Target Practice and Beginner's Luck

Calliope had never actually picked up a bow and arrow, but what the other kids were doing looked fun and easy enough. She grabbed a beginner's bow and a quiver of arrows from the supply area and went to the target farthest from the group (just in case she was really bad). She found that she knew exactly what to do: right hand holding the bow nice and steady, two fingers on the left hand on the string, feet shoulder width apart, grounded. Taking one deep breath, she drew the bow back to her cheek, focused in on the middle of the target, and exhaled as she let loose the arrow. It was like watching it in slow motion. The arrow flew straight and true and hit dead center of the target. "Beginner's luck." She said to herself. And she would have believed it too- if she hadn't made a perfect shot the second time. She loved this sport. And she kept at it right through lunch and into the next training session.

Blake needed to practice archery, and he needed it badly. After his realisation that he could only use one weapon, the sword, he needed to broaden his range of skill a bit more. He walked down the row of targets and went to the second farthest one. The farthest one was occupied by someone. It was a girl. Blake walked up next to this girl, and thought 'maybe he could learn a thing or two from her by watching.' She looked like a master, knocking back each arrow and hitting the bullseye every single time. She had perfect form, and perfect aim. Blake could learn a thing or two just from watching. He watched her, not knowing that she didn't know he was there, for about ten minutes. Then he said Wow, you're good.

Calli was getting ready to let loose another arrow when a young man's voice interrupted her focus. Startled, she aimed too high and the arrow soared over the target and clear across the arena and planted itself at the feet of another camper, who got freaked out and ran away. "Sorry!" Calli called after the kid. Mustering up all of her anger and determined to lash out at whoever was responsible, she turned around to speak and lost all confidence (as usual). "You shouldn't have done that." Calliope timidly. "I could have really hurt him." They stood in silence for a few moments. "Thank you for the compliment. It's funny, this is actually my first try at archery. I didn't even expect to hit the target. My name is Calliope, but call me Calli. What's yours? "

First try? It seemed too good to be true. Uhm... I'm Blake. So Calli, your god parent, is it Apollo? Seeing that you shot all bullseye's and this is your 'first try' he said, the last part with air quotes, your dad must be the god of archery. Either that, or you're lying to me. He didn't mean to offend her, he just thought it was too good to be true. Then again, there were kids here that could control fire.

"Yes. Apollo is my father." She was still processing that fact. After all, it's not every day that a girl finds out that her father is an immortal god straight out of ancient mythology. "It makes a lot of sense, though." Calli remarked. "The three things I love the most are sunshine, music, and now archery. I'm told those are my father's specialties." She couldn't help but notice that she felt stronger and more confident in the sunshine, finding it easier and easier to talk to Blake. "So what about you? Who's your parent? What do you like to do?"

Blake resented the fact that his dad was Hephaestus, but he had to embrace it. My dad is Hephaestus, the god of smithing and armor... more or less. He said. He also wasn't the best looking god of them all. Actually, he was the ugliest of them all. Guess that explains my lack of beauty a little bit better. He said gesturing at his face. The smile shown after reassured that it was a joke. Going back to your question, I like to work at the forge, go canoeing, and sword fighting. I came here to broaden my spectrum oof weapon skill. So what do you like to do?

"Well, music has sort of been my life." It was true. Calli had never been allowed to be in the sunshine or play sports before. She really didn't know what else the world had to offer her. "My mom's had me in training since I was three. She started me out on the piano and now I sing and play 10 different instruments." Calli drifted for a moment and thought about just how much she had been missing. She had devoted her whole life to school and music. And that was it. "To be honest, I don't know. I want to discover something outside of quarter notes and key signatures." Calli realized that meeting Blake was the perfect opportunity to find something new. " I'll make you a deal. I'll help you with archery, if you teach me sword fighting. What do you say?"

Sword fighting training for archery, it sounds fair enough. Plus, I'd make a new friend in the process. It seems like a win-win situation. He thought. Of course, Blake being himself, had to think of the negatives as well. But, she did say that she was a beginner. He thought. This was a fairly easy decision on his part. Alright, deal. he said, sticking out his hand for a shake.

"Deal." They shook hands and Calli handed him a bow. She laughed to herself for a second. It had been and hour and a half since the first time she picked up a bow and now she was teaching it to a guy who probably knew way more about weapons than she did.  "Alright. Before you even pick up an arrow, you need to ground yourself. Dominant foot in front of the other. If I push you, you shouldn't even budge." Where was this coming from? Oh well. Made sense. "Now, use the hand that you write with to grasp the bow. Not too firmly, but just enough so that you have control." Not bad. Calli thought. Though she probably didn't have enough experience to judge on what was considered not bad. "OK, take an arrow, attach it to the string and let it rest on your other hand. Draw back the arrow with two fingers with one deep breath. Take the arrow all the way back to your cheek. Now exhale and let go."

Blake did everything she said. Stance, posture, grip, they all were good. He pulled back on the string, and it was a lot harder than he thought it would've been. Then he let it go, and it hit! Well, it hit the outermost ring of the target, but it hit! Wow, that felt good. But, how do I aim better? Got any tips on that? He asked.

At least Blake took directions well. Calli had to stop and think for a second why he had practically missed the target. After a few seconds she said "Good job. But you moved to fast. Everything has to be one fluid movement, like this." She shot again, this time going much slower and making sure that everything was fluid. "It doesn't take a ton of steps to hit the target, just one big one. If you go slow and you make the movements flow, then I guarantee that you will hit the center. Try again." She stepped back and let him retry.

