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[dayenneshier]

OOC: The following archery training is open to everyone, not just the Slayers. It's like... something you can do after school if you like that. Just pretend Dayenne posted a note about it two weeks ago that everyone can come to this. I wanted to post it, but I kept forgetting about it. ^^;

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[stcatsfiresoul]

Hino Rei curiously peeked her head around the corner. "Is this...where the free archery lessons are?" Looking around a little more, she realized that was a rather silly question to ask, having just noticed the many targets set up along the opposite side of the field.

Though having no training with bows in her martial arts, she had always found the idea of archery somewhat interesting. She did not expect that she would be very good, and wondered if she would be the only non-Slayer to take Professor Shier up on her offer to allow the other students use of their grounds, but she thought she would at least give it a shot.

[dayenneshier]

Dayenne looked up as the first non-Slayer student arrived. "Good afternoon," she replied calmly. "This is indeed the place where you can have some archery lessons."

She examined the girl before her. "Miss Hino Rei, wasn't it? Welcome to the practice field. Do you have any experience with archery or is there something you'd like to try out?"

[stcatsfiresoul]

"No, sensei". As Rei looked up, she noticed River arriving. Simultaneously she was irritated that her rival also chose to show up, and glad that at least she was no longer the only non-Slayer there.

Turning her attention back to the professor, the young Seer continued. "No, I don't have any experience. But kyujutsu always seemed really interesting, though. It has a certain kind of grace."

[dayenneshier]

The professor nodded. "I agree with you. Kyujutsu, hm? I suppose that means you'd like to try out a longbow. There isn't any real difference between a shortbow and longbow anyway, not in how you have to shoot. The range differs, of course."

She turned to the rack and picked up a longbow for Rei, as well as a quiver of arrows. "The shooting isn't difficult," Dayenne said while she handed over the equipment to the Seer, "but aiming and hitting is quite a bit more challenging. I'll help you with the position and what you have to do the first time."

[stcatsfiresoul]

Rei accepted the longbow with a smile and a nod, and slid the quiver across her shoulder.

She gracefully held her bow, making slow and deliberate motions to load an arrow and draw the string. Though it was her first time to try her hand at archery, in this lifetime at least, she approached it not unlike a martial arts kata. She kept her body loose and limber, ready to either shift her stance according to Shier-sensei's instructions or allow her to position her body to adjust for the mistakes in her form.

[dayenneshier]

Dayenne nodded her approval. Most students kept their bodies locked when they stood with a boy in their hands for the first time. She adjusted Rei's position slightly, explaining why it was important to stand like that.

"Alright," she said once she was finished with that. "Go ahead. Give it a try."

[stcatsfiresoul]

Rei's concentration was so heavy that it almost became tangible. She focused on the target, everything else in the world seeming to slip away. Standing there, the only motion was the slight rising and falling of her chest with each breath she took, and her long raven hair with each breeze that gently rushed through it.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she blocked out all other distractions, reaching out with her mind and locking her senses on the target. Her eyes then shot open, and seconds later the bowstring was released. Her arrow struck the white innermost circle surrounding the red bullseye.

[OOC: "With a boy in their hands", eh? Don't know if Mina-chan's going to be happy with you trying to turn her lesbian knight in training back straight! Hehe!] ^_^;

[dayenneshier]

Dayenne stood there watching her. Her eyes followed the arrow once it was released. Seemingly unemotional, she watched how the arrow hit the target close to the bullseye.

"Very good," she said softly. "You can do what most first and even second year students don't fully understand yet. Are you sure you've never practiced before?"

OOC: ...Sorry. ^^; I did it again. My fingers love the y for some reason. X_x; Which is not a good thing with the word bow, as you can see. XD;

[stcatsfiresoul]

Though she did not fully know why, this skill seemed to come naturally to Rei. Despite being new to archery, the motions felt fluid and practiced as if she had been doing this for years.

Already known for being mysterious, the psychic simply replied "Perhaps in a former life." There was a distant look in her eyes as she readied another shot. With her classical looks and her miko robes, she appeared more like a shrine maiden of centuries gone by than a modern-era schoolgirl. She aimed her next shot with the slow and over-exaggerated motions of a martial artist, striking the target once again for a similar result.