4th Shot [Action]

[sapphire_sniper]

[He's already had a couple... adventures... with the random teleportations around Luceti.  And now it's time for him to have another.  He was so proud of his little firing range at the foot of the mountains.  He had considered seeing if the barracks had a range- but there's no way he could practice with these ranges inside a building

Comments

[redheaded_rock]

[Alexis has absolutely no idea what is or why this is going on. She had been making herself a snack, standing in the kitchen, and all of sudden... she's not.

Blinking in absolute consternation here. She hasn't noticed either targets or a rifle sighted on her. She's too busy staring at the place where her refrigerator should be.]

[sapphire_sniper]

[And he only has a fraction of a second to register someone appearing by his target to react, his finger already squeezing down on the trigger.

The loud report of a rifle is accompanied by a small explosion of dirt and stone a few feet behind the girl standing next to his target. And he's immediately shouldering the gun and running down range at a full clip.]

tl;dr -- and canon gives me no terrified Alexis icons ;;

[redheaded_rock]

[It happens so very fast and Alexis jumps, then scrambles forward with a soft shriek. Okay, gone from finding a pudding cup to getting shot at.

She knew what to do. Her dad had given her some pointers, during one his rare serious moments. (Which had, of course, denigrated quickly.

She knew what to do.

So why can't she think of what to do?

Scrambling forward turns into falling on her hands and knees but the one thing she does remember is not to freeze. Don't stop moving. Alexis tries to regain her feet -- and she's so focused on Not Being Shot that she fails to notice whoever is running toward her.]

[sapphire_sniper]

[As he approaches, there's a running litany of expletives... and something that sounds like "deculture."]

Are you alright...?!

[redheaded_rock]

[Oh. There's a person there. A person carrying a rifle. Alexis is halfway to her feet again and, at his question, sinks back down to her knees.]

... I was just getting some pudding.

[She's all right. Give her a second.]

[sapphire_sniper]

[Any concern in his expression is ruined by a grin.]

Don't think you'll find any pudding here though. I have some jerky and a couple power bars though.

[redheaded_rock]

[The grin helps and Alexis scrambles to get back to her even keel. Still on her knees, she rubs her cheek, and offers him a watery little smile.]

Not gonna shoot in my direction again?

[sapphire_sniper]

[He offers her a hand, and a more reassuring expression.]

Wouldn't dream of it~

[redheaded_rock]

[After a moment's consideration, she takes his hand and lets him pull her up.]

I have no idea what just happened.

[sapphire_sniper]

[have some slightly morbid laughter.]

If this is your first time getting teleported around this weekend, consider yourself lucky. It's another of the Malnosso's experiments.

[redheaded_rock]

Oh.

[Experiments. Right. Somehow she just didn't put that together. Then again, this is so far out of her realm of experience that she's not really surprised that she missed that connection.]

I've never seen their experiments before.

[sapphire_sniper]

Yeah, this is my first time dealing with one myself.

Seen so many incidents of it by now though, I can't even bring myself to be surprised anymore.

[He grins ruefully.]

And yet, somehow the next one will probably throw us all another curveball.

[redheaded_rock]

[Alexis nods without speaking and turns her attention to dusting off her knees. She just needs a couple minutes to process this -- this is so far beyond anything she's ever seen or heard about. After a moment, she looks up with a smile herself.]

First I've seen or experienced it this time around. Absolutely can't wait for the next one.

[sapphire_sniper]

Here's hoping you end up somewhere a little safer next time.

[He stifles a laugh]

And did anyone ever tell you you're prettier when you're being sarcastic?

[redheaded_rock]

Here's hoping there isn't a next time.

[She just... blinks at him, then smiles a bit.]

Believe it or not, I've heard that before.

[sapphire_sniper]

[That amuses him, in spite of the slight sting of using an apparently unoriginal line.]

You may want to hope there is a next time. It's one heck of a walk back to the village from here.