Training of the Hawkeye

Training of the Hawkeye
Date of Scene:	26 December 2012
Location:	Traverse Area - Bodhum - Beach
Synopsis:	After the stubborn insistance of Leida, Reize decided to help Leida develop her combat skills in archery.
Cast of Characters:	Reize Seatlan, Leida

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Reize Seatlan has posed:
Bodhum Beach.

Once the beautiful tropical resort town, but is now a place filled with eternal night. It has extended through the town with he eternal night hovering over it. The soft golden sands has a few scatterings of large and tropical tree. The streets offer the artificial light to provide some sights.

At the shoreline, the beautiful view of the sea is provided and the night sky offers a wonderful backdrop.

It was time to help Leida develop her combat skills. With the help of alterations, they knitted up a plush Heartless to use as target practice. That said plush was hung on a tree.

"So, this is the target!" He rubs the back of his head, "...Admittedly, you are using a weapon that I am not good with." Reize frowns, "...I know a person who is better suited to teach you than I am, but..." He rubs the back of his head, "..Ah well."

Leida has posed:
The beach was a place usually associated with tropical warmth, pleasurable resorts, and coastal fishing. With the onset of eternal night thanks to its new home in proximity to the unusual Traverse area, the beach was also a place of somber reflection and romantic atmosphere.

Sadly, none of these are relevant to the current task at hand, but that doesn't stop the young princess from soaking up some enjoyment from the locale. Her toes wiggle in the sand experimentally, her armored combat greaves left back at their temporary lodgings, and she smiles as the fine grains shift to accomodate the movement.

Back in her home town the only things related to the beach she ever saw were the imported foodstuffs brought in by merchants. There were also paintings and poetry but they didn't do the beauty of the ocean justice.

Reize's voice breaks the girl out of her distraction and she looks over at the crude but somehow cute plushie Heartless. At his hesitation, Leida glances down at the tall length of lacquered wood in her hands. It had taken some serious searching to find a bow of this particular style. She had insisted that only a weapon crafted in the manner of her homeland's traditions would be fitting and since they were already strongly breaking the rules by allowing her to fight, Leida had put her foot down on the matter with a stubborness that only princesses can muster.

Fortunately, some merchants from a distant place called Wutai had been in Traverse to promote their business in light of this new holiday that was gaining popularity and had just the thing she needed. However, her skills with archery were limited to the smattering of sessions that her older brothers had given to her on the odd occasion they felt like treating her as a normal sibling. She tried to recall every lesson now as she plucked an arrow from the cluster jammed into the sand and nodded back at Reize.

"Um... I-I'll do my best..."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Reize tilts his head over, both of his eyes falling shut as a large smile beamed from him. "I know you will. As your guardian, I will do my best to help you along the way." His smile becomes more subdued, less of the usual upbeat beaming and more of a calm, paternal demeanor. He turns away, slowly moving towards her side, "Though, I suppose this would be similar.."

He runs a hand along his chin, "My father tuaght me how to throw a boomerang when I was a wee lad." He grins, "It took me a while to get used to it. It was amazing as to how he managed it!" And then, he looks over towards her and the Heartless plush.

"Okay! So, I have this set up for you." He moves along the sand, now reachng into his pouch to procure an apple. He tosses an apple up in the air, wiping it along his scarf. He gives a bright smile her way.

"Ready whenever you are!"

Leida has posed:
Leida gives a short nod back at him, quietly wondering what a boomerang is. She'll ask him later. For now she needs to concentrate.

A deep breath is taken and exhaled slowly, the feel of muscles tensing and relaxing across her small frame helping to put her in a state of calmness. The art of archery was a well respected skill in homeland and thus had to be approached in the proper methods that had been developed by warriors and hunters over the ages.

The girl steps foward onto an imaginary line in the sand, turning to face the left side of her body towards the small doll in the distance. She adjusted slightly, lining up herself with the target by sighting along the tips of her feet, before spreading them apart roughly half an arrow's length and turning them outwards to form a V in the sand.

Next, her body arched slightly, her back going straight while her hips were pushed out slightly behind to ensure that the bowstring would not clip her by accident. The arrow was nocked, Leida's hand wrapping around the string as she turned her head to gaze down the makeshift shooting range at her target with a look of blank concentration.

Carefully, the princess lifts the massive bow over her head completely while maintaining her posture and then slowly lowers it once again. The arrow is drawn back as her arms spread apart, simutaneously extending the bow foward while pulling the string to the rear. The motion is smooth and continous, flowing neatly until the arrow is level with her cheek.

