think would appreciate the dryads, and not be disturbed by them."

"I'd think the level of disturbing might be based upon what the dryads say," Peter pointed out. "Because compared to say zombies or demons who try to cut one's heart out, our dryads are relatively benign."

"Quite true." She took up the bow again, and loosed another arrow, watching it hit dead center. "And we shall have something else for your birthday then." Susan smiled mischeviously. "Other than lemon pound cake made by a certain witch."

Peter watched the arrow hit with a proud look. "Willow makes biscuits not cakes," he said. Offhandly, he added "Though Miss Calendar isn't the only teacher who's returning for the fall, is she." He glanced at Susan out of the corner of his eye.

Susan gave him a long-suffering look. "No, she's not. I believe several of the others are returning as well. Perhaps we'll finally be able to have a decent barbeque when they return." Her lips were twitching as she said this.

"Ah, yes, a barbeque," Peter said neutrally. "I'm sure all the teachers will enjoy that. May I try the bow again?"

"Certainly." Susan smiled and handed it over. "Professor Miho was certainly right about Tex being the person to ask."

Peter chuckled. "She was rather disgusted at the request though she filled it quickly enough. The question 'whatever would you want a bow for' was definitely asked." He rolled his eyes. "She then tried to get information about our home to 'establish trading ties.' The thought amused me a bit."

Gun range, Thursday afternoon

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