milliways_bar | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Ramon's in the bar early, despite wishing he was still upstairs. But, things to do, and there are reasons why it's not a good idea to have weapons in his room right now. Something to do with the company.

Anyway, he's cleaning three pistols, a rifle and his sword. Bit tricky when one arm is virtually out of action but hey, he's got time and nothing else to do right now. Distractions would be welcome though.

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"I'm not a coward. I'm not going to avoid a fight because I might get hurt, or I might get killed. If we end up in a war, then so be it."

He sighs. "I don't suppose you'd get me a drink, would you? The bar won't give me one on my own."

The corners of his mouth turn up slightly, but whether in approval at the statement or at the request for a drink is ambiguous.

'Sure. What do you like?'

He waves a rat over.

'You want any fun things to go with that, let me know.'

"No, just the drink. Whatever we had last time. I liked that. Maybe it'll help me sleep."

'Well I can definitely give you something that'll make you sleep. Even something legal if you like - pretty sure Bar'll help you out with that.'

For the time being he just orders a bottle of scotch with two glasses and then starts idly putting a pistol back together as the rat runs off.

Melou pours himself a glass, and then one for Ramom, all the while watching the pistol.

"What sort of weapon is that?"

'It's a gun.'

He fits it back together a little awkwardly, due to limited mobility with his right arm, then checks that the firing pin is in good working order. He doesn't load it though, just reverses it and offers it to Melou, handle first.

'Want to see? I guess handguns aren't in use much in your time. You even have cannons yet?'

"Cannons? We have catapults." He takes the gun and looks it over. He's never seen anything like it, of course.

'Mmm no, not the same thing. Cannons use gunpowder and fire.'

He pulls one bullet out and sets it on the table.

'Guns fire these at high speeds. Can easily kill with one shot. It was one of those through my shoulder that hurt me a few days ago.'

"Our year is 519, if that help any."

Melou looks impressed. He picks up the bullet and turns it over in his hand. "Wow. Must hurt."

'Yeah. Well, I was lucky, it went right through. It hurts worse if it breaks a bone on the way through or gets stuck inside. That's the most painful thing.'

He toys with a thought for a moment, then shrugs.

'Want to shoot it?'

"Arrow heads are the same. They get stuck in you, it's bad news." He's parroting what he's ben told.

Then he grins. "Sure!"

Ramon nods with a small smile and stands up, sticking the other two guns into his waistband, resheathing the sword and slinging the rifle over his good shoulder. Because he's not leaving any of them around the bar.

'Come on then, we'll have to do it outside. But you have to do what I tell you with it because I don't want your mother bending my ear if you shoot yourself in the foot, alright?'

He nods at the gun the boy's still holding. 'Bring it with you and don't drop it.'

"Yes, sir." Melou stands and follows Ramon outside. First time he's been out there, too.

He finds it more than weird that he's quite enjoying hanging out with a boy but doesn't dwell on it. Every kid should learn to shoot, he thinks.

A target is procured from Bar and he heads outside to a clear area on the edge of the woods and sticks it to a tree. Then he takes the gun off the boy and shows him how to take the magazine out, load it and slide it back in. The safety catch goes on.

'If you're carrying a gun, don't walk around without that on or you'll blow your balls off.'

Sage advice. He shows Melou how to cock it and points out the trigger. Then he resets it to safe and hands it over.

'Go for it. Cock it and line up the target - you've shot a bow before? Same sort of thing. Try and hit the target in the head or chest and mind the kickback or you'll land on your ass.'

Melou watches and listens carefully. Despite his less than serious nature, he knows when to pay attention.

He cocks the gun easily enough and then lines up the target. He misses and stumbles back a few steps upon firing.

"It's a bit different than a bow." He's smiling, though.

'Yeah it would be.'

Ramon's watching the pistol, in case the boy accidently waves it around.

'Make sure it's always pointing down and away from you, and everyone else. And keep the safety on between shots, at least until you know what you're doing.'

He nods at the target. 'Keep going. I've got enough ammo.'

Melou nods back and takes a few more shots, missing mostly, but getting steadier with each one.

It might be obvious that he's enjoying this. He will be, in a few years, quite an accomplished killer.

'You're not bad,' Ramon observes when the magazine is empty. 'I suppose you get to shoot arrows a lot at home.'

He hands over another eight bullets.

'Were you paying attention when I loaded it? Give it a go.'

"Yes." And he was, as he loads the gun rather quickly.

He holds the gun down and away from either of them. "Does everyone have one of these where you're from?"

Ramon nods immediately. 'Of course.'

...and then thinks about what he's just said.

'...well - all the sorts of people I know, anyway. Regular people with normal jobs might not I suppose, although a large portion of them will have as well. But yeah, most of them.'

He wouldn't know what the hell to do without a gun around, he feels naked without one. So he just goes on the assumption that everyone else is carrying as well - and hell, it's not like he ever just jumps in a car to go to the supermarket. He has armed bodyguards practically everywhere he goes.

'Doesn't everyone carry a weapon at your home?'

"Pretty much. That's why I asked. Wondering how different it was."

He takes another few shots, managing to at least hit the target for most of them this time. He puts the safety on and hands it back to Ramon.

"When I'm older, I'll get a sword made just for me."

He takes it, checks the chamber and sticks it back in his waistband.

'Come on, it's cold out here.'

He heads back in the direction of the bar, then asks, 'Is that just something you want or something you already know is going to happen, like a tradition?'

Melou follows, keeping stride. He's tall for his age.

"Any man who can afford to gets a sword made. Either that, or he gets one passed down to him from his father, but Melehan's older."

'Makes sense. I would have given my oldest a gun when he was about your age, I expect.'

He opens the door and stands back to let the boy in first.

'What do you use, a broadsword? Or, will you?'

He figures he's probably a bit small yet for one of those. Damn heavy things.

Melou nods and enters the building.

"I have one already that I practice with, but I want one of my own as soon as I can."