There is a long pause here, Leida's body rigidly holding the position as she takes the time to ensure her aim is proper and no improper motions have been created. Despite it having been almost six years since her last attempt to draw a bow, the motions come easily for some reason, almost naturally. The reasons behind this elude the girl but she does not focus on that now. Her only concern is the target.

Suddenly, her eyes narrow slightly, breaking the statuesque pose. Her slender fingers open all at once and with a sharp snap the arrow is released. Leida's eyes remain glued on the target, her willpower focused on guiding the shot to its destination, and her efforts are rewarded as the long wooden shaft punches smoothly into the Heartless' gut.

The final step is lowering the bow and she folds it against her side, turning to smile at Reize with a childish look of accomplishment.

"I-I did it! Did you see?"

Reize Seatlan has posed:
The young adventurer had been watching the girl's practiced motions for some time. As she settles in to draw her bow, Reize observes each and every movement. However, the one oddity in the way she uses the bow that catches his attention is how she brings the entire bow over her head.

"...Huh..." He quietly notes. Ususally, the archer held it out in front of them. At least, his friend did. However, the girl's culture is so different.

That arrow strikes true deep into the heart of the Heartless.

Reize's eyes widen, and then he brightens into a smile towards Leida. "You did it!" He offers a bright grin towards her, then he walks over to her to pat her on the back. "You did it! That was amazing, Leida!"

A few moments pass in the celebration as a surprise guest comes in. It's a small, black plush cat that is following to the beach to deliver something to Reize. However, it stops when it sees the heartless plush with an arrow to its heart.

It turns towards Leida. It's head creens toward person likely responsible.

Seeing the plush, Reize grins and waves a hand, "Oooii! Mr. Mew! Just helping Leida with her combat training! She's making good progress!"

The eyes stare at Reize.

"Uhh... Mr. Mew?"

******
Moments later...

"HEEELP! I DON'T LIKE THIS IDEA!!!!"

Reize's head flails about as he finds himself tied against a palm tree with lots and lots of rope. An apple is over his head. Just like William Tell.

"Let me out, let me out! Let mm--Mmmffff!!!" An apple is stuffed into the boy's mouth. With the boy being the appropriate target in place of the heartless plush, who is getting dragged by Mr. Mew, Reize lowers his head with comical tears flooding like a river.

A stuffed paw is gestured towards Reize to the girl, then it raises both hands in the air with 'Begin!' and it walks back to Traverse Town to meet with Shiki.

Leida has posed:
"Ah..." The girl makes a soft noise and blushes as she is congratulated, lowering her head for a moment in shyness. However, the arrival of the strange living plush toy causes her to look up in surprise. While she's been around Shiki a few times, this is Leida's first time seeing the creature on it's own, which was quite a shock. She'd thought it some kind of magical puppet!

Watching Mr. Mew approach curiously, she follows its gaze to the target dummy then up to Reize, not quite sure what the connection might be. However, after the sudden frenzy of motion and rope, the girl thinks she understands.

"U-um... but-" The plushie departs just as suddenly as it arrived, leaving Leida standing dumbfounded in the sand. She turns her gaze to Reize who is now all trussed up against the tree, then down at the pile of arrows by her feet. Maybe...

Suddenly emboldened by her previous success, the princess turns to face the hapless boy and bows deeply to him with uncharacteristic enthusiasm. "R-Reize-san! Please allow me to prove myself!"

Without waiting for his reply, she snatches up another arrow and takes aim, carefully going through the motions. The bow goes up, the arrow is drawn back. Her deep amber eyes lock on the shiny red orb, narrowing with focus.

And then, she lets the deadly shaft fly.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Why...., just... why?!

Here Reize is, hung up against the alm tree with rope strapped around him. This has not been a great turn of events so far. Mr. Mew plush-handled him and strapped him on a tree! He is now the intended target! The boy doesn't want to die! This is a bad idea! Sure, Leida is good with the bow, but what if she slips?! What if he gets hit in the head? Or even worse...?!

Reize's eyes fall shut, flailing about as the horrible thought comes of the future.

Imaginary 20 years later, in Fluorgis..

A young, upbeat adventurer comes waltzing into the bar. He has strawberry blond hair, dressed in a full platemail. The adventurer holds his sword into the air. "Greetings! I am looking for an adventure and I heard that there is a great guild to join!"

And then, turns a very olden looking Reize, looking very beaten and scruffy. He gives a bemused smile while hugging his mug of ale.

"...Heh, I used to be an adventurer like you... and then I took an arrow to the knee."

He breaks down into sobs and drinks from the mug.

Reality sets back in

"I don't want an arrow to the knee! I wanna remain an adventurer, I w--..." And then, the princess gives uncharacteristic enthusiasm. This snaps Reize out of his state of panic. He looks at the smile and the vivid energy that she displays. It is perhaps the first time that she has shown this confidence.