Okay, I'll try again. Blake said. He notched the arrow back on the string, breathed deeply, pulled back, aimed, and released. As it left his fingers, he could tell right away that it would be a better hit. It flew through the air, and landed on the second innermost ring. It was nearly a bullseye! He let out a sigh of release, then laughed a little. Wow... thanks again. Can you do moving targets too? he asked her.

She couldn't believe that had actually worked! Her advise worked! She smiled at her student. "That was really great, Blake! As for moving targets... I've never tried it but let me see how I do it and then I'll show you." They went over to the moving target area and Calliope saw two options for beginner's level moving targets: large targets that fly or targets that moved on a track. She chose the second. She set her stance like she would for a normal target and watched a few targets pass by before she hit another perfect shot. Calli turned to Blake. "OK. Same thing, but this time, instead of aiming for the center, aim for the outside ring. At the speed these things are moving you should hit the center. Just make sure you aim for the middle of the outermost ring or you'll end up going too high or too low." She set up again just to make sure she was explaining it correctly. She didn't want to say the wrong thing and have it end up in disaster.

OOC: May I join it didn't say open so I wasn't sure

Alright, let's try it. He said. He pulled back on the string, aimed, and released. The arrow flew through the air, and landed close to the bullseye. He was impressed, but not too impressed with himself. So he did it again, and that time he missed. Probably too much strain on my arms.He thought to himself. He set his bow down and rubbed his arms. You Apollo kids make this look easy. Does it ever hurt your arms? He asked.

She hadn't really thought about that. Calli had been too busy having fun for the first time in a long time to notice. Her arms felt a little sore but not as much as Blake's, as it would seem. "Not really, but if you need to take a break, we can. I need some water anyway and drinking water will get some of the lactic acid out of your arms so they won't hurt as much. So let's just chill for like... 15 minutes?" Calli figured that there were 2 things that she could gain from taking a break: 1.) Blake could start telling her about sword fighting, or 2.) She could just get to know him better. Right now, Calli had very few friends. And Blake seemed like the sort of person who would make a good one. "Come on, we can just grab a water bottle and sit on the bleachers over there." She said as she walked toward the bench behind them.

Alright, let's chill. He said. He walked over to the bleachers with her, and had a drink of water. He was thinking about everyone he knew, and he was unimpressed by the ammount. He saw cliques of people all the time around the camp, easily noticable that they were best buds since the beginning. He wondered what it took to get a group like that, just friends that followed him because he was cool. So, how long have you been going here? He asked

ooc: you can join lexy

"About a month." Calli took another sip of water. And started to remember how she got here. "I was in choir rehearsal." Calli said almost in a daze as she re-lived the day that changed her life. "We had just finished when the new choir director started attacking me. If it hadn't been for Joe... my body guard... then I probably would be dead." She paused. The hardest part of that day was talking to her mom and stepfather on the car phone. They were all crying. "Sorry." Calli said after a long pause. "I just never really got to say goodbye to my mom... Is it like that for everyone? Being attacked and all? Like, how did you get here?"

For me, I was kind of forced to go here. My dad was in the military and died over seas. I then left for the camp, and haven't heard from my mom since. We didn't have to deal with monsters for too long at a time, since we were always moving. It was... hard, but I like it here. He said.

"I think I'm gonna like it here too." She responded. She meant it too. Especially now that she had a friend. She stood up. "Come on. Let's get back to training. I think most of the range is clear so-" As she started for the stationary targets, an arrow flew out of nowhere and hit the dead center of one of the targets. When Calli looked back to see who it was, she saw a young girl standing on the other side of the arena. "Wow. She's good. Do you know her?"

I accidently drop the arrow and it hits the ground with a clatter. I flick my hand and a breeze picks it up and into my hand. I walk back over to where I first shot. I notch the same arrow and shoot again. I hit the exact place where I shot last time. I shoot another arrow and it lands right next to the last one. I walk over to it as a gentle breeze flutters around me.

No, I don't, but I'd like to find out. Blake said. He walked down the bleachers and saw drop an arrow, but lift it back up without her touching it. He stopped, tried to process what he just saw, and remembered that he was at a camp filled with supernatural kids. Either she has the force, or she's got some wicked power, he thought to himself. She notched back another arrow, sent it flying, and watched her walk over to it. He went over to that area, stood by the firing area, and waited for her to turn around so he could ask her questions.

I pull it out and turn around. I see a boy older than me standing where I was shooting. I start to walk back over when I stop mid way. I look over at were the practice bows are see a quiver. I walk over and grab a worn wooden arrow. I walk back to the place where I was shooting and notch the old arrow. " Hi" I simply say pulling back and taking aim at the target. I shoot the arrow and it hits the dead center with a dull thud. I pull out one of my own arrows and notch it. I pull back taking aim at the arrow I just shot and shoot. Half a second later it hits they arrow right down the middle, splitting it in two. I stand there for a second trying to process what just happened. I was just trying to see if I could get it next to the previous arrow. I didn't actually think I would hit it.

Wow, you're good too. I wouldn't have believed what you did if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. That was too impressive to have been done... without powers He said to her. I'm pretty sure you used the force, or something, to lift that arrow earlier, and used it to get four bullseyes. Either that, or you've been doing this for a really, really long time.