Guns and Dolls

[runmakitarun]

Makita is set up on the outdoor range. The RKG-41 is a bulky weapon. It's designed to survive a lot of abuse, and she's used it to beat people with before.

It also kicks like a mule. Makita's lack of expertise with the thing is pretty evident as she keeps shifting her stance trying to compensate. That and the merely mediocre aim she seems to have with the weapon.

There is an open case of 10mm ammunition on the ground nearby and an awful lot of spent shell casings around her feet. Her frown is a mixture of concentration and frustration. Too many of her shots are missing the target.

Comments

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Goldy assays the casing with a sharp professional gaze.

"Nice and destructive. If you can hit the wall in the first place."

She hands the cartridge back and nods at the gun itself.

"Do you mind if I give it a try?"

[runmakitarun.livejournal.com]

"Sure." Makita picks up the RKG and, in a horrifying display of gun safety, slides a full magazine in and hands it to Goldy barrel first.

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

"Watch it!"

The Fable looks at Makita askance and quickly adjusts the muzzle direction once she's got her hands on the weighty stock.

"Shit, Skeeter. I know I'm immortal, but I'm not invulnerable. Bullets still fuck me up."

[runmakitarun.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Makita looks a bit embarrassed. "Sorry."

She lets Goldy take the weapon and watches her curiously to see how she'll handle it.

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

It's not like there was a round in the chamber, but still...

"Barely forgiven," she says. "If you weren't so cute..."

With a mildly berating frown, Goldy slips her own rifle off and hands it to Makita in a far safer manner. She'll find it pretty light compared to the brick of a gun she just relinquished.

The blonde then moves forward a few paces, levers a shell through the breech and, unlike Makita, braces the stock against her shoulder. Once her stance is adjusted for the expected recoil, she takes a careful aim on one of the cut-off logs that are serving as targets and fires off a short burst.

[runmakitarun.livejournal.com]

Makita's lips purse in a silent whistle as the shots all hit the target. It's not a very tight grouping, but then again the RKG-41 isn't designed to produce them.

"Do it again," she says. If this isn't a fluke...

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Goldy had been prepared for the violent kick-back and a certain level of inaccuracy, so she's pretty happy with the hundred percent hit ratio. The weapon's not such a brute after all. It just needs the handling that only a true markswoman can provide.

"That wasn't luck," she remarks, reading Makita's train of thought and rewarding it with an eye-roll.

"But okay."

She shrugs and steadies herself once more. A different target is selected this time. And after a few seconds, another clattering volley of shots is released.

[runmakitarun.livejournal.com]

Makita looks from the target to Goldy and "hmms" thoughtfully. After a moment she gives a firm nod.

"Teach me?"

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Having plugged the intended log with all her shots again, Goldy adopts a smug smile and shoulders the rifle.

"Demanding little minx aren't you?"

[runmakitarun.livejournal.com]

With a frown Makita shakes her head, "Not for nothing." She doesn't need charity.

"I'll..." she sighs, "You don't really need me to teach you how to use a pistol, do you..." And there's not much else Makita knows.

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Goldy smirks and admits: "Not really, no."

She breezes back over to Makita's side.

"Don't worry," she says in a far kinder tone. "I was only teasing. I've taught lots of people around here how to use guns more proficiently. I don't require anything in return, especially when it's for an important cause like yours."

[runmakitarun.livejournal.com]

Still frowning Makita sighs again, "I just... wish I could do something for you. All I ever seem to do around here is have people help me."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

"Ah, right. I can see how that could be a blow to the ego."

Goldy ponders the inequity for a short while, trying to come up with some kind of appropriate recompense.

"You could take me to see your war zone and and let me kill a few hostiles?"

[runmakitarun.livejournal.com]

Goldy gets a very doubtful look, "I don't know that that would be much of a trade." She shrugs, "But if you do want to come sometime, I'm not going to stop you."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

"Good. In that case, sign me up for your next trip. You'll be doing me a favor. I could use a change of scenery and a bit of combat-oriented excitement."

Smiling, she gestures at her hunting rifle, still in Makita's hands.

"My sniping skills could also use something more than demon bunnies to keep them honed, so I'm happy to see if I can pick off a few key officers for you and your side."

[runmakitarun.livejournal.com]

Makita eyes Goldy's gun thoughtfully. "If you're serious about that, I'll have to dig you up some new gear."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

"I'm always serious when it comes to assassinations," the Fable declares.

Her top lip then curls up. She can't see why her own equipment won't suffice. It has no shortcomings or unsuitability for Makita's world as far as she can tell.

"What kind of new gear? I have everything I'll need in terms of munitions and camouflage."

[runmakitarun.livejournal.com]

The rifle is examined again, "Do you have any Protocol Piercing Rounds for that thing? It's not a standard Red caliber, so I know I don't have any."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

"I assume Protocol is some kind of armor." It doesn't occur to her that it could be a magical-based shielding. "In which case, I do have a box of M2 rounds in 30-06 caliber that work pretty well for AP work. 163 grain, tungsten carbide penetrator in a cupro-nickel jacket."

She scrunches her face dispassionately as she gets to the trade-off.

"The added weight means far less range though."

[runmakitarun.livejournal.com]

"Protocol is..." Makita frowns, "Like magic I think. Maybe it is magic. Anyway, the sorceresses are protected by shields which stop incoming rounds. Even something as big as that."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

"...Ah. I didn't realize magic was an overt player in your world."

More face scrunching.

"But, you say that there are rounds that can pierce those shields? So it's just a case of getting our hands on some that will match my gun. Or me working with a different gun."

[runmakitarun.livejournal.com]

Makita digs in her pocket for a moment and comes out with another 10mm round, this one marked with a jagged blue band. It seems to glow slightly, but that could just be the dye.

"We get ours from the Reds. They carry them to take out our own Kasters." She nods, "That's the 10mm pistol round, the smallest caliber that they make. There's also a 10mm sniper round, but I don't carry them because I don't have one of the 10mm heavy rifles."

She shrugs, "Not that I could shoot the thing anyway, even if I had one."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Goldy notes the different colored marking and nods.

"Well, unless you have some different unshielded targets in mind, we're going to have to get hold of one somehow. I'm sure I'll be able to use it. And I can teach you how to as well... if you like?"

[runmakitarun.livejournal.com]

"They're not very common, but I can find you one," Makita's pretty sure of herself.

"And... I'd really appreciate it."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

"Happy to help," Goldy confirms, giving Makita a friendly clap on the shoulder.

"I can start you on my rifle. The principles are the same."