He will trust her.

"...Alright." The boy calms.

As she focuses and the arrow flies...

PANIC! PANIC!!! Reize sees his life as an adventurer, or life in general, flash before his eyes.

It is then that the apple is pierced through. Not only is it pierced through and slung against the tree, but it splits apart. His antenna hair joins the apple in the splitting, except that it 'faints'.

Reize faints.

Leida has posed:
Again, the small adventurer-in-training keeps her gaze locked on the intended target, willing the arrow to strike true. When the apple splits she closes her eyes and exhales deeply, a giant wave of tension leaving with the breath.

"I... I did it!" She bounces lightly in the sand on the tips of her toes, holding the bow with both hands against her chest. "Reize-san! I hit the apple!"

Only when she turns and sees the young boy slumped over slightly, the ropes still holding him upright does she gasp, dropping the weapon in the sand. Had she nicked him?!

Rushing over to the tree, the princess wraps her arms around her guardian, rope and all, tears already starting to well up in her eyes. "I-I'm sorry! Are you alright...?"

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Ahh, sweet merciful death. Maybe it was the end of the road for him.

Wait, no. He's still alive. Just fainted. When the princess wraps her arms around him, the boy is rolling his head around, his eyes lifting up dizzily. "..Hee, I am still alive...!" Where did that apple in his mouth earlier go?

Oh right, he ate it after Mr. Mew stuffed it in his mouth. Look, he was hungry, alright?!

When he comes to and sees the tears swelling upon the princess's eyes, he leans his head over to have his forehead touch her own. "Oooi, I'm alright." The forehead touching her own is a bit more affectionate.

"You did great, Leida. I am proud of you."

Leida has posed:
Leida blinks at the sudden sensation on her head, causing her to look up suddenly. This, ofcourse, smacks her forehead straight into his, ruining his attempts to be reassuring and gentle as she staggers backwards to land on her rear in the sand.

"Atatatatata...." She rubs the new bump on her head tenderly with both hands for a moment but quickly remembers that Reize is still tied up and now confirmed alive! Quickly, she moves around behind him and works at the ropes, which takes several minutes thanks to her delicate fingers and Mr. Mew's rather thorough application of complex knots. However, eventually she does get him free.

The girl moves back to the front of the tree and kneels down quickly, protrostrating herself before him with her head flat against the beach and both hands stretched out in front of her.

"Forgive me, Reize-san! I-I'm sorry! That was reckless of me... oh and then your head... because I'm so clumsy..."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
*WHONK!*

"Gah! Atatatatatataaa..." His antenna hair looks crumpled up, as if injured from the impact. It takes a few moments for the boy to recover. It's even longer since that his arms are completely tied to the tree.

Mr. Mew is a jerk!

As Leida begins undoing those knots, the boy is finally freed! He sighs a bit, then he knees down to the level of Leida and he places a hand to her shoulder. "Oooi, Leida. Get up." He smiles at her. "You did well. I think you will be a valueable asset to the Shard Seekers. You have a great eye for targetting! It's impressive! You said that you haven't had a chance to train in a long time, but you're a natural!"

Leida has posed:
Leida sits up, scooting her hands back into her lap, and peering up at him timidly. "Um... thank you, Reize-san. I'm sorry about your head..."

She glances over at the bow lying on the beach, again pondering why the skill seemed to come so easily all of the sudden. Back at home she had been so terrible at archery that her brothers only ever allowed her to carry their ammunition on hunts. She didn't think she'd ever even hit a target before now, always managing to let go at the wrong time or too weak to pull the string back far enough to send the arrow more than a few pitiful feet.

Getting back to her feet, she walks back over and picks up her weapon again, examining it quietly. It certainly seemed plain enough and lacking in powerful enchantments that might be to blame for these strange skills.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
A smile is given towards Leida as she gets back up. While watching her get the arrow, Reize has been considering the oddities about her. The past few times, he had been pushed back pretty far from her small, petite form. It felt like a battering ram when he faced the hit. Reize cannot help but wonder about her hidden strength.

..Hrm.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Reize is walking over towards the princess. With a pat towards her back, Reize offers her a bright smile, "Let's go back to the town. I think everyone will have lunch ready for us."

Leida has posed:
The girl nods and gives him a faint smile in return, putting her concerns aside for the moment. Wherever this newfound strength was coming from, she was in control of herself once again. There would be no more giving in to the darkness if she had anything to say about it.

A hint of invisible energy danced across the tattoo on her shoulder, as if mocking her silent resolve.

"Alright..." Lunch sounded good right now. She quickly gathered up the arrows in one hand, sliding them back into the slotted quiver, and then set off with Reize towards the town.